Why parents play a key role in depression in adolescents

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.