Race/Ethnicity, Parental Support, and Youth Depressive Symptoms: A Moderated Longitudinal Mediation Analysis

Racial/ethnic disparities in depression exist among youth in the United States. The purpose of this study was to determine if parental support trajectories in adolescence explain the relationship between race/ethnicity and depressive symptom trajectories in adulthood. A two-step longitudinal parallel process analysis with multigroup structural equation modeling was conducted with a nationally representative sample of youth (N = 5300; 48.5% female; M = 13.33 (Range:12-15) years at baseline). While parental support trajectories did not mediate the relationship between race/ethnicity and depressive symptoms, parental support trajectories were related to depressive symptom trajectories in adulthood. Immigrant generation status also moderated the relationship between race/ethnicity and depressive symptom trajectories. The results demonstrate the impact of parental support on later mental health outcomes regardless of race/ethnicity.

Automated summary

Parental support trajectories impact depressive symptoms in adulthood, but do not explain the relationship between race/ethnicity and depressive symptoms in adolescence. Immigrant generation status moderates the relationship between race/ethnicity and depressive symptom trajectories.