Citation

Casanueva C, Cross TP, Ringeisen H, Christ SL. J. Emot. Behav. Disord. (Austin) 2011; 19(2): 98-116.

Copyright

(Copyright © 2011, Hammill Institute on Disabilities, Publisher SAGE Publishing)

DOI

10.1177/1063426609354106

PMID

unavailable

Abstract

This study examines depression among caregivers of young children involved in investigations of child maltreatment, in terms of 12-month prevalence of depression across 5 to 6 years. Data were from the National Survey of Child and Adolescent Well-Being, a national probability study of 5,501 children investigated for maltreatment. The study sample comprised 1,244 female caregivers (95.5% biological mothers) of children not placed out of home and younger than 5 years old. About a quarter of caregivers had, at any given point, a score indicating major depression in the previous 12 months; across all follow-ups, 46% of caregivers had a score indicating major depression at some point. Depression was associated with caregivers' report of intimate-partner violence and fair or poor health status. Caregivers of maltreated children are at substantial risk for depression that does not diminish over the course of 5 years. Assessing and providing assistance for intimate-partner violence and health problems may help decrease depression prevalence.