Citation

Ozer EJ, McDonald KL. J. Adolesc. Health 2006; 39(1): 73-79.

Affiliation

School of Public Health, University of California-Berkeley, Berkeley, California 94720-7360, USA. eozer@berkeley.edu

Copyright

(Copyright © 2006, Elsevier Publishing)

DOI

10.1016/j.jadohealth.2005.09.015

PMID

16781964

Abstract

PURPOSE: This cross-sectional study examined exposure to violence as a predictor of mental health and perpetration of violence in a sample of 71 Chinese American young adolescents from nine urban middle schools. METHODS: Separate hierarchical multiple regressions were used to predict self-reported symptoms of depression and post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD), perpetration of violence, and teacher-reported symptoms of anxiety, depression, and adaptive functioning. RESULTS: After controlling for daily hassles, exposure to violence uniquely predicted higher self-reported PTSD and depressive symptoms. After controlling for prior academic achievement and daily hassles, exposure to violence uniquely predicted more perpetration of violence. CONCLUSIONS: Our study suggests that exposure to violence is associated with worse mental health and more perpetration of violence among Chinese American adolescents living in urban areas.

Language: en