# The Effects of Congruence and Incongruence in Parental Co-Parenting on Adolescents’ Depression: Using Polynomial Regression with Response Surface Analysis

## TL;DR

This study examines how agreement or disagreement between parents in co-parenting affects adolescent depression, with self-esteem playing a mediating role.

## Contribution

The study introduces a novel analysis of co-parenting congruence and incongruence effects on adolescent depression, revealing gender-specific patterns and the role of self-esteem.

## Key findings

- Three co-parenting profiles were identified: positive, negative, and mixed.
- High positive co-parenting was linked to lower depression in adolescents, with gender differences in response patterns.
- Self-esteem mediates the relationship between co-parenting (in)congruence and depression in both genders.

## Abstract

This study explores the influence of congruence and incongruence in father–mother co-parenting on adolescent depression, as well as the mediating effect of self-esteem. A total of 1389 adolescents completed questionnaires assessing their levels of depression and self-esteem, while their fathers and mothers correspondingly reported on their own co-parenting behaviors using the Parental Co-parenting Scale in this cross-sectional study. Dates were analyzed using LPA, RSA, and mediation consecutively. The results show that: (1) We identified three distinct co-parenting profiles: positive parental co-parenting, negative parental co-parenting, and mixed parental co-parenting. (2) In cases of congruent parental co-parenting, high positive parental co-parenting was associated with lower adolescent depression, whereas high negative parental co-parenting was linked to higher depression, and the difference manifests in different forms among boys and girls. Girls showed nonlinear changes in depression while boys exhibited linear trends. (3) In cases of incongruence in parental co-parenting, mothers’ co-parenting exerted a stronger influence on boys’ depression, while girls were not affected by mothers’ and fathers’ discrepancies. (4) Self-esteem mediated the relationship between parental co-parenting (in)congruence and depression across both genders. This study provides evidence for the mechanism through which parental coparenting influences adolescent depression and offers a basis for future interventions targeting adolescent depression.