Family Conflicts, Coping Skills, Depressive Symptoms, and Gender Among Korean American Adolescents: Mediating Effects of Self-Esteem

Objective: This study examines the prevalence of depressive symptoms among Korean American (KA) adolescents and explores the complex relationships among family conflicts, coping skills, self-esteem, depressive symptoms, and gender in KA adolescents, including the mediating role of self-esteem and gender differences. Method: We used linear regression and structural equation modeling to analyze results of a cross-sectional survey of 339 KA adolescents (ages 12–18) living in New York and New Jersey and recruited primarily from religious organizations. Results: KA adolescents had a high prevalence of depressive symptoms. Self-esteem partially mediated the effects of interparental conflict and parent–adolescent conflict on depressive symptoms and fully mediated the effect of problem-focused disengagement coping on depressive symptoms for KA adolescents. There were statistically significant differences between KA male and female youths on the mean values for parent–adolescent conflict, self-esteem, and depressive symptoms, but there were no gender differences in the relationships among interparental and parent–adolescent conflicts, problem-focused disengagement coping, self-esteem, and depressive symptoms. Conclusions: Our findings expand knowledge about family conflict and depression among KA adolescents by examining protective and risk factors not sufficiently studied within this population.