Family functioning and parent general health in families of adolescents with major depressive disorder

Abstract

Family functioning and parent mental health in families of adolescents with major depressive disorder (n = 61) were compared with a community control sample (n = 34) using the McMaster Family Assessment Device (FAD) and the General Health Questionnaire (GHQ). Mean FAD and GHQ scores for clinic families were significantly worse than controls. 56% of clinic and 29% of control families met operational criteria for current dysfunction. In the clinic group family dysfunction was associated with the additive effects of comorbid Oppositional Defiant disorder in the adolescent and mother's current poor mental health, while father's current mental health had no associations with family functioning.