Buffering the effects of violence: communication and problem‐solving skills as protective factors for adolescents exposed to violence

Abstract

Although many adolescents exposed to violence evidence negative outcomes, some report few deleterious effects, indicating the presence of moderating variables. This study examined the moderating role of family communication and problem solving on positive and negative outcomes in adolescents exposed to school and neighborhood violence. Participants were 90 adolescents and their parents, who completed measures of violence exposure, psychological and behavioral functioning, and communication and problem-solving skills. Results indicated that after controlling for demographic variables and violence exposure in the home, communication and problem-solving skills moderated the association between school and neighborhood violence exposure and psychological distress. There was no moderation of the violence exposure-positive outcome association. The findings suggest that family communication and problem-solving skills might serve a protective function for adolescents, thereby decreasing Correspondence to:

The Effect of Social Problem Solving Skills in the Relationship between Traumatic Stress and Moral Disengagement among Inner-City African American High School Students

“…However, African American youth are exposed to greater amounts of violence than other ethnic groups (McMahon et al, 2013; Sharkey, 2010), and have higher victimization rates than White youth (Overstreet & Mathews, 2011). In addition, similar studies which recruited students from high-crime schools and neighborhoods unfortunately also had significantly higher percentages of African American youth in their samples (LeBlanc et al, 2011; McMahon et al, 2009). Thus, the current study does, at least in part, expand our understanding of the influence of trauma on this population and potentially to African American youth in schools struggling with severe violence.…”

“…In addition, several researchers have proposed that cognitive factors, such as moral disengagement, play a central role in the relationship between trauma exposure and aggressive behavior among inner-city African American youth (McMahon, Felix, Halpert, & Petropoulos, 2009). Exposure to trauma could lead to the development of a pathological adaptation to violence (Ng-Mak et al, 2002; Ng-Mak, Salzinger, Feldman & Stueve, 2004) and to deceased self-efficacy to handle social problems in an effective, non-aggressive manner (LeBlanc, Self-Brown, Shepard, & Kelly, 2011; McMahon, Todd, Martinez, Coker, Sheu, Washburn, & Shah, 2013) .…”

“…LeBlanc and colleagues (2011) examined the impact of problem-solving skills on psychological distress among inner-city African American youth exposed to community and school violence. As predicted, problem-solving moderated the negative impact of community and school violence when controlling for violence exposure within the home and other potentially confounding demographic variables.…”

It's in My Hood: Understanding African American Boys’ Perception of Safety in Their Neighborhoods

“…Parents are likely to convey their attitudes about violence during conversations with their children, thus shaping youths’ perception of neighborhood safety. For example, parents’ communication with their children about violence may moderate the relationship between psychological distress and violence exposure at the school or neighborhood level (LeBlanc, Self‐Brown, & Kelley, ). This kind of supportive parenting validates youths’ experiences and may interact with neighborhood collective efficacy to become protective.…”

Do universal social and emotional learning programs for secondary school students enhance the competencies they address? A systematic review

“…The enhancement of self‐management in youth not only contributes to academic achievement (McClelland, Pitt, & Stein, ) and positive behavior but also protects against psychosocial health problems (Eisenberg, Spinrad, & Eggum, ) and aggression (Moffitt et al, ; Pokhrel et al, ). Relationship skills protect adolescents effectively against violence, psychological stress, and substance use (Bierman et al, ; Faggiano et al, ; LeBlanc, Self‐Brown, Shepard, & Kelley, ). Similarly, responsible decision‐making is supposed to protect adolescents against engaging in substance use and sexual risk behavior (Tibbits, Smith, Caldwell, & Flisher, ).…”