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Published in: Health and Quality of Life Outcomes 1/2019

Open Access 01-12-2019 | Affective Disorder | Research

Depression and quality of life in adults perceiving exposure to parental alienation behaviors

Authors: M. C. Verrocchio, D. Marchetti, D. Carrozzino, A. Compare, M. Fulcheri

Published in: Health and Quality of Life Outcomes | Issue 1/2019

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Abstract

Background

The current study is aimed at examining the relationship between exposure to parental alienation (PA) behaviors, depression, and health-related quality of life (HRQoL) in Italian adults.

Methods

Four hundred ninety-one adults were tested. Participants filled out the following self-rating scales: The Baker Strategy Questionnaire (BSQ), the Beck Depression Inventory – II (BDI-II) and its brief version (6-item version of the BDI-II), the Short-Form 36 (SF-36) Health Survey for measuring HRQoL and its brief version including 3 items (WHO-3) of the 5-item World Health Organization Well-Being Index.

Results

Findings revealed statistically significant differences between participants who reported PA and those who did not. Participants who reported exposure to PA behaviors had higher scores on the original BDI-II and its 6-item version (p < 0.05, p < 0.01, respectively); they had also lower levels of HRQoL as resulting from 6 of the 8 SF-36 domains (at least p < 0.05), including lower scores on the WHO-3 (p < 0.01). Perceiving an exposure to PA behaviors significantly increased the likelihood of being above the clinical cut-off on the BDI-II (p < 0.01), the 6-item version of the BDI-II (p < 0.05), and the WHO-3 (p < 0.05). Moreover, perceiving an exposure to PA increased the odds of diminished HRQoL (OR = 2.43 and OR = 1.92 for general health and social functioning domains, respectively).

Conclusions

Childhood exposure to PA was related to higher likelihood of depressive symptoms and diminished HRQoL in adulthood. Our findings suggest the need for preventive and clinical interventions to protect vulnerable children involved in PA from negative outcomes.
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Metadata
Title
Depression and quality of life in adults perceiving exposure to parental alienation behaviors
Authors
M. C. Verrocchio
D. Marchetti
D. Carrozzino
A. Compare
M. Fulcheri
Publication date
01-12-2019
Publisher
BioMed Central
Published in
Health and Quality of Life Outcomes / Issue 1/2019
Electronic ISSN: 1477-7525
DOI
https://doi.org/10.1186/s12955-019-1080-6

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