Citation

Elsaesser C, Kennedy TM, Tredinnick L. J. Community Psychol. 2019; ePub(ePub): ePub.

Affiliation

School of Social Work, University of Connecticut, Hartford, Connecticut.

Copyright

(Copyright © 2019, John Wiley and Sons)

DOI

10.1002/jcop.22275

PMID

31691315

Abstract

AIMS: This study examines whether the relational proximity to the victim or perpetrator of witnessed community violence is associated with youth symptoms.

METHODS: Data come from the Longitudinal Studies of Child Abuse and Neglect, a national high-risk sample. The sample included 12-year-old youth (N = 720) who had witnessed violence in their lifetimes. Ordinary least squares (OLS) regressions tested whether relationship proximity differentiated youth functioning (social competency, withdrawal, anxiety/depression, delinquency, and aggression), and whether gender moderated these effects.

RESULTS: Witnessing violence toward a parent was associated with greater withdrawal, delinquency, and aggression symptoms. Witnessing violence perpetrated by a stranger was associated with lower social competency, higher anxiety/depression, and higher delinquency. Two perpetrator associations differed by gender.

CONCLUSION: Findings suggest important differences in outcomes based on relational proximity to victims and perpetrators. The particularly widespread associations between witnessing violence against a parent and youth functioning underscore the importance of targeting interventions toward youth with parent victims.

© 2019 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.

Language: en

Keywords

adolescents; community violence; gender; longitudinal; violence exposure