Feelings of exclusion and maternal closeness are large determinants of wellbeing in humans, yet few people take the time to understand why these aspects of life affect people so deeply. This study surveys 4,882 young people between the ages of 18 and 26 to determine whether or not maternal closeness impacts the relationship between the desire to fit in and depressive symptoms. Using data from Wave III of the National Longitudinal Study of Adolescent to Adult Health study, collected via in-home interviews, results indicated that the relationship between the desire to fit in and depressive symptoms was neither moderated nor mediated by maternal closeness. This implies that there are stronger factors at work that contribute to depressive symptoms in young people, and that the maternal relationship is not a factor that may contribute significantly to depressive symptoms.
