Poster of UNC Annual Celebration of Undergraduate Research

Family communication plays a crucial role in adolescent mental health, but its effects may vary across cultural contexts. This study examined the relationship between Family Communication Patterns (FES), adolescent emotional well-being (PA/NA), and depressive symptoms (PHQ-8) in Chinese (N = 15) and American (N = 15) adolescents using a questionnaire survey. Contrary to the hypothesis, no significant correlations were found between FES scores and either emotional states or depressive symptoms in either cultural group. In the American sample, a trend-level positive correlation between FES and PHQ-8 suggested that certain family dynamics (e.g., conflict, overcontrol) may exacerbate depressive symptoms, but this effect was not statistically significant. Similarly, between-group comparisons revealed no significant differences in FES, PA/NA, or PHQ-8 scores across cultures. These findings challenge the assumption that family communication patterns universally moderate or exacerbate adolescent mental health outcomes. Cultural factors, such as collectivist family values in China and pressure for economic independence in the United States, may moderate the relationship between family communication and mental health. Future studies should employ culturally sensitive measurement tools, longitudinal designs, and clinical samples to further investigate the role of family dynamics in adolescent mental health and avoid sample limitations.