Research paperThe influence of parental care and overprotection, neuroticism and adult stressful life events on depressive symptoms in the general adult population

- A total of 401 subjects from the nonclinical general adult population were studied.
- We investigated the effect of quality of parenting, neuroticism and life events.
- Quality of parenting directly and indirectly predicted depressive symptoms.
- Neuroticism mediated the effect of quality of parenting on depressive symptoms.

BackgroundThe quality of parenting, neuroticism, and adult stressful life events are reportedly associated with depressive symptoms. However, previous studies have not examined the complex interaction between these three factors. In this study, we hypothesized that the quality of parenting (care and overprotection) acts on depressive symptoms through 'neuroticism' and the appraisal of adult stressful life events, and this hypothesis was verified by structural equation modeling.MethodsFour hundred one participants from the general adult population were studied using the following self-administered questionnaire surveys: Patient Health Questionnaire-9 (PHQ-9), Parental Bonding Instrument (PBI), neuroticism subscale of the short version of the Eysenck Personality Questionnaire-revised (EPQ-R), and Life Experiences Survey (LES). The data were analyzed with single and multiple regression analyses and covariance structure analyses.ResultsIn the covariance structure analysis, neuroticism scores and negative change scores on the LES acted on the depressive symptoms (PHQ-9 scores) directly, but care or overprotection in childhood on the PBI did not act on them directly. Low care and high overprotection of the PBI increased depressive symptoms and negative change scores on the LES through enhanced neuroticism, which is regarded as a mediator in these effects.LimitationsThe subjects of this study were nonclinical volunteers; the findings might not be generalizable to psychiatric patients.ConclusionsThis research showed that low care and high overprotection of maternal and paternal parenting in childhood influence depressive symptoms indirectly through enhanced neuroticism in general adults. These findings suggest that neuroticism mediates the long-term effect of the quality of parenting on depression in adulthood.