Racial/Ethnic Variations in the Intergenerational Transmission of Adolescent Depression

Depression tends to be experienced across generations and among racial/ethnic groups through various pathways. However, little is known about racial/ethnic variations in the transmission of adolescent depression among different racial/ethnic groups. This study aims to investigate the intergenerational transmission of adolescent depression across three generations among White, Black, and Hispanic groups. Data were drawn from the Future of Families and Child Wellbeing Study. This study used a nationally representative sample of 2,604 individuals. A multi-group serial mediation analysis was conducted using structural equation modeling. As hypothesized, adolescent depression was transmitted across three generations, from the maternal side. Furthermore, the intergenerational transmission of depression was identified as a sequential transfer from one generation to the next, as opposed to exhibiting a generation-skipping effect. However, no statistically significant racial/ethnic variation was found in the pathways of intergenerational transmission of adolescent depression. In conclusion, depression is a mental disorder that can be transmitted from one generation to the next, and its transmission pathway is shared and similar across White, Black, and Hispanic groups. Regardless of racial/ethnic group, the intergenerational transmission process of depression can be halted with the implementation of appropriate interventions and treatment.