title: Parental attitude, depression, anxiety in mothers, family functioning and breath-holding spells: A case control study.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  This study aimed to identify differences in the antenatal stressful life events, parenting style, family functioning, depression and anxiety of mothers who have children with breath-holding spells (BHS) compared with controls.
  
  
  METHODS
  This case control study divided 66 children into a group of children with BHS and a control group, with the children's ages ranging between 6 months and 5 years of age. This study explored underlying anxiety and depression in mothers as well as functioning of their families. Socio-demographical data and stressful life events that the mother experienced during pregnancy were analysed. In order to evaluate the effects of family structure, depression and anxiety in mothers on BHS in children, the Family Assessment Device, and both the Parental Attitude Research Instrument and the Beck Depression Inventory as well as the State-Trait Anxiety Inventory were used to assess both groups.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Exposure to stressful life events during pregnancy (P < 0.001), depressive traits (P < 0.001), state-trait anxiety (P < 0.001), overprotective maternal characteristics (P = 0.027) and most of the family functioning subscales were found to be significantly different between BHS and control groups.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  The association of anxiety, depression, prenatal stressful events and poor family functioning in mothers who have children with BHS is significantly higher than controls. An evaluation of these problems may be beneficial in the management of BHS.
authors.affiliation: Department of Paediatrics, Izmir Tepecik Training and Research Hospital, Izmir, Turkey.
authors.forename: Kayi
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Eliacik
authors.affiliation: Department of Child and Adolescent Psychiatry, Izmir Tepecik Training and Research Hospital, Izmir, Turkey.
authors.forename: Nurullah
authors.initials: N
authors.lastname: Bolat
authors.affiliation: Department of Paediatrics, Izmir Tepecik Training and Research Hospital, Izmir, Turkey.
authors.forename: Ali
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Kanik
authors.affiliation: Department of Child and Adolescent Psychiatry, Izmir Tepecik Training and Research Hospital, Izmir, Turkey.
authors.forename: Enis
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Sargin
authors.affiliation: Department of Paediatrics, University of Michigan, Mott's Children Hospital, Ann Arbor, Michigan, United States.
authors.forename: Ellen
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Selkie
authors.affiliation: Department of Paediatrics, Izmir Tepecik Training and Research Hospital, Izmir, Turkey.
authors.forename: Nurhan
authors.initials: N
authors.lastname: Korkmaz
authors.affiliation: Department of Paediatric Neurology, Izmir Tepecik Training and Research Hospital, Izmir, Turkey.
authors.forename: Figen
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Baydan
authors.affiliation: Department of Pediatrics, Izmir Esrefpasa Municipality Hospital, Izmir, Turkey.
authors.forename: Ebru
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Akar
authors.affiliation: Department of Pediatrics, Izmir Esrefpasa Municipality Hospital, Izmir, Turkey.
authors.forename: Berrak
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: Sarioglu
mesh_terms: D001007:Anxiety; D062485:Breath Holding; D016022:Case-Control Studies; D002675:Child, Preschool; D003863:Depression; D005195:Family Relations / Q000523:psychology*; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007223:Infant; D008297:Male; D009034:Mother-Child Relations / Q000523:psychology*; D009035:Mothers / Q000523:psychology*; D016487:Parenting / Q000523:psychology*; D013315:Stress, Psychological
keywords: breath-holding spells; maternal anxiety-depression; parental factors; stressful life events