The influence of parent-child relatedness on depressive symptoms in children with asthma: Tests of moderator and mediator models

Objective: To examine the influence of parent-child relationship quality on the association between illness-related functional status and depressive symptoms in children with asthma. Methods: Questionnaire data were collected from the child, caregiver, and physician. Fifty-five children with asthma (8-17 years of age), their caregivers, and physicians participated. Results: Regression analyses suggest that patterns of mother-child relatedness (secure vs. insecure) mediate the relationship between functional status and depressive symptoms. Conclusions: The parent-child relationship may be an important pathway by which illness influences symptoms of depression in children with asthma. This study suggests that impaired functional status does not directly contribute to symptoms of depression, but rather influences the parent-child relationship in ways that may promote the development of depressive symptoms in the child.