Maternal engagement, relational closeness, and adolescent internalizing symptoms: The association of engaged mothering with adolescent depression and anxiety

Abstract

Prevalence rates of anxiety and depression have increased among adolescents in recent years. The etiology of these internalizing symptoms is complex, but mothers can play a role in the mental health of their adolescent children. Using data from Year 15 of the fragile families and child well-being study, we analyzed associations between adolescent-reported maternal engagement, mother–adolescent relationship closeness, and adolescent depression and anxiety in a sample of 3146 mother–adolescent dyads. Using structural equation modeling, the four areas of engagement, closeness, anxiety, and depression were all modeled as latent variables to test the associations between these constructs. Higher levels of maternal engagement were significantly associated with higher levels of closeness between mother and adolescent, and higher levels of closeness were significantly associated with adolescents' lower levels of both depression and anxiety. Bootstrapped indirect effects were identified. Implications and future directions are discussed.