Effect of Parenting Style on Adolescent Depression

Background: Parenting style refers to the attitudes and behaviors of parents toward their children and an emotional environment in which the parents' behaviors are expressed. Behavioral problems including externalizing and internalizing problems are amongst the most common mental health issues. Thus, to prevent the development of depression, it is necessary to understand the parenting styles. Objective: To determine the parenting style of parents of depressed adolescents. Study Design: Cross-sectional descriptive study. Place and Duration of Study: Child & Adolescent Unit, Institute of Psychiatry, Benazir Bhutto Hospital Rawalpindi from 31st January to 31st July 2020. Methodology: One hundred and fifty adolescents were enrolled. The presence of depression in adolescent patients was assessed by using the Hamilton Scale for Depression (HAM-D). For parenting style, the adolescent patients were asked to answer the Parental Authority Questionnaire. Results: Mean age was 15.90 +/- 2.82 years. 53 (35.3%) were male adolescents and 97 (64.7%) were female adolescents. Twenty two (14.7%), 75 (50%) and 53 (35.3%) patients had mild, moderate and severe depression. Eighty five (56.7%), 50 (33.3%) and 15 (10%) had authoritarian, permissive and authoritative parenting style respectively. Conclusion: The study reveals strong relation between depression and impaired parenting and emphasizes that parents should have warm and nurturing relationship with their children as it provides protection against the development of depression in adolescents.