title: Association between Maternal Depression Symptoms across the First Eleven Years of Their Child's Life and Subsequent Offspring Suicidal Ideation.
abstract: Depression is common, especially in women of child-bearing age; prevalence estimates for this group range from 8% to 12%, and there is robust evidence that maternal depression is associated with mental health problems in offspring. Suicidal behaviour is a growing concern amongst young people and those exposed to maternal depression are likely to be especially at high risk. The aim of this study was to utilise a large, prospective population cohort to examine the relationship between depression symptom trajectories in mothers over the first eleven years of their child's life and subsequent adolescent suicidal ideation. An additional aim was to test if associations were explained by maternal suicide attempt and offspring depressive disorder. Data were utilised from a population-based birth cohort: the Avon Longitudinal Study of Parents and Children. Maternal depression symptoms were assessed repeatedly from pregnancy to child age 11 years. Offspring suicidal ideation was assessed at age 16 years. Using multiple imputation, data for 10,559 families were analysed. Using latent class growth analysis, five distinct classes of maternal depression symptoms were identified (minimal, mild, increasing, sub-threshold, chronic-severe). The prevalence of past-year suicidal ideation at age 16 years was 15% (95% CI: 14-17%). Compared to offspring of mothers with minimal symptoms, the greatest risk of suicidal ideation was found for offspring of mothers with chronic-severe symptoms [OR 3.04 (95% CI 2.19, 4.21)], with evidence for smaller increases in risk of suicidal ideation in offspring of mothers with sub-threshold, increasing and mild symptoms. These associations were not fully accounted for by maternal suicide attempt or offspring depression diagnosis. Twenty-six percent of non-depressed offspring of mothers with chronic-severe depression symptoms reported suicidal ideation. Risk for suicidal ideation should be considered in young people whose mothers have a history of sustained high levels of depression symptoms, even when the offspring themselves do not have a depression diagnosis.
authors.affiliation: Institute of Psychological Medicine and Clinical Neurosciences, Cardiff University, Cardiff, United Kingdom.
authors.forename: Gemma
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Hammerton
authors.affiliation: Institute of Psychological Medicine and Clinical Neurosciences, Cardiff University, Cardiff, United Kingdom.
authors.forename: Liam
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Mahedy
authors.affiliation: Centre for Academic Mental Health, University of Bristol, Bristol, United Kingdom.
authors.forename: Becky
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: Mars
authors.affiliation: Andrew and Virginia Rudd Centre for Adoption Research and Practice, School of Psychology, University of Sussex, Sussex, United Kingdom; International Center for Research in Human Development, Tomsk State University, Tomsk, Tomsk Oblast, Russia.
authors.forename: Gordon T
authors.initials: GT
authors.lastname: Harold
authors.affiliation: Institute of Psychological Medicine and Clinical Neurosciences, Cardiff University, Cardiff, United Kingdom.
authors.forename: Anita
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Thapar
authors.affiliation: Institute of Psychological Medicine and Clinical Neurosciences, Cardiff University, Cardiff, United Kingdom; Centre for Academic Mental Health, University of Bristol, Bristol, United Kingdom.
authors.forename: Stanley
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Zammit
authors.affiliation: Institute of Psychological Medicine and Clinical Neurosciences, Cardiff University, Cardiff, United Kingdom.
authors.forename: Stephan
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Collishaw
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D002648:Child; D015331:Cohort Studies; D003710:Demography; D003863:Depression; D003865:Major Depressive Disorder / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000473:pathology; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D016015:Logistic Models; D008297:Male; D001523:Mental Disorders / Q000473:pathology; D009035:Mothers / Q000523:psychology; D011247:Pregnancy; D015995:Prevalence; D011446:Prospective Studies; D000297:Psychology, Adolescent; D059020:Suicidal Ideation; D013406:Suicide, Attempted / Q000523:psychology; D011795:Surveys and Questionnaires