Differences in parental bonding between patients with pure major depression, mixed anxiety-depression and pure anxiety disorders were investigated in 272 consecutive outpatients. A low parental care score seemed to be the best discriminating variable between the mixed group and the 3 other groups. This study supports previous family and twin studies as well as clinical studies emphasizing the mixed group as a special disorder group, possibly with a different etiology. The role of the father in child development seems to be particularly important.