Citation

Jagers RJ, Sydnor K, Mouttapa M, Flay BR. Am. J. Community Psychol. 2007; 40(1-2): 138-145.

Affiliation

Prevention Science Research Center, Morgan State University, 2201 Argonne Drive, Montebello Complex, D-103, Baltimore, MD, 21251, USA.

Copyright

(Copyright © 2007, John Wiley and Sons)

DOI

10.1007/s10464-007-9121-4

PMID

17562160

PMCID

PMC2386245

Abstract

This study explores the influences of communal values, empathy, violence avoidance self-efficacy beliefs, and classmate's fighting on violent behaviors among urban African American preadolescent boys and girls. As part of a larger intervention study, 644 low-income 5th grade students from 12 schools completed a baseline assessment that included the target constructs. Boys reported more violent behaviors, and lower levels of empathy and violence avoidance self-efficacy beliefs than girls. Path analyses revealed that, after controlling for the positive contributions of classmate's fighting, violence avoidance self-efficacy beliefs were a negative predictor of violent behavior. Communal values had a direct negative relationship with violence for boys, but not girls. Both communal values and empathy were associated with less violent behavior through positive relationships with violence avoidance self-efficacy beliefs. For girls, classmate fighting had an indirect positive association with violent behavior through its negative relationship with violence avoidance self-efficacy beliefs. Findings are discussed in terms of implications of basic and applied research on violence among African American youth.

Language: en