Perceived parent–child communication and well-being among Ethiopian adolescents

Abstract

This study examines the relationship between perceived parent–child communication and four children well-being measures (depression, self-esteem, substance use and school adjustment). The participants consisted of 809 adolescents, mostly male (52.9%), and had a mean age of 16.8 years (SD = 1.58). The children completed a battery of instruments that measured perceived communication, depression symptoms, school adjustment problems, substance use and self-esteem. Correlations, regression and t-tests were used to address the objectives of the study. We found that female participants perceived the nature of communication with both parents as more open than boys did. We also found significant associations between children’s perception of communication with both parents and their subjective well-being. Findings of this study point to the importance of open parent–child communication to adolescents’ well-being.