| Numerous studies have investigated the relationship between child AD/HD and maternal depression; however, findings have been largely mixed. Potentially contributing to the variability in findings, multiple methods of defining and assessing depression have been employed across studies. The purpose of the current study was to address these various methods within a single sample. Thirty-nine mothers of children with AD/HD and twenty-nine mothers of children without AD/HD completed measures of child and maternal psychopathology. Mothers of children with AD/HD were significantly more likely to report elevated depression at the time of the study and they were also more likely to have a history of chronic depression. Severity of depression was predicted by child diagnostic status, maternal anxiety, and maternal AD/HD. The results indicated that mothers of children with AD/HD are more likely to have a history of depression than other mothers and that the strength of the relationship between child AD/HD and maternal depression varies depending on the definition of depression. Additionally, when looking at lifetime depression status, measures that take into account chronic versus single-episode depression may be more sensitive to differences between mothers of children with and without AD/HD. |
