title: Cognitive and emotional covariates of violence exposure among former prisoners: links to antisocial behavior and emotional distress and implications for theory.
abstract: In this study, formerly incarcerated men (N = 123) were assessed for their experiences with violence in the community as well as their current behavioral and mental health status (antisocial behavior and emotional distress). Participants also completed measures of two constructs theorized to moderate relations between exposure to violence and outcomes: cognitive beliefs supporting aggressive responding and negative emotional reactivity to witnessed violence. Data on key social-demographic background factors affecting outcomes were also collected. Analyses showed that, after controlling the effects of background factors, relationships between experiences with violence in the community and behavioral/mental health were moderated by cognitive beliefs and emotional reactivity. At high levels of support for aggressive responding, significant positive links were observed between exposure to violence and antisocial behavior as well as emotional distress. At high levels of negative reactivity to violence, a significant positive link was observed between exposure to violence and emotional distress (but not antisocial behavior). Findings are discussed with respect to research and theory on the effects of exposure to violence in high-risk adult populations.
authors: Department of Psychology, Rutgers University, Newark, New Jersey, USA. pboxer@rutgers.edu
authors: Paul
authors: P
authors: Boxer
authors: Ashley
authors: A
authors: Schappell
authors: Keesha
authors: K
authors: Middlemass
authors: Ignacio
authors: I
authors: Mercado
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D000342:Affective Symptoms / Q000523:psychology; D000374:Aggression / Q000523:psychology; D000987:Antisocial Personality Disorder / Q000523:psychology*; D003072:Cognition Disorders / Q000523:psychology; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D009511:New England; D011329:Prisoners / Q000523:psychology*; D011581:Psychological Tests; D011582:Psychological Theory; D012044:Regression Analysis; D012307:Risk Factors; D014754:Violence / Q000523:psychology*; D055815:Young Adult