Children of Mothers at Psychosocial Risk Growing Up: A Follow Up at the Age of 16

• NCJ Number: 217804
• Journal: Journal of Adolescence Volume: 30 Issue: 1 Dated: February 2007 Pages: 147-164
• Author(s): Marie Wadsby; Carl Goran Svedin; Gunilla Sydsjo
• Date Published: February 2007
• Length: 18 pages
• Publication Format: Article
• Publication Type: Research (Applied/Empirical)
• Language: English
• Country: United States of America

Annotation

The purpose of this study was to do a 16-year follow-up of children of psychosocial risk mothers as concerned emotional/behavioral problems, self-esteem, life events, and academic grades.

Abstract

The study showed that children, especially boys, of psychosocial risk mothers, particularly of those mothers with alcohol/drug problems in their earlier or present lives, reported more symptoms of poor mental health than children of nonrisk mothers. They had a more negative self-image, had experienced more life events of negative character, and they more often had not successfully completed compulsory schooling. In addition, they had more often been placed in foster care, were less satisfied with school, and had a less positive opinion about their abilities. Also the girls more often had serious thoughts of suicide. Overall, this 16-year follow-up confirms that children, especially boys, of psychosocial risk mothers are in many aspects poorer off than children of nonrisk mothers. It seems as though there is a socially disadvantageous inheritance passed from mothers at psychosocial risk to their children and this affects the children and their functioning even when they have reached the age of 16 years. Although a number of longitudinal studies focusing on children at psychosocial risk have been conducted, few if any, have been able to follow this group of children and their families over a time period as long as 16 years with recurrent follow-ups. Therefore, the purpose of this study was to do a 16-year follow-up of a study that has been running since a group of mothers during pregnancy was identified as being at psychosocial risk--having alcohol/drug problems, psychiatric problems, and/or social problems. The focus of the study was the children themselves, their own experiences of mental health, self-esteem, life events, and academic achievement. Tables and references