Parental recall, attachment relating and self‐attacking/self‐reassurance: Their relationship with depression
Abstract
Objectives When things go wrong for people they can become self-critical or focus on positive, reassuring aspects of the self. This study explored the relationship between forms of self-criticism and self-reassurance, recall of parental experiences and attachment style in relation to depressed symptoms in students. Methods A sample of 197 undergraduate students from the UK and Canada completed self-report questionnaires measuring recall of parental styles, attachment, forms of self-criticism, self-reassurance, and depression symptoms. Results Recall of parents as rejecting and overprotecting was significantly related to both inadequacy and self-hating self-criticism. In contrast, parental warmth was negatively correlated with these forms of self-criticism. In addition, when things go wrong for the person, recall of parental warmth was associated with the ability to be self-reassuring. A mediator analysis suggested that (I) the impact of recall of negative parenting on depression is mediated through the forms of self-criticism and (2) the effect of parental warmth on depression was mediated by the ability to be self-reassuring. Conclusions The impacts of negative parenting styles may translate into vulnerabilities to depression via the way children (and later adults) develop their self-to-self relating (e.g. as self-critical versus self-reassuring). Hence, there is a need for further research on the link between attachment experiences, recall of parental rejection/warmth and t…
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Insecure attachment is associated with parental criticism.
“Insecure attachment is associated with parental criticism (Irons et al., 2006).”
From A preliminary investigation of the relationships between attachment insecurity, fear of compassion, and <scp>OCD</scp> severity (2025) · cites this paper as Irons et al., 2006
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“Second, the finding that psychological distress was not significantly correlated with shame, self-blame, attachment styles, or perinatal grief is inconsistent with expectations and with previous research, particularly for the relationship between shame and depression (Irons et al., 2006).”
ResultNorman, D., Correia, H., & Paulik, G. (2020) · Journal of Clinical Psychology · doi:10.1002/jclp.22975 · Cited by 11 · see citing works
Development of a measure for the assessment of peer‐related positive emotional memories
Ferreira, C., Cunha, M., Marta-Simões, J., Duarte, C., Matos, M., & Pinto-Gouveia, J. (2018) · Psychology and psychotherapy · doi:10.1111/papt.12146 · Cited by 10 · see citing works
Defensive Responses to Early Memories with Peers: a Possible Pathway to Disordered Eating
Ferreira, C., Marta-Simões, J., & Trindade, I. A. (2016) · The Spanish Journal of Psychology · doi:10.1017/sjp.2016.45 · Cited by 10 · see citing works
Özdemir, Y., & Sağkal, A. S. (2018) · Psychological Reports · doi:10.1177/0033294118798623 · Cited by 9 · see citing works
“and control are linked with self-criticism (Irons et al., 2006), parental warmth”
BackgroundChen, L., Xu, K., Fu, L., Xu, S., Gao, Q., & Wang, W. (2015) · Bulletin of the Menninger Clinic · doi:10.1521/bumc.2015.79.3.232 · Cited by 9 · see citing works
Seabra, D., Carvalho, S. A., Gato, J., Petrocchi, N., & Salvador, M. D. C. (2024) · Journal of Human Behavior in the Social Environment · doi:10.1080/10911359.2024.2333777 · Cited by 11 · see citing works
“Thus, self-criticism may be a learned behavior stemming from the internalization of others´ critical responses to one´s characteristics perceived as socially undesirable and/or reprehensible (Irons et al., 2006; Koestner et al., 1991).”
Tahirović, S., & Jusic, M. (2016) · doi:10.21533/epiphany.v9i1.211 · Cited by 8
“…warmth is positively D O I: 10 .2 15 33 /e pi ph an y. v9 i1 .2 11 S. Tahirović Epiphany: Journal of Transdisciplinary Studies, Vol. 9, No. 1, (2016) © Faculty of Arts and Social Sciences associated with ability to be self-reassuring and self-soothing in stressful situation (Irons et al, 2006).”
BackgroundAsian-American College Students' Parental Attachment and Their Relationship with God
Shin, H. (2009) · Christian Education Journal Research on Educational Ministry · doi:10.1177/073989130900600212 · Cited by 8 · see citing works
Carvalho, C. B., Teixeira, M., Costa, R., Cordeiro, F., & Cabral, J. M. (2023) · Journal of Youth and Adolescence · doi:10.1007/s10964-023-01777-8 · Cited by 9 · see citing works
“Indeed, the recall of parental warmth is positively linked with the ability to be self-reassuring and self-soothing in stressful situations (Irons et al., 2006), an adaptive emotion regulation process (Marta-Simões et al., 2017).”
BackgroundSassaroli, S., Caselli, G., Mansueto, G., Palmieri, S., Pepe, A., Veronese, G., & Ruggiero, G. M. (2021) · Journal of Rational-Emotive & Cognitive-Behavior Therapy · doi:10.1007/s10942-021-00421-3 · Cited by 7 · see citing works
“The third cluster primarily concerns shame and guilt (Brewin et al., 1992; Huprich, 2003; Irons et al., 2006; Kawamura et al., 2001; Vieth & Trull, 1999), linked to a life theme of feeling unworthy/inadequate, where there is a severely critical, controlling and oppressive relational style and…”
BackgroundBellur, Z., Alpay, E., & Aydın, A. (2021) · Current Psychology · doi:10.1007/s12144-021-01408-0 · Cited by 7 · see citing works
Parenting Among Mothers With Bipolar Disorder: Children's Perspectives
Venkataraman, M. (2011) · Journal of Family Social Work · doi:10.1080/10522158.2011.553781 · Cited by 7 · see citing works
“Insecure attachment between mother and child is another problem in parenting that can increase risk of academic, behavioral, and emotional problems in children (Irons, Gilbert, Baldwin, Baccus, & Palmer, 2006 ; Perry, 2009 ).”
BackgroundHalamová, J., Koróniová, J., & Baránková, M. (2019) · The Qualitative Report · doi:10.46743/2160-3715/2019.3891 · Cited by 7 · see citing works
Perceived Parenting Style and Adolescent Self-Compassion: A Longitudinal, Within-Person Approach
Kaufmann, S., Ciarrochi, J., Yap, K., & Fraser, M. (2023) · Mindfulness · doi:10.1007/s12671-023-02232-2 · Cited by 6 · see citing works
“…a study that explored attachment experiences, self-criticism, and self-reassurance found that recall of parental rejection and overprotection was associated with higher self-criticism, and recall of parental warmth was associated with self-reassurance in times of distress (Irons et al., 2006).”
Non-suicidal self-injury in a college sample: Intrapersonal and family factors
Tseng, Y. C., & Ditchman, N. (2023) · Journal of American College Health · doi:10.1080/07448481.2023.2209206 · Cited by 8 · see citing works
“32,39,63,64 Although typically less cited, such results highlight the importance of previous findings 65 that self-criticism plays a role in the risk for psychopathology and underscore the importance of extending this to include self-harming behaviors, such as NSSI.”
Bonduelle, S., Chen, Q.-Y., Wu, G.-R., Braet, C., de Raedt, R., & Baeken, C. (2021) · Frontiers in Psychiatry · doi:10.3389/fpsyt.2021.673805 · Cited by 6 · see citing works
Dragan, N., Kamptner, L., & Riggs, M. L. (2021) · Mindfulness · doi:10.1007/s12671-021-01634-4 · Cited by 7 · see citing works
“…and remain in the present moment (Baer et al. 2006), internalize caregiver responsiveness and be kind to themselves in difficult situations (Irons et al. 2006; Mikulincer and Shaver 2004), and perceive similarities between themselves and others regardless of their emotional state…”
BackgroundCook, S., Pruessner, J. C., LUPIEN, S. J., & Juster, R. (2018) · Psychology and Sexuality · doi:10.1080/19419899.2018.1470105 · Cited by 7 · see citing works
Ferreira, C., Oliveira, S., & Mendes, A. L. (2017) · The Spanish Journal of Psychology · doi:10.1017/sjp.2017.50 · Cited by 6 · see citing works
Mendes, A. L., Canavarro, M. C., & Ferreira, C. (2022) · Appetite · doi:10.1016/j.appet.2021.105715 · Cited by 5 · see citing works
- Authors
- Irons, C., Gilbert, P., Baldwin, M. W., Baccus, J. R., & Palmer, M.
- Corresponding author
- Gilbert, P.
- ORCID
- Venue
- British Journal of Clinical Psychology
- Publisher
- Wiley
- Published
- 2006-09
- Volume
- 45
- Issue
- 3
- Pages
- 297-308
- ISSN
- 0144-6657 (ISSN-L)
- 2044-8260
- OpenAlex
- W2161353780
- Cited by
- 176
- References
- 0
- Citations by year
- 2026: 2 · 2025: 2 · 2024: 4 · 2023: 15 · 2022: 10 · 2021: 21 · 2020: 9 · 2019: 11 · 2018: 8 · 2017: 12 · 2016: 18 · 2015: 13 · 2014: 10 · 2013: 9 · 2012: 10
- FWCI
- 3.87
- Type
- journal article
- Language
- en
- Open access
- closed
- Locations
- British Journal of Clinical Psychology (publishedVersion)
- PubMed (publishedVersion)
- Topics
- Social Sciences › Psychology › Social Psychology › Attachment and Relationship Dynamics
- Social Sciences › Psychology › Experimental and Cognitive Psychology › Anxiety, Depression, Psychometrics, Treatment, Cognitive Processes
- Social Sciences › Psychology › Developmental and Educational Psychology › Identity, Memory, and Therapy
- Keywords
- parental recall, attachment styles, self-criticism, self-reassurance, depressive symptoms, parental rejection, parental warmth, parental overprotection, undergraduate students, mediation
- MeSH terms
- Adult, Affect, Child, Child Rearing, Depressive Disorder, Female, Humans, Internal-External Control, Male, Object Attachment, Personality Inventory, Surveys and Questionnaires, Mental Recall, Rejection, Psychology, Risk Factors, Self Care, Self Concept, Parenting
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