Maternal histories of depression and childhood maltreatment, authoritarian parenting, and daughter error-related negativity: Developmental model of adolescent daughter depression risk

Maternal depression, maltreatment history, and authoritarian parenting styles are associated with adolescent depression, especially among girls. Individual characteristics, such as altered error-related negativity (ΔERN), an event-related potential biomarker implicated in internalizing disorders, may potentiate depression vulnerability among adolescent girls exposed to these risk factors. Yet, prior work has not evaluated the interplay among contextual and biological risk mechanisms in the development of girls’ depression. We conducted a longitudinal study of biological mother-daughter dyads (N = 69; ages 11–16 years) assessed across three timepoints. We recruited high (n = 29) and low risk groups (n = 40) of daughters based on maternal depression history. Participants completed symptom and parenting assessments, and a flanker task to elicit the ΔERN via electroencephalogram recordings. We found that maternal depression history predicted increased daughters’ depressive symptoms. Maternal maltreatment history indirectly predicted increases in daughters’ depressive symptoms across 1-year via authoritarian parenting. This mediation effect was moderated by daughter ΔERN. Only daughters who exhibited an enhanced ΔERN and experienced greater authoritarian parenting styles reported increased depressive symptoms. Findings suggest authoritarian parenting styles and ΔERN may be important targets for depression prevention for this vulnerable population of adolescent girls and mothers.