Personality, perceived parental rejection and problem behavior in adolescence.
BACKGROUND
It has been well documented that adolescents run a heightened risk for developing depression and aggression when they feel rejected by their parents and that parental rejection has different effects for gender in developing depression and aggression. Whether personality in combination with gender plays a role in the association between parental rejection, depression and aggression has not yet received much attention.


METHODS
This was a cross-sectional study using data from the Conflict and Management of Relationships study (CONAMORE). A total of 1142 early and middle adolescents completed questionnaires about parental rejection, depression, aggression and personality. The associations between the variables were tested in multi-group moderation models using structural equation modeling.


RESULTS
Perceived parental rejection was associated with depression and aggression in most of the combined personality type and gender groups. Personality type and gender moderated the associations between perceived parental rejection, depression and aggression. Several clear differences between the combined personality type and gender groups were found on these associations.


CONCLUSIONS
Several clear moderating effects of the personality type x gender groups were found on associations between perceived parental rejection, depression and aggression. Future research should focus on these specific combinations instead of using either personality types or gender separately.
Akse
Joyce
J
Utrecht University, Child and Adolescent Studies, P. O. Box 80.140, 3508, TC Utrecht, The Netherlands. J.Akse@fss.uu.nl
Hale
William W
WW
Engels
Rutger C M E
RC
Raaijmakers
Quinten A W
QA
Meeus
Wim H J
WH
D000223:Adaptation, Psychological; D000293:Adolescent; D000374:Aggression / Q000523:psychology*; D002648:Child; D003430:Cross-Sectional Studies; D003866:Depressive Disorder / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000523:psychology*; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007389:Internal-External Control; D008137:Longitudinal Studies; D008297:Male; D009426:Netherlands; D010287:Parent-Child Relations; D010553:Personality Development; D010556:Personality Tests; D012059:Rejection, Psychology; D012307:Risk Factors; D012737:Sex Factors