The role of achievement attribution in the associations between parent–child communication and psychological well-being among adolescents: A mediation analysis. Issue 1 (31st August 2022)

• Record Type: Journal Article
• Authors: Li, Ningning; Li, Yuting; Huang, Xinxin; Xiang, Siying; Hu, Qianying; Luo, Chao; Ju, Peijun; Mellor, David; Xu, Yifeng; Fei, Hui; Chen, Jianhua
• Is Part Of: European psychiatry. Volume 65:Issue 1(2022)
• Publication Date: 2022-08-31
• Subjects: Achievement attribution -- depression -- parent–child communication -- subjective interpersonal popularity -- subjective well-being; Psychiatry -- Periodicals; Mental illness -- Periodicals; Electronic journals; 616.89
• DOI: 10.1192/j.eurpsy.2022.2314
• Languages: English
• ISSNs: 0924-9338

Abstract

Abstract: Background: Previous studies have explored the association between parenting style and offspring's psychological well-being, and the association between offspring's achievement attribution pattern and psychological well-being. However, little is known about the role of offspring's achievement attribution in the relationship between parenting and offspring's psychological well-being. We aimed to find the role of adolescents' achievement attribution pattern in the relationship between parent–child communication quality and adolescents' mental health. Methods: A cross-sectional analysis was conducted on 2, 725 adolescents aged from 9 to 18 years who are participating in the China Family Panel Studies. Participants supplied demographic information and completed a series of psychological scales including the Center for Epidemiologic Studies Depression scale, an adapted version of the Parental Bonding Instrument, an achievement attribution scale, and single-item measures of subjective well-being and subjective interpersonal popularity. Results: Linear regression analysis revealed that after controlling for demographic factors good parent–child communication negatively correlated with depression symptoms, and positively associated with subjective well-being and subjective interpersonal popularity. Next, mediation analysis found that internal attribution of achievement partly mediated the effects of parent–child communication quality on adolescents' depression, subjective well-being, and subjective interpersonal popularity. The result was robust after controlling demographic variables. Conclusions: An internal attribution pattern of achievement partially accounted for the associations between parent–child communication quality and adolescents' psychological outcomes including depression, subjective well-being, and subjective interpersonal popularity. Future interventions for adolescents' mental health promotion can target parent–child communication and adolescents' positive achievement attribution pattern.