Family and Peer Relationships in a Residential Youth Sample: Exploring Unique, Non-Linear, and Interactive Associations with Depressive Symptoms and Suicide Risk

• Published in: Journal of youth and adolescence 2022-06, Vol.51 (6), p.1062-1073
• Main Authors: Rivers, Alannah Shelby, Russon, Jody, Winston-Lindeboom, Payne, Ruan-Iu, Linda, Diamond, Guy
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• Subjects: Adolescent; Adolescents; Adult; Behavioral Science and Psychology; Bullying; Child; Child and School Psychology; Clinical Psychology; Cyberbullying; Depression; Disease Susceptibility; Embedded systems; Empirical Research; Family conflict; Female; Friends; Friendship; Health Psychology; History of Psychology; Humans; Interpersonal conflict; Law and Psychology; Male; Mental depression; Mental health; Peer Group; Peer relationships; Peers; Prevention; Psychology; Risk; Social support; Suicide; Suicides & suicide attempts; Teenagers; Young Adult; Young adults; Youth
• ISSN: 0047-2891; 1573-6601; 1573-6601
• DOI: 10.1007/s10964-021-01524-x

Close relationships are consequential for youth depressive symptoms and suicide risk, but nuanced research examining intersecting factors is needed to improve identification and intervention. This study examines a clinical, residential sample of 939 adolescents and young adults ages 10 to 23 years old ( M  = 15.84, SD  = 1.53; 97.7% white, 99.5% non-Hispanic, 55% female). The final model found that family conflict, parental criticism, verbal bullying, and interactions with friends were associated with depressive symptoms in the expected directions, and there were significant interactions with family, peer, and demographic variables. However, most associations with suicide risk were indirect. Associations involving family factors, peer factors, depressive symptoms, and suicide are not always straightforward, and should be understood within a microsystemic context.