Study depression in parents can affect the academic performance of the child

Children get worse marks when a parent is depressed
Depression has many negative effects on the lives of the patients. But also the environment of depressive persons is affected by the disease. Researchers from the Drexel University's Dornsife School of Public Health found that children's school performance also worsened when one parent suffers from depression.

Depression has a negative impact on the lives of those affected and their families. The condition makes harmonious living together and even affects our children. Students get worse grades when some of their parents are depressed. Scientists at Drexel University's Dornsife School of Public Health came to this conclusion. The physicians had carried out a large study and published the results of their investigation in the journal "JAMA Psychiatry".

Children of depressed parents show significantly worse academic performance. (Image: altanaka / fotolia.com)

School achievements get worse when a parent is depressed
People with depression should get professional help. This help is necessary so that those affected better deal with their disease and at best be completely cured, the researchers explain. However, there is another reason why parents should be treated for depression. Children get worse grades at school if they have at least one depressed parent. Brian Lee. This is an indication that parental depression can greatly affect our children. Previous studies have already shown that children with depressed parents are more likely to develop behavioral or emotional and psychological problems later in life, the physician adds. In their study, the scientists monitored more than 1.1 million Swedish children, all of whom were born between 1984 and 1994. When the children were 16 years old, the researchers examined the final grades of the subjects. The researchers found that school performance worsened when the children had parents with depression. lee.

Depression can also affect children if they have occurred years earlier
Depression is a widespread disease that affects not only the sufferer, but also their relationships with other people, the scientists report. If the child is affected by this burden, the school performance may worsen, the researchers explain. Maternal and paternal depression affect the performance of children in their last year of schooling, although depression has occurred years earlier, the researchers further explain. Mothers' depression also affects their daughters more, the researchers said in their study. The negative state influences the learning. It makes no difference whether the mother or the father is depressed, the experts warn.

Possible reasons for poorer performance at school
The current study has found only an association between depressed parents and poor school performance, but some results may provide clues to trigger this decline in performance, the researchers explain. Depression can be passed on in the family. Thus, some children may have undiagnosed, affective disorders, the doctors say. Another reason could be that depressed mothers tend to care less for their babies, care less or breastfeed less. This lack of care could have a long-term impact on children's ability to solve problems or learn at school, the researchers explain. Parenting is demanding and becoming more difficult when a parent suffers from depression, explain the scientists.

The problem solution should always start with the treatment of the parents
Treating parents with depression through medication or psychotherapy has been helpful in reducing children's problems as well. Therefore, the depressed parents should urgently seek treatment, emphasizes. Myrna Weissman of the "New York State Psychiatric Institute" considering the current study results. Sometimes the children have to be treated, but with the parents should definitely be started, adds the doctor. (As)