Parent-adolescent intergenerational transmission of distress: the roles of family climate, adolescents’ self-compassion and mindfulness
BackgroundExisting research indicates that parental psychological distress correlates with adverse psychological outcomes in adolescents. Nevertheless, limited studies have delved into the mechanisms underpinning this relationship.ObjectivesThis study aimed to examine whether the link between parent...
Saved in:
| Main Authors: | , , , |
|---|---|
| Format: | Article |
| Language: | English |
| Published: |
Frontiers Media S.A.
2025-08-01
|
| Series: | Frontiers in Psychology |
| Subjects: | |
| Online Access: | https://www.frontiersin.org/articles/10.3389/fpsyg.2025.1595515/full |
| Tags: |
Add Tag
No Tags, Be the first to tag this record!
|
| _version_ | 1849404688249651200 |
|---|---|
| author | Shuying Zhou Chi Kin Kwan Yueyue Ai Ying Ma |
| author_facet | Shuying Zhou Chi Kin Kwan Yueyue Ai Ying Ma |
| author_sort | Shuying Zhou |
| collection | DOAJ |
| description | BackgroundExisting research indicates that parental psychological distress correlates with adverse psychological outcomes in adolescents. Nevertheless, limited studies have delved into the mechanisms underpinning this relationship.ObjectivesThis study aimed to examine whether the link between parental psychological distress and adolescent psychological distress is mediated by the family emotional climate, as well as adolescents’ mindfulness and self-compassion.MethodsThe study sample consisted of 348 parent-adolescent dyads. Adolescents (57.5% female) had a mean age of 14.21 years (SD = 1.74, age range: 12–18 years). Parents reported their psychological distress, while adolescents completed measures of family emotional climate, mindfulness, self-compassion, and psychological distress.ResultsThe results indicated that parents’ psychological distress was indirectly linked to adolescents’ psychological distress via the family emotional climate, adolescent mindfulness, and self-compassion. Furthermore, the path models were found to be invariant across different age stages and sexes of adolescents.ConclusionMindfulness and self-compassion appear to develop within a family emotional environment marked by care and harmony. These two personal resources, in conjunction with parents’ psychological distress, are associated with adolescents’ psychological distress. |
| format | Article |
| id | doaj-art-4ac76ce2fac64b5cb82d25fe4047c2e2 |
| institution | Kabale University |
| issn | 1664-1078 |
| language | English |
| publishDate | 2025-08-01 |
| publisher | Frontiers Media S.A. |
| record_format | Article |
| series | Frontiers in Psychology |
| spelling | doaj-art-4ac76ce2fac64b5cb82d25fe4047c2e22025-08-20T03:36:54ZengFrontiers Media S.A.Frontiers in Psychology1664-10782025-08-011610.3389/fpsyg.2025.15955151595515Parent-adolescent intergenerational transmission of distress: the roles of family climate, adolescents’ self-compassion and mindfulnessShuying Zhou0Chi Kin Kwan1Yueyue Ai2Ying Ma3Shaanxi Normal University, Xi’an, ChinaDepartment of Social and Behavioural Sciences, City University of Hong Kong, Hong Kong SAR, ChinaXi’an Jiaotong University Kindergarten, Xi’an, ChinaShaanxi Normal University, Xi’an, ChinaBackgroundExisting research indicates that parental psychological distress correlates with adverse psychological outcomes in adolescents. Nevertheless, limited studies have delved into the mechanisms underpinning this relationship.ObjectivesThis study aimed to examine whether the link between parental psychological distress and adolescent psychological distress is mediated by the family emotional climate, as well as adolescents’ mindfulness and self-compassion.MethodsThe study sample consisted of 348 parent-adolescent dyads. Adolescents (57.5% female) had a mean age of 14.21 years (SD = 1.74, age range: 12–18 years). Parents reported their psychological distress, while adolescents completed measures of family emotional climate, mindfulness, self-compassion, and psychological distress.ResultsThe results indicated that parents’ psychological distress was indirectly linked to adolescents’ psychological distress via the family emotional climate, adolescent mindfulness, and self-compassion. Furthermore, the path models were found to be invariant across different age stages and sexes of adolescents.ConclusionMindfulness and self-compassion appear to develop within a family emotional environment marked by care and harmony. These two personal resources, in conjunction with parents’ psychological distress, are associated with adolescents’ psychological distress.https://www.frontiersin.org/articles/10.3389/fpsyg.2025.1595515/fullpsychological distressfamily emotional climatemindfulnessself-compassionadolescence |
| spellingShingle | Shuying Zhou Chi Kin Kwan Yueyue Ai Ying Ma Parent-adolescent intergenerational transmission of distress: the roles of family climate, adolescents’ self-compassion and mindfulness Frontiers in Psychology psychological distress family emotional climate mindfulness self-compassion adolescence |
| title | Parent-adolescent intergenerational transmission of distress: the roles of family climate, adolescents’ self-compassion and mindfulness |
| title_full | Parent-adolescent intergenerational transmission of distress: the roles of family climate, adolescents’ self-compassion and mindfulness |
| title_fullStr | Parent-adolescent intergenerational transmission of distress: the roles of family climate, adolescents’ self-compassion and mindfulness |
| title_full_unstemmed | Parent-adolescent intergenerational transmission of distress: the roles of family climate, adolescents’ self-compassion and mindfulness |
| title_short | Parent-adolescent intergenerational transmission of distress: the roles of family climate, adolescents’ self-compassion and mindfulness |
| title_sort | parent adolescent intergenerational transmission of distress the roles of family climate adolescents self compassion and mindfulness |
| topic | psychological distress family emotional climate mindfulness self-compassion adolescence |
| url | https://www.frontiersin.org/articles/10.3389/fpsyg.2025.1595515/full |
| work_keys_str_mv | AT shuyingzhou parentadolescentintergenerationaltransmissionofdistresstherolesoffamilyclimateadolescentsselfcompassionandmindfulness AT chikinkwan parentadolescentintergenerationaltransmissionofdistresstherolesoffamilyclimateadolescentsselfcompassionandmindfulness AT yueyueai parentadolescentintergenerationaltransmissionofdistresstherolesoffamilyclimateadolescentsselfcompassionandmindfulness AT yingma parentadolescentintergenerationaltransmissionofdistresstherolesoffamilyclimateadolescentsselfcompassionandmindfulness |