In this three-generation longitudinal study of familial depression, we investigated the continuity of parenting styles, and major depressive disorder (MDD), temperament, and social support during childrearing as potential mechanisms. Each generation independently completed the Parental Bonding Instrument (PBI), measuring individuals’ experiences of care and overprotection received from parents during childhood. MDD was assessed prospectively, up to 38 years, using the semi-structured Schedule for Affective Disorders and Schizophrenia (SADS). Social support and temperament were assessed using the Social Adjustment Scale – Self-Report (SAS-SR) and Dimensions of Temperament Scales – Revised, respectively. We first assessed transmission of parenting styles in the generation 1 to generation 2 cycle (G1→G2), including 133 G1 and their 229 G2 children (367 pairs), and found continuity of both care and overprotection. G1 MDD accounted for the association between G1→G2 experiences of care, and G1 social support and temperament moderated the transmission of overprotection. The findings were largely similar when examining these psychosocial mechanisms in 111 G2 and their spouses (G2+S) and their 136 children (G3) (a total of 223 pairs). Finally, in a subsample of families with three successive generations (G1→G2→G3), G2 experiences of overprotection accounted for the association between G1→G3 experiences of overprotection. The results of this study highlight the roles of MDD, temperament, and social support in the intergenerational continuity of parenting, which should be considered in interventions to “break the cycle” of poor parenting practices across generations.

在这项针对家族性抑郁症的三代纵向研究中，我们调查了育儿方式的连续性，以及育儿期间的重度抑郁症 (MDD)、气质和社会支持作为潜在机制。每一代人都独立完成了亲子关系工具（PBI），衡量个人的照顾和过度保护经历小时候从父母那里得到的。使用情感障碍和精神分裂症 (SADS) 的半结构化时间表，对 MDD 进行了前瞻性评估，长达 38 年。社会支持和气质分别使用社会适应量表 - 自我报告 (SAS-SR) 和气质量表维度 - 修订版进行评估。我们首先评估了第 1 代到第 2 代周期（G1→G2）中的教养方式的传递，包括 133 个 G1 和他们的 229 个 G2 儿童（367 对），并发现了照顾和过度保护的连续性。G1 MDD 解释了 G1→G2 护理体验之间的关联，G1 社会支持和气质调节了过度保护的传递。在检查 111 名 G2 及其配偶 (G2+S) 和他们的 136 名子女 (G3)（共 223 对）中的这些社会心理机制时，发现大致相似。最后，在连续三代（G1→G2→G3）的家庭子样本中，G2 过度保护经历解释了 G1→G3 过度保护经历之间的关联。这项研究的结果强调了 MDD、气质和社会支持在育儿的代际连续性中的作用，在干预措施中应考虑这些因素，以“打破”跨代不良育儿做法的循环。