Reported parental behaviour and adult affective symptoms .1. Associations and moderating factors

Associations between retrospective ratings of parental behaviour and adult affective symptoms were investigated in a British national sample. Symptom scores at ages 36 and 43 years showed low but significant correlations with care (negative) and control (positive), as measured by the Parental Bonding Instrument. Prevalence of high symptom scores was much greater in respondents with low care-high control (affectionless control) parents than in those with high care-low control parents, but there was no synergistic effect of combined care and control. Degree of affectionless control was progressively related to risk of depression. No significant gender differences were found in these associations. Findings could not be explained as spurious relationships resulting from association with other features of childhood adversity, and there was evidence that distorted recall arising from contemporaneous depressed mood was not responsible. Work is needed to establish the causal mechanisms underlying observed associations, including inter-relationships between parental style and other early adversity, and factors mediating or moderating the long-term effects of parental behaviour.