From Family Violence Exposure to Violent Offending: Examining Effects of Race and Mental Health in a Moderated Mediation Model Among Confined Male Juveniles

Abstract

Depression, substance use, and impulsivity have been linked to family violence exposure and to the development of violent offending during adolescence. Additionally, the indirect effects associated with these factors may not generalize across different racial/ethnic adolescent populations. The present study tested whether race/ethnicity moderated the mediated relationship between family violence exposure and violent offending, with depression, substance use, and impulsivity as mediators. A sample of 1,359 male adolescents was obtained from a juvenile correctional program. Between-racial/ethnic group comparisons were generally consistent with previous findings. The overall moderated mediation model was significant in predicting violence for both racial/ethnic groups. Different factors influenced violent offending among African Americans and European Americans in the tested model. Furthermore, race/ethnicity moderated the relationship between family violence exposure and impulsivity and substance use. Implications and future directions resolving issues are discussed concerning whether race/ethnicity should be included as a moderator in models of violence.

Trajectories of Exposure to Psychological Domestic Abuse and the Relevance of Differential Development for Predicting Violent Offending in Adulthood

“…It is unsurprising that having a partner who consistently insults and belittles you may increase your risk for developing mental health issues, like depression and anxiety. While it is well established that exposure to physical violence is a risk factor for violent offending (Baskin-Sommers & Baskin, 2016;Fix et al, 2018;Nofziger & Kurtz, 2005), somewhat less attention has been paid to psychological abuse as a potential risk factor predicting violent offending risk. This specific form of abuse within intimate partner relationships may be of great importance.…”

Investigating Sex-Related Moderation Effects and Mediation Effects of Self-Control on Delinquency Among Portuguese Youth

“…Pearson correlations were used to analyze associations between the variables, being considered low if below .20, moderate if between .20 and .50, and high if above .50 (Ferguson, 2009). Cronbach's alpha was used to estimate the reliability of the measures (Field, 2013).…”

“…In terms of mediation, self-control is such a formidable empirical construct that it potentially mediates the associations between other criminological risk factors and involvement in crime (Alvarez-Rivera, 2016; Fix et al, 2018; Janssen et al, 2016; Li et al, 2013; Schwartz et al, 2017; Xie et al, 2020). Prior research has shown that self-control mediates the association between psychopathy and various forms of serious delinquency and violence.…”

Evidencing the Need to Screen for Social Determinants of Health Among Boys Entering a Juvenile Prison: A Latent Profile Analysis

“…A better understanding would provide administrators, healthcare professionals, and researchers with valuable information for public health planning among this extremely vulnerable adolescent population. More specifically, perhaps the most relevant social determinants for young people involved in the juvenile legal system include violence exposure across systems including school, home, and neighborhood contexts, and social support through family and peer attachment (Fix et al, 2017; Fix & Burkhart, 2015; Yoder et al, 2018). The presence of negative or noxious stimuli – especially direct and indirect victimization in homes, schools, and communities may uniquely contribute to delinquent behavior among young people (see Baek et al, 2018; Eitle & Eitle, 2016; Lin & Yi, 2013; Lopez et al, 2018).…”

“…Childhood and adolescent exposure to violence in the home is associated with greater likelihood of aggression during adolescence (Bordin et al, 2022; Fagan, 2020). Additionally, in one study of imprisoned young people, research has demonstrated a significant association between family violence exposure and depression and substance use, which in turn contribute to fighting while incarcerated (Fix et al, 2017). The association between family violence exposure and substance use was more pronounced for White boys compared with Black boys.…”