Influence of family structure on adolescent deviant behavior and depression: the mediation roles of parental monitoring and school connectedness

Objectives: This study aimed to explore the specific pathway of family structure on adolescent health.

Study design: This was a cross-sectional study.

Methods: We examined the influence of family structure on adolescent deviant behavior and depression, as well as the mediation roles of parental monitoring and school connectedness, using the multivariate regression and Karlson-Holm-Breen mediation models.

Results: Compared with adolescents in intact families, those in non-intact families showed more deviant behaviors and depression. Parental monitoring and school connectedness appeared to be two important pathways from family structure to deviant behavior and depression. In addition, urban and female adolescents in non-intact families showed more deviant behaviors and depression than their rural and male counterparts, respectively. Furthermore, adolescents in reconstituted families showed more deviant behaviors than those in single-parent families.

Conclusions: The behavioral and mental health of adolescents in single-parent or reconstituted families deserves more attention, and interventions should be actively conducted at both family and school level to improve adolescent health.