Maternal Parenting Behaviors and Adolescent Depression: The Mediating Role of Rumination

Abstract

Substantial evidence suggests that rumination is an important vulnerability factor for adolescent depression. Despite this, few studies have examined environmental risk factors that might lead to rumination and, subsequently, depression in adolescence. This study examined the hypothesis that an adverse family environment is a risk factor for rumination, such that the tendency to ruminate mediates the longitudinal association between a negative family environment and adolescent depressive symptoms. It also investigated adolescent gender as a moderator of the relationship between family environment and adolescent rumination. Participants were 163 mother–adolescent dyads. Adolescents provided self-reports of depressive symptoms and rumination across three waves of data collection (approximately at ages 12, 15, and 17 years). Family environment was measured via observational assessment of the frequency of positive and aggressive parenting behaviors during laboratory-based interactions completed by mother-adolescent dyads, collected during the first wave. A bootstrap analysis revealed a significant indirect effect of low levels of positive maternal behavior on adolescent depressive symptoms via adolescent rumination, suggesting that rumination might mediate the relationship between low levels of positive maternal behavior and depressive symptoms for girls. This study highlights the importance of positive parenting behaviors as a possible protective factor against the development of adolescent rumination and, subsequently, depressive symptoms. One effective preventive approach to improving adolescent mental health may be providing parents with psychoeducation concerning the importance of pleasant and affirming interactions with their children.

Acknowledgments

This research was supported by grants from the Colonial Foundation, the National Health and Medical Research Council (Australia; Program Grant350241) and the Australian Research Council (Discovery Grant DP0878136).

Notes

Note. EPI = event-planning interaction; rpm = rate per minute; PSI = problem-solving interaction; RRS = Ruminative Responses Scale; CES-D = Center for Epidemiological Studies Depression Scale.

*p < .05.

Note. Pos. EPI = rate per minute of positive maternal behavior in the event-planning interaction (EPI); Agg. EPI = rate per minute of aggressive maternal behavior in the EPI; Pos. PSI = rate per minute of positive maternal behavior in the problem-solving interaction (PSI); Agg. PSI = rate per minute of aggressive maternal behavior in the PSI; RRS = Ruminative Responses Scale; CES-D = Center for Epidemiological Studies Depression Scale; Par. Age = parent's age; SES = socioeconomic status.

*p < .05. **p < .01.

Note. Significant effects are highlighted in bold. Bootstrap sample size = 5,000. RRS = Ruminative Responses Scale; rpm = rate per minute; SES = socioeconomic status; CES-D = Center for Epidemiological Studies Depression Scale; LL = lower limit; CI = confidence interval; UL = upper limit.

Note. Significant effects are highlighted in bold. Bootstrap sample size = 5,000. RRS = Ruminative Responses Scale; rpm = rate per minute; SES = socioeconomic status; CES-D = Center for Epidemiological Studies Depression Scale; LL = lower limit; CI = confidence interval; UL = upper limit.

Note. Significant effects are highlighted in bold. Bootstrap sample size = 5,000. RRS = Ruminative Responses Scale; rpm = rate per minute; SES = socioeconomic status; CES-D = Center for Epidemiological Studies Depression Scale; LL = lower limit; CI = confidence interval; UL = upper limit.

Note. Significant effects are highlighted in bold. Bootstrap sample size = 5,000. RRS = Ruminative Responses Scale; rpm = rate per minute; SES = socioeconomic status; CES-D = Center for Epidemiological Studies Depression Scale; LL = lower limit; CI = confidence interval; UL = upper limit.