Assessment of Severity Depressive Symptoms among 11 - 14 Years Old Offspring of Mothers with Major Depressive Disorder

Depression is the most frequent mental disorder especially in women. Furthermore, maternal depression can affect their offspring. The aim of the present study was to assess the severity of depressive symptoms in offspring of depressed women. This analytical-descriptive study was conducted by on easy sampling. For this purpose, fifty women with major depressive disorder with 11–14 years old children were selected. CDS-A inventory was used as the tool for assessment. Fifty children completed this questionnaire. The results showed the severity of symptoms in offspring of mothers with major depression was higher than general population (p<0.05). In addition, severity of depressive symptoms among children of depressed mothers was correlated positively when maternal depression was recurrent, age of onset was before 30 years and its duration was more than 10 years. There was no significant difference between male and female among severity of depressive symptoms. The results from this study indicate that genetic and environmental basis is basis for childhood depression. Therefore evaluation of children of depressed mothers is recommended especially in chronic, recurrent and early onset depression.