The Role of Self-Esteem, Parenting Styles and Family Cohesion and Flexibility in Predicting Fmale Students’ Depression

The present study aimed at studying the role of self-esteem, parenting styles and family cohesion and flexibility in predicting female students’ depression. This was a correlational, descriptive study. The population included 2500 female students of the primary school in Tehran. 250 girls were selected using multistage-cluster sampling among whom the questionnaire of self-assessment (DSRS) and self-esteem (SEI) for children were as distributed. Then, parenting styles inventory (PSI) and family cohesion and flexibility (FACES-III) were distributed to their mothers. The data was analyzed by regression analysis. Pearson correlation results showed that self-esteem and its dimensions which include public, social, family, and educational self-esteem, the authoritative parenting style and family cohesion, were significantly related to their depression (p<0.01). Stepwise multivariable regression results indicated that the child’s self-esteem, parenting styles and cohesion and flexibility account for 43%, 16%, and 12% of the variance of their depression. The results of the study show that child’s self-esteem, authoritative parenting style and family cohesion, are among the factors affecting the prediction of depression in girls (p<0.01).