Coping is one protective factor that has been consistently linked with positive outcomes in individuals exposed to various stressors. Although much is known about this process in adults, little systematic research has addressed coping efforts in children and adolescents. In inner-city environments, children and adolescents are faced with multiple, chronic stressors, including exposure to violence. Youth growing up in such environments are at increased risks for a variety of emotional and behavioral difficulties. Research on childhood resilience suggests that a child's coping style is one factor that can mediate outcomes for urban youth The present study examined coping in an inner-city sample of adolescents and potential moderators of the stress-coping relationship, including perceptions of event controllability, parent social support and peer social support. No support was found for any of these variables as moderators of the relationship between violence and coping in this inner-city sample. Additional research is needed to determine the variables influencing this process in inner-city populations. However, this research is an important first step in understanding adolescent coping in inner-city communities and factors influencing this process
