Historically, African American adolescents have experienced higher rates of victimization and disenfranchisement compared to other subgroups in contemporary American society. Several theories exist that attempt to explicate factors that differentiated youth with positive adaptations from those with negative adaptations. Using a sample of African American youth living in urban public housing (N = 238), we contribute to this body of research by assessing whether or not adultification and community cohesion buffer the effects of exposure to deviant peers and neighborhood hazard on depressive symptoms. Results suggest that adultification and perceived community cohesion moderate the effects of delinquent peers and neighborhood risk on depressive symptoms in this vulnerable population of urban youth. Implications for policy, social work practice, and future inquiry are discussed.

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