Neighborhood Violence and Coparent Conflict: Interactive Influence on Child Psychosocial Adjustment

The interactive influence of neighborhood violence and coparent conflict on child psychosocial adjustment was examined in a sample of 117 low-income, inner-city African American families. Data were collected and analyzed cross-sectionally and longitudinally. Lower levels of coparent conflict buffered girls, but not boys, from the detrimental effects of living in neighborhoods characterized by high levels of violence. In both cross-sectional and longitudinal analyses, lower levels of coparent conflict, relative to higher levels, protected girls from depressive symptoms and aggressive behaviors in the context of higher levels of neighborhood violence. Clinical implications of the findings and directions for future research are discussed.