This study examined how parental depression and hope in university students relate to coping behaviors and relationship quality with parents. Students high in hope were more likely to cope through active coping and religion and viewed relationships with parents more positively. They reported less anger towards fathers. More research is needed on cultivating resilience in those with parents displaying depression symptoms.

1. Parental Depression Symptomology and Hope
Among Young Adults
Shawna A. Scott, Julie Hakim-Larson, Kimberley Babb, and Ashley Mullins
Presented at the 72nd
Annual Convention of the Canadian Psychological Association, June 2011
For more information about this study, please contact
Shawna A. Scott: scott1p@uwindsor.ca
The purpose of this study was to examine how parental
depression scores and hope, as an indicator of the process of
resilience in university students (N = 223, ages 17–24), relate to
coping behaviours and perceived relationship quality with
biological parents. Results suggest that participants high in the
process of resilience were more likely to cope through active
coping, planning, positive reframing, and religion/spirituality.
They were more likely to view maternal and paternal affect and
their relationship with both parents as more positive. They also
reported less anger towards their fathers. Research is needed on
proactive means of cultivating the process of resilience for those
with parents who display symptoms of depression.
Abstract
• 223 undergraduate students volunteered through a Participant
Pool at a midsized university in southwestern Ontario.
• 22.9% were male (M age = 20 years, SD = 1.70) and 77.1%
were female (M age = 21 years, SD = 1.56).
• 12 male and 53 female participants reported having at least
one biological parent with depression symptomology.
• Questionnaires were completed in groups of 10 to 13 students.
• Parental depression scores were recoded to create two groups:
○ Resilient group: Those relatively high in the process of
resilience (n = 29) Above-average scores on the Hope Scale
and parental depression symptomology.
○ Nonresilient group: Those relatively low in the process of
resilience (n = 32) Below-average scores on the Hope Scale
and above-average parental depression symptomology.
• Results from a one-tailed t-test (see Table 1) suggest that the
resilient group was more likely than the nonresilient group to
use active coping, planning, positive reframing, and religion/
spirituality. In general, they perceived the overall relationship
quality with their mothers and fathers as more positive.
• Gender differences were found:
○ Males (n = 51) were more likely to use humour when coping
(M = 4.90, SD = 1.89) than were females (n = 172; M = 3.74,
SD = 1.67), t(221) = 4.24, p = <.001, d = .65.
○ Females were more likely to use emotional support when
coping (M = 4.97, SD = 1.80) than were males (M = 4.20, SD
= 1.83), t(221) = -2.68, p = <.01, d = .42.
• For the entire sample, annual family income was found to
correlate with scores on the PCRS – Father Scale (r = .17, p < .
05) and paternal positive affect (r = .21, p < .01).
• Those high in the process of resilience reported to cope by
using active coping, planning, positive reframing, and
religion/spirituality. With the exception of coping by planning,
findings are consistent with those from a study by Fortune,
Smith, and Garvey (2005). They found that less distress in
relatives of persons with schizophrenia was related to the use of
active coping, positive reframing, and religion/spirituality.
• Resilient participants perceived the overall maternal and
paternal relationship quality as more positive. Similarly,
McCarty and McMahon (2003) found less depression among
children who maintain a positive relationship with their parents.
Implications
• Those vulnerable to depression may overcome adversity by
endorsing adaptive coping strategies and by maintaining a
positive relationship with their parents. This may be useful in
proactive support for children of parents with depression
symptoms.
Limitations
• Participant report of parental diagnosis of depression was not
confirmed by the parents themselves.
• Participants may have reported using the coping behaviour
they want to use rather than ones they actually practice.
• Small sample size and unequal number of males and females.
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Downey, G., & Coyne, J. C. (1990). Children of depressed parents: An integrative review. Psychological
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Fine, M. A., Moreland, J. R., & Schwebel, A. (2007). Parent-Child Relationship Survey (PCRS). In J.
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• Children of parents with depression are at a greater risk for
externalizing and internalizing problems (Downey & Coyne,
1990).
• As the depressive symptoms of the parent worsen, risk of
depression in children increases (Hammen & Brennan, 2003).
• McCarty and McMahon (2003) found that disruptive
behaviour disorders in children was predicted by depressive
symptoms in mothers, which was related to a poorer mother-
child relationship quality.
• Thus, gender and annual family income were controlled for in
a one-tailed partial correlation matrix.
• Resilience correlated with the use of active coping (r = .27, p
< .05), planning (r = .35, p < .01), positive reframing (r = .27,
p < .05), and religion/spirituality (r = .37, p < .01).
• Resilience also correlated with scores on the PCRS – Mother
Scale total (r = .25, p <.05), maternal positive affect (r = .27, p
< .05), PCRS – Father Scale total (r = .24, p < .05), paternal
positive affect (r = .27, p < .05), and lack of paternal anger (r
= .31, p < .05).
• Demographics Questionnaire (with depression symptomology).
• Adult Hope Scale (Snyder et al., 1991), α = .855. Measures
one’s perceived drive to accomplish goals, as well as the
perceived ability to create effective plans to meet those goals.
• Brief COPE (Carver, 1997), α = .808. Measures how
participants tend to behave when coping.
• Parent-Child Relationship Survey (PCRS; Fine, Moreland, &
Schwebel, 2007). Participants completed both the Mother Scale
(α = .949) and Father Scale (α = .957). Measures aspects of the
perceived parent-child relationship quality.
* Refer to Table 1 for a list of all subscales used.
Background
Participants
Measures and Procedure
Results
Discussion
References