Feeling Not Wanted/Loved and Depression: Does Gender Matter?

Abstract

Depression affects over 17 million American adults yearly and has been identified as the leading cause of disability in people between the ages of 15 and 44 years. There is evidence that feeling neglect or a lack of parental attachment during childhood is associated with depression. One construct that has been overlooked is love from a parent. The purpose of this study was to analyze the association between individuals who felt not wanted/loved during adolescence and lifetime depression and to examine this association by gender. We examined 5114 participants aged 24–32 years at Wave IV of the National Longitudinal Study of Adolescent Health (Add Health) public use dataset. We used logistic regression analysis to determine the association between an individual feeling not wanted/loved by their parent/caregiver prior to age 18, covariates, and lifetime depression. We then stratified by gender and ran logistic models for both men and women separately. Overall, 16.2% ( n = 827) reported lifetime depression diagnosis, while 16.5% of the participants reported feeling not wanted/loved “often,” while 29.8% reported it as “sometimes.” Feeling not wanted/loved “often” was associated with higher odds of depression (AOR = 3.00; 95% CI, 2.45–3.66; p < .001) versus “sometimes” (AOR = 1.59; 95% CI, 1.31–1.90; p < .001). When stratified by gender, feeling not loved/wanted was associated with depression among both men (AOR = 3.70; 95% CI, 2.60–5.25; p < .001) and women (AOR = 2.73; 95% CI, 2.13–3.48; p < .001). Feeling not loved or wanted by a parent/caregiver during adolescence has serious implications, for both men and women. Future studies should further examine this construct and identify family-based interventions that focus on parent/caregiver and child relationships.

Modelling the risk ecosystem of depression using machine learning in a population of young adults

“…There is also evidence to suggest that the type, timing and frequency of trauma may have differential effects on coping strategies and associated mental health problems 27 . Reflecting on childhood development and caregiver dynamics, there is evidence to suggest that relationship health more broadly between parents / caregivers and children has a tangible impact on future depression, with feelings of being unloved or unwanted increasing the risk of depression in both men and women 28 . Relationships with peers in adolescence and bullying behaviours has also been associated with adolescent depression and suicidality 29 , with bullying and victimisation both preceding depression in adolescents as well as being a potential consequence of depression due to impacts on social functioning and self-esteem 30 .…”