The relationship between the attachment styles of the adults with and without depression and the parenting attitudes of their parents

Abstract

Objectives: In this study, it is aimed to determine the relationship between attachment styles of adults withand without depression and child rearing attitudes of their parents.Methods: One hundred eighteen patients who are admitted to outpatient clinic of Department of Psychiatry ofthe Uludağ University School of Medicine, who are diagnosed with depression according to DSMIV-R andDSM V and put on regular medication, and 130 healthy individuals of similar demographic characteristicswithout any psychopathologic diagnostic, are included in this study. Within the scope of this research"Experiences in Close Relationships Inventory-II", "Child-Rearing Attitudes Scale", "Beck DepressionInventory" and Sociodemographic Information Form were used.Results: It is found that there is a significant difference between the attachment styles of the individuals withand without depression and their parents' attitudes towards child rearing. Maternal and paternal acceptance /interest scores of the patient group were lower than those of the healthy group, and the parents' supervision /control scores were higher. The anxiety and avoidance attachment scores of the married individuals of thepatient group are higher than the scores of married individuals of the healthy group.Conclusions: High anxiety and avoidance related to attachment and controlling parental attitudes were foundto be risk factors for depression.