title: Depressive Symptoms, Self-Esteem and Perceived Parent-Child Relationship in Early Adolescence.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  Early adolescence represents a critical developmental period both from a psychological and a psychopathological point of view. During this period, one of the most common disorders that frequently arise is represented by depression, that tends to become chronic and may produce many subsequent psychosocial impairments. The present study aimed to analyze characteristics of depressive symptoms in an Italian sample of early adolescents, and to explore their connections with self-esteem levels and perceived maternal and paternal emotional availability.
  
  
  METHODS
  594 adolescents (50% females) with a mean age of 12.11 years (SD = 0.98) were administered the Children's Depression Inventory, the Rosenberg Self-Esteem Scale, and the maternal and the paternal forms of the Lum Emotional Availability of Parents.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Findings highlighted a slightly higher, though not statistically significant, level of depressive symptoms in girls than in boys. Regression analysis showed that, as far as predictors of depression, self-esteem was the most relevant one, followed by maternal and paternal emotional availability.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Our results strongly suggested to plan intervention programs aimed at monitoring early adolescents' self-esteem and supporting relationship with both parents, in order to prevent the emergence of depressive symptoms.
authors.affiliation: Laboratory of Dynamic Psychology, Department of Psychological Sciences, Health and Territory, Università degli Studi "G. d'Annunzio" Chieti-Pescara Chieti, Italy.
authors.forename: Alessandra
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Babore
authors.affiliation: Laboratory of Dynamic Psychology, Department of Psychological Sciences, Health and Territory, Università degli Studi "G. d'Annunzio" Chieti-Pescara Chieti, Italy.
authors.forename: Carmen
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Trumello
authors.affiliation: Laboratory of Dynamic Psychology, Department of Psychological Sciences, Health and Territory, Università degli Studi "G. d'Annunzio" Chieti-Pescara Chieti, Italy.
authors.forename: Carla
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Candelori
authors.affiliation: International Telematic University Uninettuno Rome, Italy.
authors.forename: Marinella
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Paciello
authors.affiliation: International Telematic University Uninettuno Rome, Italy.
authors.forename: Luca
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Cerniglia
keywords: depression; early adolescence; father–child relations; mother–child relations; self-esteem