Everyone knows that parents' mental state affects their children a lot, but sometimes it correlates in pretty curious ways.
For instance, a new study shows that mildly depressed dads can make their kids less likely to have cognitive difficulties.
Let's find out more about it.
A curious correlation
A team of scientists found that fathers' mild anxiety or depressive symptoms were linked to better outcomes in their children's behavior and cognitive abilities.
The study examined the mental health of dads during their partner's pregnancy and again 6 to 8 years later.
The specialists discovered that a bit higher levels of depressive symptoms in dads during pregnancy were associated with fewer behavioral and emotional issues in their kids at the ages of 6 to 8.
Additionally, mild symptoms of anxiety and depression in fathers were linked to slightly higher cognitive scores in their children.
The research emphasized the importance of both mothers' and fathers' well-being in promoting children's cognitive and behavioral development.
However, the researchers noted that these results may not apply to parents experiencing actual clinical levels of anxiety and depression and that further study is required to understand the roles of parents in their kids' development.
Why it's important
This work shows the significance of parental attunement, which refers to parents' ability to respond adaptively to their kid's signals and adjust their responses accordingly.
