Differential effect of subtype of parental major affective disorder on children.

Fifty offspring of patients with major affective disorder (MAD) were studied. The children and their parents were interviewed using a structured diagnostic instrument. The results supported previous studies that the children of patients with MAD endorse a variety of symptoms of psychopathology. In addition, when the sample was separated by subtype of parental MAD, few differences in the types of symptoms were reported, and the differences that were found may be spurious. The differences, as well as indications for future research, are discussed.