The MARIO cohort (Mood and Resilience in Offspring) is a longitudinal Dutch cohort study of offspring of parents with and without mood disorders, investigating risk and resilience factors.
Some children of parents with psychiatric disorders experience depressive symptoms, influenced not only by genetic vulnerability but also by environmental and social factors. While many children never develop a mood disorder, it is well established that offspring of parents with such disorders have a higher risk.
In the MARIO cohort study, a large group of children is followed over a four-year period. Throughout this time, participants complete questionnaires on topics such as coping with difficult situations and social support, alongside the collection of several biological measures. By combining psychological and biological data, the study seeks to identify the protective factors that promote resilience and prevent the onset of mood disorders in high-risk youth.
Over four assessment waves across three years, the study collects extensive clinical, biological and environmental data (e.g., blood samples, interviews, online questionnaires, actigraphy, experience-sampling methods) from both offspring and co-parents, to investigate mechanisms of intergenerational transmission of mood disorders and resilience in high-familial risk samples.
Website: mario-project.nl
Contactperson: Brenda Penninx