Citation

Grotmol KS, Ekeberg, Finset A, Gude T, Moum T, Vaglum P, Tyssen R. J. Nerv. Ment. Dis. 2010; 198(1): 22-27.

Copyright

(Copyright © 2010, Lippincott Williams and Wilkins)

DOI

10.1097/NMD.0b013e3181c8189c

PMID

20061865

Abstract

Elevated rates of suicide and depression among physicians have been reported. The associations between perceived parental bonding and depressive symptoms have yet to be studied longitudinally in this occupational group. In a nationwide cohort, we sought to study parental bonding as a predictor for severe depressive symptoms and to determine whether self-esteem mediates this relationship. After graduation (T1), medical students (N = 631) were followed-up after 1 (T2), 4 (T3), and 10 (T4) years. There were no gender differences in mean depressive scores. Female physicians reported higher levels of care from their mothers (p < 0.05) and less overprotection from their fathers (p < 0.05). Low-care from the mother predicted severe depressive symptoms (p = 0.01), an effect shown to be stronger for male than for female physicians. The relationship between perceived parental bonding and depressive symptoms was partially mediated by low self-esteem for both sexes.

Language: en

Keywords

Humans; Child; Female; Male; Norway; Physicians; Self Concept; Severity of Illness Index; Health Status; Depression; Surveys and Questionnaires; Longitudinal Studies; Models, Psychological; Follow-Up Studies; Personality Inventory; Parent-Child Relations; Object Attachment; Depressive Disorder; Father-Child Relations; Mother-Child Relations; Students, Medical; Social Perception