Making meaning of community violence among adolescents: Associations between exposure, pro‐violence attitudes and psychological symptoms

Abstract

This study examined one type of adolescent meaning making (i.e., the development of beliefs about violence) and its association with reported mental health symptoms in a sample of youth exposed to community violence. Eighty‐seven adolescents (age 11–18; 64.4% female) from a metropolitan city in the Northeast were recruited through Craigslist and recreation center postings and data collection occurred from 2009 to 2013. Participants completed self‐reported measures of community violence exposure, attitudes toward violence, and psychological symptoms of depression and posttraumatic stress disorder [PTSD]. Bivariate correlations, hierarchical linear regressions, and mediation analyses examined the associations between exposure, beliefs about violence, and mental health symptoms. Self‐reported pro‐violence attitudes were positively correlated with depression symptoms (r = 0.32, p < 0.01) and PTSD (r = 0.45, p < 0.01). Pro‐violence attitudes significantly mediated the relationship between community violence exposure and depression symptoms (95% confidence interval [CI] = 0.003–0.061) and PTSD symptoms (95% CI = 0.046–0.260). Preliminary findings suggest that meaning making through the development of pro‐violence attitudes may not protect against symptoms of PTSD and depression among youth. Findings can inform the integration of meaning making processes into community mental health interventions for youth.