Longitudinal Study on the Association between Cumulative Family Risk and Adolescents’ Depressive Symptoms: The Mediating Role of Interpersonal Trust

Child Psychiatry Hum Dev. 2025 May 16. doi: 10.1007/s10578-025-01848-w. Online ahead of print.

ABSTRACT

This study aimed to elucidate the relationship between cumulative family risk and adolescents’ depressive symptoms, and to investigate the mediating role of interpersonal trust through a longitudinal design. Participants were selected from the China Family Panel Studies (CFPS) project, with data collected in 2016 (T1) and 2018 (T2). A total of 785 adolescents participated in the study and completed questionnaires. (1) The cross-lagged model revealed that cumulative family risk positively predicted adolescents’ depressive symptoms at both T1 and T2. (2) Cumulative family risk at T1 negatively predicted interpersonal trust at T2, which in turn negatively predicted depressive symptoms at T2. Thus, interpersonal trust at T2 served as a longitudinal mediator in the effect of cumulative family risk at T1 on depressive symptoms at T2. These results deepen our understanding of the mechanisms by which cumulative family risk influences depressive symptoms and offer strategies for mitigating depressive symptoms in adolescents.

PMID:40377833 | DOI:10.1007/s10578-025-01848-w