Racial/ethnic differences in parenting behaviors among depressed parents.

Low parental warmth and high control are associated with parental depression and with the development of depression in children. The majority of this research, however, has focused on non-Hispanic White (NHW) parents. The present study tested whether parenting behaviors differed by race/ethnicity in a sample (N = 169) of parents with a history of depression. Participants were drawn from a randomized trial designed to prevent depression in at-risk adolescents (ages 9-15 years old). All participating parents had a current or past depressive episode within the youth's lifetime. Parents self-classified as 67.5% NHW, 17.2% Latinx (LA), and 15.4% Black (BL). Youths and parents completed standardized positive and negative interaction tasks; trained raters coded the videotaped interactions for parental warmth and control. Analyses examined the impact of race/ethnicity, current parent depression symptoms, context of the discussion (positive/negative task), and demographic covariates on observed parenting behaviors. Results revealed significant interactions among race/ethnicity, depression, and task type. Differences in warmth and control between racial/ethnic groups were more likely to be observed in negative interactions and when parents' depression symptoms were lower. In these circumstances, BL parents were rated as higher in control and lower in warmth than NHW parents. Results add to the literature on racial/ethnic differences in parenting among parents with a history of depression and highlight the importance of assessing parenting in context to capture more subtle patterns of interactions between parents and offspring. (PsycInfo Database Record (c) 2023 APA, all rights reserved).

Brief Behavioral Therapy for Anxiety and Depression in Pediatric Primary Care: Breadth of Intervention Impact.

OBJECTIVE: To report on broad-based outcomes of the Brief Behavioral Therapy (BBT) trial for pediatric anxiety and depression. Secondary data analyses expand on previous reports by assessing diagnostic remission and independent functioning, impact on targeted psychopathology, and spillover effects on non-targeted outcomes. METHOD: Youth (N = 185; 8-16.9 years; 58% female; 78% White; 21% Hispanic) with anxiety and/or depression were eligible for this multi-site trial. Enrolled youth were randomly assigned to receive 8 to 12 sessions of BBT in primary care or assisted referral to outpatient care (ARC). Assessments were conducted 16 and 32 weeks post randomization. RESULTS: BBT was superior to ARC on remission of all targeted diagnoses (week 16: 56.8% vs 28.2%, p < .001; week 32: 62.5% vs 38.9%, p = .004), clinician-rated independent functioning (week 16: 75.0% vs 45.7%, p < .001; week 32: 81.2% vs 55.7%, p < .001), and on measures of anxiety, depression, suicide items, total comorbid behavioral and emotional problems, and hyperactivity (d = 0.21-0.49). Moderation analyses revealed superior outcomes for Hispanic youth in BBT vs ARC for diagnostic remission, anxiety, emotional problems, and parent-child conflict. Youth depression at baseline moderated effects on peer problems and parent-child conflict, with effects favoring BBT. Significant main and moderated effects of BBT on change in non-targeted outcomes were largely mediated by change in anxiety (24.2%-49.3% of total effects mediated). CONCLUSION: BBT has positive effects on youth, mediated by the strong impact of the intervention on anxiety. Analyses continue to support positive outcomes for Hispanic youth, suggesting that BBT is a broadly effective transdiagnostic treatment option for diverse populations. CLINICAL TRIAL REGISTRATION INFORMATION: Brief Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT) for Pediatric Anxiety and Depression in Primary Care; https://clinicaltrials.gov; NCT01147614.