Direct and Indirect Associations Between Family Violence and Filipino Adolescent Depressive Symptoms

ABSTRACT Objective The present study aimed to test positive parenting and neglect as mediators of the relation between witnessing family violence and depressive symptoms among Filipino adolescents. Method The ICAST‐Trial, Alabama Parenting Questionnaire, and Short Moods and Feelings Questionnaire were orally administered with 61 caregiver and adolescent pairs from low‐resource families at three timepoints. Missing data due to attrition was handled using multiple imputation. Direct and indirect associations (via positive parenting and neglect) between witnessing family violence and adolescent depressive symptoms were analyzed using path modeling. Results The adolescent‐report model revealed a direct, positive association between witnessing family violence and subsequent adolescent depressive symptoms, controlling for gender, age, and baseline levels of positive parenting, neglect, and depressive symptoms. Witnessing family violence was also positively associated with caregiver‐reported positive parenting. However, positive parenting and neglect do not mediate the relation between witnessing family violence and adolescent depressive symptoms. Conclusion This study highlights the significant risk that exposure to family violence poses to adolescent mental health. Implications Findings underscore the value of comprehensive policies and holistic interventions that protect individuals exposed to family violence, especially in the Philippine context where various social and structural factors contribute to its prevalence and social acceptance.