Factor Analyses of Normal and Depressed Patients' Memories of Parental Behavior

An abbreviated 90-item version of the Children's Reports of Parental Behavior Inventory was administered to two samples of 371 and 177 hospitalized depressed patients and a third sample of 254 normal adults. In each sample there were roughly twice as many females as males. Ss rated mothers and fathers on separate but identical forms. The three major factors which emerged from these six factor analyses closely resembled Schaefer's three conceptual dimensions—Acceptance vs Rejection, Psychological Autonomy vs Psychological Control and Firm Control vs Lax Control. Essentially the same items had significant loadings on comparable mother and father factors. Finally, patients rated both parents more negatively on these factors than the normal adults.