Parental mental illness is linked to lower cognitive scores in young men
A large study of young men in Denmark reveals that growing up with a parent who has a mental illness is linked to slightly lower cognitive scores, but this association shifts dramatically depending on other family hardships.
A study published in the European Journal of Pediatrics suggests that parental mental illness may be associated with lower cognitive scores in young men, particularly those who experienced additional adverse childhood experiences. Researchers from the University of Southern Denmark analyzed data from the Danish nationwide registry system, focusing on 125,791 male adolescents born between 1996 and 2001.
They found that boys who lived with both parents up to age six and had a parent diagnosed with a mental disorder scored, on average, 0.91 points lower on a standardized cognitive test at age 18, compared to those whose parents did not have a psychiatric diagnosis. However, for boys who lived with only one parent or were placed in out-of-home care before age six, the relationship between parental mental illness and cognitive scores was not significant.
The findings highlight the importance of considering multiple factors when examining the impact of parental mental health on child development.
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