The Impact of Family Strength on Depression: The Mediating Effect of Self-Esteem

This study examined differences in family strength, self-esteem, and depression by sociodemographic characteristics and investigated the relative influence of family strength and selfesteem on depression, as well as the mediating effect of self-esteem in the relationship between family strength and depression.An online survey was conducted via a university portal system among 496 adult men and women enrolled in a cyber university from March 2 to April 12, 2026, and the collected data were analyzed using SPSS 29.0.First, the male group showed higher family strength and self-esteem than the female group, and high economic status group showed higher family strength and self-esteem than the low economic status group.Conversely, depression was higher in the female group than in the male group, and higher in the low economic status group than in the average and high economic status groups.Second, higher family strength and self-esteem were significantly associated with lower depression.Third, the indirect effect of family strength on depression through self-esteem was statistically significant, confirming the mediating role of self-esteem in this relationship.These findings support the need for practical interventions that integrate family strength and self-esteem enhancement programs to prevent and alleviate depression, and may provide foundational data for developing related social welfare policies.