Effects of parental rejection and relationship quality on depression among older rural adults

Research suggests that families have development histories which influence their responses to situations across the life course. The present study examined the effects of family relationship histories on intergenerational affection and conflict between adult children and their parents and how this affects parents' depressive symptoms. Path analysis based on matched reports of adult children and their parents revealed that parental behavior early in life affects contemporary relationships between family members, which ultimately impacts parents' depressive symptoms. Parental rejection is negatively associated with intergenerational affection, which in turn is negatively associated with depressive symptoms.