Problem: Some studies have also compared the family environments of youth with depression to a normal control group (Shiner & Marmorstein, 1998). To begin, research by Shiner and Marmorstein (1998) examined the reported family functioning of depressed adolescents with a depressed mother, depressed adolescents with a nondepressed mother, and a normal control group. Findings from this study indicate that in general, depressed adolescents reported higher levels of family conflict compared to the control group. The reported family environment of depressed adolescents was much worse, with even higher levels of conflict, and lower cohesion, involvement, and regard for adolescent, when the mothers were depressed as well. Stein, and colleagues (2000) have also compared families with depressed children and adolescents to control groups with children of either high or low-risk for depression. In this study, parents of depressed children reported their families to be more disturbed in a number of areas, including: Lower levels of communication, affective involvement, behavioral control, and general functioning, as well as more ambiguous roles within the family. Depressed children in this study also reported lower levels of maternal and paternal care and higher levels of maternal overprotection compared to children at low risk for depression. Need Assignment Help?