Parental Resilience and Adolescence Depression: Moderating Effect of Children’s Psychosocial Functioning

Abstract

Problem Statement: Studies have shown high prevalence of depression in adolescents. Researchers also found that psychosocial impairment is associated with depressive symptomatology in adolescence. However, little is known about this association. Research Questions: It is crucial to study relationships maintained between depressive symptoms and psychosocial adolescent impairment in several areas like relationships with family and friends, functioning at school and life satisfaction. Purpose of the Study: The main aims of this study are to examine the potential protective role of parents’ resilience regarding the development of children’s depressive symptoms and the moderating effect of children psychosocial functioning in the relationship between parental resilience and adolescent depressive symptomatology.Research Methods: The sample was composed by 130 adolescents aged between 14 and 17 years. Psychosocial functioning was assessed with the Adolescent Longitudinal Interval Follow-up Evaluation (A-LIFE, Keller et al., 1993 Matos Costa, 2011). To evaluate parental resilience the RS25 (Wagnild, 2009; Pinheiro Matos, 2013) was used. Depressive symptoms were assessed with CDI (Kovacs, 1992 Marujo, 1994). Findings: The results suggest that the parents’ resilience and children’s psychosocial functioning are associated with depressive symptoms in adolescents. Conclusions: This study may have important implications for the development of prevention programs of adolescent depression that will involve young people and their parents in order to promote the interpersonal skills and problem solving abilities.