Weissman et al

Question 1

Aim:

Answer 1

To study the potential genetic nature of major depressive disorder

Question 2

Participants

Answer 2

161 grandchildren, parents, grandparents

Question 3

Procedure

Answer 3

• The study took place over 20 years, looking at families of high and low risk of depression. They had interviewed a sample of non depressed and depressed parents and their children 4 time during a period
• The children are now adults and have children of their own allowing the study of a third generation, the children were then evaluated by a psychology and child psychiatrist.

Question 4

Results

Answer 4

• The researchers identified high rates of psychiatric disorders in the grandchildren with two generations of major major depression.
• Some of the grandchildren were already showing signs of psychiatric disorders such as anxiety disorders
• children also had an increased risk of any disorder if depression was observed in both the grandparents and the parents compared when with children with non depressive parents
• On the otherhand, if the parents were deppressed but there was no history of it in the grandparents, there was no signifcant affect on the grandchildren