Abstract Objective To study the influence of family structure on depression and anxiety symptoms in adolescents and its mechanism. Methods The cluster sampling method was used to select the students from seven middle schools in Shanghai, China. An online questionnaire survey was conducted using a self-made general status questionnaire, Childhood Trauma Questionnaire, Children's Depression Inventory, and Screen for Child Anxiety Related Emotional Disorders. The methods including one-way analysis of variance, chi-square test, binary logistic regression analysis, and mediating effect analysis were used to evaluate depression and anxiety symptoms in adolescents and the difference in childhood trauma and its mediating effect. Results Compared with the adolescents from nuclear families, the adolescents from three-generation lineal families had a lower risk of depression symptoms (OR=0.794, 95%CI: 0.649-0.972, P<0.05), while those from host families had a higher risk of depression symptoms (OR=4.548, 95%CI: 1.113-18.580, P<0.05). The adolescents from inter-generational families and host families had a significantly higher score on the Childhood Trauma Questionnaire subscale of emotional neglect (P<0.05). Emotional neglect played a mediating role in the influence of inter-generational families and host families on depression symptoms in adolescents. Conclusions Parents and grandparents have a certain positive effect in family structures. Separation from parents may make adolescents perceive more emotional neglect, which may increase the occurrence of depression symptoms.
HUANG Xin-Xin,LI Yu-Ting,CHEN Jian-Hua et al. The influence of family structure on depression and anxiety symptoms in adolescents: the mediating role of emotional neglect[J]. CJCP, 2023, 25(1): 80-85.
HUANG Xin-Xin,LI Yu-Ting,CHEN Jian-Hua et al. The influence of family structure on depression and anxiety symptoms in adolescents: the mediating role of emotional neglect[J]. CJCP, 2023, 25(1): 80-85.
9 Wan GW, Pei TH, He XY, et al. The association between child maltreatment and family structures: evidence from children in rural China[J]. J Fam Violence, 2022. Epub ahead of print. DOI: 10.1007/s10896-022-00358-w.
Baddam SKR, Olvera RL, Canapari CA, et al. Childhood trauma and stressful life events are independently associated with sleep disturbances in adolescents[J]. Behav Sci (Basel), 2019, 9(10): 108. PMID: 31658779. PMCID: PMC6826433. DOI: 10.3390/bs9100108.
Bernstein DP, Stein JA, Newcomb MD, et al. Development and validation of a brief screening version of the Childhood Trauma Questionnaire[J]. Child Abuse Negl, 2003, 27(2): 169-190. PMID: 12615092. DOI: 10.1016/s0145-2134(02)00541-0.
Kovacs M. The Children's Depression, Inventory (CDI)[J]. Psychopharmacol Bull, 1985, 21(4): 995-998. PMID: 4089116.
Timbremont B, Braet C, Dreessen L. Assessing depression in youth: relation between the Children's Depression Inventory and a structured interview[J]. J Clin Child Adolesc Psychol, 2004, 33(1): 149-157. PMID: 15028549. DOI: 10.1207/S15374424JCCP3301_14.
Birmaher B, Brent DA, Chiappetta L, et al. Psychometric properties of the screen for child anxiety related emotional disorders (SCARED): a replication study[J]. J Am Acad Child Adolesc Psychiatry, 1999, 38(10): 1230-1236. PMID: 10517055. DOI: 10.1097/00004583-199910000-00011.
18 Chen WC. The role of grandparents in single-parent families in Taiwan[J]. Marriage Fam Rev, 2016, 52(1-2): 41-63. DOI: 10.1080/01494929.2015.1073654.
Holtan A, R?nning JA, Handeg?rd BH, et al. A comparison of mental health problems in kinship and nonkinship foster care[J]. Eur Child Adolesc Psychiatry, 2005, 14(4): 200-207. PMID: 15981131. DOI: 10.1007/s00787-005-0445-z.
20 Kelley SJ, Whitley DM, Campos PE. Behavior problems in children raised by grandmothers: the role of caregiver distress, family resources, and the home environment[J]. Child Youth Serv Rev, 2011, 33(11): 2138-2145. DOI: 10.1016/j.childyouth.2011.06.021.
Wagner KD, Ritt-Olson A, Chou CP, et al. Associations between family structure, family functioning, and substance use among Hispanic/Latino adolescents[J]. Psychol Addict Behav, 2010, 24(1): 98-108. PMID: 20307116. PMCID: PMC2849874. DOI: 10.1037/a0018497.