# The relationship between family adaptability and cohesion and adolescent depression: the chain mediation effect of perceived social support and coping styles

## TL;DR

This study shows how family dynamics influence adolescent depression through social support and coping styles.

## Contribution

It identifies a chain mediation model linking family adaptability/cohesion to depression via perceived social support and coping styles.

## Key findings

- Family adaptability and cohesion are directly and indirectly linked to lower adolescent depression.
- Perceived social support and positive coping styles mediate the relationship between family dynamics and depression.
- Chain mediation paths account for 21.43% and 7.14% of the total effect on depression.

## Abstract

The research aims to investigate the relationship between family adaptability and cohesion and adolescent depression by constructing a chain mediation model to examine the mediating role of perceived social support and coping styles.

This study surveyed 1,931 middle school students using the Family Adaptability and Cohesion Evaluation Scale (FACES II-CV), the Perceived Social Support Scale (PSSS), the Simple Coping Style Questionnaire (SCSQ), and the Patient Health Questionnaire-9 (PHQ-9). Data were analyzed with SPSS 26.0, including tests for common method bias, descriptive statistics, and correlation analysis. The chain mediation model was tested using the PROCESS macro program.

Family adaptability and cohesion, perceived social support, and positive coping styles all showed significant negative correlations with adolescent depression, while negative coping styles exhibited a positive association with depression. Furthermore, family adaptability and cohesion not only have a direct impact on adolescent depression, but also exert indirect effects through the separate mediating roles of perceived social support, positive and negative coping, as well as through the chain mediation of “perceived social support → positive/negative coping styles.” Among these pathways, the two chain mediation paths (Family adaptability and cohesion → Perceived social support (PSS) → Positive coping styles → Depression; Family adaptability and cohesion → Perceived social support (PSS) → Negative coping styles → Depression) accounted for 21.43% and 7.14% of the total effect, respectively.

This study clarifies the relationship between family adaptability and cohesion, PSS, coping styles, and adolescent depression, emphasizing the indirect influence of family adaptability and cohesion on adolescent depression through PSS, positive coping, and negative coping styles. To a certain extent, it offers evidence and theoretical guidance for mitigating and treating adolescent depression.