The expression and possible origins of depression in male adolescent delinquents

Sex-specific role of alexithymia in associations between parental bonding and mental health: A moderated mediation model

OBJECTIVE

This study aimed to explore the role of alexithymia and potential sex differences in the associations between perceived parental bonding and mental health.

METHODS

The sample consists of 2421 parents from the FinnBrain Birth Cohort Study who completed the parental bonding instrument, the Toronto alexithymia scale, the Edinburgh postnatal depression scale, and the anxiety subscale of the symptom checklist-90. Moderated mediation analyses were conducted to examine the possible mediating role of alexithymia and moderating role of sex in the associations between parental bonding and depressive/anxiety symptoms.

RESULTS

Alexithymia was found to be a potential mediator and sex be a moderator in the relations between perceived dysfunctional parental bonding and the psychological symptoms. Specifically, dysfunctional paternal bonding, especially paternal overprotection, had stronger indirect effects (via alexithymia) on the psychological symptoms in males.

CONCLUSIONS

This study indicates the importance of alexithymia in the parenting-related mental health impacts and highlights the significance of paternal bonding for the development of alexithymia and mental health problems in male populations. The findings improve the limited understanding of sex-related parental factors for alexithymia and mental health problems. Future studies in longitudinal designs are warranted to clarify the causal process of the mediation.

The Association Among Parental Bonding, Depression, Social Aggression, and Criminal Assault: Are There Gender Differences Between Male and Female Youth Offenders?

This research examined similarities and differences in gender regarding social aggression, criminal assault, depression, and familial factors. The participants were 251 youth offenders (158 males) who were arrested and incarcerated in a juvenile facility. The measures consisted of self-reported acts of social aggression, simple and aggravated assault, subtypes of depression, and self-reports on parental care and control. Our data demonstrate the importance of including gender, types of aggression/assault, subtypes of depression, and familial factors when examining their association. For example, less parental care predicted more social aggression for both males and females. However, neither did parental care predict aggravated assault for either gender, nor did parental care predict general depression or anhedonia. Parental control had different impact depending on gender. More parental control increased rates of social aggression and simple assault for females but not for males. Symptoms of general depression predicted committing simple assault for both males and females, but not anhedonia. However, general depressive symptoms and anhedonia were associated with committing aggravated assault for both genders. Policy implications were discussed.

Transcendent Vocations: Their Relationship to Stress, Depression, and Clarity of Self-Concept

This study explores the relationship between transcendent vocations— work to which one feels “called”—and stress, depression, and clarity of self-concept. Participants ( N = 127) completed a questionnaire containing four independent scales (the Self-Concept Confusion Scale [SCCS], the Perceived Stress Scale [PSS], the Costello-Comrey Depression Scale [CCDS], and the Engagement in Meaningful Work Scale [EMWS]) along with two essay questions. In addition, 6 of these participants—3 high EMWS and 3 low EMWS—were selected for postquestionnaire interviews. As predicted by individuation, self-actualization, and flow theories, being engaged in meaningful work as a calling was correlated negatively with stress and depression and correlated positively with clarity of self-concept. Also, clarity of self-concept was correlated negatively with stress and depression, whereas stress and depression were correlated positively with each other. Furthermore, engagement in meaningful work was correlated positively to problem-focused coping and correlated negatively to emotion-focused (avoidance) coping.

Hopelessness, Loneliness, Self-Esteem, and Personality in Russian Male Delinquent Adolescents versus Controls

The aim of the present study was to test for possible interrelations between hopelessness, loneliness, self-esteem, and personality in samples of delinquent adolescents (n = 187) and controls (n = 103) from the Arkhangelsk region in Russia. The subjects were assessed by means of the UCLA Loneliness Scale, Beck’s Hopelessness Scale, Rosenberg’s Self-Esteem Scale, and Cloninger’s Temperament and Character Inventory (TCI). The delinquents differed from the controls in most of the variables under investigation. The loneliness and hopelessness scales were highly interrelated. Furthermore, they correlated with the temperament dimension of harm avoidance and inversely correlated with the character dimension of self-directedness. Self-esteem appeared to be exclusively related with self-directedness. Our results reflect relationships between certain personality traits and psychological symptoms and indicate the potential of the TCI as a clinical assessment tool.

Perceived inadequate care and excessive overprotection during childhood are associated with greater risk of sleep disturbance in adulthood: the Hisayama Study

BACKGROUND

Sleep disturbance and poor sleep quality are major health problems worldwide. One potential risk factor for the development and maintenance of sleep disturbance is the parenting style experienced during childhood. However, its role in sleep disturbance in adulthood has not yet been estimated. This Japanese population study was done to clarify the relation between the parenting styles "care" and "overprotection" during childhood and sleep disturbance in adulthood.

METHODS

A total of 702 community-dwelling Japanese residents aged ≥ 40 years were assessed in 2011 for their perceptions of the parenting style of their parents by use of the Parental Bonding Instrument (PBI) and for sleep disturbance by use of the Pittsburgh Sleep Quality Index (PSQI). The odds ratio (OR) for sleep disturbance (a global PSQI score > 5) was calculated using a logistic regression model.

RESULTS

The prevalence of sleep disturbance was 29 %. After adjusting for sociodemographic, lifestyle, and physical factors in a comparison with the optimal parenting styles (high care and low overprotection), the ORs for sleep disturbance by men were significantly higher for low paternal care, by 2.49 times (95 % confidence interval [CI]: 1.21-5.09), and for high overprotection, by 2.40 times (95 % CI: 1.19-4.85), while the ORs were not significant for low maternal care and high overprotection. For women the only significant factor was high maternal overprotection, by 1.62 times (95 % CI: 1.05-2.52), while the ORs were not significant for low maternal care, low paternal care and high paternal overprotection. The association remained significant for high paternal overprotection for men after additionally controlling for depression.

CONCLUSIONS

This study suggests that parenting style, especially inadequate care and excessive overprotection during childhood, is related to sleep disturbance in adulthood and that the association is much more significant for parents of the same sex as the child.

Internalizing and externalizing problems, depression, and self-esteem in non-detained male juvenile offenders

BACKGROUND

High rates of mental disorders have been found in detained juvenile offenders, whereas the role of psychopathology in non-detained offenders is less clear. Therefore, the present study compared psychopathology in male non-detained delinquent juveniles and two matched samples from the community and an adolescent psychiatric clinic.

METHODS

125 male adolescents aged 11 to 19 years (m = 16.2 years, SD = 1.5 years) from an outpatient adolescent forensic clinic were compared to a community sample from the Zurich Adolescent Psychology and Psychopathology Study (ZAPPS) and a referred sample from a psychiatric clinic matched for age and nationality. All subjects responded to questionnaires measuring internalizing and externalizing problems, depressive symptoms and self-esteem.

RESULTS

The sample of non-detained juvenile offenders showed similar rates of self-reported internalizing and externalizing problems when compared to the community sample, whereas the clinic sample displayed an increased rate of various disturbances. Similar results were found also for self-esteem. In agreement with these findings, non-detained juvenile offenders less frequently had a psychiatric diagnosis after full clinical assessment when compared to the clinical sample. However, a diagnosis of conduct disorders and a lower IQ range was found more frequently in non-detained juvenile offenders. Offenders with serious delinquent acts and involving weapons showed higher depression scores than the rest of the offenders.

CONCLUSION

In non-detained assessment situations before court examination, juvenile offenders present rather normal behaviour. Their lack of awareness of potential behavioural problems should be considered during assessment and treatment of this group of offenders.

Psychopathy and lifetime experiences of depression

BACKGROUND

Previous studies have investigated an association between psychopathy and depression as part of the broader study of co-morbidity between psychopathy and Axis I psychopathology or as part of validity tests for psychopathy. These study methods have, however, been limited, for example, by exclusive use of questionnaires, or categorical measures of depression, and by low base rates of psychopathology.

AIMS

Our aims were to extend previous research on psychopathy and depression and to test the hypothesis that total Psychopathy Checklist - Revised (PCL-R) scores, and the four facets of interpersonal, affective, lifestyle and anti-social behaviour, would be negatively associated with depressive symptom scores.

METHODS

Dimensional measures of psychopathy and lifetime major depression were derived from structured interviews (the PCL-R and the Structured Clinical Interview for Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders, Third Edition, Revised) with adult male prisoners. The emotional experience of depression was also studied through analysis of the narratives used by the men to describe their depressive symptoms.

RESULTS

The PCL-R scores, and in particular the interpersonal, affective and lifestyle facets of the PCL-R, were inversely associated with depression scores.

CONCLUSION

Our findings suggest that psychopathy does influence the way depression is experienced.

A preliminary study on findings of psychopathy and affective disorders in adult sex offenders

The construct of psychopathy has often been considered mutually exclusive to the presence of genuine depressive or anxiety symptomotology. This article addresses the hypothesized reasons for this dichotomous relationship. In this study, 68 civilly committed adult male sex offenders were evaluated using a variety of psychological measures to determine if psychopathic individuals in this group would demonstrate clinically significant affective symptoms. Results indicate that the men in this sample endorsed high rates of psychopathy on the PCL-R, with 42% of these expressing concurrent symptoms of depression and 26% manifesting symptoms of an anxiety disorder. Relationships between affective symptoms and PCL-R factor scores and qualitative differences between these constructs in child molesters and rapists are also discussed.

Alcohol abuse in Russian delinquent adolescents. Associations with comorbid psychopathology, personality and parenting

INTRODUCTION

Adolescent delinquency and alcohol abuse have become a growing concern in Russia. Psychopathology, a dysfunctional family and specific personality factors have all been linked to addictive and antisocial behavior. Since delinquent youth represent a specific risk group, where alcohol misuse tends to be more pronounced than in the general population, the objectives of this study were: 1) to compare differences in personality and parenting factors, and in psychopathology in juvenile delinquents with and without alcohol abuse; and 2) to evaluate the associations between alcohol abuse, personality and parenting factors, after controlling for comorbid psychopathology.

METHODS

Psychopathology, including alcohol abuse, was assessed by means of a psychiatric interview in 229 Russian incarcerated male juvenile delinquents. In addition, alcohol use, personality, and parenting factors were assessed by self-reports.

RESULTS

Alcohol-abusing delinquents (n=138) scored significantly higher on novelty seeking and maternal emotional warmth and reported higher levels of psychopathology, as compared to nonalcohol-abusing delinquents (n=91). Logistic regression analysis demonstrated that personality and parenting factors were significantly related to alcohol abuse, even after controlling for comorbid psychopathology.

CONCLUSION

Alcohol-abusing delinquents are at risk for a wide spectrum of psychiatric disorders. Alcohol abuse is associated with personality and parenting factors independently of comorbid psychopathology. Early interventions with high-risk youths may help to reduce their psychiatric problems and alcohol abuse.

Psychopathology and delinquency in adolescents: a descriptive and developmental perspective

The current article presents a review on psychiatric pathology in delinquent adolescents. The putative developmental significance of this co-occurrence is discussed within Moffitt's [Psychol. Rev. 100 (1993) 674] developmental framework on antisocial behavior. Articles on psychopathology in delinquent adolescents were retrieved through search engines (MEDLINE, Psychlit) and by exploration of references in those articles. Substantial evidence is at hand that delinquent adolescents have higher rates of externalizing and internalizing disorders when compared to adolescents in the general population. Although substantial limitations hamper interpretation of the findings, the marked similarities across a diversity of samples from different countries suggest that the findings are fairly generalizable. Evidence was found for differences in prevalence and developmental significance of psychiatric pathology between adolescent limited (AL) offenders and life-course persistent (LCP) offenders. Although psychopathology was more severe in LCP offenders, AL offenders still had significant and potential harmful levels of psychopathology. These findings emphasize the necessity of developing mental health services to delinquent adolescents and the necessity of adequate diagnostic and therapeutic interventions in these adolescents.

The interaction of perceived maternal and paternal parenting styles and their relation with the psychological distress and offending characteristics of incarcerated young offenders

A shortened form of the Parental Bonding Instrument (PBI) (Pederson, 1994) was used to examine the relationship between parenting styles and the psychological distress and offending patterns of a group of young male offenders held in custody in Scotland. High levels of psychological distress were linked with low parental care, but there was no association between psychological distress and parental control. Parental care was not a distinguishing factor in offending patterns, although high paternal control was linked with a younger age of first arrest. When interactions of paternal and maternal parenting styles were examined, young offenders who perceived poor parenting (i.e. neglectful parenting or affectionless control) from both parents had the highest levels of psychological distress overall.

Incarcerated Adolescents' Distress and Suicidality in Relation to Parental Bonding Styles

This study examines the relationships between the bonding style of an incarcerated adolescent with parents and his/her current feelings of self-esteem, hopelessness, and suicidal thoughts and attempts. It also investigates differences between bonding to mother and bonding to father. Some 296 incarcerated adolescents were interviewed using the Parental Bonding Instrument. Significant relationships were found between youths' self-esteem, hopelessness, and suicidal behavior and their bonding style. Youths whose parent(s) had a parental bonding style of affectionless control reported the greatest distress, and youths whose parent(s) had an optimal bonding style reported the least distress. Differences were found between bonding styles with the mother and with the father. Attachment theory may be useful in targeting incarcerated youths who have affectionless control bonding with parent(s) for special interventions since these youths are most at risk for psychosocial problems.

Adolescent depression: a review of the literature

This article is a review of relevant literature concerning depression, a complex and multidimensional phenomenon that strikes adolescents in a variety of ways and with varying degrees of intensity. The definitions, prevalence, theoretical approaches, and related variables of adolescent depression are discussed. Finally, adolescent depression is discussed in relation to nursing process and nursing research.

Quality of perceived parenting in oppositional and conduct disordered adolescents

In order to ascertain whether there was a relationship between parenting style and the development of conduct (CD) and oppositional (OD) disorder, the authors compared ratings on a self-report measure of perceived parenting (Parental Bonding Instrument) by normal adolescents (N = 62) and by adolescents with CD (N = 62) or OD (N = 49). No differences were found between the CD and OD groups. However, there were significant differences between the clinical groups and the normal control group: adolescents with CD or OD perceived their parents as more overprotective and less caring.

Australian adolescents' perceptions of their parents

We examined the characteristics of a self-report measure for assessing perceptions of parents, the Parental Bonding Instrument (PBI), in an adolescent community sample (N = 2,147; mean age = 15.4 years). Using factor analysis, three PBI dimensions were identified--the original Care factor and two Protection factors: perceived social control and personal intrusiveness. Important sex differences were found which were not evident in the two factor structure recommended by Parker [1,2]. Relative to sons, daughters saw their fathers as more personally intrusive and their mothers as less socially controlling and much more caring. Overall, adolescents perceived mothers as more caring but more personally intrusive than fathers. Adolescents who saw their father as uncaring and their mother as controlling tended to have the least positive psychosocial profiles.

Bipolar affective disorder in adolescence: a 10-year study

A descriptive study of bipolar affective disorder in adolescent patients, conducted over a 10-year period, is presented. The diagnosis of 30 subjects referred to an adolescent treatment facility of a major teaching hospital was reviewed using DSM-III criteria, and antecedent symptomatology and signs were documented. Common diagnostic features included schizophreniform phenomenology, motoric and vegetative changes, suicidal and inappropriate sexual behaviour and a stormy first year of illness. A positive family history was frequently noted, as was the relevance of various forms of loss as a precipitant of the first episode. Timely recognition and multidisciplinary management, including the use of lithium, are discussed. It appears that the prognosis of bipolar affective disorder in adolescence is better than was previously believed, probably as a result of earlier diagnosis and more frequent recognition.