Chinese adolescents' depression, anxiety, and family mutuality before and after COVID‐19 lockdowns: Longitudinal cross‐lagged relations

• Published date: 01 February 2023
• Author: Wei Shi,Guangzhe Frank Yuan,Brian J. Hall,Li Zhao,Peng Jia
• Date: 01 February 2023
• DOI: http://doi.org/10.1111/fare.12761

RESEARCH

Chinese adolescents’depression, anxiety, and family

mutuality before and after COVID-19 lockdowns:

Longitudinal cross-lagged relations

Wei Shi

1

|Guangzhe Frank Yuan

2

|Brian J. Hall

3

|Li Zhao

4

|

Peng Jia

1,5,6

1

Institute for Disaster Management and

Reconstruction (IDMR), Sichuan University,

Chengdu, Sichuan, China

2

South Carolina SmartState Center for

Healthcare Quality, Department of Health

Promotion, Education, and Behavior, Arnold

School of Public Health, University of South

Carolina, Columbia, SC

3

Center for Global Health Equity, NYU

Shanghai, China

4

Department of Health Policy and

Management, West China School of Public

Health and West China Fourth Hospital,

Sichuan University, Chengdu, Sichuan, China

5

School of Resource and Environmental

Sciences, Wuhan University, Wuhan, China

6

International Institute of Spatial Lifecourse

Health (ISLE), Wuhan University, Wuhan,

China

Correspondence

Peng Jia, School of Resource and

Environmental Sciences, Wuhan University,

129 Luoyu Road, Wuhan, 430000, China.

Email: jiapengff@hotmail.com

Li Zhao, Department of Health Policy and

Management, West China School of Public

Health and West China Fourth Hospital,

Sichuan University, 17 People’s South Road,

Chengdu, 610041, China.

Email: zhaoli@scu.edu.cn

Abstract

Objective: This study aimed to investigate the longitudinal

cross-lagged association between family mutuality, depres-

sion, and anxiety among Chinese adolescents before and

after the COVID-19 lockdown in 2020.

Background: Limited attention has been paid to the longi-

tudinal links between family mutuality, depression, and

anxiety in the context of the COVID-19 pandemic.

Method: We used self-administered questionnaires to col-

lect data from three high schools and two middle schools

in Chengdu City at two time points: Time 1 (T1),

December 23, 2019–January 13, 2020; Time 2 (T2), June

16–July 8, 2020. The sample consisted of 7,958 partici-

pants who completed two wave surveys before and after

the COVID-19 lockdown. We analyzed the data using

cross-lagged structural equation modeling.

Results: The longitudinal cross-lagged model showed family

mutuality at T1 significantly predicted depression, anxiety, and

family mutuality at T2. We observed a decreasing prevalence

of depression and anxiety after the COVID-19 lockdown.

Conclusion: Family mutuality plays an important role in

mitigating long-term mental health disorders, such as

depression and anxiety. More family-centered psychologi-

cal interventions could be developed to alleviate mental

health disorders during lockdowns.

Implications: Improving family mutuality (e.g., mutual sup-

port, interaction, and caring among family members) could

Author note: PJ, LZ, and their research assistants completed the study design, preparation, and data collection. WS and GFY completed

the literature research, data analysis, drafting of the manuscript, and submission of this manuscript. PJ, LZ, and BJH revised the

manuscript. All authors contributed equally to manuscript modification and approved the final manuscript. The authors have no

competing interests. We pay tribute to all frontline workers against COVID-19 who have protected countless lives. We are deeply

thankful to all the study participants, administrative staff, and data collection assistants.

Received: 4 December 2021Revised: 11 July 2022Accepted: 24 July 2022

DOI: 10.1111/fare.12761

© 2022 National Council on Family Relations.

Family Relations. 2023;72:77–91. wileyonlinelibrary.com/journal/fare 77