Longitudinal Associations Between Emotional Abuse, Family Functioning, and Depressive Symptoms in Adolescence

Adolescence is a critical period for mental health, during which family dynamics and emotional experiences shape psychological well-being. Emotional abuse (EA) is associated with depressive symptoms (DS), yet its longitudinal processes remain unclear. This study examined longitudinal associations among EA, family functioning (FF), and DS in adolescents. A sample of 1887 Italian adolescents (Mage = 15.44, SD = 1.09) was recruited. Data were collected at baseline (T1), 6 months later (T2), and 12 months later (T3) to assess changes over time. Structural equation modeling was used to analyze bidirectional relationships and mediation effects. Results showed that emotional abuse at T1 and T2 was associated with poorer family functioning and higher depressive symptoms at later waves, whereas family functioning at T1 and T2 was associated with later depressive symptoms. No longitudinal effects were observed from family functioning to emotional abuse or from depressive symptoms to the other variables. Exploratory mediation analyses suggested indirect associations of T1 emotional abuse and family functioning with T3 depressive symptoms through T2 measures. These findings highlight a possible role of FF in the link between EA and DS, underscoring how dysfunctional family dynamics are related to higher levels of mental health challenges. These findings suggest that family relationships and communication may represent potentially relevant targets for future prevention and intervention research in adolescent mental health.