Abstract
Depression is a family matter. It not only diminishes the quality-of-life of the depressed person, but also strains the resources of the family unit and increases the children’s risk of developing significant problems that start early and persist into adulthood. Although treatment of a parent’s depression is critical, many families also need professional intervention to reduce children’s risk. This article reviews the evidence on needs of these families and shows that the theoretical and clinical evidence exists to support the design of interventions for families affected by maternal depression. A preventive intervention developed from this foundation is described, the Keeping Families Strong (KFS) program, that is designed to promote resilience and reduce the risk for psychological disorders in children of parents with depression. The pilot study on the KFS program, conducted in adult mental health outpatient settings, is described. Families participate in 10 meetings 90 min each, with a group for parents and for children (10 years and older) conducted concurrently. The program structure and content are described, the challenges of implementing a family preventive intervention in actual clinical settings are discussed, and a case example is provided, as well as preliminary outcome data on ten families. In sum, we provide a strong rationale for the potential of preventive interventions for families affected by maternal depression.
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Acknowledgments
We sincerely appreciate the contribution of the families who participated in this program and provided information related to their needs and progress. We are also indebted to Drs. Faith Dickerson, Josef Passley, and Nicholas Ialongo, and Kathleen Evans, R.N., Psychiatric Clinical Specialist, and the local clinicians who worked with us over the past several years to design a program that is acceptable and feasible in typical clinical settings. This work was supported primarily by the National Institute of Mental Health through multiple grant awards over several decades. The development of the Keeping Families Strong (KFS) program was funded by an NIMH Program Development award to A. Riley, MH 067861-R21. KFS is based on evidence-based programs developed by W. Beardslee and I. Sandler. Support to W. Beardslee includes an NIMH Grant, R01 MH 48696, and grants from the William R. Grant Foundation, the Overseas Shipholding Group, the Sidney A. Swensrud Foundation, as well as a William T. Grant Foundation Faculty Scholar Award. Support to I. Sandler includes NIMH funding for the Preventive Intervention Research Center at Arizona State University, #P30 M439246-15, and for program development, #R01 MH49155-05.
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Riley, A.W., Valdez, C.R., Barrueco, S. et al. Development of a Family-based Program to Reduce Risk and Promote Resilience Among Families Affected by Maternal Depression: Theoretical Basis and Program Description. Clin Child Fam Psychol Rev 11, 12–29 (2008). https://doi.org/10.1007/s10567-008-0030-3
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DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s10567-008-0030-3