Changing family relationships and mental health of Chinese adolescents: the role of living arrangements

Abstract

ObjectiveThis study examined the association between changing family relationships (marital relationships and parent-child relationships) and adolescents' mental health in transitional China. It further explored the potential moderating role of living arrangements in the abovementioned associations. Study designThe study design used in the study is a longitudinal study. MethodsData were derived from wave 1 (academic year: 2013–2014, grade 7) and wave 2 (academic year: 2014–2015, grade 8) of the China Education Panel Survey (CEPS). We used fixed-effects models in the longitudinal data analysis (N = 7237). ResultsDescriptive analysis indicated significant changes in both adolescents' mental health and self-reported family relationships during the transition from grade 7 to grade 8. The fixed-effects models showed that high marital quality and close parent-child relationships improved the mental health of adolescents. Interaction analysis suggested that paternal living arrangements significantly moderated the association between the father-child relationships and adolescents' mental health: effects of the father-child relationships were weaker among those living away from their biological fathers than among those living with their biological fathers. ConclusionsFamily relationships play an important role in shaping Chinese adolescents' psychological status. However, the effect of the father-child relationships varies based on the paternal living arrangements. This finding highlights the importance of considering the context in examining the effects of family relationships on adolescents' well-being.