The relationship between parent-child attachment and depression among Chinese adolescents: The effect of emotional regulation strategies and beliefs about adversity

Parent-child attachment is significantly correlated with various mental problems, such as depression, among adolescents. However, very few studies have explored individual factors' protective effects on the relationship between parent-child attachment and depression among Chinese adolescents. The current study aimed to examine the mediating role of emotion regulation strategies and the moderating role of beliefs about adversity between parent-child attachment and depression. Data from a stratified random sample of 408 secondary school students were collected and a moderated mediation model was applied. The results indicate that parent-child attachment predicts depression among adolescents directly as well as through emotion regulation strategies (cognitive reappraisal and expressive suppression). Moreover, beliefs about adversity moderate the association between regulation strategies and depression. Specifically, contrary to adolescents with high beliefs about adversity, those with low beliefs about adversity are at a lower risk of depression when they regulate their emotions with cognitive reappraisal. Contrary to adolescents with high beliefs about adversity, adolescents with low beliefs about adversity are more likely to face depression when they use expressive suppression strategy. Based on the above findings, enhancing parent-child attachment, guiding adolescents to use positive emotion regulation strategy (cognitive reappraisal), or modestly cultivating adversity beliefs can decrease adolescents' depression.