1. Introduction
Several studies in recent years focus on what causes adolescent depression. Studying this
topic broadens understanding for mental health and depression and how it works in adolescents,
in the hopes to be able to find ways to explain the factors that influence adolescent depression
(Angold et al. 1995; Clarke et al. 2001; Roustit et al. 2010; Van Loon et al. 2014). Studies have
also been able to bring attention to the effects depression has towards an adolescent’s daily life in
all aspects. The focus has been on determining why children and teens are suffering from
depression and finding ways to help adolescents cope with a mental illness while still at a young
age (Barber and Buehler 1996; Bennett, Bevan Jones and Smith 2014; et al. 2003; Garber et al.
2009; Meijer et al. 2002; Van Santvoort et al. 2014). Such studies are needed to further educate
the public and fill the gaps that are left by infrequent studies of adolescent depression.
Depression can be prevalent early on in a person’s life, and can even be genetic
(Simmons et al. 2015.). Adolescents with parents who have mental illnesses were found to have
a greater risk for inheriting mental illnesses themselves (Dean et al. 2010; Elgar et al. 2007; Jaser
et al. 2008; Langrock et al. 2002; Van Loon et al. 2015) From these studies it is possible to
deduce the pattern that parents play a role in the genetic makeup as well as mental illnesses a
child may have. Clinical depression in an adolescent can be a result of the parent’s situations,
including socioeconomic status (Richardson et al, 2015) or the health of their family (Bryne et al.
2015). Whatever a parent might do or not do in their lifetime may have an effect on the way the
child is subsequently raised. Parents of adolescents can play a major role in exposing their
children to traumatic events in their lives. This is also prevalent in post-traumatic depression
brought on by sexual abuse in an adolescent’s life (Simon et al. 2015). Increased aggression in
parents can also increase depression in their children (Sheeber, Hops and Davis, 2001; Yap et al.

2. 2008) .The effects of this even include relationship problems between child and parent (Alloy et
al. 2006; Brennan, Le Brocque, and Jammen 2003; Sheeber et al. 2007; Soenens et al. 2006).
This is not only related to relationship problems but instead, of a parent-child relationship (Fosco
et al. 2016).
Main limitations include data collection measures. Many researchers used surveys and
questionnaires which rely on the honesty of the subjects. More studies with other forms of data
collection should be explored in the future. (Gate et al. 2013; Shapero et al. 2015). Another
limitation involved gaps in existing literature on this subject from earlier years (Beardslee et al.
1996). This is due to the lack of recognition on this subject, which is now increasing.
Examining this posed the thought, how and why does parental involvement impact
adolescent depression? By answering this question, I hope to overcome certain limitations that
impacted studies in past years. These limitations include leaving out crucial information. I expect
to be able to provide all available information in my study to avoid the absence of useful data.
Additionally, I will acknowledge any possible gaps in the literature and take advantage of the
new information that has arisen in recent years. In recent years, there has been more information
provided which helps to eliminate any gaps in the information. I expect to be able to contribute
to filling those gaps.
Data Set Questions
Research Question: How and why does parental involvement impact adolescent depression?
Add Health Wave 2 Codebook 1996
Dependent Variable:
Adolescent depression
Question: H2FS6 6. You felt depressed.
Variable: Depression

3. Subject: Section 10 Feelings Scale
Independent Variable:
Parental Involvement
Question: H2WP9 9. How close do you feel to {MOM NAME}?
Variable: Parental involvement
Subject: Section 16 Relations with Parents
Question: H2WP10 10. How much do you think she cares about you?
Variable: Parental involvement
Subject: Section 16 Relations with Parents
Question: H2WP13 13. How close do you feel to {DAD NAME}?
Variable: Parental involvement
Subject: Section 16 Relations with Parents
Question: H2WP14 14. How much do you think he cares about you?
Variable: Parental involvement
Subject: Section 16 Relations with Parents
Question:Howandwhydoesparental involvementimpactadolescentdepression?
Data
The unitof analysiswasyouthsingrades7-12. The data setusedwas fromthe Add healthWave II
Codebookfrom1996. Data was collectedbyKathleenMullanHarrisandRichardJ. Udry throughfour in
home interviews.ResearchwasfundedbyThe National Longitudinal Studyof AdolescenttoAdult
Health,CarolinaPopulationCenter,andthe Universityof NorthCarolinaatChapel Hill. There seemsto
be some biascontainedinthe data. Data was collectedthroughseveral typesof interviewsandaudio

4. computermachines. The studywaslongitudinal anddatawascollectedthroughthe use of audio
computer-assistedself-interviews,Recordabstracts,Computer-assistedpersonal interviews,Codedon-
site observations,face-to-face interviews,anon-site questionnaire,andtelephone interviews.
Collectingdatathiswaymaycause biasbecause the interviewsare justthroughthe subjectanddo not
have any account fromfamilymembersorfriendsaboutthem.Some people maynottell the whole
truth aboutthemselveseveninaninterview.
Sample
The study wasdone usingclustersampling.132highschoolswere selectedasanappropriate
representationof UnitedStatesHighSchools,aswell asfeederschools,whichwere oneswhoincluded
7th
grade in theirschool.More than 90,000 studentsparticipatedinanin-school questionnaire.12,105
studentswhodidanddidnot participate inthe in-school questionnaire participatedinanin-home
interview.The populationwasadolescentsinthe UnitedStatesthatare EnglishandSpanishspeakingin
grades8-12 and theirfamilies.Since thisisalongitudinal study,choosingparticipantsforthe studywas
basedon whetherornotsubjectsfromthe previousWave wantedtoparticipate forWave II. In Wave I,
6,504 publicuse respondentsparticipatedandinWave II4,834 subjectsparticipated.The responserate
of thiswas88.6%
Measures
DependentVariable:Depression
The dependentvariable of depressionismeasuredbythe question“Youfeltdepressed”. Responses
were codedas (0) Rarelyor Never,(1) Sometimes,(2) A lotof the time,and(3) Most of the time or all
the time.The questionwasfoundundercode H2FS6 inthe subjectof the Section10 FeelingsScale.
IndependentVariable:Parental Involvement

5. The independentvariable of parental involvement ismeasuredbyfourmeasures.The firstmeasure is
“How close doyou feel to{DADNAME}?” Responseswere codedas(1) Not close at all,(2) Notvery
close,(3) Somewhatclose,(4) Quite Close,and(5) Extremelyclose.The code forthisquestionwas
H2WP13 and foundinSection16 RelationswithParents.The secondmeasure is“How close doyoufeel
to {MOM NAME}?”Responseswere codedas(1) Notclose at all,(2) Notveryclose,(3) Somewhatclose,
(4) Quite Close,and(5) Extremelyclose.The code forthis questionwasH2WP9 andfoundinSection16
RelationswithParents.The thirdmeasure is“How muchdoyou thinkshe caresaboutyou?” with‘she’
meaningmother.Responseswerecodedas(1) Not at all,(2) VeryLittle,(3) Somewhat,(4) Quite abit,
and (5) Verymuch.. The code for thisquestionwasH2WP10 and foundinSection16 Relationswith
Parents.
The fourthmeasure is“How much doyou thinkhe cares aboutyou?”with‘he’meaningfather.
Responseswere codedas(1) Notat all,(2) VeryLittle,(3) Somewhat,(4) Quite abit,and(5) Verymuch. .
The code forthisquestionwasH2WP14 and foundinSection16 RelationswithParents.
Control Variables
The Control variablesusedare self-image,motivation,general health,sleeppatternsandsocial
relationships.
Self -image ismeasuredby“Youhave a lotof goodqualities”.Responseswere codedas(1) Strongly
Agree,(2) Agree,(3) NeitherAgreenorDisagree,(4) Disagree,(5) Stronglydisagree.The code forthis
questionwasH2PF21 and foundinSection18: PersonalityandFamily.
Motivationismeasuredby“Because of a physical,learning,oremotional conditionyouhave hadforat
leasta year...doyou have anylimitationsattendingschool orinyourabilitytodoregularwork?”
Responseswere codedas(0) Noand (1) Yes. The questionwasfoundinSection3General Health,code
H2GH2.
General healthismeasuredby“Ingeneral,how isyourhealth? Wouldyousay...” Responsesare coded
as (1) Excellent,(2) Verygood,(3) Good,(4) Fair,and (5) Poor.The questionwasfoundinSection3
General Health,code H2GH1.
Sleeppatternsismeasuredby“Doyouusuallygetenoughsleep?”.Responsesare codedas(0) No and
(1) Yes.The questionisfoundinSection3General Health,code H2GH45.
Social relationshipsis measuredby“Youfeel sociallyaccepted.”Responsesare codedby(1) Strongly
agree,(2) Agree,(3) Neitheragree nordisagree,(4) disagree,and(5) stronglyagree.The questionis
foundinSection18 Personalityandfamilywiththe code H2PF26.
Hypothesis
Whenparental involvement with an adolescent is not present, depression in an adolescent increases.