Background: No systematic study has been conducted to explore the relationship of dysfunctional parenting early in life, as measured by the Parental Bonding Instrument (PBI), to outcomes of depression, although a number of studies have related parenting behaviors to the development of depression in adulthood.
Methods: The relationship between PBI scores and 4-month outcomes after treatment with antidepressants was explored in 60 outpatients with major depression, controlling for potentially confounding factors.
Results: A multiple logistic regression analysis suggested that low levels of paternal care, unmarried condition, non-melancholic features, and a high isolation tendency were all factors that contributed to poor outcomes for depression. The predictive power of low paternal care was not influenced by levels of depression or neuroticism.
Limitation: This study did not attempt to explore whether the effects of parenting of father and mother on outcomes for depression may differ between male and female subjects.
Conclusion: The results suggest that low levels of paternal care may be an independent predictor of a poor response to treatment with adequate antidepressants.