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The risk of anxiety symptoms in young adult offspring of parents with mental health problems: Findings from the raine study

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  13 August 2021

G. Ayano ,
A. Lin ,
K. Betts ,
R. Tait ,
B. Dachew  and
R. Alati
G. Ayano*
Affiliation:
School Of Public Health, Curtin University, Perth, Australia
A. Lin
Affiliation:
Telethon Kids Institute, Universityu of Wetsren Austrlia, Perth, Australia
K. Betts
Affiliation:
School Of Public Health, Curtin University, Perth, Australia
R. Tait
Affiliation:
National Drug Research Institute, Faculty Of Health Sciences, Curtin University, Perth, Australia
B. Dachew
Affiliation:
School Of Public Health, Curtin University, Perth, Australia
R. Alati
Affiliation:
School Of Public Health, Curtin University, Perth, Australia
*
*Corresponding author.

Abstract

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Introduction

Previous research has suggested that offspring of parents with mental health problems, including depression and anxiety, are at an increased risk of developing anxiety disorders. Few studies have investigated this relationship in young adults.

Objectives

To investigate the risk of anxiety symptoms in young adult offspring of parents with mental health problems

Methods

We used data from the 1989-1991 cohort of the Western Australian Pregnancy (Raine) Study, which is a multi-generational birth cohort study following mothers and their offspring from pregnancy to 28 years of age. The Depression, Anxiety, and Stress Scale (DASS) was used to assess maternal anxiety and depression whereas a self-reported questionnaire was used to assess paternal emotional problems. Anxiety symptoms among offspring at age 20 were measured by using the short form of the Depression, Anxiety, and Stress Scale (DASS 21). A multivariable negative binomial regression model was used to quantify the associations.

Results

After adjustment, maternal anxiety [RR 1.60 (95% CI 1.11-2.32)] and paternal emotional problems [RR 1.32 (95%CI 1.03-1.68)] were associated with an increased risk of anxiety in offspring at age 20 years. Conversely, maternal depressive symptoms [RR 1.04 (95%CI 0.84-1.32)] were not associated with an increased risk of anxiety in offspring.

Conclusions

The present study suggests that maternal anxiety and paternal emotional problems were associated with an increased risk of anxiety in young adult offspring. However, maternal depressive symptoms were not associated with an increased risk of anxiety in the offspring. The findings suggest the potential for targeted screening and intervention of anxiety problems in the offspring.

Disclosure

No significant relationships.

Keywords

Anxietydepressionmental healath problem. offspringparent
Type
Abstract
Information
European Psychiatry , Volume 64 , Special Issue S1: Abstracts of the 29th European Congress of Psychiatry , April 2021 , pp. S617 - S618
Creative Commons
Creative Common License - CCCreative Common License - BY
This is an Open Access article, distributed under the terms of the Creative Commons Attribution licence (http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/), which permits unrestricted re-use, distribution, and reproduction in any medium, provided the original work is properly cited.
Copyright
© The Author(s), 2021. Published by Cambridge University Press on behalf of the European Psychiatric Association
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