Exploring the interplay between maternal depressive symptoms, family functioning, and internalizing symptoms in Greek adolescents

Previous research suggests that maternal depressive symptoms, children’s internalizing symptoms and family functioning may reciprocally relate over time. However, the complex interplay between these constructs remains poorly understood. Drawing on family systems theory and transactional models of development, the present study aimed to examine the longitudinal interplay between maternal depressive symptoms, adolescent internalizing symptoms, and family functioning. Data from two waves of assessment were drawn from the Rhea study, a population-based mother-child cohort in Crete, Greece. The sample included 253 mother-child pairs (53.8% boys, 46.2% girls), with a mean age of 10.97 ± 0.33 years at Time 1 and 14.77 ± 0.35 years at Time 2. Maternal depressive symptoms, adolescent internalizing symptoms, and family functioning were assessed via maternal self- and proxy-reports using the Beck Depression Inventory-II (BDI-II), the Child Behavior Checklist (CBCL), and the Family Assessment Device (FAD), respectively. Cross-lagged analysis revealed that adolescent internalizing symptoms predicted increases in both family dysfunction and maternal depressive symptoms over time, but not vice versa. No cross-lagged effects between family dysfunction and maternal depressive symptoms were established. These findings suggest that adolescent mental health difficulties may intensify family distress and affect maternal mental health, highlighting the need for early interventions focused on youth well-being. Future research should employ multiple measurement waves to better capture the evolving dynamics between maternal depressive symptomatology, adolescent internalizing symptoms, and family functioning, and explore these relationships within diverse cultural contexts.