Abstract
Background
High prevalence of parental separation and resulting biological father absence raises important questions regarding its impact on offspring mental health across the life course. We specifically examined whether these relationships vary by sex and the timing of exposure to father absence (early or middle childhood).
Methods
This study is based on up to 8409 children from the Avon Longitudinal Study of Parents and Children (ALSPAC). Participants provided self-reports of depression (Clinical Interview Schedule-Revised) at age 24 years and depressive symptoms (Short Mood and Feelings Questionnaire) between the ages of 10 and 24 years. Biological father absence in childhood was assessed through maternal questionnaires at regular intervals from birth to 10 years. We estimated the association between biological father absence and trajectories of depressive symptoms using multilevel growth-curve modelling.
Results
Early but not middle childhood father absence was strongly associated with increased odds of offspring depression and greater depressive symptoms at age 24 years. Early childhood father absence was associated with higher trajectories of depressive symptoms during adolescence and early adulthood compared with father presence. Differences in the level of depressive symptoms between middle childhood father absent and father present groups narrowed into adulthood.
Limitations
This study could be biased by attrition and residual confounding.
Conclusions
We found evidence that father absence in childhood is persistently associated with offspring depression in adolescence and early adulthood. This relationship varies by sex and timing of father's departure, with early childhood father absence emerging as the strongest risk factor for adverse offspring mental health trajectories Further research is needed to identify mechanisms that could inform preventative interventions to reduce the risk of depression in children who experience father absence.
High prevalence of parental separation and resulting biological father absence raises important questions regarding its impact on offspring mental health across the life course. We specifically examined whether these relationships vary by sex and the timing of exposure to father absence (early or middle childhood).
Methods
This study is based on up to 8409 children from the Avon Longitudinal Study of Parents and Children (ALSPAC). Participants provided self-reports of depression (Clinical Interview Schedule-Revised) at age 24 years and depressive symptoms (Short Mood and Feelings Questionnaire) between the ages of 10 and 24 years. Biological father absence in childhood was assessed through maternal questionnaires at regular intervals from birth to 10 years. We estimated the association between biological father absence and trajectories of depressive symptoms using multilevel growth-curve modelling.
Results
Early but not middle childhood father absence was strongly associated with increased odds of offspring depression and greater depressive symptoms at age 24 years. Early childhood father absence was associated with higher trajectories of depressive symptoms during adolescence and early adulthood compared with father presence. Differences in the level of depressive symptoms between middle childhood father absent and father present groups narrowed into adulthood.
Limitations
This study could be biased by attrition and residual confounding.
Conclusions
We found evidence that father absence in childhood is persistently associated with offspring depression in adolescence and early adulthood. This relationship varies by sex and timing of father's departure, with early childhood father absence emerging as the strongest risk factor for adverse offspring mental health trajectories Further research is needed to identify mechanisms that could inform preventative interventions to reduce the risk of depression in children who experience father absence.
| Original language | English |
|---|---|
| Pages (from-to) | 150-159 |
| Number of pages | 10 |
| Journal | Journal of Affective Disorders |
| Volume | 314 |
| Early online date | 14 Jul 2022 |
| DOIs | |
| Publication status | Published - 1 Oct 2022 |
Bibliographical note
Funding Information:The UK Medical Research Council and Wellcome (Grant ref.: 217065/Z/19/Z) and the University of Bristol provide core support for ALSPAC. This publication is the work of the authors and will serve as guarantors for the contents of this paper. A comprehensive list of grants funding is available on the ALSPAC website (http://www.bristol.ac.uk/alspac/external/documents/grant-acknowledgements.pdf).This research was funded in whole by the Wellcome Trust Research Fellowship in Humanities and Social Science (Grant ref.: 212664/Z/18/Z) awarded to Dr. Culpin. For the purpose of Open Access, the author has applied a CC BY public copyright licence to any Author Accepted Manuscript version arising from this submission. Dr. Pearson was supported by the European Research Commission Grant (Grant ref.: 758813 MHINT). Dr. Kwong is supported by an Economic Social Research Council Postdoctoral Fellowship (Grant ref.: ES/V011650/1) and the Wellcome Trust (Grant ref.: 220875/Z/20/Z). This study was also supported by the NIHR Biomedical Research Centre at the University Hospitals Bristol and Weston NHS Foundation Trust and the University of Bristol. This publication is the work of the authors who will serve as guarantors for the contents of this paper. The views expressed in this publication are those of the author(s) and not necessarily those of the NHS, the National Institute for Health Research.
Funding Information:
The UK Medical Research Council and Wellcome (Grant ref.: 217065/Z/19/Z ) and the University of Bristol provide core support for ALSPAC. This publication is the work of the authors and will serve as guarantors for the contents of this paper. A comprehensive list of grants funding is available on the ALSPAC website ( http://www.bristol.ac.uk/alspac/external/documents/grant-acknowledgements.pdf ).
Funding Information:
This research was funded in whole by the Wellcome Trust Research Fellowship in Humanities and Social Science (Grant ref.: 212664/Z/18/Z) awarded to Dr. Culpin. For the purpose of Open Access, the author has applied a CC BY public copyright licence to any Author Accepted Manuscript version arising from this submission. Dr. Pearson was supported by the European Research Commission Grant (Grant ref.: 758813 MHINT ). Dr. Kwong is supported by an Economic Social Research Council Postdoctoral Fellowship (Grant ref.: ES/V011650/1 ) and the Wellcome Trust (Grant ref.: 220875/Z/20/Z ). This study was also supported by the NIHR Biomedical Research Centre at the University Hospitals Bristol and Weston NHS Foundation Trust and the University of Bristol. This publication is the work of the authors who will serve as guarantors for the contents of this paper. The views expressed in this publication are those of the author(s) and not necessarily those of the NHS, the National Institute for Health Research.
Funding Information:
This research was funded in whole by the Wellcome Trust Research Fellowship in Humanities and Social Science (Grant ref.: 212664/Z/18/Z) awarded to IC. For the purpose of Open Access, the author has applied a CC BY public copyright licence to any Author Accepted Manuscript version arising from this submission. RMP was supported by the European Research Commission Grant (Grant ref.: 758813 MHINT). ASFK was supported by an Economic Social Research Council Postdoctoral Fellowship (Grant ref.: ES/V011650/1) and the Wellcome Trust (Grant ref.: 220875/Z/20/Z). This study was also supported by the NIHR Biomedical Research Centre at the University Hospitals Bristol and Weston NHS Foundation Trust and the University of Bristol. This publication is the work of the authors who will serve as guarantors for the contents of this paper. The views expressed in this publication are those of the author(s) and not necessarily those of the NHS, the National Institute for Health Research.
Publisher Copyright:
© 2022 The Authors
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