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Effects of structural and dynamic family characteristics on the development of depressive and aggressive problems during adolescence. The TRAILS study

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Abstract

Both structural (i.e., SES, familial psychopathology, family composition) and dynamic (i.e., parental warmth and rejection) family characteristics have been associated with aggressive and depressive problem development. However, it is unclear to what extent (changes in) dynamic family characteristics have an independent effect on problem development while accounting for stable family characteristics and comorbid problem development. This issue was addressed by studying problem development in a large community sample (N = 2,230; age 10–20) of adolescents using Linear Mixed models. Paternal and maternal warmth and rejection were assessed via the Egna Minnen Beträffande Uppfostran for Children (EMBU-C). Aggressive and depressive problems were assessed via subscales of the Youth/Adult Self-Report. Results showed that dynamic family characteristics independently affected the development of aggressive problems. Moreover, maternal rejection in preadolescence and increases in paternal rejection were associated with aggressive problems, whereas decreases in maternal rejection were associated with decreases in depressive problems over time. Paternal and maternal warmth in preadolescence was associated with fewer depressive problems during adolescence. Moreover, increases in paternal warmth were associated with fewer depressive problems over time. Aggressive problems were a stable predictor of depressive problems over time. Finally, those who increased in depressive problems became more aggressive during adolescence, whereas those who decreased in depressive problems became also less aggressive. Besides the effect of comorbid problems, problem development is to a large extent due to dynamic family characteristics, and in particular to changes in parental rejection, which leaves much room for parenting-based interventions.

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Acknowledgments

This research is part of the TRacking Adolescents’ Individual Lives Survey (TRAILS). Participating centers of TRAILS include various departments of the University Medical Center and University of Groningen, the Erasmus University Medical Center Rotterdam, the University of Utrecht, the Radboud Medical Center Nijmegen, and the Parnassia Bavo group, all in the Netherlands. TRAILS has been financially supported by various grants from the Netherlands Organization for Scientific Research NWO (Medical Research Council program grant GB-MW 940-38-011; ZonMW Brainpower grant 100-001-004; ZonMw Risk Behavior and Dependence grants 60-60600-97-118; ZonMw Culture and Health grant 261-98-710; Social Sciences Council medium-sized investment grants GB-MaGW 480-01-006 and GB-MaGW 480-07-001; Social Sciences Council project grants GB-MaGW 452-04-314 and GB-MaGW 452-06-004; NWO large-sized investment grant 175.010.2003.005; NWO Longitudinal Survey and Panel Funding 481-08-013), the Dutch Ministry of Justice (WODC), the European Science Foundation (EuroSTRESS project FP-006), Biobanking and Biomolecular Resources Research Infrastructure BBMRI-NL (CP 32), the participating universities, and Accare Center for Child and Adolescent Psychiatry. We are grateful to all adolescents, their parents and teachers who participated in this research and to everyone who worked on this project and made it possible.

Conflicts of interest

Dr. Verhulst is a contributing author of the Achenbach System of Empirically Based Assessment, from which he receives remuneration. Drs. Sijtsema, Oldehinkel, Veenstra, and Ormel report no financial interests or potential conflicts of interest.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Department of Developmental Psychology, Tilburg University, Warandelaan 2, 5037AB, Tilburg, The Netherlands

    J. J. Sijtsema

  2. Interdisciplinary Center Psychopathology and Emotion regulation, University Medical Center Groningen, Groningen, The Netherlands

    A. J. Oldehinkel & J. Ormel

  3. Department of Sociology, Interuniversity Center for Social Science Theory and Methodology, University of Groningen, Groningen, The Netherlands

    R. Veenstra

  4. Department of Psychiatry, Erasmus Medical Center, Rotterdam, The Netherlands

    F. C. Verhulst

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  1. J. J. Sijtsema
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  2. A. J. Oldehinkel
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  3. R. Veenstra
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  4. F. C. Verhulst
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  5. J. Ormel
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Correspondence to J. J. Sijtsema.

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Sijtsema, J.J., Oldehinkel, A.J., Veenstra, R. et al. Effects of structural and dynamic family characteristics on the development of depressive and aggressive problems during adolescence. The TRAILS study. Eur Child Adolesc Psychiatry 23, 499–513 (2014). https://doi.org/10.1007/s00787-013-0474-y

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