The following is excerpted from an online article posted by MedicalXpress
Depression in young people is often treated as an individual problem. But looking only at the child means that an important part of the story is missed, says Ph.D. candidate Myrthe Veenman. “Parents can make a difference.” In her dissertation, Veenman studied how symptoms of depression are related to the dynamics in the family. She looked not only at the influence of parents on the child, but also the other way around: what effect does the child have on the parents? “We sometimes forget that it’s not a one-way street. Young people can have just as much of an effect on their parents,” she explains.
A recognizable example is a teenager who becomes withdrawn. Distancing oneself is a part of puberty, but in the case of depression, it can lead to isolation. Young people share less and spend more time alone. That can be difficult for parents, who may respond to this behavior by trying to connect more with their child and asking questions, or by keeping an extra close eye on how things are going.
These responses are generally well intended, but they may unintentionally raise the tension. Even a casual remark like “Are you still in bed?” can come across as harsher than parents intend. It’s not because parents are doing anything wrong, Veenman stresses, but because the young person is already feeling down and may be more susceptible to negative interpretations. Patterns can be drawn where parents and child may unwittingly reinforce one another’s feelings.
During her research, Veenman noticed how little attention is paid to the well-being of the parents. “If a child is struggling with feelings of depression, that affects the parents too. It’s the same as when you have a good friend who is going through a difficult time,” she says. Yet all the focus in care and research is on the young person.
Anyone wanting to understand depression in young people cannot ignore the role of the parents and the family. This gives some hope for better treatments that look not only at the child, but also at the system around them.
Source: MedicalXpress
https://medicalxpress.com/news/2026-03-parents-play-key-role-depression.html