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Maternal Depression in Families of Children with ADHD: A Meta-Analysis

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Abstract

Although research has demonstrated a relationship between maternal depression and child attention deficit/hyperactivity disorder (ADHD); the strength of the relationship is currently unclear. The results of some studies have found a strong association between maternal depression and child ADHD, while other studies have found little or no association. A meta-analysis was conducted to clarify the strength of the association between maternal depression and child ADHD. The current study included 51 published and unpublished studies that included a quantitative comparison between maternal depression and child ADHD. Mothers of children with ADHD had significantly higher levels of depressive symptoms than mothers of children without ADHD (d = 0.58; 95% CI [0.43, 0.74]; p < .001; k = 18). The relationship between maternal depressive symptoms and child ADHD symptoms was moderate (r = .22; 95% CI [.17, .28]; p < .001; k = 21). 17.11% of mothers of children with ADHD currently met criteria for a depressive disorder (95% CI [11.95, 23.89], p < .001, k = 19). The DSM version used to evaluate child ADHD status was the only moderator that was statistically significant (p = .021, k = 15). Specifically, studies that used the DSM-III or DSM-III-R were associated with larger effect sizes than studies that used the DSM-IV or DSM-IV-TR. The results suggest that clinicians should screen for the possible co-occurrence of maternal depression when working with families of children with ADHD.

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Author Contributions

K. C.: designed and executed the study, analyzed the data, and wrote the paper. K. A.: assisted with the data analysis, collaborated with the design, collaborated with writing of the study, and editing of the final manuscript. M. A. W.: analyzed the data, collaborated with the design, assisted with writing of the study, and editing of the final manuscript. J. T.: collaborated with the design, assisted with writing of the study, and editing of the final manuscript.

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  1. University of Manitoba, P233 Duff Roblin Building, 190 Dysart Road, Winnipeg, MB, R3T 2N2, Canada

    Kristene Cheung

  2. University of Manitoba, Winnipeg, MB, Canada

    Kelsey Aberdeen, Michelle A. Ward & Jennifer Theule

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  1. Kristene Cheung
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  2. Kelsey Aberdeen
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Correspondence to Kristene Cheung.

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Research involving Human Participants and/or Animals. This article does not contain any studies with human participants or animals performed by any of the authors.

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Cheung, K., Aberdeen, K., Ward, M.A. et al. Maternal Depression in Families of Children with ADHD: A Meta-Analysis. J Child Fam Stud 27, 1015–1028 (2018). https://doi.org/10.1007/s10826-018-1017-4

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