title: Brief report: Executive functions in adolescent offspring of mothers with a history of depression.
abstract: Deficits in executive functions (EFs) have been documented among individuals with unipolar depression, but controversy exists as to whether such deficits are state-dependent or are trait markers that precede disorder onset. The present study examined whether maternal history of unipolar depression was associated with deficits in EFs in early adolescent offspring, a finding that would support a trait marker conceptualization of EF deficits. Participants were a diverse sample (N = 493) of adolescents and their mothers recruited through local schools. Measures included semi-structured diagnostic interviews of mother and adolescent, mother-report forms assessing demographic information, and tests of executive function. Hierarchical linear regression analyses were conducted to examine the association between maternal depression diagnosis and adolescent offspring performance on tests of EF. Maternal lifetime history of depression was not associated with offspring EF task performance. Findings are not consistent with the conceptualization of impaired executive functions as trait markers of unipolar depression.
authors.affiliation: VA Center for Health Equity Research and Promotion, Philadelphia VA Medical Center, 3900 Woodland Avenue, Building 4100 (Annex) Philadelphia PA 19104, USA. Electronic address: Clara.Wagner@va.gov.
authors.forename: Clara
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Wagner
authors.affiliation: University of Wisconsin-Madison, Department of Psychology, Philadelphia, PA 19104, USA.
authors.forename: Lyn Y
authors.initials: LY
authors.lastname: Abramson
authors.affiliation: Temple University, Department of Psychology, Philadelphia, PA 19122, USA.
authors.forename: Lauren B
authors.initials: LB
authors.lastname: Alloy
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D002648:Child; D016241:Child of Impaired Parents / Q000523:psychology*; D003863:Depression / Q000523:psychology*; D056344:Executive Function; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007406:Interview, Psychological; D008297:Male; D009035:Mothers / Q000523:psychology*; D011569:Psychiatric Status Rating Scales; D011581:Psychological Tests
keywords: Adolescents; Depression; Executive functions; Maternal depression