The role of interpersonal trust in the associations between parental warmth and depressive symptoms among Chinese adolescents

A mediation analysis

Bibliographic Data

ID21320163
AuthorsQi Wang (0000-0003-0464-2118, Department of Epidemiology and Medical Statistics, Xiangya School of Public Health Central South University Changsha China), Yiran Cui (0000-0003-3395-0240, Department of Epidemiology and Medical Statistics, Xiangya School of Public Health Central South University Changsha China), Gang Tian (0000-0002-3455-2167, Henan Province Hypertension Precision Prevention and Control Engineering Research Center, Henan Provincial People's Hospital Zhengzhou University People's Hospital Zhengzhou China), Jingliang Shuai (Department of Epidemiology and Medical Statistics, Xiangya School of Public Health Central South University Changsha China), Wenyan Yang (0009-0003-5235-4783, Department of Epidemiology and Medical Statistics, Xiangya School of Public Health Central South University Changsha China), Yulan Ma (Department of Epidemiology and Medical Statistics, Xiangya School of Public Health Central South University Changsha China), Zhihao Deng (0000-0002-8741-1560, Department of Epidemiology and Medical Statistics, Xiangya School of Public Health Central South University Changsha China), Yan Yan (0000-0001-5357-0187, Department of Epidemiology and Medical Statistics, Xiangya School of Public Health Central South University Changsha China, corresponding author)
Year2025
Volume64
Issue1
Pagese13084-e13084
Publication date2025-03-01
Peer ReviewedYes
Open AccessYes
TypeARTICLE
VenueFamily Process (JOURNAL)
Journal identifiersISSN: 0014-7370 • E-ISSN: 1545-5300
PublisherWiley (PUBLISHER • GB)
DOI10.1111/famp.13084
PMID39579012
OpenAlexW4404642245
LanguageEN
Citations received3
References cited85

The rising rates of adolescent depression have become a critical concern, with family dynamics and interpersonal communication playing a significant role in this mental health issue. However, research on the combined effects of parental warmth and interpersonal trust on adolescent depressive symptoms remains limited. This study aimed to explore the association between parental warmth, interpersonal trust, and depressive symptoms in Chinese adolescents. The sample included 2745 adolescents aged 9 to 18 from the China Family Panel Studies (CFPS). Depressive symptoms were assessed using the CES‐D8 scale, which yielded an average score of 4.34. Among participants, 11.3% exhibited symptoms consistent with depression. Multivariate linear regression revealed that both parental warmth ( β = −0.296, p β = −0.197, p β = −0.032, 95% CI = −0.060, −0.016). These associations remained significant even after controlling for demographic variables. Our findings suggest that parental warmth protects against depressive symptoms, with interpersonal trust enhancing this protective effect. Interventions focused on fostering parental warmth and enhancing interpersonal trust could improve adolescent mental health

Anxiety · Depressive symptoms · Developmental psychology · Interpersonal communication · Interpersonal relationship · Mediation · Psychiatry · Sociology · Attachment and Relationship Dynamics · Child and Adolescent Psychosocial and Emotional Development · Clinical Psychology · Death Anxiety and Social Exclusion · Psychology · Social Psychology

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