Date of Award

Spring 5-15-2022

Degree Type

Thesis

Degree Name

Master of Science (MS)

Department

Human Development and Family Science

Advisor(s)

Vasilenko, Sara

Keywords

Adolescent Depression, Parent-child Closeness, Parent-child Relationships, Young Adult Depression

Subject Categories

Development Studies | Family, Life Course, and Society | Medicine and Health Sciences | Mental and Social Health | Psychiatric and Mental Health | Social and Behavioral Sciences | Sociology

Abstract

Past research has suggested that adolescent parent-child relationships may have an impact on adolescent and young adult mental health. However, there are gaps in the previous research regarding relationships between these areas. The goal of the present study is to examine the relationship between an individual's closeness to their residential mother and father in adolescence and their depressive symptoms in young adulthood. The study also looks at how the biological sex of the individual moderates this relationship, and further examines if parental closeness has any significant role in the relationship on young adult depression above the effect of adolescent depression. The research question for the study is as followed: how does an adolescent's closeness to their residential mother and/or father impact their depressive symptoms as a young adult, and how are these associations moderated by said adolescent's biological sex? Using secondary data from the National Longitudinal Study of Adolescent to Adult Health, linear regressions were used to examine various relationships between closeness to residential mother and father in adolescence, biological sex of the participant, depressive symptoms in adolescence, and depressive symptoms in young adulthood. The findings of the study showed a negative association between closeness to parents in adolescence and depressive symptoms in young adulthood. Overall, young adult females experience greater depressive symptoms. Additionally, closeness to fathers more significantly impacts male depressive symptoms, while closeness to mothers more significantly impacts female depressive symptoms. Lastly, a greater presence of depressive symptoms in adolescence is associated with a greater presence of depressive symptoms in young adulthood.

Access

Open Access

Share

COinS
 
 

To view the content in your browser, please download Adobe Reader or, alternately,
you may Download the file to your hard drive.

NOTE: The latest versions of Adobe Reader do not support viewing PDF files within Firefox on Mac OS and if you are using a modern (Intel) Mac, there is no official plugin for viewing PDF files within the browser window.