
Treating depression in teens may benefit parents’ mental health, too, study finds

The bond between parent and child extends far beyond sharing similar looks or
When a teen’s depression improved through treatment, so did depression experienced by his or her parent, according to Kelsey R. Howard, MS, of Northwestern University, who presented the findings.
“More young people today are reporting persistent feelings of sadness and hopelessness and suicidal thoughts,” said Howard. “At the same time, suicide rates have climbed in nearly all U.S. states. This research may help
A total of 325 teens who had been diagnosed with depression and 325 of their parents or caregivers participated in this long-term study. The teens were randomly assigned to one of three groups: those who received cognitive
One-quarter of the parents who participated also reported moderate to severe levels of depression before the treatment period, according to Howard.
The treatment process was not family-based, though some portions included the parent. Nonetheless, the results showed a positive ripple effect because when the severity of a teen’s depression lessened, so did similar symptoms in the parent, regardless of what treatment was used.
“Depression is a massive public health concern that will take a variety of approaches to better manage. We believe our study is among the first to evaluate how the emotional health of a child can impact that of the parent,” said Mark A. Reinecke, PhD, a co-author of the study.
The findings could be useful for clinicians, as they may wish to assess a parent’s level of depression when treating his or her child, or provide appropriate referrals, according to Howard.
“The concept of emotions being ‘contagious’ and spreading from person to person is well-known by psychologists,” Howard added. “This work opens up a range of possibilities for future research on the family-wide effects of treatment for adolescent depression.”
more recommended stories
Autism, ADHD and school absence are risk factors for self-harm
Research links school and hospital data..
Insufficient menstrual cycle education provided in UK schools
A UK-wide study led by Swansea.
Trainee teachers made sharper assessments about learning difficulties after receiving feedback from AI
A trial in which trainee teachers.
Sport improves concentration and quality of life
Study with primary school pupils confirms.
Sexual harassment is reported to be common in Scottish secondary schools
Visual, verbal and personally invasive harassment.
Study finds that US classrooms with more Black and Latinx students receive lower quality of teaching
Results are outlined in article “Teaching.
Self-awareness is key to helping kids cope with back-to-school stress
Tips for parents and teachers
Excess screen time impacting teen mental health
Research from The University of Queensland,.
Adolescents’ well-being and learning during COVID-19 linked to psychological needs
Multi-country analysis highlights importance of experiencing.
Nature draws out a happy place for children
New study explores children's perception of.
Leave a Comment