The Relationship Between Mental Health Problems and Systemic Family Dynamics Among High School and University Students in Shaanxi Province, China

Objectives: The present study aimed to correlate relationships between systemic family dynamics and mental health and to explore family factors that influence adolescent mental health in Shaanxi Province, China. Methods: A cross-sectional survey was conducted to sample adolescents aged 12–23 using a questionnaire including Self-rating Scale of Systemic Family Dynamics, Symptom Checklist-90 Revised, and general demographic. Results: More educated parents in white-collar employment and higher family income were associated with better mental health and better family dynamic scores. The total score of family dynamics was positively correlated with mental health scores. The generalized linear mixed model found that poorer mental health was associated with increased age, being in senior high school, having a father in a blue-collar profession, and SSFD square. The structural equation modelling suggested that this is largely a mediated effect via those characteristics impacting family dynamics, which in turn affect mental health. Conclusion: Family dynamics may be an important contributor to adolescent mental health. Education and interventions aimed at improving family dynamics may be useful for reducing the prevalence of mental health problems amongst adolescents.