Multiple Mediating Effects of Conflicts With Parents and Self-Esteem on the Relationship Between Economic Status and Depression Among Middle School Students Since COVID-19.

Jaewon Lee,Hyejung Lim,Gyuhyun Choi,Jennifer Allen

doi:10.3389/fpsyg.2021.712219

Abstract

This study explores associations between perceived economic status and depression among middle school students during COVID-19 in the context of conflict with parents and self-esteem. Data were collected in South Korea in the fall of 2020. A total of 328 middle school students were included, and a multiple mediator model was employed to examine the multiple mediating effects. Middle schoolers’ household economic status was negatively associated with their conflict with parents. Conflict with parents was negatively related to middle school students’ self-esteem. Indirect effects of perceived economic status via conflict with parents were significantly associated with depression. The indirect effect of perceived economic status via both conflict with parents and self-esteem was related to depression. Government subsidies should temporarily be expanded to improve households’ economic status to potentially improve middle school students’ depression and to enhance relationships between children and their parents during the COVID-19 pandemic. Further, extra financial support from the government should be focused on poor households with children in order to address family conflict, self-esteem, and depression among middle school students.

Highlights

Since December 2019, people around the world have experienced negative impacts from the COVID-19 pandemic, including loss of life, illness, and financial and mental health impacts
We examine the following research questions: (1) Is economic status related to depression among middle school students? (2) Does economic status influence middle schoolers’ conflict with parents and their self-esteem? and (3) Is there a multiple mediating effect of conflict with parents and self-esteem on the association between economic status and depression among middle school students?
Despite the importance of middle school students’ depression since COVID-19, few studies have addressed their depression in the context of conflict with their parents and their self-esteem

Summary

Introduction

Since December 2019, people around the world have experienced negative impacts from the COVID-19 pandemic, including loss of life, illness, and financial and mental health impacts. It is not just adults who have been negatively affected; middle school students, usually adolescents between the ages of 11 and 14, have reported worse depression since the COVID-19 pandemic began (e.g., Magson et al, 2021; Ravens-Sieberer et al, 2021). Prior to the COVID-19 pandemic, researchers have found that middle schoolers’ depression is associated with low economic status, high conflict with their parents, and low self-esteem It is of interest to examine the multiple mediators of conflict between adolescents and their parents, which may have increased due to more time spent together at home due to COVID-19-related lockdown measures, as well as adolescents’ self-esteem

Methods

Results

Conclusion