Maternal Roles and Adolescent Depression: Conditions and Processes of Influence

Abstract

This article explores the implications of maternal roles for adolescent depression by developing a theoretical model linking the gendered ideologies and work and family roles of mothers to the depression of their adolescent children. The model posits that incongruity between mothers' roles and their ideologies concerning maternal roles results in maternal distress, which influences their parenting in ways that ultimately affect adolescent depression. We test this model using data from the National Survey of Children and covariance structure analysis. The results support the theoretical arguments, demonstrating that incongruity between mothers' roles and ideologies influences family processes in ways relevant for understanding the depression of adolescents.