Children of parents who have posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD) may have a higher risk of developing mental illnesses and pain disorders, a study in General Hospital Psychiatry has found.
Dian-Jeng Li, M.D., of the Kaohsiung Municipal Kai-Syuan Psychiatric Hospital, in Kaohsiung, Taiwan, and colleagues analyzed data from 12,529 patients in the Taiwan National Health Research Database. Among the patients, 1,139 had at least one parent who had PTSD and 11,390 had parents who did not have PTSD or any other major psychiatric disorder. The researchers followed the patients’ records from 1996 or time of birth to the end of 2011, and the average age of the patients in the study was 22.5 years.
After adjusting for the patients’ demographics, the researchers found that children of parents with PTSD had increased odds of developing psychiatric disorders compared with children whose parents did not have PTSD, as follows:
- 2.90 times the odds of depression
- 2.82 times the odds of bipolar disorder
- 2.26 times the odds of schizophrenia
- 2.05 times the odds of alcohol use disorder
After adjusting for the patients’ demographics, the researchers found that children of parents with PTSD also had increased odds of developing pain disorders compared with children whose parents did not have PTSD, as follows:
- 2.37 times the odds of migraine
- 1.87 times the odds of fibromyalgia
- 1.80 times the odds of peripheral neuropathy
- 1.63 times the odds of diseases of the spine and paravertebral tissues
- 1.58 times the odds of irritable bowel syndrome (IBS)
- 1.51 times the odds of dysmenorrhea
When further adjusting for family history of psychiatric disorders, the authors found the children of parents with PTSD had a significantly higher risk of depression, migraine, and IBS than those whose parents did not have PTSD.
The researchers noted that genetics, environment, and an inherited propensity for abnormal levels of the stress hormone cortisol may play a role in the increased risk among children of parents who have PTSD.
“The findings of the current study highlight the importance of timely assessment and intervention for parents with PTSD,” Li and colleagues wrote. They added that the results also emphasize the importance of early assessment and intervention of children whose parents have PTSD.
For related information, see the Psychiatric Services article “Interpersonal Psychotherapy of Posttraumatic Stress Disorder for Veterans and Family Members: An Open Trial.”
(Image: iStock/Sam Edwards)
Don't miss out! To learn about newly posted articles in Psychiatric News, please sign up here.
