Hispanic adolescents’ internalizing symptoms and positive family functioning: A bidirectional examination of associations over time.

Abstract

Open communication with parents, defined as perceived ease of adolescent–parent disclosure, and family support are components of positive family functioning linked with fewer adolescent internalizing symptoms. However, relatively little is known about bidirectional pathways over time. Even less is known about bidirectional pathways for Hispanic adolescents or about the role of adolescent and parent gender. Therefore, this study examined bidirectional pathways between positive family functioning and adolescent internalizing symptoms over time in a sample of Hispanic middle school adolescents (N = 340; 51% female, Mage = 13.27 years, SD = .77), who completed surveys in the fall of 2016 (Time 1) and the spring of 2017 (Time 2; N = 284; 52% female). Results indicated that positive family functioning, including open communication with mothers and fathers, predicted fewer depressive symptoms for girls, but not for boys. Open communication with fathers predicted fewer anxiety symptoms for girls and boys. Girls’ depressive symptoms, but not boys’, predicted decreases in open communication with fathers. Boys’ depressive symptoms predicted less family support. Unexpectedly, boys’ anxiety symptoms predicted increased family support. These findings highlight gendered pathways linking family functioning and internalizing symptoms in Hispanic adolescents over time, including the relative importance of open communication with fathers. Gendered findings emphasize the utility of family-based prevention and early intervention programs targeting internalizing symptoms, especially for Hispanic girls.