Children of Schizophrenic Patients : Preliminary Observations on Early Development

We have observed the early development of children of 2 schizophrenic parents. Three of the 4 children raised by their original schizophrenic parents developed clear-cut signs of depression and irritability in infancy. None of the 4 infants raised by foster parents developed any such clear-cut signs of emotional disorder. Our data suggest that the parental behavior of their schizophrenic mothers was at least partially responsible for the early emotional mal-development observed in their 3 infants. All 3 schizophrenic mothers were consistently depressed with their infants. The "contagion of depression" from mother to infant was discussed and it was suggested that this phenomenon caused an enduring depressive pattern of affective discharge in the infants we observed. It was also noted that all 3 schizophrenic mothers indulged in relatively little active play with their infants and showed relatively little pleasurable responsiveness to their infants. Certain observations suggested to us that a mother with acute catatonic symptoms may have a particularly harmful effect on the physical and emotional growth of an infant. We were also struck by the many separation and deprivation experiences occurring to infants reared by schizophrenic mothers mated to schizophrenic partners. We are continuing our study of infants with 2 schizophrenic parents. This group offers an opportunity to explore a number of hypotheses which we shall comment on in the future.