Family resilience and adolescent mental health in Chinese families : the mediating role of personal strengths

Abstract

The role of family resilience in protecting family well-being has become increasingly important, particularly in relation to adolescents’ mental health. While previous studies on family resilience typically focus on families facing specific adversities, there remains a gap in research on the general population. This study examined family resilience among 1,331 adolescents in China and analyzed the relationship between family resilience and adolescents’ mental health. Moreover, the study investigated the mediating role of personal strengths in the relationship between family resilience and mental health outcomes. Latent profile analysis revealed four family resilience groups: highest, moderate high, moderate low, and lowest family resilience. Adolescents in the first two groups reported significantly lower levels of mental health issues, including depression, anxiety, and stress, compared to their peers. Structural equation modeling showed that personal strengths partially mediated the negative relationship between family resilience and adolescents’ mental health issues. This study suggests that family resilience has both direct protective effects on adolescents’ mental health and indirect effects through the cultivation of their personal strengths. The findings suggest a multi-dimensional approach that targets both family dynamics and personal strengths for future interventions.