Open AccessRelationship Proximity to Victims of Witnessed Community Violence: Associations With Adolescent Internalizing and Externalizing Behaviors
Author(s) -
Lambert Sharon F.,
Boyd Rhonda C.,
Cammack Nicole L.,
Ialongo Nicholas S.
Publication year - 2012
Publication title -
american journal of orthopsychiatry
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 0.959
H-Index - 93
eISSN - 1939-0025
pISSN - 0002-9432
DOI - 10.1111/j.1939-0025.2011.01135.x
Subject(s) - psychology , intervention (counseling) , poison control , anxiety , suicide prevention , domestic violence , injury prevention , human factors and ergonomics , clinical psychology , aggression , psychiatry , medicine , medical emergency
Witnessing community violence has been linked with several adverse outcomes for adolescents, including emotional and behavioral problems. Among youth who have witnessed community violence, proximity to the victim of community violence is one factor that may determine, in part, the nature of adolescents’ responses to community violence exposure. The present study examines whether relationship proximity to the victim of community violence is associated with internalizing and externalizing behaviors among a sample of urban and predominantly African American adolescents ( N = 501) who have witnessed community violence. In 10th grade, participants reported whether they had witnessed 10 community violence events during the past year, and, if so, whether the victim of the violence was a family member, close friend, acquaintance, or stranger. Witnessed community violence against a family member or close friend was associated with depressive symptoms, and witnessed community violence against known individuals was associated with anxiety symptoms. Witnessing community violence against familiar persons and strangers was linked with aggressive behavior. Gender differences in these associations and implications for assessment and intervention with community violence‐exposed youth are discussed.