Positive Family Environment, General Distress, Subjective Well-Being, and Academic Engagement among High School Students Before and During the COVID-19 Outbreak.

The COVID-19 pandemic has altered the family dynamics of most people worldwide as well as the mode in which students take classes. The impact of such changes on students' well-being, academic engagement, and general distress remains unknown. Therefore, this study aims to test the structural relations among positive family environment (a measure of Positive Home-Based Parent Involvement [HBI]), subjective well-being (SWB), general distress, and academic engagement, focusing on Mexican high school students. A longitudinal study was conducted covering two time points: before (T1) and during (T2) the COVID-19 outbreak. A sample of 502 students answered questionnaires in T1 whereas 111 did so in T2. Analyses were conducted using Mplus software. Principal results showed that the positive and significant association between positive family environment and SWB did not substantially change from T1 to T2, whereas the relation between positive family environment and academic engagement became stronger. Data revealed that a positive family environment can play an important role in promoting academic engagement among adolescent students despite the risks brought about by sanitary lockdowns and the increase of family interactions. Results are discussed highlighting the importance of positive family environments and HBI on academic outcomes for Mexican high school students.

Depresión adolescente: factores de riesgo y apoyo social como factor protector / Adolescent Depression: Risk Factors and Social Support as a Protective Factor

Resumen El objetivo del estudio fue evaluar, en un modelo de ecuaciones estructurales, la relación de las características negativas del vecindario y del contexto escolar, amigos de riesgo, problemas de autorregulación y sucesos de vida con la depresión en adolescentes, así como el posible papel protector del apoyo social. Previo consentimiento informado, se conformó una muestra de 113 adolescentes pertenecientes a un sector vulnerable de una ciudad del noroeste de México. Los participantes respondieron un conjunto de escalas tipo Likert validadas previamente en la región, que midieron cada una de las variables del estudio. Los resultados del modelo estructural muestran que las características negativas del contexto, los amigos y los sucesos de vida constituyen factores de riesgo para la depresión, los cuales son mitigados moderadamente por el apoyo social. Se sugiere la elaboración de programas de promoción del apoyo social en adolescentes vulnerables.

Abstract The aim of this study was to evaluate a structural equation model, the relation of negative aspects in the neighborhood, school, high-risk peers, self-regulation problems and life events with adolescent depression, as well as the protective role of social support. The subjects were 113 consenting adolescents from a vulnerable sector in a city northwest of Mexico. To measure the study's variables participants responded to a set of Likert scales which had been validated in the region. Results from the structural equation model indicate that negative aspects in the environment, friends and life events constitute risk factors for depression, which are moderately mitigated by social support. The development of programs which promote social support in vulnerable adolescents is suggested.