The purpose of this quantitative research study was to examine the potential moderating role of boundaries between adolescents (N = 46) and their parent(s) in the families of African American adolescents who have experienced trauma, and the effect it had on the adolescent's self-esteem, through the lens of Structural Family Therapy (SFT). The 2014 wave of data from the National Longitudinal Survey of Youth - Children and Young Adults was used to conduct the study. A comprehensive review of the literature was conducted examining the intersection of poverty, race, trauma, the individual and lifespan development of adolescents and their families and family systems theory. The direct effects of experiencing trauma upon the parent-adolescent relationship and the self-esteem of adolescents were examined using simple regression analysis. The moderating effect of the perception of boundaries in the parent-adolescent relationship was examined using a multiple regression analysis. The regression results were mostly statistically insignificant, except for the moderating effect of the parent-adolescent relationship. It was found that African American adolescents who reported being closer to their parents were protected from the expected results of experiencing trauma. Additional research should be conducted within the field of Marriage and Family Therapy with respect to the intersection of trauma, poverty, protective factors and African American adolescents and their families. [The dissertation citations contained here are published with the permission of ProQuest LLC. Further reproduction is prohibited without permission. Copies of dissertations may be obtained by Telephone (800) 1-800-521-0600. Web page: http://www.proquest.com.bibliotheek.ehb.be/en-US/products/dissertations/individuals.shtml.]