Disadvantaged neighborhoods are associated with increased risk for anxiety and depression in children and adolescents; however, the mechanisms accounting for this association are not fully understood. Using a longitudinal design, we investigated whether maternal affective behavior during parent-child interactions mediate the relationship between neighborhood disadvantage and symptoms of anxiety and depression in early- to mid-adolescence. A community sample of 245 adolescents and their parents participated in a baseline assessment (age 12-13; n = 121 male) that included an observational assessment of parent-adolescent interactions, and adolescent-report questionnaires assessing depressive and anxiety symptoms. Neighborhood disadvantage was assessed by combining Postal Area data with a measure of neighborhood disadvantage (Pink, 2006) developed by the Australian Bureau of Statistics. Adolescents were followed-up approximately 4 years later and again completed questionnaires assessing depressive and anxious symptoms. Mothers from disadvantaged neighborhoods were more likely to display aggressive and dysphoric behavior for longer periods, and positive behavior for shorter periods. Mediational analyses demonstrated that the duration of maternal aggression partially mediated the relationship between neighborhood disadvantage and depressive and anxious symptoms at follow-up. The findings of this study suggest that the neighborhood environment is likely to influence adolescents indirectly through its effects on maternal parenting behavior. Prevention and intervention programs targeting parenting in the families of adolescents from disadvantaged neighborhoods may be warranted to prevent the development of internalizing disorders.
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