Longitudinal pathways from harsh parenting to adolescent depression via internal working models: The moderating role of adolescent trait mindfulness

Abstract

Theoretical and empirical research indicates that insecure attachment with parents may function as a mediator between aversive parenting and adolescent depression. However, no longitudinal research has differentiated the roles of internal representations of parental attachment, especially the roles of the two internal working models (i.e., the self-model and the other model) in the longitudinal relation from harsh parenting to adolescent depression and whether adolescent mindfulness can play a moderating role in such relationships. Six hundred and forty-five school children completed a paper-and-pencil questionnaire in school three times with two eight-month intervals (338 girls and 307 boys, mean age = 13.45), and data on harsh parenting, internal working models, and depression were collected at three time points, and mindfulness were collected only at Time 1. Results demonstrated that among adolescents low in mindfulness, harsh parenting could undermine positivity of the self-model, which could further elevate the risk of adolescent depression. In comparison, these predictive relations did not exist among highly mindful adolescents. To our knowledge, this study is the first one to differentiate the roles of the two elements of internal working models in a longitudinal research design, which highlights the significant role of the impaired self-model in the development of adolescent depression in the context of aversive parenting.