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Prospective effects of violence exposure across multiple contexts on early adolescents' internalizing and externalizing problems.
J Child Psychol Psychiatry. 2010 Aug; 51(8):953-61.JC

Abstract

BACKGROUND

Violence exposure within each setting of community, school, or home has been linked with internalizing and externalizing problems. Although many children experience violence in multiple contexts, the effects of such cross-contextual exposure have not been studied. This study addresses this gap by examining independent and interactive effects of witnessing violence and victimization in the community, home, and school on subsequent internalizing and externalizing problems in early adolescence.

METHODS

A community sample of 603 boys and girls (78% African American, 20% Caucasian) participated in a longitudinal study of youth violence. During two assessments 16 months apart, adolescents reported on witnessing violence and victimization in the community, school, and home, and their internalizing and externalizing problems.

RESULTS

Multiple regressions tested the independent and interactive effects of witnessing violence or victimization across contexts on subsequent adjustment, after controlling for initial levels of internalizing and externalizing problems and demographic covariates. Witnessing violence at school predicted anxiety and depression; witnessing at home was related to anxiety and aggression; and witnessing community violence predicted delinquency. Victimization at home was related to subsequent anxiety, depression, and aggression; victimization at school predicted anxiety; and victimization in the community was not independently related to any outcomes. Finally, witnessing violence at home was associated with more anxiety, delinquency, and aggression only if adolescents reported no exposure to community violence.

CONCLUSIONS

Violence exposure at home and school had the strongest independent effects on internalizing and externalizing outcomes. Witnessing community violence attenuated the effects of witnessing home violence on anxiety and externalizing problems, perhaps due to desensitization or different norms or expectations regarding violence. However, no comparable attenuation effects were observed for victimization across contexts.

Authors+Show Affiliations

Department of Psychology, University of Alabama at Birmingham, Birmingham, AL 35294-1200, USA. smrug@uab.eduNo affiliation info available

Pub Type(s)

Journal Article
Research Support, N.I.H., Extramural
Research Support, U.S. Gov't, P.H.S.

Language

eng

PubMed ID

20331489

Citation

Mrug, Sylvie, and Michael Windle. "Prospective Effects of Violence Exposure Across Multiple Contexts On Early Adolescents' Internalizing and Externalizing Problems." Journal of Child Psychology and Psychiatry, and Allied Disciplines, vol. 51, no. 8, 2010, pp. 953-61.
Mrug S, Windle M. Prospective effects of violence exposure across multiple contexts on early adolescents' internalizing and externalizing problems. J Child Psychol Psychiatry. 2010;51(8):953-61.
Mrug, S., & Windle, M. (2010). Prospective effects of violence exposure across multiple contexts on early adolescents' internalizing and externalizing problems. Journal of Child Psychology and Psychiatry, and Allied Disciplines, 51(8), 953-61. https://doi.org/10.1111/j.1469-7610.2010.02222.x
Mrug S, Windle M. Prospective Effects of Violence Exposure Across Multiple Contexts On Early Adolescents' Internalizing and Externalizing Problems. J Child Psychol Psychiatry. 2010;51(8):953-61. PubMed PMID: 20331489.
* Article titles in AMA citation format should be in sentence-case
TY - JOUR T1 - Prospective effects of violence exposure across multiple contexts on early adolescents' internalizing and externalizing problems. AU - Mrug,Sylvie, AU - Windle,Michael, Y1 - 2010/03/10/ PY - 2010/3/25/entrez PY - 2010/3/25/pubmed PY - 2010/12/17/medline SP - 953 EP - 61 JF - Journal of child psychology and psychiatry, and allied disciplines JO - J Child Psychol Psychiatry VL - 51 IS - 8 N2 - BACKGROUND: Violence exposure within each setting of community, school, or home has been linked with internalizing and externalizing problems. Although many children experience violence in multiple contexts, the effects of such cross-contextual exposure have not been studied. This study addresses this gap by examining independent and interactive effects of witnessing violence and victimization in the community, home, and school on subsequent internalizing and externalizing problems in early adolescence. METHODS: A community sample of 603 boys and girls (78% African American, 20% Caucasian) participated in a longitudinal study of youth violence. During two assessments 16 months apart, adolescents reported on witnessing violence and victimization in the community, school, and home, and their internalizing and externalizing problems. RESULTS: Multiple regressions tested the independent and interactive effects of witnessing violence or victimization across contexts on subsequent adjustment, after controlling for initial levels of internalizing and externalizing problems and demographic covariates. Witnessing violence at school predicted anxiety and depression; witnessing at home was related to anxiety and aggression; and witnessing community violence predicted delinquency. Victimization at home was related to subsequent anxiety, depression, and aggression; victimization at school predicted anxiety; and victimization in the community was not independently related to any outcomes. Finally, witnessing violence at home was associated with more anxiety, delinquency, and aggression only if adolescents reported no exposure to community violence. CONCLUSIONS: Violence exposure at home and school had the strongest independent effects on internalizing and externalizing outcomes. Witnessing community violence attenuated the effects of witnessing home violence on anxiety and externalizing problems, perhaps due to desensitization or different norms or expectations regarding violence. However, no comparable attenuation effects were observed for victimization across contexts. SN - 1469-7610 UR - https://www.unboundmedicine.com/medline/citation/20331489/Prospective_effects_of_violence_exposure_across_multiple_contexts_on_early_adolescents'_internalizing_and_externalizing_problems_ L2 - https://doi.org/10.1111/j.1469-7610.2010.02222.x DB - PRIME DP - Unbound Medicine ER -