Receiving tough love from parental figures can sometimes cause more harm than good, according to a new published in Psychological Medicine, which found that adolescents with depression are more sensitive to criticism than praise.
The study suggests that negative interactions between parents and adolescents could be correlated with the development of depression, indicated by measurements of heightened brain activity and mood ratings.
Researchers from Leiden University in the Netherlands recruited 20 Dutch teens between the ages of 13 and 18 who were all diagnosed with either mild or major depression, 59 adolescents aged 12 to 18 without any signs of depression, along with their parents, to learn about emotional responses to parental interactions.
The researchers assessed responses to what the study calls “feedback words,†or single descriptive words that evoke specific emotions. Participants and their parents were asked to categorize these words as either “negative†words such as untrustworthy, “neutral†words such as chaotic, or “positive†words such as funny.
After this, the adolescent participants were placed inside a magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) scanner, in an effort to measure their brain activity while presented with negative, neutral, or positive feedback words, the study explains. Adolescents were also falsely told that their parents would be assigning the words that best fit their personality. Each word was prefaced with, “Your mother/father thinks you are…â€
After the MRI scans were complete, participants were asked to recall as many of the feedback words they could. According to the study’s findings, the increase of mood was “blunted†in adolescents for praise, compared to the decrease of mood following words associated with criticism.
In other words, teenage brains were more likely to filter out words of praise than words of criticism. This was particularly the case in in the depressed sub-group.
Through analyzing the brain scans generated by the MRI machine, researchers also found that depressed participants showed a higher degree of brain activity compared to non-depressed participants while confronted with critical — or negative — words. This increased brain activity mostly lit up in what’s called the “subgenual anterior cingulate cortex,†which is a region of the brain largely responsible for regulating emotions.
The researchers said these findings indicate a larger pattern about how self-perception is influenced by criticism.
“This may indicate that adolescents with depression are especially sensitive to parental criticism: they view themselves already negative, and rely less on their self-views when confronted with parental criticism,†they state in the study.
“Regardless of depression status, however, adolescent's mood increased when praise was more consistent with self-views.â€
The study adds that identifying personality characteristics adolescents value about themselves may be key to improving their depressed mood.
Bloc Quebecois Leader Yves-Francois Blanchet says his ultimatum to the government stands, after the Liberals voted against a motion seeking money to boost seniors' benefits on Wednesday.
Israel's ground incursion into Lebanon to battle Hezbollah militants left eight Israeli soldiers dead Wednesday, while the region braced for further escalation as Israel vowed to retaliate for Iran's ballistic missile attack a day earlier.
Donald Trump 'resorted to crimes' after losing the 2020 election, federal prosecutors said in a court filing unsealed Wednesday.
Toronto police say an officer has been shot while conducting an investigation midtown.
The jury at the trial of a second-degree murder suspect in Sudbury on Wednesday heard graphic details of the crime scene discovered in a Kathleen Street apartment on Boxing Day 2020.
Moving into the second week of October, the eastern half of Canada can expect some brisker fall air to break down from the north
Canadian figure skater Nikolaj Sorensen has been suspended for at least six years for 'sexual maltreatment,' the Office of the Sport Integrity Commissioner announced Wednesday.
At least forty foreign air carriers could be flying Boeing 737 jets with a rudder control system that has the potential to jam, according to the Chair of the U.S. National Transportation Safety Board.
A 27-year-old man is facing several charges after police observed a vehicle travelling 134 km/h over the speed limit on Highway 174 in Ottawa's east end.
Toronto police say an officer has been shot while conducting an investigation midtown.
The jury at the trial of a second-degree murder suspect in Sudbury on Wednesday heard graphic details of the crime scene discovered in a Kathleen Street apartment on Boxing Day 2020.
Alberta will not allow the sale of liquor in grocery and convenience stores, the province announced on Wednesday.
An energy company that runs a natural gas well north of Calgary says a roughly 24-hour fire that injured five workers has finally been snuffed out.
A 27-year-old man is facing several charges after police observed a vehicle travelling 134 km/h over the speed limit on Highway 174 in Ottawa's east end.
Amazon Web Services’ director of global artificial intelligence is encouraging Canada not to go it alone when it comes to regulating the technology.
The United Nations on Wednesday called Israel’s ban on Secretary-General Antonio Guterres entering the country a political statement by its foreign minister.
Donald Trump 'resorted to crimes' after losing the 2020 election, federal prosecutors said in a court filing unsealed Wednesday.
A total of 68 suspected gang members, with ties to White supremacy, were charged in the Los Angeles area Wednesday in a large-scale takedown, federal prosecutors said.
President Joe Biden said Wednesday he will not support an Israeli strike on sites related to Tehran's nuclear program in response to Iran's missile attack on Israel.
U.S. authorities charged five Chinese nationals with lying and trying to cover their tracks, more than a year after they were confronted in the dark near a remote Michigan military site where thousands of people had gathered for summer drills.
Whether a two-year-old beaver named Nibi gets to stay with the rescuers she has known since she was a baby or must be released into the wild as winter approaches in Massachusetts has ended up in court -- and caused such an uproar that even the governor has weighed in.
Bloc Quebecois Leader Yves-Francois Blanchet says his ultimatum to the government stands, after the Liberals voted against a motion seeking money to boost seniors' benefits on Wednesday.
The latest Nanos numbers show Pierre Poilievre and the federal Conservative Party have opened up a significant lead, and Justin Trudeau’s Liberals have fallen back into a statistical tie with the NDP.
Prime Minister Justin Trudeau condemned Iran's missile attack on Israel Wednesday, but said the international community must do everything it can to help avoid a bigger regional war.
A woman with the rare condition of two uteruses delivered twins, one from each womb, last month at a hospital in northwestern China, according to health officials and state media.
A medallion containing some of the original mould involved in the discovery of penicillin is expected to fetch up to US$50,000 when it goes up for auction later this month.
Black-coloured plastic used in children’s toys, takeout containers, kitchen utensils and grocery meat and produce trays may contain alarming levels of toxic flame retardants that may be leaching from electronic products during recycling, a new study found.
Amazon Web Services’ director of global artificial intelligence is encouraging Canada not to go it alone when it comes to regulating the technology.
The bracket for 2024's Fat Bear Week contest was revealed Tuesday night, but only after a deadly bear-on-bear attack at Alaska’s Katmai National Park and Preserve on Monday delayed the unveiling.
A medallion containing some of the original mould involved in the discovery of penicillin is expected to fetch up to US$50,000 when it goes up for auction later this month.
A San Diego doctor became the third person to plead guilty in the case of Matthew Perry's fatal drug overdose, as prosecutors collect cooperators in an attempt to convict two bigger targets they say are responsible for the death of the 'Friends' star.
If all you want for Christmas is Mariah Carey and her famous holiday single, you need to wait.
Jacob Hoggard wrapped up his time on the stand in his sexual assault trial this morning after the Crown cross-examined him on apparent gaps in his memory.
Bank of America customers reported having trouble accessing their bank accounts on Wednesday, but the bank said the apparent glitch has been largely fixed.
Hundreds of thousands of Canadian small- and medium-sized businesses will receive carbon rebates by December. Find out who is eligible and how to obtain the payments.
A married New Jersey couple that was in a severe accident during an Uber ride can’t sue the company because they and their daughter agreed to arbitration when they accepted the terms of service for a separate Uber Eats order, a court has ruled.
In late August, U.K. television personality Kirstie Allsopp found herself in an unexpected media storm after a series of her social media posts describing her 15-year-old son's trip through Europe without adult supervision went viral.
Tom Turcich and his four-legged companion were greeted by a huge homecoming celebration in Haddon Township on May 21, 2022, with Turcich officially becoming the 10th person on record to walk around the world, and Savannah claiming the title of the first dog to do so.
Baby hippo, Moo Deng, has become a viral sensation, with her adorable photos and videos flooding social media and even earning a skit on Saturday Night Live.
Prince William watched his beloved Aston Villa as it hosted Bayern Munich in the Champions League on Wednesday.
The claim to Shohei Ohtani's potentially lucrative 50th home run ball grew more complicated this week, with a second fan filing a lawsuit asserting he had possession of the historic baseball.
The men's final of this year’s China Open was billed as a battle between two titans and it definitely didn't disappoint.
Canadian-made Chrysler Grand Caravans have seen sales jump over the third quarter and calendar year. According to FCA Canada, sales were up by 79 per cent this quarter and up 85 per cent for the calendar-year to date.
A Pickering, Ont., student going to college to be a mechanic is shocked the engine in his two-year-old car will not be repaired under warranty after the dealership claimed he had been 'over-revving' the engine.
General Motors’ Cruise autonomous vehicle division will pay a US$1.5 million penalty after the unit failed to fully report a crash involving a pedestrian, the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration said Monday.
The last living member of the legendary Vancouver Asahi baseball team, Kaye Kaminishi, died on Saturday, Sept. 28, surrounded by family. He was 102 years old.
On Saturday night at her parents’ home in Delaware, Ont. the Olympic bronze medallist in pole vault welcomed everyone who played a role in getting her to the podium in Paris.
A tale about a taxicab hauling gold and sinking through the ice on Larder Lake, Ont., in December 1937 has captivated a man from that town for decades.
When a group of B.C. filmmakers set out on a small fishing boat near Powell River last week, they hoped to capture some video for a documentary on humpback whales. What happened next blew their minds.
A pizza chain in Edmonton claims to have the world's largest deliverable pizza.
Sarah McLachlan is returning to her hometown of Halifax in November.
Wayne MacKay is still playing basketball twice at Mount Allison University at 87 years old.
A man from a small rural Alberta town is making music that makes people laugh.
An Indigenous artist has a buyer-beware warning ahead of Sept. 30, the National Day for Truth and Reconciliation.
Three young suspects have been arrested in connection with a swarming attack on a teenager in B.C.'s Okanagan last week – and authorities have asked the public to stop circulating disturbing videos of the incident.
John Rustad never aspired to be a politician. In fact, he almost quit politics altogether.
An officer with the Surrey Police Service who shared a screenshot of internal communication warning of a staffing shortage may have committed misconduct, according to the provincial watchdog.
Toronto police say an officer has been shot while conducting an investigation midtown.
Police said 26-year-old Joey Omar Black was found shot in the parking lot of a shopping centre near Allen Road and Lawrence Avenue West just before midnight on Monday.
A homicide investigation is underway after a woman was found dead inside a home in The Junction neighbourhood on Tuesday afternoon.
A formal investigation into a fatal plane crash west of Calgary that killed six people in 2023 says the pilot was ill prepared and was driven by 'personal desire' to make the flight.
Vecova has announced the planned closure of its main facility on 33 Street N.W.
Calgary police are looking for a teen who's been missing for two weeks.
An Ottawa councillor has posted video on social media of what appears to be a close call with a car while biking in Ottawa.
The Lebanese community in Ottawa continues to fear for their loved ones as the war between Israel and Hezbollah continues to escalate.
New rules for vehicle idling will take effect in the City of Ottawa on January 1, but the limits to crack down on unnecessary idling will not be as strict as initially proposed.
The Los Angeles Kings have arrived in Quebec City to kick off the final stretch of their NHL training camp, in a trip that's buoyed by millions of dollars in public money.
Premier Francois Legault says the federal government should force asylum seekers arriving in Quebec to move to other provinces, including people who have already settled in the province.
Wine lovers were busy last weekend snatching up some of the most expensive bottles for sale on the Quebec liquor board's website after an error led to an accidental discount of 30 per cent on everything.
Low water levels on the Athabasca River in Fort Chipewyan this Spring revealed more than community leaders had bargained for.
There are renewed questions over a recent comment by Alberta Premier Danielle Smith on whether the province is being sprayed from above by so-called chemtrails.
The City of Edmonton says next year's municipal election will cost taxpayers nearly $5-million more than expected.
Police in Fredericton are investigating a homicide after a man who was assaulted last week died from his injuries.
The Saint John Police Force is investigating a sudden death after the body of a man was found at a tent encampment in the city.
Police in Cape Breton are searching for a Nova Scotia man who is wanted for an attempted murder in Millbrook, N.S.
The Winnipeg Police Service will provide more details about a critical incident Wednesday afternoon.
The grave of a previously unknown Canadian soldier has been identified as a man from Hayfield, Man. who fought in the First World War.
Manitoba Premier Wab Kinew has apologized to defence lawyers for comments he made in ousting one of his caucus members.
Over one hundred volunteers gathered at the Mamaweyatitan Centre on Tuesday night to help conduct the 2024 Point In Time (PIT) Count.
A Saskatoon-based political scientist doesn't expect Saskatchewan's provincial election to be dominated by large issues, explosive events or political fireworks prior to voting day on Oct. 28.
Saskatchewan Roughriders' quarterback Trevor Harris was named the Canadian Football League's (CFL) Player of the Month for September on Wednesday.
Renters in Kitchener, Ont. have joined with a local tenants union to call out the 'largest renovictor in Ontario.'
The family-owned business, which has been a fixture on Arthur Street South since 1927, made the difficult decision to shut down following a smash and grab robbery back in June.
Concerned farmers travelled to the International Plowing Match in Lindsay, Ont. to take their message about the proposed Wilmot farmland assembly directly to the provincial government.
A Saskatoon-based political scientist doesn't expect Saskatchewan's provincial election to be dominated by large issues, explosive events or political fireworks prior to voting day on Oct. 28.
A reminder from police to lock up your bikes because bike thefts are a constant concern in our city, and the thefts are being linked to other criminal activity.
Saskatchewan’s police watchdog says an officer who shot a Saskatoon man while executing a warrant at a home on Lisgar Avenue did nothing wrong.
The jury at the trial of a second-degree murder suspect in Sudbury on Wednesday heard graphic details of the crime scene discovered in a Kathleen Street apartment on Boxing Day 2020.
The latest Nanos numbers show Pierre Poilievre and the federal Conservative Party have opened up a significant lead, and Justin Trudeau’s Liberals have fallen back into a statistical tie with the NDP.
Jacob Hoggard wrapped up his time on the stand in his sexual assault trial this morning after the Crown cross-examined him on apparent gaps in his memory.
An investigation is underway at London's safe consumption site after someone who visited the facility died.
A drop-in shelter for women and gender-nonconforming Londoners living unsheltered is closing its doors in the Old East Village and transitioning to an outreach service.
Local tenant advocates were part of a multi-city demonstration Wednesday.
An Aurora, Ont. man who has maintained his innocence despite being convicted of killing his wife will learn his fate in a Newmarket courtroom on Wednesday.
Thinking about buying concert tickets or other items on Facebook? Police are warning the public about the risks of buying concert tickets and other items through social media, particularly Facebook Marketplace and Messenger.
Tributes have started pouring in for a Midland, Ont. man who died after reportedly being struck by an unmarked provincial police vehicle over the weekend.
WARNING: This article contains content some may find offensive. Reader’s discretion is advised.
Rodent rates have risen in Windsor this year.
The City of Windsor, in partnership with members of local military organizations, hosted a re-dedication ceremony on Wednesday for the historic Boer War Memorial in Jackson Park.
A pedestrian was struck by a taxi and rushed to hospital with life-threatening injuries in downtown Victoria early Wednesday morning.
An island on Vancouver Island's Sproat Lake, "Sunset Island" is up for sale.
British Columbia's nagging drought could be eased by an incoming weather pattern that may bring a colder and wetter than normal winter, says Sean Fleming, an adjunct UBC professor of atmospheric sciences.
Three young suspects have been arrested in connection with a swarming attack on a teenager in B.C.'s Okanagan last week – and authorities have asked the public to stop circulating disturbing videos of the incident.
A father in Kelowna is furious after his 13-year-old daughter was brutally beaten on Gyro Beach. He is calling for criminal charges in the devastating attack, which was caught on video by multiple bystanders.
The officer who shot and killed a forcible confinement suspect in Kamloops two years ago was justified in doing so, according to the Independent Investigations Office of B.C.
A Lethbridge man is facing several charges after a traffic stop led to the seizure of drugs and weapons.
From offering two meals a week to three a day, the Lethbridge Soup Kitchen has grown immensely over the past 40 years.
The sentencing for three men convicted of helping lead and coordinate the COVID-19 protest blockade at Coutts, Alta., in 2022 has been delayed.
A woman who has worked for Â鶹´«Ã½ Northern Ontario for 50 years was honoured Tuesday night with a lifetime achievement award.
CTV Northern Ontario will be live on location in the community collecting donations to stock the shelves of local food banks this month.
Jacob Hoggard wrapped up his time on the stand in his sexual assault trial this morning after the Crown cross-examined him on apparent gaps in his memory.
He may not have logged the fastest time or even gone the full distance, but residents of a Newfoundland town agree the goat who unexpectedly joined the local weekend half marathon was the event's undisputed champion.
A mother in a community where the cost of living is one of the highest in the country says grocery prices are 'inhumane' and retailers are putting profits ahead of people’s basic human right to food.
A soccer game in England on Tuesday night drove a spike in online traffic across the Atlantic to a website launched by the Newfoundland and Labrador government.
The Shopping Trends team is independent of the journalists at Â鶹´«Ã½. We may earn a commission when you use our links to shop. Read about us.
