Family function and emotional behavior problems in Chinese children and adolescents: A moderated mediation model

Studies have shown that family function is associated with emotional behavior problems. However, the underlying relationship mechanisms between family function and emotional behavior problems in children and adolescents is not fully understood. Therefore, the purpose of this study is to explore the mediating effect of resilience and the moderating effect of sleep quality using a moderated mediation model. 6363 children and adolescents in grades four to nine were surveyed in some areas of Anhui Province, China. Family function, resilience, sleep quality, and emotional behavior problems were measured through a self-administered questionnaire. All data analysis was by performed by SPSS 23.0. The results showed that family function was negatively associated with emotional behavior problems (r = −0.307, p < 0.01). Resilience partially mediated the relationship between family function and emotional behavior problems (indirect effect = −0.108, accounted for 38.4 %). Sleep quality moderated the relationship between family function and resilience (β = −0.039, P < 0.001). Resilience and sleep quality respectively played a mediating and moderating effect in the relationship between family function and emotional behavior problems. These findings suggest that we should pay attention to the family function of children and adolescents in time, improve their resilience and sleep quality, so as to effectively reduce the occurrence of emotional behavior problems.