214290 Children's Self Perception of Violence Exposure and Behavior Outcomes

Wednesday, November 10, 2010 : 1:15 PM - 1:30 PM

Kewann Carter , Family Center, Kennedy Krieger Institute, Baltimore, MD
Antoine Wroten , Family Center, Kennedy Krieger Institute, Baltimore, MD
Stacy Coates, MA , Psychology, Howard University, Washington, DC, DC
Harolyn Belcher, MD , Kennedy Krieger Family Center/Johns Hopkins Department of Pediatrics, Kennedy Krieger Insitute, Baltimore, MD
Michele Cooley, PhD , Department of Mental Health, Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health, Baltimore, MD
Young children have significant rates of exposure to violence. Youth violence is the second leading cause of death among children ages 10 to 18 years (http://webappa.cdc.gov/sasweb/ncipc/leadcaus10.html, accessed 01/19/2010). This study examined children's self report of violence in three environments: family, school, and community and associated problem behaviors. The hypothesis of the study was that childhood exposure to violence was associated with increased self-reported internalizing and externalizing behavior problems. The study participants included 409, primarily African American (86%), 3rd-5th graders, mean age 9.6 years (+ 1.1). The instruments used included the Children's Report of Exposure to Violence (CREV; community violence exposure measure) (Cooley, Turner, and Beidel, 1995), Family Conflict and combined Cooperation and Self-Control subscales from the Multicultural Events Schedule for Adolescents (MESA) (Gonzales, Gunnoe, Jackson, Samaniego, and Jackson, 1995), Seeking Spiritual Support subscale from Adolescent Coping for Problem Experiences (ACOPE) (Schwarzer and Schwarzer, 1996) and Youth Self Report Problematic Behaviors (YSR) (Achenbach & Dumenci, 2001). Statistically significant correlations were found between the YSR total score and community violence exposure (0.33; p<0.01), school and peer stress (0.56; p<0.01), and family conflict (0.47; <0.01). Logistic regression models, adjusted for age, gender, socioeconomic status, and race, demonstrated statistically significant associations between violence exposure across the three environments and internalizing and externalizing behavior reports. Family conflict exposure had the highest risk for externalizing behaviors OR=2.07 (95% CI=1.53-2.81). Identification of children with a history of violence exposure, especially family conflict, may result in early treatment and reduction of child behavior problems.

Learning Areas:
Epidemiology
Planning of health education strategies, interventions, and programs
Social and behavioral sciences

Learning Objectives:
1. Define associations between community violence and behavioral outcomes in elementary age children in an urban setting. 2. Differentiate between children's perception of community violence and community violence strata based on homicide rates in the development of behavior problems. 3. Identify the associations between family violence and behavioral outcomes in elementary age children in an urban setting. 4. Compare the role of risk and protective factors associated with the development of child behavior problems.

Presenting author's disclosure statement:
Organization/institution whose products or services will be discussed: N/A

Qualified on the content I am responsible for because: I have analyzed the data, created tables, and participated in the development of the abstract.
Any relevant financial relationships? No

I agree to comply with the American Public Health Association Conflict of Interest and Commercial Support Guidelines, and to disclose to the participants any off-label or experimental uses of a commercial product or service discussed in my presentation.