Depressive Affect and Restraint in Early Adolescents: Relationships with Family Structure, Family Process and Friendship Support

Abstract

This study investigates the relationship between depressive affect and restraint and family and friendship variables in 103 unselected sixth graders (56 girls). Family measures included family structure (intact vs. two-parent families) and four family processes; communication with father, communication with mother, family cohesion and family adaptability. In addition, friendship support was assessed. Family structure was related to depression, but not after family processes were partialled out. Stepwise multiple regression models indicated that family cohesion and friendship support accounted for more than 50 percent of the variance in depressive affect. A high risk group for depressive affect was identified: Adolescents from single parent families with low friendship support had scores in the clinically depressed range. Restraint was best predicted by gender and mother-adolescent communication in the regression models, whereas family structure and friendship support did not account for further variance. Both depression and restraint were related to the number of stressors. The implications for the etiology of depressive affect and behavior problems were discussed.