Longitudinal impacts of family conflict and school environment on youth mental health: An ABCD study

Background: Adolescence is a critical period for social and emotional development during which these dynamics start to shift, placing them at an increased risk for poor mental health outcomes. Bioecological theory posits that various levels of one’s environment, including family and school, can impact youth development and mental health outcomes. Therefore, the current study aimed to explore the longitudinal relationships between family and school environment and youth mental health. Methods: The study used data collected as part of the longitudinal and multisite Adolescent Brain and Cognitive Development Study (ABCD® Study). Baseline sample included 11,868 youth aged 9-10. The study used data from follow up year 1-year 3, as these time points had data for all variables. We examined family conflict, school environment, and youth and caregiver reports of youth internalizing and externalizing symptoms in a three-wave random intercept cross-lagged panel model. Results: Results indicated that family conflict impacted youth externalizing symptoms from follow-up year 2 to year 3. Youth internalizing and externalizing symptoms impacted family conflict from follow-up year 1 to year 2 and from follow-up year 2 to year 3. Moreover, school environment impacted youth internalizing and externalizing symptoms from follow-up year 1 to year 2. Youth externalizing symptoms impacted the school environment from follow-up year 1 to year 2 and from follow-up year 2 to year 3, while youth internalizing symptoms impacted the school environment from follow-up year 2 to year 3. Conclusions: Results support bidirectional relationships between family and school environments and youth mental health during varying developmental periods. Early detection of internalizing and externalizing symptoms is important for interrupting mutually reinforcing cycles of symptom escalation and environmental strain.