Bidirectional influences of violence exposure and adjustment in early adolescence: externalizing behaviors and school connectedness.
This study utilized cross-lagged longitudinal models to examine prospective, bidirectional relationships between witnessing violence and victimization and three adjustment variables--delinquency, conduct problems, and school connectedness. Participants included 603 early adolescent boys and girls (78% African American, 20% Caucasian). Witnessing violence was related to subsequent lower levels of school connectedness and more conduct problems. For Caucasian but not African American adolescents, witnessing violence also predicted later delinquency. Victimization was linked with lower school connectedness over time, and for boys but not girls also with more conduct problems. Only adolescent delinquency was associated with subsequent witnessing violence and victimization.
Mrug
Sylvie
S
Department of Psychology, University of Alabama at Birmingham, 912 building, Rm 133, 1530 3rd Avenue South, Birmingham, AL 35294-1200, USA. smrug@uab.edu
Windle
Michael
M
D000293:Adolescent; D002648:Child; D019955:Conduct Disorder / Q000453:epidemiology* / Q000523:psychology*; D019548:Crime Victims; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007398:Interpersonal Relations; D007604:Juvenile Delinquency / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D008297:Male; D011446:Prospective Studies; D012574:Schools; D012917:Social Adjustment; D012919:Social Behavior; D012931:Social Environment; D014754:Violence / Q000523:psychology*