Interparental Conflict Exposure and Self-Reported Depressive Symptoms and Religious Service Attendance in College Students

Conflict between parents is a common domestic experience, often witnessed by children in the home. Young adult children who were exposed to this conflict while in the home may be impacted negatively by these experiences to the point of experiencing depressive symptoms or reduced religious service attendance. Religious service attendance may be a helpful resource for those suffering from depressive symptoms related to parental conflict exposure. In two studies, the present research investigates relationships between three dimensions of interparental conflict – frequency, intensity, and resolution – depressive symptoms, and religious service attendance among college students. Study 1 (N = 963) found that as interparental conflict increased, symptoms of depressive symptoms increased, and religious service attendance decreased. Study 2 (N = 960) found that religious service attendance moderated the relationship between interparental conflict resolution and depressive symptoms, such that higher levels of religious service attendance weakened the relationship between poor conflict resolution and greater levels of depressive symptoms. Religious service attendance may serve as a buffer for depressed persons with a history of exposure to in-home parental conflict.