Socialization of coping with community violence: influences of caregiver coaching, modeling, and family context.
A socialization model of coping with community violence was tested in 101 African American adolescents (55% male, ages 9-13) and their maternal caregivers living in high-violence areas of a mid-sized, southeastern city. Participants completed interviews assessing caregiver coping, family context, and child adjustment. Caregiver-child dyads also discussed a film clip depicting community violence. Parental coaching (caregivers' strategies suggesting how to cope) and child-reported coping were coded from the discussion. Coaching, modeling (caregivers' own coping), and family context each contributed to children's coping with violence. Children's problem-focused coping in response to violence had the strongest associations with changes in their adjustment 6 months later. Implications for interventions with youth and families are discussed.
Kliewer
Wendy
W
Department of Psychology, Virginia Commonwealth University, Richmond, 23284, USA. wkliewer@vcu.edu
Parrish
Katie Adams
KA
Taylor
Kelli W
KW
Jackson
Kate
K
Walker
Jean M
JM
Shivy
Victoria A
VA