Perceptions of poor maternal care are associated with adolescent depression.

This study sought to ascertain if depressed adolescents perceived their parents as less caring and more controlling than patients with other diagnoses, as reported for adults. Associations between perceptions of parenting, as measured by the Parental Bonding Instrument, and diagnosis were studied using groups of referred adolescents with major depression (n = 19), dysthymia (n = 41), oppositional disorder (n = 51), conduct disorder (n = 122), attention deficit disorder with hyperactivity (n = 55), separation anxiety (n = 38) and other anxiety disorders (n = 36). When the effects of other variables were statistically controlled, only adolescents with major depression showed an association with low maternal care.