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Journalism of Courage
Children who live with a father who has mental health problems and depression have higher rates of behavioural and emotional problems themselves,according to a new study.
Though the effect of mothers depression upon her children is a well known,this study is the first to reveal the influence a fathers depression may have on his children,a media report said.
The team,led by Dr Michael Weitzman at NYUs Langone Medical Centre,looked at a nationally representative sample of almost 22,000 children over four years.
They found that 11 per cent of children with depressed fathers had behavioural and emotional problems.
For children without depressed parents,the figure was just six per cent; while for a child of a depressed mother,the number was 19 per cent.
It is believed that a parents depression affects the way he or she interacts with a child,in turn contributing to a childs behaviour.
Dr Weitzman said the study is remarkable because it is the first of its kind.
The researchers hope the study will add to more successful treatment of depressed fathers and better education of health care workers.
