Author(s) :

Benjamin W. Lee, Nicole Rogers.

Volume/Issue :

Abstract :

Adolescent behavioral health is shaped by both family and neighborhood contexts. Families in disadvantaged neighborhoods may face challenges that affect their ability to cope and provide support, while also having limited access to important community resources. This study examined associations between neighborhood disorder and deprivation and adolescent behavioral problems, and whether family resilience helps explain these relationships. We analyzed data from the 2023 National Survey of Children’s Health (N=17,659 adolescents ages 12–17). Caregivers reported on adolescent behavioral problems, neighborhood disorder, neighborhood deprivation, and family resilience. Logistic and linear regression models examined associations among these variables, adjusting for age, sex, and race/ ethnicity. We also tested whether family resilience helped explain the relationship between neighborhood conditions and behavioral problems. The results showed that neighborhood disorder and deprivation were each associated with greater odds of adolescent behavioral problems (disorder OR=1.15, p=.02; deprivation OR=1.08, p=.03) and with lower family resilience (disorder b=-0.07; deprivation b=-0.03; both p<.001). Higher family resilience was associated with lower odds of behavioral problems (OR=0.56, p<.001). After accounting for family resilience, the associations between neighborhood conditions and behavioral problems were attenuated. These findings suggest that neighborhood disadvantages are associated with poorer adolescent behavioral health, and that these associations were partially attenuated after accounting for family resilience, highlighting the importance of supporting both family and community contexts to promote adolescent well-being.