Adolescent Depression and Cognition Risk for Suicide: An Investigation of Risk Factors and Gene Environment Interactions

Abstract

Background: Prior research has been conducted to understand the connection between maternal physical health and its effects on children and adolescents. Much less research has focused on maternal mental health and gene-environmental factors that influence children's and adolescent's development. This study investigated the risk factors and gene-environment interactions in relation to maternal mental health and adolescent depression and cognition risk for suicide. Methods: The data and sample utilized in this research were obtained from The Future of Families and Child Wellbeing Study. The cohort comprises a total of 4898 children and their corresponding caregivers, of which 1829 had complete data and were used in this study. To account for missing data, the list wise deletion approach was employed for all analyses. The variables were tested using Likert scales and/or other similar scales designed to specifically measure the variable. Hypotheses were tested with multiple regressions and bootstrapping. Multiple comparisons were controlled with the Benjamini Hochberg false discovery approach, and BH adjusted p-values are reported with each statistically significant result. Results: The analyses revealed four significant relationships: (1) poverty status is a strong predictor of adolescent mental health, (2) toddler attachment is affected by maternal mental health but does not interact with maternal mental health to predict adolescent mental health, (3) maternal mental health affects suspected childhood sexual abuse associations with adolescent mental health, and (4) serotonin transporter alleles (SLC6A4) exert specific effects on adolescent mental health cognitions previously linked to suicide risk. Conclusion: In summary, this study concludes that the experiential factors and genetic variation have interconnected influences on the mental well-being of children and adolescents. Therefore, interventions aimed at addressing child trauma would be enhanced by integrating a component that specifically addresses the mental well-being of mothers.