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The Relationship Between Perceived Family Support and Depressive Symptoms in Adolescence: What is the Moderating Role of Coping Strategies and Gender?

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Abstract

This study examined the moderating role of gender and coping strategies in the relationship between perceived family support, self-esteem and depressive symptoms. Data were used from the My World Survey Second Level (MWS-SL), a national survey of mental health among 6062 young people aged 12–19 years. Conditional process analyses indicated that planned coping moderated the relationship between perceived family support and depressive symptoms for those engaging in low-moderate levels but not high levels of planned coping, and this moderating role was stronger for females than males. Avoidance coping was a moderator for those engaging in moderate-high but not low levels of avoidance coping, and gender also moderated this relationship. Support-focused coping only moderated the perceived family support/depressive symptoms relationship for females. Findings suggest that the strength of the relationship between perceived family support and depressive symptoms depends on level of engagement with a particular coping strategy, and this engagement is a consistently stronger moderator for females.

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Funding

Funding was provided by One Foundation.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. University College Dublin School of Psychology, Newman Building, Belfield, Dublin 4, Ireland

    Emma Hickey, Amanda Fitzgerald & Barbara Dooley

Authors
  1. Emma Hickey
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  2. Amanda Fitzgerald
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  3. Barbara Dooley
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Correspondence to Amanda Fitzgerald.

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Hickey, E., Fitzgerald, A. & Dooley, B. The Relationship Between Perceived Family Support and Depressive Symptoms in Adolescence: What is the Moderating Role of Coping Strategies and Gender?. Community Ment Health J 53, 474–481 (2017). https://doi.org/10.1007/s10597-017-0087-x

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s10597-017-0087-x

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