Introduction: Exposure to social violence in middle school adolescents can lead to emotional problems, but family support as a protective factor may moderate this relationship. The present study aimed to determine the moderating role of family support in the relationship between exposure to social violence and emotional problems among middle school students in Al-Diwaniyah. Method: The research method was descriptive-correlational. The statistical population consisted of all female lower secondary school students in Diwaniya during the 2025–2026 academic year. A multi-stage cluster sampling method was employed, resulting in 478 valid cases included in the final analysis. Data collection was performed using the Emotional Problems subscale from the Strengths and Difficulties Questionnaire (Goodman, 1997), the Social Experience Questionnaire (Schwartz & Procter, 2000), and the Multidimensional Scale of Perceived Social Support (Zimet et al., 1988). Data analysis was conducted using Pearson correlation coefficient and hierarchical regression modeling via SPSS-26. Findings: Results indicated a significant positive correlation between exposure to social violence and emotional problems (r=0.72, p<0.01). Furthermore, family support served as a significant moderator in the relationship between social violence exposure and emotional problems (F=7.33, p<0.01). Conclusion: Overall, the findings suggest that high levels of family support can help students mitigate the negative impact of social violence exposure on their emotional well-being.
samirkazem Z, Abbasi M, Ghadampour E. Investigating Exposure to Social Violence and its Relationship with Emotional Problems: The Moderating Role of Family Support. IJPN 2026; 14 (2) URL: http://ijpn.ir/article-1-2739-en.html