THE ROLE OF FAMILY CONFLICT IN THE RELATION BETWEEN EXPOSURE TO COMMUNITY VIOLENCE AND DEPRESSIVE SYMPTOMS

The current study examined the role of family conflict as a mediator in the relation between exposure to community violence and depressive symptoms. Two hundred thirty-two early adolescents (aged 1116 years) completed a demographics questionnaire, the Survey of Exposure to Community Violence, the 9-item conflict subscale of the Family Environment Scale, and the Children's Depression Inventory. Family conflict was found to be a significant mediator of the relation between exposure to community violence via victimization and depressive symptoms. Clinical efforts should seek to prevent or reduce conflict in families of youth experiencing community violence victimization. Future research should continue to evaluate microsystem factors as mechanisms through which exposure to community violence affects the psychological well-being of youth.