BACKGROUND Few studies have explored the relationship between personality, dysfunctional parenting in childhood, and adult depression. METHODS Parental rearing styles and personality scores as measured by the Parental Bonding Instrument (PBI) and the Interpersonal Sensitivity Measure (IPSM) were compared in a group of employed Japanese adults with and without a lifetime history of depression. The diagnosis was provided by the Inventory to Diagnose Depression, Lifetime version (IDDL). To estimate the effects of the PBI and the IPSM scores on lifetime depression, a multiple logistic regression analysis was performed. RESULTS Subjects with lifetime depression were seen to have significantly lower scores on the PBI 'care' and higher scores on the IPSM than the subjects without lifetime depression. Lower levels of maternal care and higher levels of 'interpersonal sensitivity' each independently increased the risk for lifetime depression. CONCLUSIONS The findings of the present study may not be conclusive since the data were retrospectively obtained. CONCLUSIONS Dysfunctional parenting and personality seem to be correlated by lifetime depression, but it is uncertain whether they are independent risk factors