Table 4.
Predicted mean difference in depressive symptoms scores [95 % CI] at various ages for the main effect of father absence during different periods in childhood on trajectories of depressive symptoms stratifying by sex in the entire sample.
| Predicted mean differences in depressive symptoms scores (SMFQ)a |
||||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Early Father Absence (EFA; n = 6020) | Age 12 | Age 16 | Age 20 | Age 24 |
| Male No EFA vs Female No EFA | 0.40 (0.19, 0.60), p = 0.0002 | 2.06 (1.80, 2.32), p = 1.6 × 10−15 | 1.56 (1.24, 1.89), p = 1.6 × 10−15 | 1.37 (0.93, 1.80), p = 2.7 × 10−09 |
| Male No EFA vs Male Yes EFA | 0.01 (−0.47, 0.45), p = 0.974 | 0.52 (−0.11, 1.15), p = 0.14 | 0.25 (−0.61, 1.11), p = 0.624 | 2.11 (0.95, 3.27), p = 0.0009 |
| Male No EFA vs Female Yes EFA | 0.65 (0.21, 1.10), p = 0.007 | 2.68 (2.13, 3.24), p = 1.6 × 10−15 | 2.25 (1.56, 2.94), p = 1.1 × 10−09 | 1.87 (0.99, 2.74), p = 0.00009 |
| Female No EFA vs Male Yes EFA | 0.40 (−0.06, 0.87), p = 0.12 | 1.54 (0.91, 2.16), p = 4.8 × 10−06 | 1.32 (0.47, 2.17), p = 0.004 | 0.74 (0.40, 1.88), p = 0.253 |
| Female No EFA vs Female Yes EFA | 0.26 (−0.19, 0.70), p = 0.294 | 0.63 (0.07, 1.18), p = 0.044 | 0.69 (0.01, 1.36), p = 0.072 | 0.50 (−0.35, 1.36) p = 0.294 |
| Male Yes EFA vs Female Yes EFA | 0.66 (0.06, 1.26), p = 0.049 | 2.16 (1.37, 2.95) p = 3.3 × 10−07 | 2.00 (0.96, 3.05), p = 0.0002 | 0.24 (−1.13, 1.61), p = 0.762 |
| Later Father Absence (LFA; n = 5352) | ||||
| Male No LFA vs Female No LFA | 0.38 (0.18, 0.59), p = 0.0006 | 1.94 (1.67, 2.20), p = 1.6 × 10−15 | 1.45 (1.12, 1.79), p = 1.6 × 10−15 | 1.28 (0.84, 1.72), p = 3.6 × 10−08 |
| Male No LFA vs Male Yes LFA | 0.28 (−0.27, 0.94), p = 0.362 | 0.34 (−0.44, 1.11), p = 0.429 | 0.67 (−0.38, 1.72), p = 0.253 | 0.06 (−1.43, 1.54), p = 0.939 |
| Male No LFA vs Female Yes LFA | 0.80 (0.27, 1.33), p = 0.006 | 3.20 (2.55, 3.85), p = 1.6 × 10−15 | 2.37 (1.56, 3.18), p = 3.7 × 10−08 | 2.34 (1.26, 3.41), p = 0.00005 |
| Female No LFA vs Male Yes LFA | 0.10 (−0.46, 0.65), p = 0.759 | 2.28 (1.50, 3.05), p = 3.5 × 10−08 | 2.12 (1.08, 3.16), p = 0.0001 | 1.34 (−0.14, 2.81), p = 0.105 |
| Female No LFA vs Female Yes LFA | 0.42 (−0.11, 0.95), p = 0.162 | 1.26 (0.61, 1.91), p = 0.0002 | 0.92 (0.12, 1.72), p = 0.038 | 1.06 (0.00, 2.12), p = 0.076 |
| Male Yes LFA vs Female Yes LFA | 0.52 (−0.22, 1.25), p = 0.215 | 3.53 (2.56, 4.51), p = 6.2 × 10−12 | 3.04 (1.77, 4.32), p = 8.7 × 10−06 | 2.39 (0.62, 4.17), p = 0.013 |
Note: aAdjusted for antenatal indicators of socioeconomic (parental social class, financial difficulties, maternal educational attainment, homeownership), maternal (depression) and familial (parental conflict) characteristics. P-values are adjusted for false discovery rate (FDR). SMFQ: Short Mood and Feelings Questionnaire. EFA: Early Father Absence. LFA: Later Father Absence.