To analyse the influence path of family economic status on adolescent depressive symptoms, and to explore the chained mediation role of peer relationship and self-satisfaction, as well as the moderating effect of the parent-child relationship, so as to provide a theoretical basis for the prevention and control of adolescent depressive symptoms.

Data were obtained from the Database of Youth Health (DYH) in the National Population Health Science Data Center, and a total of 11 277 samples were included. Questionnaires were used to obtain information on family economic status, peer relationship, self-satisfaction, parent-child relationship and depressive symptoms. Spearman correlation analysis was used to examine correlations among variables. Hierarchical linear regression analysis was used to analyze effects of family economic status and parent-child relationship on depressive symptom scores. The Process macro program was adopted to test the chained mediating effects of peer relationship and self-satisfaction and the moderating effect of parent-child relationship.

The prevalence rate of depressive symptoms among adolescents was 24.2%. The prevalence rates of depressive symptoms significantly differed among adolescents with different family economic status and places of residence(χ²=210.12, 4.18, both P < 0.05). Adolescents with depressive symptoms had significantly lower scores on peer relationship, self-satisfaction, and parent-child relationship compared to those without depressive symptoms (t=27.76, 42.43, 31.12, all P < 0.05). Family economic status were negatively correlated with adolescent depressive symptom scores (B=-0.12, P < 0.05).Parent-child relationship was negatively correlated with depressive symptom scores (B=-0.02, P < 0.05). After introducing the parent-child relationship, the negative effect of family economic conditions was reduced (B=-0.08, P < 0.01). Family economic conditions affected depressive symptoms through the chained mediating pathway involving peer relationship (B=2.07) and self-satisfaction (B=3.88)(both P < 0.05). The parent-child relationship moderated this pathway: under conditions of high-quality parent-child relationship, the effect of family economic status on peer relationships was weaker (B=0.15); under low-quality parent-child relationship, the positive effect of family economic status on peer relationships was enhanced (B=1.15) (both P < 0.01).

Family economic status exert both direct and chain-mediating effects on adolescent depression, and high-quality parent-child relationship can play a protective moderation role. For economically disadvantaged families, it is critical to synergistically enhance parent-child relationship and social support in order to reduce depression risk among adolescents.