Autonomy and Relatedness in Family Interactions with Depressed Adolescents

This study investigated family interaction patterns associated with adolescent depression. Twenty adolescent–mother dyads with clinically depressed adolescents participated in the study. Twenty dyads with externalizing youths and 20 nonclinic dyads were included as controls. Dimensions of autonomy and relatedness were rated during a videotaped mother–adolescent problem-solving task. Adolescent perceptions of parent attachment were also evaluated. Results indicated that depressed adolescents and their mothers did not differ in their behavior compared with nonclinic adolescents. Dyads with externalizing adolescents showed the highest impairment in autonomy and relatedness. Depressed adolescents perceived the quality of their relationships with their parents to be impaired relative to nonclinic dyads, as did externalizing adolescents.