Exposure and Response to Community Violence Among Children and Adolescents (From Children in a Violent Society, P 9-31, 1997, Joy D. Osofsky, ed. -- See NCJ-169092)

• NCJ Number: 169094
• Author(s): E J Jenkins; C C Bell
• Date Published: 1997
• Length: 23 pages
• Sale Source: Guilford Publications, Inc.
• Publication Type: Issue Overview
• Language: English
• Country: United States of America

Annotation

A growing body of evidence shows that many children, particularly those in urban areas, are exposed to considerable amounts of life-threatening violence in their homes and communities; although the exact response to the exposure will depend upon a number of variables related to the individual and the situation, the evidence indicates that these children are psychologically and behaviorally affected by this exposure to violence.

Abstract

Repeated or chronic exposure to violence seems to be the norm for many children, particularly in urban areas. Children have witnessed many different types of violent acts, including rapes, drug use and trades, sexual assaults, beatings, and muggings, with greater exposure to less severe types of violence. Furthermore, and with significant implications for its impact, these children are often close to the individuals whose victimization they witness. Research that ranges from anecdotal, clinical case studies, to large-scale surveys shows that children who are exposed to violence are deeply affected by the experience. Most of the work in this area has focused on psychological disturbances associated with violence exposure, particularly posttraumatic stress disorder. Two possible consequences of violence exposure that warrant special attention because of their implications for the community and the child's life chances are aggressive behavior and school performance deficits. Factors that mediate the effects of exposure to violence are extent of direct exposure to violent incidents, relationship with the victim, gender (greater symptomatology among girls), and other stressors. Protective factors include a protective and stable family; strong support outside the home by another person or institution; and individual factors such as high self-esteem, internal locus of control, high IQ, good social skills, and good problemsolving skills. The obvious and long- range solution for children's exposure to community violence is to decrease poverty, unemployment, and family disruption. 2 tables and 74 references