Depression in Adolescence: The Role of Emotional Stability and Parental Behavioral Control.

Abstract

Depression is a serious and widespread problem. It is important to examine depression, because relapse rates are high and depression is a risk factor for suicide. In this five wave longitudinal study we studied to what extent emotional stability moderates the relationship between parental behavioral control and depression. In addition, we examined the influence of parental behavioral control and emotional stability on depression over the course of adolescence. There were 281 adolescents who participated in all five waves. The statistical analyses showed that emotional stability and depression has a negative relationship. No relation was found between parental behavioral control and depression. Furthermore, the results have shown that emotional stability did not moderate the relationship between parental behavioral control and depression. Future research could examine if there are differences of influence of parental behavioral control on adolescents with a depression disorder and adolescents with only depressive symptoms.