Family Functioning and the Course of Depression and Anxiety in Offspring of Affected Parents: The Moderating Role of Effortful Control

Abstract

Objective: Family cohesion and flexibility are known to contribute to the onset of depression and anxiety in offspring with a parental history of these disorders. This is the first study that examines the impact of family functioning on the one-year course of these disorders in these offspring and explores the moderating role of effortful control. Method: Data from 146 offspring (70.5% female; age 13–25) with a baseline lifetime depressive and/or anxiety disorder and a parental history of these disorders were analyzed. Baseline family cohesion and flexibility were tested as predictors of the one-year course of depression and anxiety symptom severity, with effortful control as a potential moderator. Results: Family cohesion and flexibility did not predict the one-year course of depression and anxiety symptom severity in offspring. In contrast to family cohesion, flexibility predicted depression and anxiety symptom severity at follow-up but this predictive value disappeared after taking into account the baseline severity. In addition, effortful control did not moderate these relationships Conclusion: Family functioning did not appear to play a role in the prospective course of depression and anxiety in offspring with a parental history of these disorders. Future research should compare its impact on the onset versus course of depression and anxiety in offspring. The role of effortful control remains unclear due to the lacking power of this study and future studies should examine how effortful control moderates this relationship using larger samples.