Children of Depressed Parents

An exploration of the mechanisms and moderators for depression and other disorders in children of depressed parents. Among the most common of mental disorders, depression is a highly heritable and recurrent disorder that may be especially prevalent among women with young children. These factors converge to suggest that a high percentage of children are exposed to depression and are therefore at great risk for developing the disorder. The authors of this volume look at mechanisms that may help to transmit risk for developing depression and also at moderators that may help alleviate possible risk. The work brings together diverse perspectives on interventions and risk factors, focusing not on one particular age group, but taking a developmental approach that examines children at various ages. The editors propose an integrative framework for understanding the risks for developing depression. Working from an empirical foundation, the contributors provide clinical implications and suggested applications of the findings they discuss.