Network analysis of intergenerational transmission of psychopathological symptom among adolescents: A cross-sectional study

The intergenerational transmission of psychopathology has been well documented, but limited studies have examined the link at the symptomatic level accounting for these associations. This study aimed to identify the central symptoms that bridge adolescents and parental psychopathological symptoms and the specific symptom pathways by using a novel network approach. From September to October 2021, a cross-sectional study was conducted in Wuhan, China. A total of 8,032 adolescent-primary caregiver dyads completed a questionnaire reporting their depression and anxiety symptoms. Network analysis was used to identify central symptoms and the network pathways between adolescents' and parental psychopathological symptoms. Three robust networks were identified in this study: adolescent, parent, and integrated network. The nervous was the most central symptom in the adolescent network, while the parental fatigue was the most central symptom in both the parent and integrated network. Adolescents' suicidal ideation and parental fatigue had the most bridge strength that linked the adolescents' and caregivers' psychopathological symptoms. Parental and adolescents' suicidal ideation had the strongest association in the integrated network. Significant gender differences were found in the link between adolescents' and caregivers' psychopathological symptoms. Network analysis revealed the distinctive core psychopathological symptoms across each network and the specific pathways between adolescents' and caregivers' psychopathological symptoms. Family-based interventions or therapies targeting the resolution of central and bridge symptoms may have potential to reduce the co-occurrence of psychopathological symptoms within families. (PsycInfo Database Record (c) 2025 APA, all rights reserved).