Self-Esteem and Depression: ten year follow-up of mothers and offspring

Objective. The association between maternal bonding style, offspring low se lf-esteem and offspring depression status was assessed by maternal depressi on status. Subjects. Sixty mothers and 137 offspring were independently ass essed over the course of a ten year follow-up study. Method. Assessments in cluded the Schedule for Affective Disorders and Schizophrenia (SADS-LA), Sc hedule for Affective Disorders and Schizophrenia for School-Aged Children ( K-SADS), the Coopersmith Self-Esteem Inventory (CSEI) and the Parental Bond ing Instrument (PBI). Results. Among daughters of mothers with a history of depression, maternal affectionless-control was associated with daughter lo w self-esteem which was associated with daughter depression at ten year fol low-up. Among daughters of mothers without a history of depression, materna l affectionless-control was not associated with daughter low self-esteem, w hich was not associated with daughter depression at ten year follow-up but which was associated with a history of childhood depression. None of these associations were found to be significant among sons. Limitations. As self- esteem was not measured at ten year follow-up, among offspring the stabilit y of self-esteem could nut be assessed, nor could the association between a dult self-esteem and adult depression. Conclusion. Clinical presentation of low self-esteem in girls should be assessed in the context of maternal dep ression status. (C) 1999 Elsevier Science B.V. All rights reserved.