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Youth–Family, Youth–School Relationship, and Depression

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Abstract

This study sought to examine the association between adolescents’ relationship with family and school and depressive symptoms across ethnic/racial groups (White, Black, Hispanic, and Asian), and to test potentially unique explanatory power in youth–family relationship versus youth–school relationship, in a sample of 4,783 adolescents. Depressive symptoms were assessed with a 19-item, modified Center for Epidemiologic Studies-Depression Scale (CES-D). The results indicated that youth–family relationship and youth–school relationship were significant predictors of adolescent depression. However, the findings of the study indicated that unique contributions by youth–family relationship and youth–school relationship were different by racial/ethnic groups. These findings elucidate protective factors for adolescent depression and highlight the importance of cultural context of each racial/ethnic group.

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Acknowledgments

This work was supported in part by grants from the National Institutes of Health (DA14037, DA15131, DA17804, DA17805, MH62464 and MH68391), and the Sarah M. and Charles E. Seay Endowed Chair in Child Psychiatry at UT Southwestern Medical Center.

Author information

Authors and Affiliations

  1. School of Social Work, University of Texas at Arlington, 211 S. Cooper St., Arlington, TX, 76019, USA

    Sung Seek Moon

  2. Department of Psychiatry, University of Texas Southwestern Medical Center, Dallas, TX, USA

    Uma Rao

Authors
  1. Sung Seek Moon
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  2. Uma Rao
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Corresponding author

Correspondence to Sung Seek Moon.

Appendix: Construction of Indices

Appendix: Construction of Indices

Depression symptoms (19 items)

Please tell me how often you have felt this way during the past week.

Answers range: 1 (rarely or none of the time) to 5 (most or all of the time)

  1. 1.

    In past week bothered by things.

  2. 2.

    In past week had poor appetite.

  3. 3.

    In past week had the blues.

  4. 4.

    In past week felt just as good as other people.*

  5. 5.

    In past week had trouble keeping mind focused.

  6. 6.

    In past week felt depressed.

  7. 7.

    In past week too tired to do things.

  8. 8.

    In past week hopeful about the future.*

  9. 9.

    In past week felt life had been a failure.

  10. 10.

    In past week felt fearful.

  11. 11.

    In past week felt happy.*

  12. 12.

    In past week talked less than usual.

  13. 13.

    In past week felt lonely.

  14. 14.

    In past week people unfriendly to you.

  15. 15.

    In past week enjoyed life.*

  16. 16.

    In past week felt sad.

  17. 17.

    In past week felt people dislike you.

  18. 18.

    In past week hard to start doing things.

  19. 19.

    In past week felt life not worth living.

* The scoring of positive items is reversed.

Relationship with family (3 items)

Questions pertain to family.

Answers range: 1 (Not at all) to 5 (Very much)

  1. 1.

    Parents care about you.

  2. 2.

    Family understand you.

  3. 3.

    Family has fun together.

  4. 4.

    Family pays attention to you.

School relationships (6 items)

Questions pertain to school.

Answers range: 1 (Strongly agree) to 5 (Strongly disagree)

  1. 1.

    Feel close to people at school.*

  2. 2.

    Feel part of your school.*

  3. 3.

    Students at school are prejudiced.

  4. 4.

    Happy at your school.*

  5. 5.

    Teachers treat students fairly.*

  6. 6.

    Feel safe in your school.*

* The scoring of positive items is reversed.

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Moon, S.S., Rao, U. Youth–Family, Youth–School Relationship, and Depression. Child Adolesc Soc Work J 27, 115–131 (2010). https://doi.org/10.1007/s10560-010-0194-9

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s10560-010-0194-9

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