From parents to peers! Social support and peer attachment as mediators of parental attachment and depression: A Chinese perspective

Abstract

Background

Secure attachment has been associated with a lower incidence of depressive symptoms in adolescents. Adolescence is an important period for attachment development as it shapes future attachment patterns. This study adopts a social support perspective to explore the transition from parental attachment to peer attachment, and its impact on reducing depression.

Methods

A sample of 7792 students from China, aged 11 to 19 years (mean = 15.19, SD = 2.564), completed three questionnaires: the Inventory of Parent and Peer Attachment, the Social Support Scale, and the Self-Depression Scale. SEM was used to analyze the mediating and moderating role of social support and peer attachment in the relationship between parental attachment and depression with gender as covariates.

Results

Peer attachment partially mediated the relationship between parental attachment and depression among Chinese adolescents (β = −0.17, p < 0.001). Social support moderated the association between parental attachment and depression, indicating that higher levels of social support mitigate the negative influence of insecure parental attachment on adolescent depression (β = −0.02, p < 0.05). Furthermore, social support mediated the relationship between peer attachment and parental attachment, suggesting that secure peer attachment and good social support jointly buffer against depressive symptoms in adolescents (β = −0.077, p < 0.001).

Conclusion

The findings highlight important implications for developing targeted interventions to reduce adolescent depression. By recognizing the power of social support, we hope to provide valuable insights into practical strategies for addressing and alleviating adolescent depression.