Interparental conflict and adolescent depressed mood: The role of family functioning

Family functioning was investigated as a mediator between interparental con flict and adolescent depressed mood among adolescents living in two-parent and divorced families. Data were collected three times, with one year inter vals. At the initial interview, adolescents were, on the average, 15.5 year s old. Two types of interparental conflict were assessed: interparental con flict involving arguments about the adolescent, and arguments focused on th e parents' behaviors. The results confirmed that family functioning mediate d the effects of parent issue/interparental conflict, but not adolescent is sue/interparental conflict. This was most evident for girls than boys. Impl ications of the findings for research and practice are discussed.