Citation

Heinze JE, Stoddard SA, Aiyer SM, Eisman AB, Zimmerman MA. J. Appl. Dev. Psychol. 2017; 49: 31-38.

Copyright

(Copyright © 2017, Elsevier Publishing)

DOI

10.1016/j.appdev.2017.01.005

PMID

unavailable

Abstract

Early exposure to violence during adolescence is related to negative psycho-social outcomes later in life. In the present study, we examined the influence of cumulative exposure to violence during adolescence and trajectories of perceived stress in emerging adulthood in a sample of at-risk urban youth (N = 850; 80.1% African American; 50% female). Growth curve modeling indicated an overall decrease in reported stress as individuals aged. Baseline levels of violence exposure (Mage = 14.9) were associated with higher perceived stress levels in emerging adulthood (Mage = 20.1), but also slightly more negative perceived stress slopes from adolescence into emerging adulthood (Mage = 15.9-22.1). Individuals reporting increased violence exposure over time during adolescence also reported higher perceived stress levels in emerging adulthood (Mage = 20.1). Associations held after controlling for demographics and baseline functioning variables. The results suggest that violence exposure may disrupt normative adaptation to daily stressors in emerging adulthood.

Language: en