Presenting a Causal Model for Depression in Adolescents Based on the Relationship Between Parenting Styles Through the Mediating Role of Parent-Adolescence Conflict

Abstract

Studies in the recent two decades have shown that the quality of parental and adolescent communication has a major impact on the development of risk behaviors in adolescents. Objectives: The purpose of this study was to investigate the causal model for depression in adolescents, based on the parenting styles through the mediating role of the parent-adolescence conflict. Materials and Methods: The sample consisted of 150 male high school students in the first grade selected by a multistage random sampling method. In this research, the subjects completed the Children's Depression Inventory short form (CDI-S), Baumrind Parenting Styles Questionnaire (BPSQ), and Parent-Adolescent Conflict (PAC) scale. The proposed model was evaluated using structural equation modeling method. Indirect relationships were tested by the Bootstrap method. Results: The results of this study showed that the proposed model had an acceptable fit to the data, and all paths showed a significant relationship between parenting style (mediated by the parent-adolescent conflict) and for depression in young people, except for the authoritative parenting style. The results of several indirect paths showed that a significant relationship between permissive and authoritarian parenting styles (through parent-adolescent conflict) and depression in adolescents. Conclusion: The conflict between parents and adolescents can have an impact on children's psychological health. Therefore, solving family problems and providing an appropriate environment at home leads to physical and mental health in adolescents and also improves the proper functioning of the school and community.