More secure attachment to the father and the mother is associated with fewer depressive symptoms in adolescents

AIM: To investigate whether more secure attachment to the father and the mother is associated with less depressive symptoms among adolescents, and to explore possible sex differences. METHOD: A population-based sample of adolescents completed a school-based survey assessing demographic data, attachment to father and mother, as well as depressive symptoms. Participation rate was 80% of the eligible population, and 3,988 adolescents (1,937 boys and 2,051 girls) had complete data for the analyses. RESULTS: Paired samples t tests showed that participants rated their attachment to mothers as slightly more secure than their attachment to fathers (t = 15.94, P < 0.001; boys: t = 5.23, P < 0.001; girls: t = 16.16, P < 0.001). In linear regression analyses there was an association between the outcome, number of depressive symptoms, and more secure attachment to the mother for boys (B = −0.532; 95% confidence interval [CI] −0.656, −0.407, P < 0.001) and for girls (B = −0.623; 95% CI −0.730, −0.516, P < 0.001). Analogous results were found for more secure attachment to the father for boys (B = −0.499; 95% CI −0.608, −0.391, P < 0.001) and for girls (B = −0.494; 95% CI −0.586, −0.401, P < 0.001). CONCLUSIONS: Understanding the relationship between attachment to both father and mother and depressive symptoms in adolescent boys and girls is essential for further development of strategies for prevention and treatment of depression.