The impact and mechanisms of parent–child relationship quality and its changes on adolescent depression: A four‐wave longitudinal study

Abstract Parent–child relationships play a crucial role in shaping adolescent depression. However, existing research has predominantly focused on isolated time points when examining the impact of parent–child relationship quality, overlooking the effect of parent–child relationship changes on depression. Using a four‐wave longitudinal study of 951 adolescents, the current study investigated the impact of parent–child relationship quality and its changes on adolescent depression, while also examining the moderating role of interpersonal sensitivity and potential gender differences in these moderation patterns. Herein, we report that higher parent–child relationship quality is associated with lower levels of adolescent depression, while parent–child relationship changes are linked to higher depression. Interpersonal sensitivity moderates the association between parent–child relationship quality, relationship changes, and depression, with the moderation varying by gender. Specifically, in males with high interpersonal sensitivity, parent–child relationships negatively predict depression, while relationship fluctuations positively predict depression. In females with high interpersonal sensitivity, a rapid decline in the quality of the parent–child relationship seems to be associated with an increase in depression. The present study highlights the impact and mechanisms of parent–child relationship quality and its effects on depression, and provides a reference for the intervention of depression based on parent–child relationship changes.