Attachment to parents and basic psychological needs of adolescents: Moderating role of depressive symptoms

The literature points to link quality with the primary figures as a protector of depression factors that can contribute to the satisfaction of basic psychological needs for autonomy, competence and attachment. The present study aims to analyze the role of attachment to parents in the basic psychological needs of adolescents, as well as test the moderating effect of depressive symptoms in the previous association. The sample consisted of 1326 participants from north of Portugal, 730 (55.1%) females and 596 (44.9%) males aged between 12 and 18 (M = 15.23; SD = 1.70). The sample was collected using self-report questionnaires such as the Mother and Father Attachment Questionnaire (QVPM), the Balanced Measure of Psychological Needs (BMPN) and the Depression Scale (CES-D). The results suggest that the basic psychological needs are predicted positively by the quality of the emotional attachment to parents and negatively by inhibition of exploration and individuality to the father and mother. It was found moderating effect of depressive symptoms on the association between attachment to parents and the basic psychological needs for competence for both parental figures. The results were discussed in the light of attachment theory and self-determination, taking into account the developmental vicissitudes of adolescence and the role of parental figures in the development of the young.