Emerging Perspectives: Children in the Shadows — The Effect of Maternal Depression and Its Treatment

Three research groups recently examined various interactions between parental depression and child psychopathology.

Pilowsky et al. reported 1-year outcomes in a sample of participants in the multisite Sequenced Treatment Alternatives to Relieve Depression (STAR*D) study. The STAR*D-Child project focused on children (age range, 6–17) of mothers with major depression; 3-month outcomes were reported previously (JW Psychiatry May 3 2006). Of 151 eligible parent–child pairs, 123 had at least one quarterly assessment. Mothers received citalopram or other treatments if citalopram failed. Psychiatric symptoms were significantly fewer in children of mothers with depression that remitted (whether within 3 months or later) than in children of nonremit…