Childhood maltreatment and parenting style moderate the mediation of resilience in the continuity of anxious and depressive symptoms in Chinese children and adolescents.

BACKGROUND

Existing studies suggest that resilience may play as a significant mediator in the continuity of depressive and anxious symptoms in youth, however, longitudinal evidence is lacking. Besides, whether childhood maltreatment (CM) and parenting styles significantly moderate this mediation of resilience has not been discussed before.

METHODS

This population-based longitudinal study included 5218 participants from the Mental Health Survey for Children and Adolescents in Yunnan (MHSCAY), with a baseline survey (T1) and 2 rounds of follow-up (T2 and T3). Univariate and multivariate logistic regression models were used to examine the continuity in depressive and anxious symptoms. Path analysis was adopted to estimate the mediation of resilience in the continuity of depressive and anxious symptoms. Stratified analysis was performed to test the moderation by CM and parenting styles in the mediation of resilience.

RESULTS

Depressive and anxious symptoms at T1 significantly predicted depressive and anxious symptoms at T3 (adjusted OR for depressive symptoms: 3.35, 95 % CI: 2.85-3.93; adjusted OR for anxious symptoms: 3.31, 95 % CI: 2.76-3.99). Resilience mediated 18.96 % of the continuity in depressive symptoms and 19.51 % of the continuity in anxious symptoms, and the mediation was stronger for internal resilience factors. CM and parenting styles significantly moderated the mediation of resilience, with a stronger mediation found in individuals who had experienced CM, parental overprotection or parental rejection.

CONCLUSIONS

Resilience-based interventions could be useful in breaking the continuity of depressive and anxious symptoms in children and adolescents. Particularly for those who were exposed to CM or negative parenting styles.