어머니의 정서표현 양가성과 모-자녀 간 의사소통이 남녀 청소년의 우울에 미치는 영향

This study explored the effects of maternal ambivalence over emotional expressiveness (AEE) and mother-adolescent communication on adolescent depression (depressed affect, positive affect, somatic symptoms and activity inhibition, interpersonal difficulties). Data were taken from 233 middle school students (128 boys, 105 girls) and their mothers. Regression analyses showed varying gender differences in the relationships among these variables. Boys with high maternal AEE had lower positive affect, and higher depressive affect, somatic symptoms and activity inhibition, and interpersonal difficulties, whereas girls' moods were not influenced by maternal AEE. In addition, boys with problems in mother-dolescent communication exhibited lower positive affect, higher depressed affect and interpersonal difficulties, but open communication was not related to any depressive symptoms. The mother-adolescent communication type did not appear to be associated with depression in girls either. Both boys and girls both had less open communication and more problem communication with mothers experiencing high AEE. Problem communication with mothers partially mediated the relationship between maternal AEE and interpersonal difficulties in boys only. Examination of maternal ambivalence over emotional expressiveness provides a deeper context for our understanding of negative family communication patterns and the psychological consequences, especially in mother-adolescent boy dyads.