The relationship between parental stress and childhood depression in Singapore.

• Main Author: Tan, Ying Yang.
• Other Authors: Fung Wai To
• Format: Final Year Project
• Language: English
• Published: 2009
• Subjects: DRNTU::Science::Biological sciences
• Online Access: http://hdl.handle.net/10356/15452
• Institution: Nanyang Technological University

This descriptive study examined the relationship and gender differences between parental stress and childhood depression in a community study of children aged 7-15 years in Singapore. The Children’s Depression Inventory (CDI) and Asian Child Depression Scale (ACDS) were administered to a sample of primary school children (n = 1935). The Parenting Stress Index/Short Form (PSI/SF) was administered to parents of a sub-sample of children (n = 178). There were no significant predictive or correlation effect of the total scores of the PSI/SF on the T scores of CDI. PSI/SF subscales scores of parental-child dysfunction interaction, parental distress and parental stress due to difficult child could not significantly predict the T scores of CDI. Parents not noticing child internalizing problems could be a factor in the lack of relationship between parental stress and childhood depression. Gender differences observed for parental stress; mothers rated significantly higher on parental stress total score and parental stress from difficult child. Gender differences observed for T scores of CDI; girls scored higher for interpersonal problems, ineffectiveness and total CDI scores. There were no significant gender differences on the ACDS. The CDI T score could predict the total scores of the ACDS. Both scales seem satisfactory for the study of childhood depression in Singapore.