Jobs in Education System

Don’t let children blame themselves for mother’s melancholia

Children who blame themselves for their mothers’ melancholia are likely to suffer depression and anxiety, reveals a study conducted by Southern Methodist University (SMU), USA and published in the Journal of Family Psychology (March). The study which surveyed 129 mothers and their 13-year-olds found that although children of mothers with high levels of depressive symptoms are at increased risk of experiencing anxiety, children who blame themselves for their mothers’ melancholia display higher levels of depressive symptoms. “If children blame themselves for their mothers’ depressive symptoms, they are more likely to brood about their mothers’ symptoms. And we know from an extensive body of research that rumination over stressors, especially ones that are uncontrollable, is linked with depression and anxiety. Also, if children feel personally responsible for their mothers’ symptoms, they may try to ‘make it better’ and use ineffective coping strategies. This could lead to a sense of helplessness, failure, and low self-worth in the child, since ultimately the child is misattributing the cause of their mothers’ depressive symptoms,” says lead author Dr. Chrystyna Kouros, associate professor of psychology at SMU. Facebook Twitter LinkedIn WhatsApp
Already a subscriber
Click here to log in and continue reading by entering your registered email address or subscribe now
Join with us in our mission to build the pressure of public opinion to make education the #1 item on the national agenda
Current Issue
EducationWorld September 2024
ParentsWorld September 2024

Access USA Alliance
Access USA
Xperimentor
WordPress Lightbox Plugin