The Effects of Maternal Emotional Wellbeing on Mother-Adolescent Communication and Youth Emotional Wellbeing

Communication among children and their parents is consequential for children's development and adjustment. These concerns are particularly relevant for mothers in low-income households, who are more likely to experience depressive symptoms and low self-efficacy than mothers in other socioeconomic groups, with these problems often negatively impacting the emotional wellbeing of children in the household. This study examined associations among maternal emotional wellbeing, parent-adolescent communication, and adolescents' emotional wellbeing in a sample of 93 low-income mothers and adolescents. The results indicated that high reports of maternal self-efficacy were significantly related to perceptions of open and satisfying mother-adolescent communication. In addition, the results showed that open and satisfying mother-adolescent communication was significantly associated with high levels of youth self-efficacy, as well as lower reports of youth depressive symptoms. Practical implications for communication research and interventions targeting families and youth wellbeing are discussed.