The Effect of Family Communication on Depressive Symptoms in Adolescents Who Have Step-parents

Abstract

The relationship between adolescents and their stepparents is a unique one because the relationship is established without blood ties. Family functioning is the ability of each member to interact and take roles in the family so that closeness is established with each family member. This research looks into how family functioning affects the depression symptoms of adolescents who have stepparents. The research used a quantitative approach with an incidental sampling technique. Research subjects were 100 15–19 years old adolescents with stepparents (Mean = 16.89, SD = 1,188). The research instruments used were McMaster Family Functioning Scale (short version) and Beck Depression Inventory. The statistical programs used were Statistical Package for Social Science (SPSS) version 25 and Past3. The result of a simple linear regression analysis tested showed a significantly negative effectof family functioning on the depression symptoms of adolescents who have stepparents (R = –0.92, R2 = 0.85, Pvalue = 0.00). That is, the presence of one of the new parents can predict if the teenager will develop depression in their life. The implications of this reseach are expected to provide understanding to parents of the importance of family communication and it is hoped that parents can provide understanding and reasons for remarriage to children so that children can be more accepting of their stepparents. On the other hand, adolescents who have stepparents are expected to always learn to open up, obey stepparents, and accept their existence as caregivers and educators in the family. The existence of a reciprocal relationship between parents and stepchildren is expected to establish good family relations between the two.
 Keywords: depression, family functioning, stepparent, teenagers