Community Violence and Youth: Affect, Behavior, Substance Use, and Academics

Abstract

Community violence is recognized as a major public health problem (WHO, World Report on Violence and Health, 2002) that Americans increasingly understand has adverse implications beyond inner-cities. However, the majority of research on chronic community violence exposure focuses on ethnic minority, impoverished, and/or crime-ridden communities while treatment and prevention focuses on the perpetrators of the violence, not on the youth who are its direct or indirect victims. School-based treatment and preventive interventions are needed for children at elevated risk for exposure to community violence. In preparation, a longitudinal, community epidemiological study, The Multiple Opportunities to Reach Excellence (MORE) Project, is being fielded to address some of the methodological weaknesses presented in previous studies. This study was designed to better understand the impact of children's chronic exposure to community violence on their emotional, behavioral, substance use, and academic functioning with an overarching goal to identify malleable risk and protective factors which can be targeted in preventive and intervention programs. This paper describes the MORE Project, its conceptual underpinnings, goals, and methodology, as well as implications for treatment and preventive interventions and future research.

Violencia comunitaria en adolescentes desfavorecidos: exposición, impacto percibido y consecuencias psicológicas

“…2015, 24(1), 1-21 (Cooley-Strickland et al, 2009;Fowler et al, 2009) y la coincidencia con otras fuentes de estrés, como los problemas económicos (Mels, 2012;Salzinger et al, 2002).…”

“…En cuanto a esto, algunos estudios informan acerca de la mayor prevalencia de problemas psicológicos en mujeres frente a varones, a pesar de los diferentes niveles de exposición (Javdani, Abdul-Adil, Suarez, Nichols y Farmer, 2014). Por otro lado, algunos autores afirman que el impacto de la variable sexo varía en función de la edad y el contexto específico bajo investigación (Cooley-Strickland et al, 2009;Grant et al, 2005;Osypuk et al, 2012).…”

“…Evidencia empírica ha demostrado que la victimización en la adolescencia aumenta la probabilidad de conductas criminales y que esta relación se explica, parcialmente, por las alteraciones psicológicas generadas por la exposición a la violencia y las reacciones de afrontamiento asociadas a las mismas (Hartinger-Saunders et al, 2011). Estas conclusiones generan nuevas perspectivas en torno a las causas de la delincuencia adolescente y la prevención de su reproducción, y destacan la importancia del estudio de víctimas adolescentes de la violencia comunitaria (Cooley-Strickland et al, 2009). …”

Beyond Sustainability: A New Conceptual Model

“…Children residing in impoverished communities have less access to positive role models than their counterparts living in resource-rich environments and thus are at risk for negative physical and emotional health and poor school achievement (Brooks-Gunn & Duncan, 1997;Ozer & Weinstein, 2004). In addition, children living in poverty are at significantly greater risk to be victims or perpetrators of violence (Ahern, Galea, Hubbard, Midanik, & Syme, S. L., 2008;Cooley-Strickland, Quille, Griffin, Stuart, Bradshaw, & Furr-Holden, 2009). Children living in substandard housing had worse affective and cognitive functioning than did their counterparts living in adequate dwellings (Coley, Leventhal, Lynch, & Kull, M., 2013).…”

Alcohol environment, perceived safety, and exposure to alcohol, tobacco, and other drugs in early adolescence

“…The BSUS consists of 90 questions focused on youth's knowledge of ATOD, current and/or anticipated use of tobacco, alcohol, marijuana, crack cocaine, heroin, inhalants, and stimulants (Chilcoat, et al, 1995;Cooley-Strickland et al, 2009). Opportunity to use ATOD was a composite variable created using the following question stem: "Have you ever been offered ____?"…”