Insecure attachment as a risk factor for future depressive symptoms in early adolescence

To investigate whether insecure attachment is a predictor of subsequent depressive symptoms among adolescents 12-14 years of age, when controlled for depressive levels the preceding year, various demographic and psychosocial factors, and stressful life events.

A representative sample of 2,360 young adolescents was assessed at two time points 1 year apart. Measures included were depressive symptoms measured by the Mood and Feelings Questionnaire (MFQ), attachment to parents and friends measured by the Inventory of Parent and Peer Attachment, stressful events, and various sociodemographic factors. The initial response rate was 88.3% and the attrition rate was 4.3%.

The proportions of high scorers (MFQ > 33) increased threefold from T1 to T2 (3.4% to 10.9%). Results of multivariate logistic regression analyses showed that the following variables at T1 were predictive of depressive symptoms at T2 : severe depressive symptoms (odds ratio [OR] = 5.30), gender (OR = 4.08), attachment to parents (OR = 1.36), and stressful life events (OR = 1.12). No interactions between attachment and severe depressive symptoms and gender and stressful life events, respectively, were found.

Insecure attachment to parents may contribute to the development of severe depressive symptoms among young adolescents. Improving the adolescent-parent relationship could be a focus for interventions both in community services and in clinical work.