Children of Schizophrenic Parents Face Higher Mental Health Risk

Clinical relevance: New research confirms that children of parents with schizophrenia or bipolar disorder face a much higher risk of psychiatric conditions.

• Risk patterns vary by parental diagnosis, with schizophrenia linked to psychotic and disruptive symptoms, and bipolar disorder linked to mood and attention issues.
• Higher parental psychosocial functioning and socio-economic status can mitigate the risk.
• The authors push for early intervention while stressing the role of both genetics and the environment.