Family contagion of mental toughness and its influence on youth mental well-being: Family cohesion as a moderator

Abstract

From a family system perspective, this study sought to explore youth mental toughness as a mediator and family cohesion as a moderator in the effect of parental mental toughness on youth mental well-being. The moderated mediation model was examined among 612 pairs of young adults and their parents. Youth completed measurements on mental toughness, family cohesion, and mental well-being, while their parents filled in the questionnaire on mental toughness. Mediation analysis indicated that parental mental toughness was positively related to youth mental well-being, and youth mental toughness partially mediated this relationship. Moderated mediation analysis suggested that family cohesion magnified the mediating process of youth mental toughness. This study highlighted the positive influence of parent-child contagion of mental toughness on youth mental well-being as well as the amplifying effect of family cohesion on this process. This study sheds light on how parental, individual, and environmental factors in the family work together to promote youth mental well-being, which expands the application of Social Contagion Theory to the family system.