Influence of negative cognition on the parental bonding instrument (PBI) in patients with major depression

The aim of this study was to examine the effects of negative cognition on PBI score before and after treatment for depression. Forty major depressive disorder outpatients were assessed with the PBI scale and Structured Interview Guide for Hamilton Rating Scale for Depression (SIGH-D) at the time of the first medical examination (baseline) and 8 weeks later. The SIGH-D scores decreased by about 50% from baseline to 8 weeks, but there was no significant change in the PBI scores of the depressed outpatients from baseline to 8 weeks. Analysis of covariance with the SIGH-D scores as covariate was conducted for PBI scores between baseline and 8 weeks to remove effects of MDD. No significant differences were found on any of the PBI scales. Even though the therapeutic values on the SIGH-D of the depressed patients indicated that depressive symptoms were reduced by about 50%, depression level did not influence the PBI scores. This study provides evidence for the stability of parental representations throughout treatment, as measured by the PBI.