Family Incivility as a Predictor of Psychological Distress in Adults: A Cross-Sectional Study

Abstract

Background: Psychological distress is a pervasive global concern characterized by elevated levels of depression, anxiety, and stress. Although incivility has been extensively examined in organizational contexts, its manifestation within family environments and its direct relationship to psychological distress remains understudied.

Objective: This study investigated the relationship between family incivility and psychological distress (depression, anxiety, and stress) in adults, and examined the extent to which family incivility predicts psychological distress.

Method: A cross-sectional design was employed with a purposive sample of 500 adults (250 males, 250 females; age range 18–50 years) residing in Delhi NCR and Shimla, Himachal Pradesh. Participants completed the Family Incivility Scale (Lim & Tai, 2014; α = .90) and the Depression Anxiety Stress Scales–21 (DASS-21; Lovibond & Lovibond, 1995; α’s = .82–.93). Pearson’s correlation, simple linear regression, and analysis of variance were employed for data analysis.

Results: Family incivility demonstrated a significant, moderate-to-strong positive correlation with overall psychological distress. Regression analyses indicated that family incivility accounted for 34.8% of the variance in psychological distress (R² = .348), constituting a meaningful effect size within the psychological sciences.

Conclusion: Subtle, low-intensity acts of disrespect within families constitute a significant direct predictor of psychological distress in adults. The findings underscore the need for practitioners to assess family incivility in therapeutic contexts, and highlight the importance of culturally sensitive interventions in collectivistic societies.