The Parent-Child Relationship and Depressive Symptoms in Korean Adolescents

ABSTRACT

OBJECTIVES: The objective of this study was to compare the parent-child relationship of adolescents with depression and those without depression, by using Parent-Child Relationship Instrument (PCRI), Family Relationship Scale (FRS), and Parenting Attitude Test-Youth (PAT-Y). We also investigated the association between the parent-child relationship and depressive symptoms. METHODS: Twenty-five adolescents with depression (age 15.0+/-2.1 years, 8 boys) and 24 adolescents without depression (age 13.7+/-1.3 years, 16 boys) completed the Adolescent-General Behavior Inventory (A-GBI), Adolescent-Mood Disorder Questionnaire (A-MDQ), Beck Depression Inventory (BDI), PCRI, and PAT-Y. The parents of subjects completed the Child Behavior Checklist, Parent-General Behavior Inventory 10-item Mania Scale (P-GBI-10M), Parent-Mood Disorder Questionnaire, and FRS. Independent t-tests, analysis of covariance, and partial correlation analysis were used. RESULTS: The Intimacy (p=.002) and Respect (p=.029) scores of the PCRI were significantly higher in adolescents without depression compared to those with depression. The Intimacy scores of the PCRI showed negative correlation with the BDI and P-GBI-10M and the Strictness scores of the PCRI showed positive correlation with the A-GBI, A-MDQ, and BDI. The Inconsistency, Punishment, and Excessive Expectation scores of the PAT-Y showed positive correlation with the A-GBI and BDI scores. CONCLUSION: Our results suggest a possible association of the parent-children relationship and parenting attitude with adolescents' depressive symptoms.