@article{ref1,
title="The relationship between exposure of Palestinian youth to community violence and internalizing and externalizing symptoms: do gender and social support matter?",
journal="Child abuse and neglect",
year="2020",
author="Guterman, Neil B. and Leshem, Becky and Haj-Yahia, Muhammad M.",
volume="112",
number="",
pages="e104906-e104906",
abstract="BACKGROUND: Youth exposure to community violence (ECV) in the Palestinian society is an alarming problem. Yet, there is serious scarcity of research on its mental health  consequences. <br><br>OBJECTIVES: The study examined the relationships between youth ECV and  internalizing and externalizing symptoms as well as the moderating and mediating  effects of gender and support from family and teachers on these relationships. PARTICIPANTS, SETTING, AND METHOD: A cross-sectional survey was conducted among a  systematic random sample of 1930 Palestinian junior and senior high school pupils  (912 boys, 1018 girls, aged 12-19-year- old), using a self-administered  questionnaire. <br><br>RESULTS: The results revealed that the more Palestinian youth were  exposed to community violence (CV) the more they demonstrated internalizing and  externalizing symptoms. Palestinian boys who were victims of CV reported higher  levels of externalizing symptoms, while girls reported higher levels of  internalizing symptoms. Adolescents with higher levels of family support and teacher  support reported lower levels of internalizing and externalizing symptoms. We have  also found that gender can moderate the effects of CV victimization on internalizing  symptoms and that family support can mediates the relationship between CV  victimization and internalizing symptoms and moderate the relationships between ECV  (both victimization and witnessing) and externalizing symptoms. <br><br>CONCLUSIONS: The  moderating and mediating effects of gender and social support on the relationship  between ECV and mental health consequences are discussed. The implications of the  results for future research and for prevention and intervention as well as the  strengths and limitations of the study are also discussed.<p /> <p>Language: en</p>",
language="en",
issn="0145-2134",
doi="10.1016/j.chiabu.2020.104906",
url="http://dx.doi.org/10.1016/j.chiabu.2020.104906"
}