Resilience Factors Mitigating the Effects of Recurrent Family Conflict on Health Outcomes: Findings from a Territory-Wide Family Survey in Hong Kong

Chronic exposure to multiple family conflicts has been linked to a range of adverse physical and psychological health conditions, including weakened physical health and increased risk for depression. This research sought to identify protective factors, including adaptive coping strategies, healthy family functioning, and strong social support, that promote resilience and contribute to health and well-being in the context of family conflict. Utilizing data from the Hong Kong Family Survey (N = 817), this study investigates resilience factors that mitigate the impact of family conflict on adverse health outcomes, including poor physical health and depressive symptoms, through the application of structural equation modeling. The results indicated that 18.36% of respondents reported experiencing singular conflict with one family member, while 11.63% reported multiple conflicts involving two or more family members. The results of the structural equation modeling revealed that coping strategies, including direct communication and help-seeking, function as protective factors in the association between family conflict and poor health conditions. Poor family functioning resulting from family conflict exacerbates adverse health outcomes, whereas healthy family functioning has the opposite effect, mitigating these negative consequences. A negative association was found between family conflict and social support, suggesting potentially low engagement with social support services among Hong Kong families. The findings underscore that a combination of family-focused prevention, practical coping skill development, accessible support services, and culturally sensitive interventions collectively contributes to improved health outcomes by mitigating the adverse effects of repeated family conflicts.