Sociocultural factors in the etiology and prevention of violence among ethnic minority youth.

Abstract

The recent data on violence among youth have drawn the attention of both the public and the scientific community. In 1989, for example, homicide was the second leading cause of death among persons between 15 and 24 years of age. In that same year, close to 5%, or an estimated 4.6 million households nationwide, had a member who had experienced one or more violent crimes (US. Department of Justice, 1991b).Data suggest that the incidence and prevalence of violence differ across social and cultural groups in the United States. In particular, violent crime victimization and perpetration rates have consistently revealed differing patterns of violence associated with each of the dominant ethnic minority groups in the United States (Roper, 1991; see also chapters 4-7 of this book). This is perhaps most clear when considering statistics on violence among youth in these groups. Rather than being the second leading cause of death among 15to 24-year-olds, for example, homicide is the number one cause of death among African American youkh (Fingerhut, Ingram, & Feldman, 1992). And, for US. Latino and Native American youth, data show that victimization rates for crimes of violence are higher than those for White non-Latinos (US. Department of Justice, 1991a). (For additional demographic and epidemiological data on violence involving members of ethnic minority groups, see chapters 4-7 in this book.)Researchers have questioned just what it is about racial and ethnic differences in the United States that seems to be associated with varying rates of violence (D. Hawkins, 1990). One important answer has been found by looking a t risk factors for violence and a t population demographics. The data indicate that social risk factors such as unemployment, high population density, poverty, and drug abuse, among others, are associated with being both victims and perpetrators of violent crimes (Sampson, 1993). At the same time, population demographics indicate that these risk factors are overrepresented among members of ethnic minority groups and may, in part, account for the 59

Examining Relationships Between Ethnic Identity, Family Environment, and Psychological Outcomes for African American Adolescents

“…For example, ethnic identity has been associated with positive behaviors including high academic achievement (Bernal et al 1995), resiliency (Belgrave et al 2000;Miller 1999), self-esteem (Allen et al 1997;LorenzoHernández and Ouellette 1998;Martinez and Dukes 1997;McMahon and Watts 2002;Phinney and Chavira 1995;Spencer 1988), and self-efficacy (Smith et al 1999). Similarly, a lack of ethnic identity has been related to a number of unhealthy and maladaptive behaviors including antisocial behaviors (Jagers and Mock 1993;Smith et al 1999), violence (Hill et al 1994), cigarette smoking (Parker et al 1998), other substance use and addiction (Bates et al 1997;Beadnell et al 2003;Brook et al 1998;Herd and Grube 1996;Scheier et al 1997;Wallace 1999), and risky sexual behavior (Beadnell et al 2003;Leigh et al 1998;ScottJones et al 1989).…”

The Relationship among Depressive and Alcoholic Symptoms and Aggressive Behavior in Adult Male Emergency Department Patients

“…However, our study was not set up to measure socioeconomic status and other factors previously associated with violence. 1,59 Furthermore, because only small numbers of certain ethnic groups were represented in our sample, it was not possible to reliably interpret the relationship between race/ethnicity and aggressiveness in this study.…”

Prevention programs and special education: Considerations related to risk, social competence, and multiculturalism

“…When one is "biculturar'--SE and minority status, especially Latino or African American--the barriers are higher, the gap of acceptance wider, and the distance to tailored, effective instructional practices and curriculum materials is greater. Internalized representations of self incorporating a sense of personal limitations and institutional structures reinforcing limited opportunities create large obstacles that need to be overcome (Hill, Soriano, Chen, & LaFromboise, 1994).…”