Exploring the impact of family conflict on depression, anxiety and sleep problems in Turkish adolescents: The mediating effect of social connectedness

This study aims to investigate the mediating role of social connectedness in the relationship between family conflict and mental and physical health outcomes – specifically depression, anxiety and sleep problems – among Turkish adolescents. This study utilized a quantitative, cross-sectional design, recruiting a convenience sample of 550 adolescents (63.64% female) aged 13 to 18 years ( M = 15.67, SD = 1.46) from high schools in Batman City, Türkiye. Participants completed self-report measures assessing family conflict, social connectedness, depression, anxiety and sleep problems via an online survey. The findings revealed that family conflict was negatively associated with social connectedness but positively related to depression, anxiety and sleep problems. Also, social connectedness was found to hold a negative association with depression, anxiety and sleep problems and acted as a mediator in the relationship between family conflict and depression, anxiety and sleep problems. The results suggest the important role of social connectedness in buffering the negative impacts of family conflict, suggesting that interventions aimed at enhancing family relationships may improve mental health and sleep quality among adolescents. These practical implications highlight the potential for school- and community-based programmes to foster social connectedness in improving the mental and physical health of school students during this fragile developmental period.