The Relationship Between Family Structure and Psychopathology Among Adolescents and Young Adults in Lagos, South-Western Nigeria

Aim: The aim of this study was to determine the relationship between interpersonal relationship in family structures and manifestations of symptoms of anxiety and depression in adolescent from different family structures.Methods: Two hundred and fortyseven students attending a Federal Technical College in Lagos were randomly selected to participate in this study. The participants were classified and divided into four different family structures such as single-parent family, two-parent family, polygamous and extended family structures. The participants completed a demographic form, Index of Family Relations (IFR), State Trait Anxiety Inventory (STAIY2) and Self-Rating Depression Scale (SDS).Results: There were 127 males and 120 females and their ages ranged from 17 to 22 years. The findings showed a significant relationship between family relationship and anxiety and depression (r =0.371, df 246, P< .05). The participants had certain degrees of anxiety but less of depres s i ve s ymptoms . The differences in family relations among the different family structures was were found not to be significant at F3,228=.650, P>.05.Conclusion: This study also demonstrated that there was a relat ionship between family structure, adolescent and young adult psychopathology particularly with regards to symptoms of anxiety but less of symptoms of depression.Key Words: Family structure, interpersonal relat ionship, anxiety, depression, adolescents, young adults, Nigeri