Intergenerational Transmission of Mental Health: The Role of Sex in Parent–Adolescent Dynamics
Author Information
Author(s): Yun Hye-Jung, Heo Jungyeong, Wilson Cynthia B., Navarro-Soria Ignasi, Rodríguez-Jiménez Tíscar
Primary Institution: The Florida Center for Prevention Research, Florida State University
Hypothesis
How do family resilience, adolescents’ adverse childhood experiences (ACEs), and their ability to flourish mediate the relationship between parental and adolescent mental health?
Conclusion
Better parental mental health is linked to fewer mental health problems in adolescents, with significant sex differences in these associations.
Supporting Evidence
- Better parental mental health is associated with higher family resilience.
- Adolescents exposed to adverse childhood experiences (ACEs) are more likely to have mental health problems.
- Family resilience can mitigate the negative effects of ACEs on adolescent mental health.
- Maternal mental health has a stronger impact on daughters' mental health than on sons'.
- Paternal mental health more strongly influences sons' mental health than daughters'.
Takeaway
If parents are mentally healthy, their kids are less likely to have mental health problems, and this can be different for boys and girls.
Methodology
The study used data from the National Survey of Children’s Health (2016–2020) and applied serial mediation models to assess the relationships.
Potential Biases
Potential reporting bias due to reliance on parent-reported measures for adolescent outcomes.
Limitations
The study's cross-sectional design limits causal inferences, and reliance on parent-reported measures may introduce bias.
Participant Demographics
Adolescents aged 12–17, with data collected from parents.
Statistical Information
P-Value
p<0.001
Confidence Interval
95% CI 0.03, 0.04
Statistical Significance
p<0.001
Digital Object Identifier (DOI)
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