Observed psychopathology in offspring of parents with major depressive disorder, bipolar disorder and schizophrenia

• DOI: 10.1017/s0033291719001089
• Publication Date: 2019-05-23T09:16:35Z
• Authors: A. Sandstrom; L. MacKenzie; A. Pizzo; A. Fine; S. Rempel; C. Howard; M. Stephens; V. C. Patterson; V. Drobinin; H. Van Gestel; E. Howes Vallis; A. Zwicker; L. Propper; S. Abidi; A. Bagnell; D. Lovas; J. Cumby; M. Alda; R. Uher; B. Pavlova
• Keywords: Biological psychopathology; Child psychopathology

Abstract Background Children of parents with mood and psychotic disorders are at elevated risk for a range behavioral emotional problems. However, as the usual reporter psychopathology in children is parent, reports early problems may be biased by parents' own experience mental illness their state. Methods Independent observers rated using Test Observation Form 378 youth between ages 4 24 (mean = 11.01, s.d . 4.40) who had parent major depressive disorder, bipolar schizophrenia, or no history disorders. Results Observed attentional were offspring disorder schizophrenia (effect sizes ranging 0.31 0.56). Oppositional behavior language/thought showed variable degrees elevation 0.17 to 0.57) across three high-risk groups, greatest difficulties observed disorder. anxiety was increased 0.19 0.25 respectively) but not schizophrenia. Conclusions Our results suggest that externalizing cognitive language represent general manifestation familial disorders, while specific marker liability Observer assessment improve identification selection benefit from targeted prevention.