Children of Mentally Ill Mothers: Social Situation and Psychometric Testing of Mental Development

Abstract

Children of mothers who satisfied the Research Diagnostic Criteria of (1) Schizophrenia, (2) Alcoholism or Drug Use Disorder, (3) Major Depressive Disorder including Mania, (4) Unspecified Functional Psychosis, and (5) Other Psychiatric Disorder and children of obstetric controls were studied with regard to subsequent mental and behavioural development and social conditions. 72 index children and 17 children from the comparison group were examined at an approximate age of six years by a child psychologist. More index children than those from the comparison group showed impaired mental and behavioural development. The children of abusing mothers in particular tended to have a worse outcome. One-half of the index children were not living with their mothers at the time of follow-up.