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Psychophysiological Assessment of the Effectiveness of Emotion Regulation Strategies in Childhood
Published on: February 11, 2017
Perceived control mediates the relation between parental rejection and youth depression
Melissa M Magaro1, John R Weisz
1Department of Psychology, University of California, Los Angeles (UCLA), 1285 Franz Hall, Box 951563, Los Angeles, California 90095-1563, USA. magaro@ucla.edu
Journal of Abnormal Child Psychology
|October 27, 2006
Summary
Parental rejection, not control, strongly predicts youth depression. Perceived control by youngsters mediates this link, offering targets for mental health interventions.
Area of Science:
- Child and Adolescent Psychiatry
- Developmental Psychology
- Clinical Psychology
Background:
- Parental control and rejection are implicated in youth depression.
- The relative importance of these parenting dimensions and their mediating roles remain unclear.
- Research is needed within clinical samples to clarify these associations.
Purpose of the Study:
- To determine which parenting dimension, perceived control or rejection, is more strongly associated with depressive symptoms in clinically referred youth.
- To investigate whether youth's perception of parental control mediates the relationship between perceived parental rejection and depressive symptoms.
- To examine these associations across different genders and age groups within the clinical sample.
Main Methods:
- A sample of clinically referred youth (aged 7-17) was assessed.
- Data collected included measures of perceived parental control, perceived parental rejection, and depressive symptoms.
- Statistical analyses were performed to examine the direct associations and mediation effects.
Main Results:
- Perceived parental rejection showed a strong association with depressive symptoms.
- Perceived parental control was not significantly linked to depressive symptoms.
- Youth's perception of parental control robustly mediated the association between parental rejection and depressive symptoms, irrespective of gender or age.
Conclusions:
- Parental rejection is a more critical factor than perceived control in the development of depression among clinically referred youth.
- Perceived control acts as a significant mediator, highlighting a developmental pathway for depression.
- Findings offer potential targets for prevention and treatment programs focused on modifying perceptions of control and addressing rejection.
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