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Witnessed community and parental violence in relation to substance use and delinquency in a national sample of adolescents
Author(s) -
Zinzow Heidi M.,
Ruggiero Kenneth J.,
Hanson Rochelle F.,
Smith Daniel W.,
Saunders Benjamin E.,
Kilpatrick Dean G.
Publication year - 2009
Publication title -
journal of traumatic stress
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 1.259
H-Index - 134
eISSN - 1573-6598
pISSN - 0894-9867
DOI - 10.1002/jts.20469
Subject(s) - juvenile delinquency , psychology , substance use , poison control , suicide prevention , substance abuse , injury prevention , human factors and ergonomics , intervention (counseling) , demographics , clinical psychology , psychiatry , medicine , demography , medical emergency , sociology
This study examined whether witnessed community and parental violence represented risk factors for substance use and delinquency among adolescents, beyond the contribution of direct violence and other risk factors. We also examined the role of violence characteristics. Participants were a national sample of 3,614 adolescents. Structured telephone interviews assessed demographics, trauma history, witnessed violence, delinquency, and substance use. While accounting for trauma history and other risk factors, witnessed community and parental violence were associated with delinquency. Community violence was associated with substance use. Chronic violence, knowing the perpetrator, and violence outside of school were correlated with substance use and delinquency among adolescents who witnessed community violence. These findings highlight the importance of targeting witnessed violence in prevention and intervention efforts.