Wood BL, et al. - Researchers intended to gain insights into the complex biopsychosocial nature of childhood asthma and assessed the crucial role played by caregiver depression by analyzing literature data that reported the impacts of caregiver depression on childhood asthma. They also integrated the findings into a multilevel model of pathways by which these influences occur. They identified and analyzed studies that were recent, empirical or meta-analytic, conducted in humans, and had specific relevance to one or more of the identified pathways. Findings supported the key role of caregiver depression in the socio-familial-psychological-biological cascade of impacts on childhood asthma. The observed indirect impact of socio-economic status and family stress mediated by caregiver depression on childhood asthma outcomes was found to influence disease management, and/or stress and depression in the child. This resulted in alterations in immune modulation and autonomic regulation which impacted asthma.