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Published in: Child and Adolescent Psychiatry and Mental Health 1/2022

Open Access 01-12-2022 | Research

Fathers and mothers’ parenting stress and adolescent depressive symptoms: the mediating roles of overt and covert coparenting conflict behaviors

Authors: Yizhen Ren, Shengqi Zou, Hui Wang, Jiefeng Ying, Xinyi Wang, Xinchun Wu

Published in: Child and Adolescent Psychiatry and Mental Health | Issue 1/2022

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Abstract

Background

It is yet to be clarified if and how parenting stress was linked to adolescent depressive symptoms during the pandemic.

Objectives

This study adopted an interdependent approach to examine the relationship between parenting stress and adolescent depressive symptoms in Chinese families. It then examined the mediating effects of overt and covert coparenting conflict behaviors.

Methods

As a national survey, data were obtained from different regions in China. Fathers, mothers, and adolescents from 1031 families participated in this study. The fathers and mothers reported parenting stress; the adolescents rated their fathers and mothers’ overt and covert coparenting conflict behaviors and their own depressive symptoms.

Results

Maternal parenting stress was related to adolescent depressive symptoms through the mediating effects of paternal overt and maternal covert coparenting conflict behaviors. Both paternal and maternal parenting stress were directly related to adolescent depressive symptoms. However, maternal parenting stress had a more substantial effect on adolescent depressive symptoms than paternal parenting stress.

Conclusions

The findings support the effects of parenting stress on adolescent depressive symptoms. The study also highlights the mediating roles of paternal overt and maternal covert coparenting conflict behaviors in relationships.
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Metadata
Title
Fathers and mothers’ parenting stress and adolescent depressive symptoms: the mediating roles of overt and covert coparenting conflict behaviors
Authors
Yizhen Ren
Shengqi Zou
Hui Wang
Jiefeng Ying
Xinyi Wang
Xinchun Wu
Publication date
01-12-2022
Publisher
BioMed Central
Published in
Child and Adolescent Psychiatry and Mental Health / Issue 1/2022
Electronic ISSN: 1753-2000
DOI
https://doi.org/10.1186/s13034-022-00531-5

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