The association between family cohesion and depression: A systematic review and meta-analysis

Many studies have analyzed the association between family cohesion and depression, but there are different views and the results are inconsistent. It is necessary to use meta-analysis to explore the association between family cohesion and depression and its influencing factors.

Chinese database (China National Knowledge Infrastructure) and English databases (ERIC, MEDLINE, Web of Science Core Collection, Elsevier SD, PsycINFO, PsycArticles, and ProQuest dissertations and theses) were searched for articles published by November 2023. Measurements of family cohesion and depression, study design, age, gender, cultural background, and sampling year were analyzed as moderators. Meta-analysis was performed using the random effects model in CMA3.0 software.

A total of 71 studies (90,023 participants) were included in this study. The meta-analysis revealed a significant negative correlation between family cohesion and depression (r = -0.31, 95 % CI [-0.35, -0.27]). The association was moderated by measurements of family cohesion and depression, design type, and cultural background, but not by age, gender, or sampling year.

The sample size included in this study is relatively small in European and African cultures, making it challenging to analyze cultural differences in the study results at present comprehensively.

The findings contribute to the ongoing debate between Social Support Theory and The Circumplex Model, showing that individuals with lower family cohesion tend to experience higher levels of depression.