혼밥과 부모와의 식사시간이 미국 청소년의 문제행동과 우울감에 미치는 영향

Mealtimes with Parents vs. Mealtime Alone: Consequences for the U.S. Adolescents’ Behavior Problems and Depression

The purpose of this study is to examine whether the amount of time spent having meals with parents and the amount of time having meals alone is associated with adolescents’ behavior problems and depressive symptoms. This study used data on the U.S. adolescents(aged 11-17) from the 2014–Child Development Supplement (CDS) and time diaries of the Panel Study of Income Dynamics (PSID). Adolescents’ externalizing and internalizing behavior problems and depressive symptoms were regressed on hours of mealtimes with parents and mealtimes alone, controlling for adolescents’ sociodemographic characteristics. The U.S. adolescents on average spent almost 3.6 hours per week having meals with parents, and 2.4 hours having meals alone at home. Increased time spent with parents during mealtimes was associated with decreases in female adolescents’ externalizing behavior problems and depressive symptoms. Meanwhile, increased time having meals alone was associated with an increase in male adolescents’ depressive symptoms. More time spent with parents during mealtimes plays a protective role for females in the form of parental surveillance, support, and monitoring practices. Unsupervised mealtime opens up more opportunities for male adolescents to experience emotional stress.