(Ivanhoe Newswire) -- Children of mothers who are depressed may need a helping hand from their fathers.

Children who live with depressed moms are more at risk for behavioral problems like aggression, hyperactivity, depression and anxiety. But new research from the Saint Louis University School of Public Health reveals if the father has a positive relationship with the children, the risk of behavioral problems is reduced.
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"Once we factored in a father's positive involvement, I observed that the adverse impact of the mother's depression was attenuated," lead author Jen Jen Chang, Ph.D., Saint Louis University School of Public Health was quoted as saying. "The father served as a buffer. He may have engaged with the children when the mother wasn't available due to her illness."

Researchers asked children questions like how often the fathers talked to the children about important decisions; whether the fathers missed events or activities important to the children; and how close the children felt to their fathers.

Dr. Chang suggested health professionals educate parents, especially fathers, to be more involved with their children when the mother is diagnosed with depression. She reported fathers are in a position to make up for the difficulty the child is going through because of their mother's mental illness, but they may need guidance from a health professional.

SOURCE: Archives of Pediatric and Adolescent Medicine, 2007;161:697-703