Predictors of Violence Exposure Among Inner-City Youth

Examined the ability of demographic variables and risk factors (parental substance use, number of people in the home, out-of-home placements, grades repeated, arrest history, and total life stress) to predict exposure to community violence among 342 high school students from inner-city Baltimore ref...

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Bibliographic Details
Published in:Journal of clinical child and adolescent psychology 2001-06, Vol.30 (2), p.187-198
Main Authors: Weist, Mark D., Acosta, Olga M., Youngstrom, Eric A.
Format: Article
Language:English
Subjects:
Adolescent
Adolescents
Adult
At risk youth
Child
Crime
Demographics
Demography
Educational Status
Exposure
Family Relations
Female
Humans
Inner cities
Inner city
Life Change Events
Male
Mental health
Peer Group
prediction
Risk Factors
Sex Factors
Stress, Psychological
Substance-Related Disorders
Urban Population
USA
Violence
Violence - psychology
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Summary:Examined the ability of demographic variables and risk factors (parental substance use, number of people in the home, out-of-home placements, grades repeated, arrest history, and total life stress) to predict exposure to community violence among 342 high school students from inner-city Baltimore referred for mental health care in community centers or in the schools. Over 90% of the sample knew at least 1 victim of a violent act, 77% reported witnessing a violent act, and 47% reported past victimization by violence. Risk variables were more powerful regression predictors of violence exposure than demographic characteristics such as race, sex, or clinical setting. Even after controlling for demographic differences in violence exposure, risk factors as a group accounted for another 10% to 15% of variance. Life stress was the most consistent predictor of violence exposure for this sample, and life stress was the only variable to make a significant unique contribution to the prediction of all 4 violence criteria.
ISSN:1537-4416
0047-228X
1537-4424
DOI:10.1207/S15374424JCCP3002_6