Influence of Inter-Parental Conflict on New-Onset Major Depressive Disorder in Chinese College Students.

OBJECTIVE

Major depressive disorder (MDD) significantly impairs college students' functioning. Inter-parental conflict (IPC) is a recognized risk factor for mental health issues, yet gender-specific mechanisms linking IPC to MDD in college students remain unclear. This study aimed to examine the association between IPC and new-onset MDD among Chinese university students, and to test whether this association differs by gender.

METHODS

A retrospective controlled study was conducted between April 2018 and October 2019 among 8079 first-year students from two medical universities in Shandong Province, China, using cluster sampling.The Adolescent Self-rating Life Events Check List (ASLEC) assessed stressful life events, the lifetime severe traumatic events questionnaire evaluated traumatic experiences, the Egna Minnen Beträffande Uppfostran (EMBU) measured parenting styles, and the Composite International Diagnostic Interview (CIDI-3.0) diagnosed MDD based on DSM-IV criteria. With descriptive statistics computed by gender and logistic regression models employed to assess IPC's impact on MDD risk.

RESULTS

The overall incidence of new-onset MDD was 2.4% (2.1% in males, 2.6% in females). Multivariate analysis revealed that occasional physical violence (OR=2.114, 95% CI:1.059-4.222) and chronic emotional neglect (OR=2.252, 95% CI:1.074-4.724) during IPC significantly increased MDD risk in male students. Among female students, seeking help from relatives during parental conflicts was independently associated with increased MDD risk (OR=2.14, 95% CI:1.09-4.20).

CONCLUSION

IPC is significantly associated with new-onset MDD among Chinese college students, and this relationship is moderated by gender. While male students show vulnerability to physical conflict and emotional neglect, female students face increased risk when involving relatives in conflict resolution. The findings support the development of gender-specific intervention strategies to mitigate familial risk and promote student mental health.