@article{ref1,
title="Making meaning of community violence among adolescents: associations between exposure, pro-violence attitudes and psychological symptoms",
journal="Journal of community psychology",
year="2021",
author="Muradwij, Nawal and Allwood, Maureen",
volume="ePub",
number="ePub",
pages="ePub-ePub",
abstract="This study examined one type of adolescent meaning making (i.e., the development of beliefs about violence) and its association with reported mental health symptoms in a sample of youth exposed to community violence. Eighty-seven adolescents (age 11-18; 64.4% female) from a metropolitan city in the Northeast were recruited through Craigslist and recreation center postings and data collection occurred from 2009 to 2013. Participants completed self-reported measures of community violence exposure, attitudes toward violence, and psychological symptoms of depression and posttraumatic stress disorder [PTSD]. Bivariate correlations, hierarchical linear regressions, and mediation analyses examined the associations between exposure, beliefs about violence, and mental health symptoms. Self-reported pro-violence attitudes were positively correlated with depression symptoms (r = 0.32, p < 0.01) and PTSD (r = 0.45, p < 0.01). Pro-violence attitudes significantly mediated the relationship between community violence exposure and depression symptoms (95% confidence interval [CI] = 0.003-0.061) and PTSD symptoms (95% CI = 0.046-0.260). Preliminary findings suggest that meaning making through the development of pro-violence attitudes may not protect against symptoms of PTSD and depression among youth. <br><br>FINDINGS can inform the integration of meaning making processes into community mental health interventions for youth.<p /> <p>Language: en</p>",
language="en",
issn="0090-4392",
doi="10.1002/jcop.22717",
url="http://dx.doi.org/10.1002/jcop.22717"
}