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Perceptions of Family Relationship Factors and Depressive Symptoms in Adolescents: What Roles Do Parents and Gender Play?

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Abstract

The association of adolescents’ perceptions of family relationships and adolescent depressive symptoms was investigated using a sample of 2,918 youth participating in the National Longitudinal Survey of Youth 1997. Boys showed fewer depressive symptoms than girls, as hypothesized. In general, adolescents’ perceptions of family relationships were negatively related to depressive symptoms. Mother support of father predicted depressive symptoms for girls only, whereas father support of mother predicted depressive symptoms for boys only. These findings contradict previous research that suggested family functioning is more related to outcomes of adolescent girls than boys. Suggestions for future research and implications for marital and family therapists are discussed.

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Acknowledgements

The author wishes to thank Dr. Gary Gute for his extremely helpful comments on a previous version of this manuscript. The comments of three anonymous reviewers are also appreciated. Data was obtained through Data Sharing for Demographic Research at the University of Michigan.

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  1. Department of Family Studies, University of Northern Iowa, Cedar Falls, IA, 50614-0332, USA

    Elaine M. Eshbaugh

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  1. Elaine M. Eshbaugh
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Correspondence to Elaine M. Eshbaugh.

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Eshbaugh, E.M. Perceptions of Family Relationship Factors and Depressive Symptoms in Adolescents: What Roles Do Parents and Gender Play?. J Child Fam Stud 17, 127–139 (2008). https://doi.org/10.1007/s10826-007-9143-4

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