The role of social and cognitive processes in children's adjustment to community violence.

Abstract

This study examined associations of community violence exposure and psychological well-being among 99 8-12 year old children (M = 10.7 years) using home interviews with mothers and children. Both moderators and mediators of the links between violence exposure and well-being were tested. After demographics and concurrent life stressors were controlled for violence exposure was significantly associated with intrusive thinking, anxiety, and depression. Regression analyses indicated that intrusive thinking partially mediated associated between violence exposure and internalizing symptoms. Planned comparisons revealed that violence exposure had the strongest effect on well-being among children with low social support or high levels of social strains. Furthermore, children with high levels of intrusive thinking were most likely to show heightened internalizing symptoms when they had inadequate social support.

Expressive writing moderates the relation between intrusive thoughts and depressive symptoms.

“…In addition, level of intrusive thoughts in the early bereavement period was positively related to subsequent depressive symptoms only in mothers who felt constrained in talking about the loss. Recently, this same pattern of results was found in research on men with prostate cancer (Lepore & Helgeson, in press), women with breast or colon cancer (Lepore, 1997), and children exposed to inner-city violence (Kliewer, Lepore, Oskin, & Johnson, in press). …”

“…The studies by Lepore and his colleagues on bereaved mothers (Lepore et al, 1996), cancer survivors (Lepore, 1997;Lepore & Helgeson, in press), and violence-exposed children (Kliewer et al, in press) suggest that expressing one's stressor-related thoughts to supportive others can attenuate the negative association between intrusive thoughts and mental health. These studies further suggest that expression in a nonsupportive social context may lead trauma survivors to inhibit themselves from talking and thinking about their traumatic experiences.…”

Adolescent Vulnerability following the September 11th Terrorist Attacks: A Study of Parents and their Children

“…However, research examining the association between positive family relationships and adolescents' adjustment in the context of stressful events has led to conflicting conclusions. Higher levels of family support have been associated with lower levels of anxiety and depressive symptomatology in children and adolescents exposed to community violence (Gorman-Smith & Tolan, 1998;Kliewer, Lepore, Oskin, & Johnson, 1998). Similarly, among children exposed to Hurricane Andrew, greater parental support was associated with lower levels of PTS symptoms 7 months later, even when controlling for the degree of exposure, demographic characteristics, and number of negative life events experienced since event exposure (La Greca et al, 1996).…”

Coping Strategies among Farmers and Herders during Post Conflict Situation in the Kaindji Dam Area of Yauri Emirate, Kebbi State, Nigeria

“…Similarly, the findings on the role of avoidance versus approach coping in enhancing psychological adjustment are somewhat mixed. Some researchers obtained evidence that avoidance coping strategies, especially denial and distraction, are associated with poor psychological and social adjustment (Kliewer et al, 1998), while others maintain that coping effectiveness depends on the nature of stress (Band and Weiss, 1988). Lazarus and Folkman (1984) conceptualized two broad response dimensions among people facing stress: emotion focused coping involves modifying one's own feelings and controlling distress, and problem-focused coping activities are aimed at changing the stressful situation.…”