This study investigated the relation between parent–adolescent conflict and adolescents’ depressive symptoms from a dynamic systems framework. Two aspects of conflict were examined: the intensity of conflict and the predictability of dyadic conflict (i.e., the extent to which parents and adolescents follow a predictable pattern in their conflict behaviors) during parent–adolescent interactions. Using a clinical sample of 26 adolescents with depression diagnoses and their parents, we conducted a state space grid analysis to capture the predictability of changes in observer-coded dyadic conflict during a conflict negotiation task. The intensity of conflict was measured using the total observed conflict score and adolescents’ and parents’ self-reports on their conflict behaviors post-discussion. A regression analysis was conducted to examine the moderation effect of the predictability of dyadic conflict on the relationship between the intensity of conflict and adolescents’ depressive symptoms. Results showed that the moderation effect was significant, such that adolescents’ and parents’ conflict behaviors were positively associated with depressive symptoms when parent–adolescent conflict dynamics were more organized and predictable. Findings suggest the importance of understanding the dynamic and dyadic patterns of parent–adolescent interaction when examining the relationship between family processes and adolescent depression.

本研究从动态系统框架调查了亲子冲突与青少年抑郁症状之间的关系。研究了冲突的两个方面：在父母与青少年的互动中，冲突的强度和二元冲突的可预测性（即父母和青少年在其冲突行为中遵循可预测模式的程度）。使用 26 名患有抑郁症的青少年及其父母的临床样本，我们进行了状态空间网格分析，以捕捉冲突谈判任务期间观察者编码的二元冲突变化的可预测性。使用观察到的总冲突得分以及青少年和父母对讨论后冲突行为的自我报告来衡量冲突的强度。进行回归分析以检验二元冲突的可预测性对冲突强度与青少年抑郁症状之间关系的调节作用。结果表明，调节效应显着，即当父母-青少年冲突动态更有组织和可预测时，青少年和父母的冲突行为与抑郁症状呈正相关。研究结果表明，在研究家庭过程与青少年抑郁症之间的关系时，了解父母与青少年互动的动态和二元模式的重要性。因此，当父母-青少年的冲突动态更有条理和可预测时，青少年和父母的冲突行为与抑郁症状呈正相关。研究结果表明，在研究家庭过程与青少年抑郁症之间的关系时，了解父母与青少年互动的动态和二元模式的重要性。因此，当父母-青少年的冲突动态更有条理和可预测时，青少年和父母的冲突行为与抑郁症状呈正相关。研究结果表明，在研究家庭过程与青少年抑郁症之间的关系时，了解父母与青少年互动的动态和二元模式的重要性。