The correlation between exposure to neighborhood violence and perpetration of moderate physical violence among Arab-Palestinian youth: Can it be moderated by parent–child support and gender?

Abstract

In the current study, we examined the role of parent-child support as a protective factor that moderates the correlation between exposure to neighborhood violence and perpetration of moderate physical violence among 3,187 Arab-Palestinian adolescents who live in Israel (aged 12 to 18), from 21 different schools who were selected randomly. The probability sampling method was a nonproportional multistage stratified cluster sample. We also examined gender differences across this protective process. Participants completed a structured, anonymous self-report questionnaire. The findings of the study reveal that 47.3% of the adolescents had perpetrated moderate physical violence against others at least once during the month preceding the study. Moreover, exposure of adolescents to violence in their neighborhood correlated significantly and positively with perpetration of moderate physical violence. A moderation analysis was tested and found that this correlation was stronger among adolescents who had poor parent-child support than among those who had strong parent-child support. Furthermore, the findings reveal that the correlation of exposure to neighborhood violence with perpetration of moderate physical violence was not moderated by gender. However, parent-child support correlated strongly with lower levels of perpetration of moderate physical violence among males than females. The findings of the study highlight the critical role of parental factors in decreasing violent behaviors among adolescents (especially boys) as well as among adolescents who are at risk for exposure to violence in their neighborhoods. In light of the findings, we recommend that practitioners working with these adolescents include parents in intervention programs. (PsycINFO Database Record

Violence typologies and sociodemographic correlates in South African adolescents: a three-wave cross-sectional study

“…Another important finding in our study is that adolescents who did not have an absent mother in the household (absent due to divorce or death) was associated with non-involvement in victimisation and perpetration, suggesting that the presence of maternal support and supervision may have positive implications on an adolescent's life experiences and adjustment. Indeed, functioning parent-child relationship such as family support has been found to be a protective factor that may lower the risk for violence perpetration in boys as well as in adolescents who had exposure to community violence [67]. Similarly, high mother-child relationship quality such as adequate involvement and supervision, and parenting that satisfies the child's needs for security, exploration, and autonomy, can protect against internalising (e.g.…”

“…Interventions may consider strengthening family relations, particularly between mother and child, to protect adolescents from the experiences of violence victimisation and violence perpetration. Since studies have consistently established that family connectedness is associated with positive youth developmental outcomes such as lower levels of violence victimisation and aggression [67][68][69][70][71][72], there is an opportunity for families with mother absence to involve extended family members to extend the support and supervision that may be needed to promote safety and positive behavioural adjustment among adolescents. In conclusion, regular monitoring of the prevalence of violence victimisation and violence perpetration as well as the associated correlates may help develop targeted youth interventions in South Africa.…”

Violence in South African adolescents

“…Another important finding in our study is that adolescents who did not have an absent mother in the household (absent due to divorce or death) was associated with non-involvement in victimisation and perpetration, suggesting that the presence of maternal support and supervision may have positive implications on an adolescent's life experiences and adjustment. Indeed, functioning parent-child relationship such as family support has been found to be a protective factor that may lower the risk for violence perpetration in boys as well as in adolescents who had exposure to community violence (Massarwi, 2017). Similarly, high mother-child relationship quality such as adequate involvement and supervision, and parenting that satisfies the child's needs for security, exploration, and autonomy, can protect against internalising (e.g.…”

“…This may be due to the socialisation differences between boys and girls in South Africa, in which boys are more consider strengthening family relations, particularly between mother and child, to protect adolescents from the experiences of violence victimisation and violence perpetration. Since studies have consistently established that family connectedness is associated with positive youth developmental outcomes such as lower levels of violence victimisation and aggression (Al-Yagon, 2015;Kliewer et al, 2004;McWey et al, 2015;Massarwi, 2017), there is an opportunity for families with mother absence to involve extended family members to extend the support and supervision that may be needed to promote safety and positive behavioural adjustment among adolescents. In conclusion, regular monitoring of the prevalence of violence victimisation and violence perpetration as well as the associated correlates may help develop targeted youth interventions in South Africa.…”

“…As a result of this disrupted process of normative stress adaptation, adolescents can experience difficulties in utilising their strengths and resources to cope successfully with violence exposure, and subsequently experience psychological and behaviour problems (Heinze, Stoddard, Aiyer, Eisman, & Zimmerman, 2017;Mrug et al, 2008). For example, violence can interfere with the capacity to regulate emotions of sadness and anger (Kliewer et al, 2004, 2017. It can also dampen one's goals and aspirations, and elicit feelings of hopelessness through the perception that there are few pathways for recovery and progress in life (Bonanno, 2007).…”