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Violence breeds violence: Childhood exposure and adolescent conduct problems
Author(s) -
Weaver Chelsea M.,
Borkowski John G.,
Whitman Thomas L.
Publication year - 2008
Publication title -
journal of community psychology
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 0.585
H-Index - 86
eISSN - 1520-6629
pISSN - 0090-4392
DOI - 10.1002/jcop.20219
Subject(s) - juvenile delinquency , psychology , developmental psychology , depression (economics) , poison control , clinical psychology , suicide prevention , medicine , medical emergency , economics , macroeconomics
Abstract The relationships between childhood exposure to violence and adolescent conduct problems were investigated in a sample of 88 primiparous adolescent mothers and their children. Regression analyses revealed that witnessing violence and victimization prior to age 10 predicted delinquency and violent behaviors, even after controlling for prenatal maternal and early childhood externalizing problems. Social competency and depression during middle childhood moderated the relationship between victimization and violent behaviors for girls, but not boys: Lower levels of social competency and depression served as risk factors for delinquency among teenage girls who experienced victimization during childhood. These findings have important implications for youth violence prevention programs. © 2007 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.