Exposure to violence makes adolescents "battle ready"
The more adolescents are exposed to violent acts, the more "battle ready" they say they are, according to Chuansheng Chen and Ellen Greenberger, professors of psychology and social behavior in UCI's School of Social Ecology, and colleague Mary Schwab-Stone of the Yale Child Study Center. In their studies of inner-city youths in middle and high schools, the researchers have found a majority of urban youths have witnessed or been the victim of a beating, mugging or other violent behavior. The greater the exposure, the more willing the youngsters are to use physical aggression in dealing with conflict. Exposure to violence also is related to increased levels of anxiety and depression, especially among younger adolescents. Chen and Greenberger suggest these middle school students already have stresses--puberty, recent school transition and related social expectations--that make them more vulnerable to the effects of violence. "They may feel less powerful, less adept at fighting back, so they internalize distress more," says Greenberger.
Contact: Karen Morris, (949) 824-7913, [email protected]
RSS