The impact of childhood parental quality on mental health outcomes in older adults |
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Authors: | R.A. Burns V. Loh J.E. Byles H.L. Kendig |
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Affiliation: | 1. Centre for Research on Ageing Health and Wellbeing, The Research School of Population Health, The Australian National University, Canberra, Australia;2. ARC Centre of Excellence in Population Ageing Research (CEPAR), The Australian National University, Canberra, Australia;3. ARC Centre of Excellence in Population Ageing Research (CEPAR), The Australian National University, Canberra, Australia;4. School of Psychology, University of Sydney, Sydney, Australia;5. Research Centre for Gender, Health and Ageing, University of Newcastle and Hunter Medical Research Institute, Callaghan, Australiahttp://orcid.org/0000-0002-3984-6877 |
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Abstract: | Objective: Parental bonding is cited as a determinant of mental health outcomes in childhood, adolescence and early-mid adulthood. Examination of the long-term impact for older adults is limited. We therefore examine the long-term risk of perceived poor parental bonding on mental health across the lifespan and into early-old age. Methods: Participants (N = 1255) were aged 60–64 years of age and drawn from the Australian Life Histories and Health study. Quality of parental bonding was assessed with the Parental Bonding Instrument (PBI). Self-reported history of doctors’ mental health diagnoses and current treatment for each participant was recorded. Current depression was assessed with the Centre for Epidemiologic Studies Depression-8 (CESD-8). Due to known gender differences in mental health rates across the lifespan, analyses were stratified by sex. Results: A bi-factor analysis of the PBI in a structural equation framework indicated perceived Poor Parental Quality as a risk for both ever and current depression for both sexes. For males, Over-Protective Fathers were a risk for ever and current depression, whilst overall Poor Parental Quality was a risk for reporting current depression treatment. Whilst a number of the risks associated with current depression and treatment were attenuated when controlling for current mood, parental quality remained a significant risk for having reported a lifetime diagnosis for depression and anxiety for men. Conclusion: Our results extend the existing literature base and demonstrate that mental health risk attributed to poor perceived parental quality continues across the life-course and into early-old age. |
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Keywords: | Parental quality mental health depression anxiety life-histories |
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