ABSTRACT
Objective
This study examined whether adolescent depression mediated the link between parent–adolescent relationship quality and communication during adolescence and adult marijuana use.
Background
Adolescent depression and adult marijuana use are serious problems that may have early roots in poor adolescent–parent relationships and communication. However, less is known about whether adolescent depression explains the long-term association between parent–adolescent relationship quality and communication and later adult substance use.
Method
Data were drawn from 6504 participants in the National Longitudinal Study of Adolescent to Adult Health (Add Health). Longitudinal path analysis was used to examine associations among parent–adolescent relationship quality and communication at Wave 1, adolescent depression at Wave 2, and adult marijuana use at Wave 5. Indirect effects were evaluated using bootstrapped confidence intervals.
Results
Higher parent–adolescent relationship quality was associated with fewer adolescent depressive symptoms, whereas more frequent parent–adolescent communication was associated with greater adolescent depressive symptoms. Greater adolescent depressive symptoms were subsequently associated with higher marijuana use 20+ years later. Furthermore, depressive symptoms fully mediated the associations between parent–adolescent relationship quality and adult marijuana use, as well as between parent–adolescent communication and adult marijuana use.
Conclusion
Adolescent depression may be a crucial mental health issue linking early parent–adolescent relationship quality to adult marijuana use.
Implications
Findings highlight adolescent depression as a potential target for family-based efforts to prevent later substance use.