Validation of the Brief Symptom Inventory–18 Among Low-Income African American Adolescents Exposed to Community Violence

Abstract The current study examines the immediate and short-term impact of daily exposure to community violence on same-day and next-day levels of posttraumatic stress symptomatology and various affective states (i.e., dysphoria, hostility, and anxiety), in a sample of 268 African American adolescents living in urban, low-income, high-violence neighborhoods (Mage = 11.65; 59% female). In addition, the moderating role of affective state variability on this relationship was examined. This study utilized experience sampling method and a daily sampling approach, which contributes a more robust investigation of the short-term effects of violence exposure in youth. Hierarchical linear modeling revealed that community violence exposure was positively associated with same-day and next-day symptoms of posttraumatic stress. Violence exposure also exhibited an immediate effect on dysphoria, anxiety, and hostility levels. Youth variability in dysphoria exacerbated the effect of violence exposure on concurrent or next-day posttraumatic stress, dysphoria, and hostility. Moreover, variability in anxiety and hostility exacerbated the experience of next-day hostility. The clinical implications relating to these findings, such as the importance of implementing screening for posttraumatic stress following exposure, the incorporation of preventative treatments among those at risk of exposure, and the targeting of emotion regulation in treatments with adolescents, are discussed.

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The Relation of Severity and Type of Community Violence Exposure to Emotional Distress and Problem Behaviors Among Urban African American Adolescents

Violence and Victims ◽

10.1891/0886-6708.vv-d-13-00129 ◽

2015 ◽

Vol 30 (3) ◽

pp. 432-449 ◽

Cited By ~ 8

Author(s):

Jonathan Goldner ◽

Israel M. Gross ◽

Maryse H. Richards ◽

Brian L. Ragsdale

Keyword(s):

African American ◽

Problem Behaviors ◽

Community Violence ◽

Emotional Distress ◽

Low Income ◽

Behavioral Problems ◽

Violence Exposure ◽

Principal Component ◽

African American Adolescents ◽

Posttraumatic Stress Disorder Symptoms

Severity level and type of exposure to community violence were examined to determine their effect on emotional distress and problem behaviors among 234 low-income urban African American early adolescents. There were 4 violence exposure scales developed from a principal component analysis of the Richters and Martinez (1993) exposure to violence scale: moderate and severe witnessing and moderate and severe victimization. Regression analyses indicated that moderate victimization was the most consistent predictor of emotional distress and behavioral problems, whereas moderate witnessing did not relate to any of the dependent variables. Severe victimization predicted depression and delinquency, whereas severe witnessing predicted posttraumatic stress disorder symptoms and delinquency. Witnessing and victimization scales based on severity of exposure better represented the experience than combining all data into a single exposure or simply witnessing and victimization scales.

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The Relationship Between Violence Exposure and Academic Achievement in African American Adolescents Is Moderated by Emotion Regulation

The Journal of Early Adolescence ◽

10.1177/0272431616675973 ◽

2016 ◽

Vol 38 (4) ◽

pp. 497-512 ◽

Cited By ~ 3

Author(s):

Vinetra L. King ◽

Sylvie Mrug

Keyword(s):

Academic Achievement ◽

Emotion Regulation ◽

African American ◽

Community Violence ◽

Low Income ◽

African American Adolescents ◽

Negative Effects ◽

Exposure To Community Violence ◽

The Relationship ◽

Over Time

Compared with other ethnic groups, African American adolescents are exposed to higher levels of family and community violence, which contribute to poorer academic achievement. This study examines whether emotion regulation moderates the effects of exposure to family and community violence on academic achievement among low-income African American adolescents. Eighty African American adolescents ([Formula: see text] age 12.89 years, 50% male) reported on their exposure to violence. Emotion regulation was obtained from parent reports and academic achievement was assessed with grades in core academic subjects at baseline and 2 years later. Results revealed that witnessing home violence predicted poorer achievement over time, as did exposure to community violence for youth with poor emotion regulation. Thus, well-developed emotion regulation skills may protect African American adolescents from the negative effects of witnessing community violence on academic achievement.

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The Effect of Supportive Adult Relationships and Future Orientation on Problem Behavior in Low-Income African- American Adolescents

PsycEXTRA Dataset ◽

10.1037/e628612012-238 ◽

2007 ◽

Author(s):

Kimberley Broomfield ◽

Gabriel Kuperminc

Keyword(s):

African American ◽

Problem Behavior ◽

Low Income ◽

Future Orientation ◽

African American Adolescents ◽

Adult Relationships

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Development of a Theater-Based Nutrition and Physical Activity Intervention for Low-Income, Urban, African American Adolescents

Progress in Community Health Partnerships Research Education and Action ◽

10.1353/cpr.0.0115 ◽

2010 ◽

Vol 4 (2) ◽

pp. 89-98 ◽

Cited By ~ 9

Author(s):

Caree J. Jackson ◽

Rebecca M. Mullis ◽

Marilyn Hughes

Keyword(s):

Physical Activity ◽

African American ◽

Low Income ◽

Physical Activity Intervention ◽

African American Adolescents ◽

Nutrition And Physical Activity

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Adolescents’ Internalizing Behaviors after Extreme Violence Exposure: A Comparison of Race and Gender for African American and Asian American Youth

Families in Society The Journal of Contemporary Social Services ◽

10.1606/1044-3894.3870 ◽

2009 ◽

Vol 90 (2) ◽

pp. 145-152 ◽

Cited By ~ 10

Author(s):

Wan-Yi Chen

Keyword(s):

African American ◽

Community Violence ◽

Asian American ◽

Violence Exposure ◽

African American Adolescents ◽

Internalizing Behaviors ◽

Race And Gender ◽

Asian American Adolescents ◽

Minority Adolescents ◽

And Gender

This study compares African American and Asian American adolescents in their rates of extreme community violence exposure and consequent internalizing behaviors. Using information from a national longitudinal survey this study found substantial violence exposure rates for both groups. Also, gender differences in exposure rates and adolescent reports of internalizing behaviors after violence exposure were detected. Male African American adolescents had the highest exposure rate, while female Asian American adolescents reported the highest level of internalizing behaviors. These findings suggest further research is needed to better understand the effect of violence exposure on various ethnic minority adolescents. Moreover, social workers and other professionals involved in adolescent services could use these results to improve outreach methods to vulnerable adolescents.

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“Broken windows”: Relationship between neighborhood conditions and behavioral health among low-income African American adolescents

Journal of Health Psychology ◽

10.1177/1359105316681064 ◽

2016 ◽

Vol 23 (4) ◽

pp. 527-537 ◽

Cited By ~ 7

Author(s):

Dexter R Voisin ◽

Dong Ha Kim

Keyword(s):

Mental Health ◽

Substance Use ◽

African American ◽

Behavioral Health ◽

Low Income ◽

Mental Health Problems ◽

African American Youth ◽

African American Adolescents ◽

Broken Windows ◽

Neighborhood Conditions

This study explored the association between neighborhood conditions and behavioral health among African American youth. Cross-sectional data were collected from 683 African American youth from low-income communities. Measures for demographics, neighborhood conditions (i.e. broken windows index), mental health, delinquency, substance use, and sexual risk behaviors were assessed. Major findings indicated that participants who reported poorer neighborhood conditions compared to those who lived in better living conditions were more likely to report higher rates of mental health problems, delinquency, substance use, and unsafe sexual behaviors. Environmental factors need to be considered when addressing the behavioral health of low-income African American youth.

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