Previous research has shown that children of mothers with a history of major depressive disorder (MDD), compared to children of never depressed mothers, are at a higher risk of developing depression themselves. However, not all children of depressed parents develop MDD, highlighting the need to understand potential moderators of risk. This study examined how child emotional regulation strategies, specifically cognitive reappraisal and suppression, may moderate the link between mother MDD and children’s depressive symptoms. Additionally, child age and gender were examined as potential moderators. We recruited 95 mother-child dyads from the community. Of the mothers, 62% had a history of MDD during their child’s life and the others had no lifetime history of any depressive disorder. The children were 7-15 years old, the majority were Caucasian (77.9%) and female (55.3%). Children completed self-report questionnaires assessing emotion regulation strategies (cognitive reappraisal and suppression) and depressive symptoms. Analyses revealed that higher levels of suppression, but not lower levels of cognitive reappraisal, were associated with high levels of depression in children. This relation was strongest in older boys of mothers with a history of MDD. These findings suggest that children’s use of suppression may increase risk for depression, particularly in at-risk older boys
