Does maternal psychopathology discriminate between children with DSM-IV generalised anxiety disorder or oppositional defiant disorder? The predictive validity of maternal axis I and axis II psychopathology

What dimensions of maternal psychopathology predict internalising or externalising disorder in children? We conducted a study of maternal axis I and axis II psychopathology in a group of children 8–12 years of age with Generalised Anxiety Disorder (GAD), Oppositional Defiant Disorder (ODD) and non-patient controls (NC). By using Multigroup Discriminant Analyses (MDA) on three groups of children (N = 85) and measures of axis I and axis II psychopathology of their mothers, we attempted to discriminate between these groups on a data driven basis. Two separate MDA were computed, one based on maternal axis I disorders, and one based on maternal axis II disorders. The results demonstrated that maternal symptomatic and personality psychopathology was differentially related to childhood anxiety or behavioural disorders. Mothers of children with ODD were characterised by more negative emotions and detached personality styles, whereas mothers of children with GAD seemed to be more somatic preoccupied, controlling and over-protective.