Adolescent perceptions of family chaos predict mental health challenges in early adulthood

A recent study published in Psychological Science has found that teenagers who perceive their homes as chaotic are more likely to experience mental health problems in adulthood. The research points out that teenagers who see their families as unstructured, disorganized or full of tension report more mental health and behavioral problems in adulthood.

The researchers aimed to explore the long-term impact of perceived family chaos on mental health. Previous studies have shown that chaotic home environments can negatively affect children’s social, emotional and educational development. However, it was unclear whether these effects extend into adulthood. Given that siblings may experience the same family differently, this study sought to understand how individual perceptions of chaos influence mental health outcomes later in life.

The study used data from the Early Twin Development Study, which included twins born between 1994 and 1996 in England and Wales. The researchers focused on twins to control for shared genetic and environmental factors within families. They analyzed the twins’ responses at ages 9, 12, 14, and 16 regarding their perceptions of family chaos, as well as parents’ reports of family chaos at ages 9, 12, and 14. The developmental outcomes of the twins were then assessed at age 23.

The sample included 4,732 same-sex twin pairs, as opposite-sex twins were excluded to avoid confounding results due to gender differences. Measures of family chaos included a six-item scale assessing the level of routine, noise, and general environmental confusion. At age 23, the twins reported on various outcomes, including educational attainment, employment status, income, substance use, mental health, and more.

The study found that teenagers who perceived their homes as more chaotic at age 16 had worse mental health outcomes at age 23. These outcomes included higher levels of depression, anxiety and antisocial behavior, as well as higher levels of low self-control. Importantly, these associations remained significant even after accounting for family socioeconomic status and parent-reported family chaos.

The researchers found that siblings can have significantly different perceptions of their home environment. One sibling may find the house just as noisy and wild as the other.

“You would think the siblings grew up in different households,” said study author Sophie von Stumm, a professor of psychology at York University. “So are their subjective perceptions.”

A two-difference design, which controls for shared family factors, revealed that the subjective experience of family chaos independently predicted adult mental health outcomes. Specifically, those who reported higher levels of family chaos indicated more significant mental health problems, suggesting a strong link between perceived chaos and later mental health.

The study also explored the impact of family chaos at different ages. While significant associations were found at ages 9, 12, and 14, the effects were strongest at age 16. This suggests that perceptions of family chaos during late adolescence are particularly influential on mental health in early adulthood.

“Siblings who perceived the home as more chaotic than their siblings reported poorer mental health outcomes in adulthood,” von Stumm said. “This association was evident from adolescence onwards, confirming theories that the onset of mental health problems is likely to be during the teenage years.”

Despite its strengths, the study has several limitations. Reliance on self-reported data for both family chaos and adult outcomes may introduce bias. Furthermore, while the double-difference design controls for common family factors, it cannot account for all unmeasured confounding variables. For example, underlying mental health issues can influence perceptions of family chaos.

Future research could explore whether interventions aimed at changing children’s perceptions of family chaos can improve long-term mental health outcomes. It would also be useful to examine the specific aspects of chaos, such as noise or lack of routine, that are most detrimental to mental health.

Von Stumm aims to investigate the specific age and underlying reasons for differences in sibling perceptions of family chaos.

“It is possible that children who experience more adverse events early in life than their siblings, such as suffering an injury or being expelled from school, develop a heightened sensitivity to family chaos that then has long-term effects on their mental health,” she said. . “Because many common negative early life events, such as parental conflict or separation, affect all children in a family, we do not yet know whether there are specific ones that may cause poor long-term mental health.”

The study, “Adolescent Perceptions of Family Chaos Predict Adult Mental Health: A Longitudinal Cohort Study with Two Differences,” was published on May 8, 2024.