title: The Effects of Cumulative Violence Clusters on Young Mothers' School Participation: Examining Attention and Behavior Problems as Mediators.
abstract: Using a cluster analysis approach with a sample of 205 young mothers recruited from community sites in an urban Midwestern setting, we examined the effects of cumulative violence exposure (community violence exposure, witnessing intimate partner violence, physical abuse by a caregiver, and sexual victimization, all with onset prior to age 13) on school participation, as mediated by attention and behavior problems in school. We identified five clusters of cumulative exposure, and found that the HiAll cluster (high levels of exposure to all four types) consistently fared the worst, with significantly higher attention and behavior problems, and lower school participation, in comparison with the LoAll cluster (low levels of exposure to all types). Behavior problems were a significant mediator of the effects of cumulative violence exposure on school participation, but attention problems were not.
authors.affiliation: Michigan State University, East Lansing, MI, USA kenne258@msu.edu.
authors.forename: Angie C
authors.initials: AC
authors.lastname: Kennedy
authors.affiliation: Michigan State University, East Lansing, MI, USA.
authors.forename: Adrienne E
authors.initials: AE
authors.lastname: Adams
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D001288:Attention; D002649:Child Abuse / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D016000:Cluster Analysis; D019548:Crime Victims / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D004522:Educational Status; D000069581:Exposure to Violence / Q000523:psychology* / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D009035:Mothers / Q000523:psychology*; D000066553:Problem Behavior; D012742:Sex Offenses / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D055815:Young Adult
keywords: adolescent mothers; cluster analysis; cumulative violence exposure; family violence; school participation; sexual victimization