Do Private Religious Practices Moderate the Relation Between Family Conflict and Preadolescents’ Depression and Anxiety Symptoms?

Abstract

We extended past research that focused on the relation between family conflict and preadolescents’ depressive and anxiety symptoms. In a sample of 160 11- to 12-year-olds, we examined whether private religious practices moderated the relations between family conflict and preadolescents’ depressive and anxiety symptoms. Although preadolescents’ depressive and anxiety symptoms were not significantly associated with their private religious practices, preadolescents’ private religious practices moderated the relations between: (a) both mother- and preadolescent-reported family conflict and preadolescents’ anxiety symptoms; and (b) both mother- and preadolescent-reported family conflict and preadolescents’ depression symptoms. The relation between family conflict and depression and anxiety symptoms was significantly stronger for preadolescents low, versus high, in their private religious practices. Preadolescents’ sex was not differentially related to these findings. Results highlight the role that private religious practices may play in moderating the relation between family conflict and preadolescents’ internalizing symptoms. Implications of these findings and directions for future research are discussed.