found grandparent lifetime anxiety and depression predicted both internalizing and externalizing problems in their 3 year old grandchildren. These variations contribute to a generally mixed and inconsistent range of findings, which we briefly review below. For example, some of the studies collected mental health data for either maternal or paternal family members where others collected data for both. Of the scant literature examining these relationships, there is wide variation in methodologies and in diagnostic tools used to assess mental health problems, including the completeness of family pedigree, the use of direct and indirect assessments and differing interview or questionnaire methods. Studies examining multi-generational mental health relationships have received greater attention in recent years. Many mental disorders are considered to have a hereditary component to them, but families also share environments and experiences in addition to their genes. This may occur through a direct relationship with the child, or through their indirect relationship with the child via the parents. By virtue of these parent–child mental health relationships, it follows that the mental health histories of grandparents could have some influence on the mental health of their grandchildren. Most inter-generational research has focused on documenting parent–child mental health associations, as parents are typically the most proximal and influential people in a child’s development, particularly during the early years. These children are also more likely to experience developmental delays, lower academic competence and difficulty with social relationships. The mental health histories of both parents and grandparents play an important role in the social and emotional wellbeing of young children.Ĭhildren of parents with mental illness are at significantly greater risk for multiple psychosocial problems. For children aged 4–5 years, only a mental health history in paternal grandfathers was associated with higher SDQ scores. For children aged 8–9 years, a history of mental health problems in maternal grandmothers and grandfathers was associated with higher SDQ scores in grandchildren, after controlling for maternal and paternal mental health and other family characteristics. Resultsīoth cohorts of children had greater mental health distress with higher SDQ scores on average if their mother or father had a mental health problem. Multivariate linear regression analyses were used assess the relationships between grandparent and parent mental health and child social and emotional wellbeing at ages 4–5 years and 8–9 years. The mental health of mothers and fathers was measured using the Kessler 6-item K6 scale, and the mental health history of maternal and paternal grandmothers and grandfathers was measured using a dichotomous parent-report item. The social and emotional wellbeing of two cohorts of children aged 4–5 years and 8–9 years was measured using the parent-rated Strengths and Difficulties Questionnaire (SDQ). Mental health data, along with a range of family demographic information, were collected from over 4600 families in Growing Up in Australia: The Longitudinal Study of Australian Children, a nationally representative cohort study. This study aimed to examine mental health relationships across three generations of Australian families. However the patterns of familial mental health problems across multiple generations in families are less clear. It is well known that children of parents with mental illness are at greater risk of mental illness themselves.
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