By Charlotte Sutcliffe, PPS & Psychology student '27
Depression is known to run in families, however less is known on how to break the cycle of generational depression.
In a new study from Duke University’s Center for Child and Family Policy (CCFP), researchers find an intensive childhood intervention designed to reduce conduct problems in at-risk children can also help disrupt the transmission of generational depression in families.
“Most previous studies on this topic have relied on cross-sectional data or explored only two- generation relationships, with few exploring how preventative and multilevel interventions have long-term and enduring effects on several generations,” said Dr. Laura Gorla, postdoctoral associate at CCFP and lead author of the study. “We aimed to fill this gap by examining whether participating in a multilevel preventative intervention – the Fast Track program – can interrupt the intergenerational transmission of depressive symptoms across three generations for children with early conduct problems.”
Fast Track, which started in the early 1990s, blended parent behavior-management training, child social-cognitive skills tutoring, home visits, and classroom support for grades 1 though 10 for children who had early emerging conduct problems. Additionally, its goal was to promote healthy emotional development and help institute beneficial parenting practices. More than 20 years later, the intervention has demonstrated many beneficial lasting effects.
Gorla and her team’s study followed the same participants from the Fast Track program (those who agreed to still participate) and drew from more than 30 years of data to examine grandparents (G1), parents (G2), and their children (G3).
Looking at the results, the researchers found a cascading effect in families who did not participate in Fast Track. Depressive symptoms in the first generation predicted emotional difficulties in the second generation, which finally led to greater emotional difficulty in the third generation. However, for families that were participants in the Fast Track intervention, this cascade disappeared.
According to co-author and CCFP Director Dr. Jennifer Lansford, “This study highlights the potential of early interventions to alter mental health and developmental trajectories across several generations, potentially breaking cycles of risk that otherwise might continue to exist for decades.”
Gorla said that, when thinking about their own mental health, people often ask themselves, “Why am I feeling this way? Why did I see my mom or dad feeling this same way?"
“I used to criticize them, and now I find myself doing the same," she said. "However, with the right support and early prevention efforts, things can change."
Moving forward, Gorla hopes that her team’s research will help inform policymakers to invest and implement evidence-based interventions, not only for children and adolescent mental health, but expand into other fields with violence and risky behaviors.
Citation: Gorla, L., Rothenberg, W. A., Godwin, J., Copeland, W. E., & the Conduct Problems Prevention Research Group (2025). Pathways of intergenerational transmission of depression: The role of the Fast Track intervention. Development and Psychopathology. https://doi.org/10.1017/S0954579425100588
Charlotte Sutcliffe is a junior double majoring in public policy and psychology. She is interested in advancing pediatric healthcare policy and the protection of global human rights in support of equitable child welfare.