Study: Mom’s Depression Linked to Risky Behavior in Teens

Teenagers whose mothers were depressed when the teens were between 6 and 10 years old are more likely to show signs of risky behavior, a new study finds. This included smoking, drinking, using marijuana and violent behavior. The study followed 2,910 pairs of mothers and their children in Canada, starting in 1994, when the children were between ages 2 and 5. The study continued until the children were ages 16 to 17. Every 2 years, mothers filled out questionnaires about themselves and their children. The children also filled out questionnaires beginning at age 10. Teens with depressed mothers in the teens’ middle childhood years were twice as likely to smoke cigarettes or use marijuana. They were also 1.4 times more likely to use alcohol and over 3 times more likely to use hallucinogens (for example, LSD).