Youth adversity and adolescent mental health: the role of parental and peer support at the intersection of gender, socio-economic status, and ethnicity

Background: Disadvantaged and minoritized young people experience the highest rates of youth adversity and mental health problems. The detrimental effects of youth adversity on mental health are often buffered by social support, but whether this depends on the intersection of multiple characteristics is unknown. Methods: Analysis of cross-sectional self-reported data for 5,662 11-13-year-olds from the Determinants of Adolescent Social well-being and Health [DASH] study. Indirect effects of youth adversity on depression/anxiety via parental and peer support were estimated in a structural equation model, for 16 intersectionality profiles (based on gender, socio-economic status [SES], and ethnicity). Moderation attributable to these characteristics and their intersections was estimated. Results: Youth adversity had a detrimental impact on depression/anxiety across all intersectionality profiles (b=0.08-0.36, p=0.02). Parental and peer support did not mediate the effect of youth adversity on depression/anxiety broadly across profiles. However, a weak indirect effect of parental nurturing was observed for the Lower SES South Asian Female profile (θ=0.12 [<0.01, 0.26]). Conclusions: The harmful effects of youth adversity on adolescent mental health pervade across different societal intersections. Future research should refine the methods needed to investigate the mechanisms including structural conditions through which youth adversity operates, to inform the design of effective interventions.