Arch Suicide Res. 2025 Oct 24:1-13. doi: 10.1080/13811118.2025.2571631. Online ahead of print.
ABSTRACT
OBJECTIVE: Family conflict is associated with adolescent depression and suicidality. Whether the conflict level differs among adolescents based on presenting concern is unknown. This study compared family conflict between adolescents with self-injurious thoughts and behavior (SITB), those with depression, and healthy controls with neither condition.
METHOD: Data were collected from 495 adolescents with SITB (n = 151), depression (n = 256), and healthy controls (n = 88). Adolescents were between 12 and 17 years old (M = 15.07, SD = 1.60; 65.3% female, 24.3% male, 10.4% nonbinary; 61.4% White). Family conflict was assessed by adolescent and parent report on the Conflict Behavior Questionnaire and compared by informant across diagnostic groups, controlling for demographic variables and depression status.
RESULTS: Adolescents with SITB experienced greater conflict with their mothers than adolescents with depression (p = .033), and greater conflict with their mothers (p < .001) and fathers (p = .029) compared with controls. Adolescents with depression reported more conflict with mothers (p = .015), and not fathers (p = .232), compared with controls. Parents of adolescents with SITB (p = .002) or depression (p < .001) both reported greater family conflict than parents of controls. Parent report of family conflict did not differ between the two clinical groups (p = .814).
CONCLUSION: Adolescent and parent perceptions of family conflict differ across diagnostic groups, with adolescents experiencing SITB reporting the highest family conflict. The link between family conflict and mental health problems may be a function of presenting clinical concern, informant, and parent role.
PMID:41134284 | DOI:10.1080/13811118.2025.2571631
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