The Relationships of Family Socioeconomic Status, Parent–Adolescent Conflict, and Filial Piety to Adolescents’ Family Functioning in Mainland China

This study used structural equation modeling to examine the relationships of family socioeconomic status (SES), parent–adolescent conflict, and filial piety to family functioning among middle school and high school students in mainland China. A total of 2,341 students (1,218 girls and 1,096 boys; mean age = 15.42) completed the Chinese Family Assessment Instrument, Family Status Survey, Parent–adolescent Conflict Scale, and Filial Piety Scale. The main results showed that: (a) family SES, parent–adolescent conflict, and filial piety were significantly linked to family functioning; (b) parent–adolescent conflict and filial piety contributed more to family functioning than family SES; (c) parent–adolescent conflict mediated the relationship between reciprocal filial piety and family functioning. The results promote understanding of family processes that influence the relationships between family SES, parent–adolescent conflict, filial piety, and family functioning among middle school and high school adolescents in mainland China.