Parent-adolescent communication, self-esteem, and suicidal ideation in Chinese adolescents: evidence from a four-wave longitudinal study

Abstract

Background Previous studies have linked parent–adolescent communication and self-esteem to adolescent suicidal ideation; however, less is known about how these relationships unfold over time, whether maternal and paternal communication play different roles, and whether these associations reflect stable between-person differences or within-person changes. Method Cross-lagged panel models (CLPM) and random-intercept cross-lagged panel models (RI-CLPM) were used to examine the longitudinal relationships among parent-adolescent communication, self-esteem, and suicidal ideation. A four-wave longitudinal survey with six-month intervals was conducted among 1,036 Chinese adolescents (47.4% female; Mage = 13.39 ± 0.54 years). Parent-adolescent communication, self-esteem, and suicidal ideation were assessed using validated self-report measures. Results The CLPM results indicated bidirectional associations between self-esteem and suicidal ideation and showed that both father–adolescent and mother–adolescent communication were associated with subsequent self-esteem and suicidal ideation across time. Self-esteem also accounted for part of the longitudinal associations between parent–adolescent communication and suicidal ideation. The RI-CLPM results further showed that, at the within-person level, only mother–adolescent communication predicted subsequent decreases in suicidal ideation, whereas father–adolescent communication showed no significant effects. Self-esteem consistently predicted subsequent suicidal ideation across time, whereas evidence supporting reverse effects was relatively limited. Conclusion This study advances understanding of the dynamic relationships among parent–adolescent communication, self-esteem, and suicidal ideation. The findings suggest that maternal and paternal communication may play different roles in adolescent mental health and highlight positive parent–adolescent communication and self-esteem as potential targets for adolescent suicide prevention.