The reciprocal relationship between parent-child connectedness and adolescent emotional functioning over 5 years.
OBJECTIVE
The purpose of this study was to evaluate the reciprocal relationship between parent-child connectedness and depressive symptoms, self-esteem, and body satisfaction over 5 years in a diverse sample of 2516 male and female adolescents.


METHODS
Youth completed Project Eating Among Teens surveys at Time 1 (1998-1999) and Time 2 (2003-2004). Multiple linear regression analysis was conducted to evaluate relationships between parent-child connectedness and adolescents' emotional functioning, controlling for baseline parent-child connectedness. The reciprocal relationship was also evaluated using the same methods.


RESULTS
Parent-child connectedness was associated with increased body satisfaction for females, increased self-esteem for males, and decreased depressive symptoms for both males and females. The reciprocal relationship results showed that, among females, self-esteem was associated with increased parent-child connectedness while depressive symptoms predicted decreased parent-child connectedness. In males, body satisfaction was associated with increased parent-child connectedness.


CONCLUSIONS
Parent-child connectedness and youth emotional functioning reciprocally influenced each other over the 5-year period of this study. Interventions aimed at strengthening the parent-child relationship throughout adolescence may protect emotional health and prevent longer-term emotional consequences in young adults.
Boutelle
Kerri
K
Department of Pediatrics, University of California San Diego, San Diego, CA 92023-0985, USA. kboutelle@ucsd.edu
Eisenberg
Marla E
ME
Gregory
Melissa L
ML
Neumark-Sztainer
Dianne
D
D000293:Adolescent; D000294:Adolescent Behavior; D001294:Attitude to Health; D003863:Depression / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000523:psychology*; D004644:Emotions; D005260:Female; D005500:Follow-Up Studies; D006801:Humans; D016014:Linear Models; D008297:Male; D010287:Parent-Child Relations; D010549:Personal Satisfaction; D011569:Psychiatric Status Rating Scales; D012649:Self Concept; D012737:Sex Factors; D012923:Social Class; D011795:Surveys and Questionnaires