The relationship between father absence and hostility among Chinese depressed youths: A serial mediation model and the role of self-esteem and frustration tolerance

• Published in: Frontiers in pediatrics 2023-01, Vol.10, p.711241-711241
• Main Authors: Liu, Xiao-Ge, Li, Yang, Xiong, Fang, Li, Wen-Tian, Liu, Lian-Zhong, John S, Sullivan
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• Subjects: father absence; frustration tolerance; hostility; major depressive disorder; Pediatrics; self-esteem
• ISSN: 2296-2360; 2296-2360
• DOI: 10.3389/fped.2022.711241

While the association between father absence and youth hostility has been well-documented among depressed youths, there is a lack of research on the potential mechanism underlying such an association. This study aimed to test a serial mediation model of self-esteem and frustration tolerance on the link between father absence and youth hostility. A total of 137 Chinese youths with major depressive disorder were recruited from Wuhan Mental Health Center. They completed a survey including the Father Absence Questionnaire to measure father absence, the Chinese Hostility Inventory (CHI) to measure hostility, the Psychological Endurance Questionnaire to measure frustration tolerance, and the Self-esteem Scale (SES) to measure self-esteem. A series of multiple linear regression models were employed to assess the associations among father absence, self-esteem, frustration tolerance, and hostility. Although father absence was modestly associated with hostility (  = 0.30,