Psychological Development and Education ›› 2017, Vol. 33 ›› Issue (3): 368-377.doi: 10.16187/j.cnki.issn1001-4918.2017.03.15

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The Intergenerational Transmission of Maternal Depression: The Mediating Role of Mother-adolescent Relationship and The Moderating Role of Adolescents' Negative Affectivity

YANG Yiqun, CHEN Liang, JI Linqin, ZHANG Wenxin   

  1. School of Psychology, Shandong Normal University, Jinan 250014
  • Online:2017-05-15 Published:2017-05-15

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Abstract: Previous studies have confirmed that maternal depression acts as a significant risk factor of adolescent depression, but less has been known about the mechanisms of such intergenerational transmission. Based on the Integrative Model for the Transmission of Risk to Children of Depressed Mothers, the present study investigated the mediation role of mother-adolescent relationships and the moderation role of adolescent negative affectivity in the intergenerational transmission process of depression. A total of 1,708 junior high school students (mean age 14.30 years, 50% boys) and their mothers (mean age 39.17 years) in Jinan, Shandong province, were recruited as participants. The main findings of this study were as follows:(1) Maternal depression significantly predicted adolescent depression. (2) Both adolescent cohesion and conflict with their mothers mediated the intergenerational transmission of maternal depression. Maternal depression not only increased intense mother-adolescent conflict, but weakened mother-adolescent cohesion, thus leading to greater risk for adolescent depression. (3) The associations between mother-adolescent conflict and adolescent depression were moderated by adolescent negative affectivity. Only for those adolescents who had higher levels of negative affectivity, mother-adolescent conflict can positively predict their depression. (4) No gender differences were found in these mediation and moderation effects. These findings highlighted the role of both positive and negative dimensions of mother-adolescent relationships, and also indicated that practitioners should paid attention to both mothers' and adolescents' characteristics in depression intervention.

Key words: maternal depression, adolescent depression, mother-adolescent relationship, negative affectivity

CLC Number: 

  • B844

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