1. Objectifs

Intentions :
This study testes «the mediating role of adolescents’ loneliness and social withdrawal (10 to 13 years) in the association between early maternal depressive symptoms (5 months to 7 years) and adolescents’ suicidality (13 to 20 years).» (p. 1046)

2. Méthode

Échantillon/Matériau :
Authors use data from the Québec Longitudinal Study of Child Development (QLSCD). «The cohort consists of 2,120 infants born in 1997 and 1998 and followed until 20 years of age. The sample was drawn from the Québec Master Birth registry and consists of mothers who gave birth after 24 weeks’ gestation and spoke French or English. Data were reported by mothers (child’s age 5 months-7 years), fathers (10–13 years), teachers (10–13 years), and study participants (10–20 years). […] Analyses were based on 1,623 participants […] who had available data on suicidality for at least one measurement occasion between 13 and 20 years.» (p. 1047)

Instruments :
Questionnaires

Type de traitement des données :
Analyse statistique

3. Résumé

Results reveal «that loneliness between 10 and 13 years mediated the association between maternal depressive symptoms (5 months to 7 years) and adolescent suicidality (13–20 years) independent of important child, mother, and family characteristics. However, [authors] found no evidence for an indirect effect of maternal depressive symptoms on adolescent suicidal outcomes via social withdrawal. [The] findings provide evidence suggesting that loneliness contributes to explaining why adolescents of mothers with higher depressive symptoms are at risk for suicidality, particularly suicidal attempts. First, the significant association between loneliness and suicidality emphasizes the key role of perceived social and interpersonal environment in suicidality among adolescents […]. Second, the findings [show] that elevated levels of maternal depressive symptoms are associated with children’s loneliness. Several explanations could account for this association. [For example], it is well documented that children of depressed mothers are exposed to maladaptive affect, cognition, and behaviors and as a consequence, develop social and interpersonal vulnerabilities […]. This is reflected in research suggesting that lonely children and adolescents are more likely to not value themselves, have self-defeating thoughts, expect rejection, have low trust in others, and show heightened sensitivity to negative social stimuli compared to their less lonely counterparts […]. Furthermore, insecure attachment and perceptions of low parental support and family bonding are common in children of depressed parents and have been found to predict loneliness […].» (p. 1049)