Gun Violence Exposure and Suicide Among Black Adults.

Importance: Black individuals are disproportionately exposed to gun violence in the US. Suicide rates among Black US individuals have increased in recent years. Objective: To evaluate whether gun violence exposures (GVEs) are associated with suicidal ideation and behaviors among Black adults. Design, Setting, and Participants: This cross-sectional study used survey data collected from a nationally representative sample of self-identified Black or African American (hereafter, Black) adults in the US from April 12, 2023, through May 4, 2023. Exposures: Ever being shot, being threatened with a gun, knowing someone who has been shot, and witnessing or hearing about a shooting. Main Outcomes and Measures: Outcome variables were derived from the Self-Injurious Thoughts and Behaviors Interview, including suicidal ideation, suicide attempt preparation, and suicide attempt. A subsample of those exhibiting suicidal ideation was used to assess for suicidal behaviors. Results: The study sample included 3015 Black adults (1646 [55%] female; mean [SD] age, 46.34 [0.44] years [range, 18-94 years]). Most respondents were exposed to at least 1 type of gun violence (1693 [56%]), and 300 (12%) were exposed to at least 3 types of gun violence. Being threatened with a gun (odds ratio [OR], 1.44; 95% CI, 1.01-2.05) or knowing someone who has been shot (OR, 1.44; 95% CI, 1.05-1.97) was associated with reporting lifetime suicidal ideation. Being shot was associated with reporting ever planning a suicide (OR, 3.73; 95% CI, 1.10-12.64). Being threatened (OR, 2.41; 95% CI, 2.41-5.09) or knowing someone who has been shot (OR, 2.86; 95% CI, 1.42-5.74) was associated with reporting lifetime suicide attempts. Cumulative GVE was associated with reporting lifetime suicidal ideation (1 type: OR, 1.69 [95% CI, 1.19-2.39]; 2 types: OR, 1.69 [95% CI, 1.17-2.44]; ≥3 types: OR, 2.27 [95% CI, 1.48-3.48]), suicide attempt preparation (≥3 types; OR, 2.37; 95% CI, 2.37-5.63), and attempting suicide (2 types: OR, 4.78 [95% CI, 1.80-12.71]; ≥3 types: OR, 4.01 [95% CI, 1.41-11.44]). Conclusions and Relevance: In this cross-sectional study, GVE among Black adults in the US was significantly associated with lifetime suicidal ideation and behavior. Public health efforts to substantially reduce interpersonal gun violence may yield additional benefits by decreasing suicide among Black individuals in the US.

Disclosure of Exposure to Violence in Urban Adolescents.

Research has documented high rates of exposure to violence in urban African American adolescents together with their negative effects on psychosocial adjustment. Coping with violence exposure may be facilitated by disclosure of these experiences to others, but little is known about the extent to which youth disclose their various experiences with violence. This study examined the prevalence of disclosure of violence experienced as a witness or victim in different contexts or locations to parents, friends, siblings, teachers, counselors, and relatives. Urban African American adolescents from Southeastern U.S. were interviewed at three time points (N = 81; average ages 13.3, 16.1, and 17.8). Across the three time points, 90% to 91% witnessed violence and 64% to 81% were victimized in the last year. Of these youth, 40% to 53% disclosed experiences of witnessing violence and 29% to 52% disclosed experiences of victimization. The results showed that disclosure of violence most often involved parents and friends, with fewer youth disclosing to teachers and counselors. Disclosure of violence victimization increased from early to late adolescence. Experiences of dating violence victimization were less likely to be disclosed by adolescents, especially among males. These findings support the need for more research on adolescents' disclosure of violence exposure and its links to adjustment, with implications for interventions aimed at improving coping in youth exposed to violence.

Exploring the complex links between childhood exposure to intimate partner violence, maltreatment, and self-regulation: A three-wave cross-lagged study.

BACKGROUND: Intimate partner violence (IPV) often co-occurs with childhood maltreatment and negatively impacts children's development. While previous research has shown a direct link between these experiences and children's self-regulation, less is known about the potential unique effect and bidirectional associations between them. OBJECTIVE: The present study aims to investigate the bidirectional effects among maternal IPV experiences, child maltreatment, and children's behavioral self-regulation. PARTICIPANTS AND SETTING: 4,402 participants from three waves of the longitudinal study of the Future of Families and Child Wellbeing Study (FFCWS) were included in the study. METHODS: Cross-lagged path analyses were conducted to examine the longitudinal reciprocal relationships among IPV, child maltreatment, and children's behavioral regulation when children were 3, 5, and 9 years old. RESULTS: IPV exposure at ages 3 and 5 was negatively associated with levels of behavioral self-regulation at ages 5 and 9, even after accounting for physical maltreatment, psychological maltreatment, or neglect. Neglect at ages 3 and 5 was found to be associated with lower levels of behavioral self-regulation at later ages, when IPV exposure was considered in the models. Lower levels of behavioral self-regulation at age 3 were found to be linked with higher levels of psychological maltreatment, physical maltreatment, neglect, and IPV exposure at age 5. CONCLUSION: This study revealed bidirectional effects between maternal IPV experiences, child maltreatment, and children's behavioral self-regulation. Furthermore, the study demonstrated that exposure to IPV during early childhood significantly predicts long-term behavioral self-regulation difficulties, even after controlling for the effects of child maltreatment.

Community Violence Exposure and Bullying in Mexican Adolescents. The Mediating Role of Moral Emotions.

Community characteristics can explain differences in bullying rates between schools. Underpinned by the social-ecological model, this study examined the relationships among community violence exposure (CVE), moral emotions (guilt and sympathy), and bullying in adolescents. We also explored the moderating role of gender in these relationships. The sample included 915 adolescents (48.6% female and 51.4% male) aged 11-16 (M age = 13.76, SD = 0.82). Students responded to the self-report measures. We used a latent variable structural equation modeling (SEM) approach to examine the relationships between variables. The SEM indicated that CVE was negatively associated with moral emotions (guilt and sympathy) and positively associated with bullying. In addition, CVE had a negative indirect association with bullying through their negative relationship with moral emotions. The structural model is equivalent for both genders, suggesting gender does not moderate these relationships. These findings indicate that CVE are associated with differences in school bullying rates.

Findings From the World Mental Health Surveys of Civil Violence Exposure and Its Association With Subsequent Onset and Persistence of Mental Disorders.

Importance: Understanding the association of civil violence with mental disorders is important for developing effective postconflict recovery policies. Objective: To estimate the association between exposure to civil violence and the subsequent onset and persistence of common mental disorders (in the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders, Fourth Edition [DSM-IV]) in representative surveys of civilians from countries that have experienced civil violence since World War II. Design, Setting, and Participants: This study used data from cross-sectional World Health Organization World Mental Health (WMH) surveys administered to households between February 5, 2001, and January 5, 2022, in 7 countries that experienced periods of civil violence after World War II (Argentina, Colombia, Lebanon, Nigeria, Northern Ireland, Peru, and South Africa). Data from respondents in other WMH surveys who immigrated from countries with civil violence in Africa and Latin America were also included. Representative samples comprised adults (aged ≥18 years) from eligible countries. Data analysis was performed from February 10 to 13, 2023. Exposures: Exposure was defined as a self-report of having been a civilian in a war zone or region of terror. Related stressors (being displaced, witnessing atrocities, or being a combatant) were also assessed. Exposures occurred a median of 21 (IQR, 12-30) years before the interview. Main Outcomes and Measures: The main outcome was the retrospectively reported lifetime prevalence and 12-month persistence (estimated by calculating 12-month prevalence among lifetime cases) of DSM-IV anxiety, mood, and externalizing (alcohol use, illicit drug use, or intermittent explosive) disorders. Results: This study included 18 212 respondents from 7 countries. Of these individuals, 2096 reported that they were exposed to civil violence (56.5% were men; median age, 40 [IQR, 30-52] years) and 16 116 were not exposed (45.2% were men; median age, 35 [IQR, 26-48] years). Respondents who reported being exposed to civil violence had a significantly elevated onset risk of anxiety (risk ratio [RR], 1.8 [95% CI, 1.5-2.1]), mood (RR, 1.5 [95% CI, 1.3-1.7]), and externalizing (RR, 1.6 [95% CI, 1.3-1.9]) disorders. Combatants additionally had a significantly elevated onset risk of anxiety disorders (RR, 2.0 [95% CI, 1.3-3.1]) and refugees had an increased onset risk of mood (RR, 1.5 [95% CI, 1.1-2.0]) and externalizing (RR, 1.6 [95% CI, 1.0-2.4]) disorders. Elevated disorder onset risks persisted for more than 2 decades if conflicts persisted but not after either termination of hostilities or emigration. Persistence (ie, 12-month prevalence among respondents with lifetime prevalence of the disorder), in comparison, was generally not associated with exposure. Conclusions: In this survey study of exposure to civil violence, exposure was associated with an elevated risk of mental disorders among civilians for many years after initial exposure. These findings suggest that policy makers should recognize these associations when projecting future mental disorder treatment needs in countries experiencing civil violence and among affected migrants.

Longitudinal Patterns of Multidimensional Violence Exposure and Adolescent Early Sexual Initiation.

Early sexual intercourse is associated with sexually transmitted infections, pregnancy, and depressive symptoms, and delay of intercourse allows adolescents opportunities to practice relationship skills (Coker et al., 1994; Harden, 2012; Kugler et al., 2017; Spriggs & Halpern, 2008). Thus, understanding predictors of early sexual intercourse is crucial. Prior research has suggested that violence exposure is associated with early initiation of sexual intercourse in adolescence (Abajobir et al., 2018; Orihuela et al., 2020). However, most studies have looked only at a single type of violence exposure. In addition, little research has examined longitudinal patterns of violence exposure in order to determine whether there are particular periods when the violence exposure may have the strongest impact on sexual behavior. Guided by life history and cumulative disadvantage theories, we use longitudinal latent class analysis and data from the Future of Families and Child Well-being Study (N = 3,396; 51.1% female, 48.9% male) to examine how longitudinal patterns of multiple types of violence exposures across ages 3 to 15 are associated with early sexual initiation in adolescence. Findings suggest that experiencing persistent physical and emotional abuse across childhood was associated with the greatest prevalence of early sexual initiation. Early exposure to violence was not consistently associated with greater likelihood of sexual initiation; instead, early abuse was more strongly associated with sexual initiation for boys, while late childhood abuse was more strongly associated for girls. These findings suggest that gender-sensitive programs are highly needed to address unique risk factors for boys' and girls' sexual behaviors.

Reviewing the Literature on the Impact of Gun Violence on Early Childhood Development.

PURPOSE OF REVIEW: To examine the impacts of gun violence on early childhood development including early childhood mental health, cognitive development, and the assessment and treatment of survivors. RECENT FINDINGS: The literature reflects that gun violence exposure is often associated with significant mental health outcomes including anxiety, post-traumatic stress, and depression in older youth. Historically, studies have focused on adolescents and their exposures to gun violence through proximity to gun violence within their communities, neighborhoods, and schools. However, the impacts of gun violence on young children are less known. Gun violence has significant impacts on mental health outcomes of youth aged 0-18. Few studies focus specifically on how gun violence impacts early childhood development. In light of the increase in youth gun violence over the past three decades with a significant uptick since the onset of the COVID-19 pandemic, continued efforts are needed to better understand how gun violence impacts early childhood development.

Violent Video Game Exposure and Cyberbullying in Early Adolescents: A Latent Moderated Mediation Model.

Violent video game exposure (VVGE) is a significant predictor of adolescent cyberbullying perpetration. However, little is known about the mediating and moderated mechanisms between them. This study examined the mediating role of moral disengagement between VVGE and cyberbullying perpetration as well as the moderating role of callous-unemotional (CU) traits on those associations. A total of 2,523 Chinese adolescents (Mage = 13.22, SD = 1.60, 48.4 percent girls) participated this study. Structural equation modeling showed that VVGE was significantly related to cyberbullying perpetration and moral disengagement play a mediating role between them. Latent moderated structural equation modeling showed that CU traits strengthened the effect of VVGE on moral disengagement and of VVGE on cyberbullying perpetration. Results further showed that the mediating effect of moral disengagement was more prominent for youths who have higher levels of CU traits. Interventions to reduce moral disengagement and CU traits among adolescents may interrupt the effect of VVGE to cyberbullying perpetration.

Exposure to gun violence and handgun carrying from adolescence to adulthood.

RATIONALE: While empirical interest in understanding the mental health consequences surrounding gun violence has increased, currently there is much unknown about the long reach of childhood exposure to gun violence on handgun carrying across the life course. OBJECTIVE: The current study aims to evaluate the relations between witnessing gun violence before age 12 and subsequent handgun-carrying behavior from adolescence to adulthood in a nationally representative sample of U.S. youth. METHODS: Data from 15 waves from the National Longitudinal Survey of Youth 1997) are analyzed (Ns range from 5695 to 5875 participants). Categorical latent growth curve models are estimated to assess individual differences in handgun-carrying behavior over time and the relationships between childhood exposure to gun violence, initial levels during adolescence, and rates of change from adolescence to adulthood. RESULTS: Participants who reported witnessing seeing someone shot or shot at in childhood demonstrated higher odds of carrying a handgun in adolescence. Exposure to gun violence was not associated with changes in the odds of handgun carrying from adolescence to adulthood after controlling for theoretically relevant covariates. CONCLUSIONS: Childhood exposure to gun violence appears to be a risk factor for handgun carrying in adolescence. Nonetheless, other behaviors and demographic characteristics account for inter-individual differences in changes in handgun carrying across the life course.

Trauma exposure, posttraumatic stress, and identity content valences among Japanese adolescents.

INTRODUCTION: Theorists and a few empirical studies have suggested that traumatic experiences, posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD), and complex PTSD (CPTSD) may affect identity development. However, existing studies have overlooked how adolescents' traumas are associated with the alignment of their identity with socio-cultural expectations, which is a crucial component of identity development. To address this gap, this study examined the associations of various types of potentially traumatic experiences and PTSD and CPTSD symptoms with the positive and negative valences of identity affected by desirable and undesirable images within socio-cultural contexts. METHODS: A cross-sectional survey of 341 adolescents (44.0% girls; Mage = 14.8, SD = 1.8) was conducted in Japan. RESULTS: Exposure to certain types of potentially traumatic events (e.g., family violence and physical attack) were related to high levels of negative identity elements, whereas none of the types were related to positive identity elements. The results also indicated that CPTSD-specific symptoms of disturbances in self-organization (DSO) were related to high levels of negative identity elements rather than PTSD. CONCLUSIONS: The findings expand upon related research by suggesting that adolescents' exposure to some types of traumatic events (e.g., family violence and physical attack) and posttraumatic DSO symptoms have the potential to disturb the alignment of their identities with socio-cultural expectations.

Types of community violence exposure and clinical outcomes: Evidence of differing associations among emerging adults.

OBJECTIVE: Community violence (CV) is an important public health concern. The literature has largely focused on CV exposure among higher-risk, urban youth, while the impact of CV on emerging adults in university settings remains poorly understood, even though this developmental period is associated with heightened risk. Much of the extant research has utilized a cumulative approach to study CV, thus, little is known about how different dimensions of CV (i.e., direct, witnessed, learned about) may be uniquely related to functioning. METHOD: The goals of this study were to: (a) examine the associations between cumulative CV and both adverse (i.e., posttraumatic stress symptoms [PTSS], anger, emotion dysregulation) and adaptive (i.e., resilience) clinical outcomes and (b) investigate the distinct ties between the three CV dimensions and these constructs. This study included 547 emerging adults from two universities that are located in two U.S. cities with high crime rates (Mage = 20.31, SD = 2.08, range = 18-28; 80.8% female; 57.8% white). RESULTS: Cumulative CV was related to higher levels of PTSS as well as resilience. For the specific CV dimensions, direct CV was positively linked with PTSS, anger, and emotion dysregulation, whereas witnessed CV inversely corresponded with emotion dysregulation and resilience. Learning about CV was unrelated to clinical outcomes. CONCLUSIONS: Students in high crime areas are at heightened risk for CV, which may contribute to both psychological difficulties and resilience. Findings signal the need to better understand how to foster resilience among emerging adults exposed to violence in their communities. (PsycInfo Database Record (c) 2023 APA, all rights reserved).

Differentiating Between Us & Them: Reduced In-Group Bias as a Novel Mechanism Linking Childhood Violence Exposure with Internalizing Psychopathology.

Strong in-group bonds, facilitated by implicit favoritism for in-group members (i.e., in-group bias), promote mental health across development. Yet, we know little about how the development of in-group bias is shaped by early-life experiences. Childhood violence exposure is known to alter social information processing biases. Violence exposure may also influence social categorization processes, including in-group biases, in ways that influence risk for psychopathology. We examined associations of childhood violence exposure with psychopathology and behavioral and neural indices of implicit and explicit bias for novel groups in children followed longitudinally across three time points from age 5 to 10 years old (n = 101 at baseline; n = 58 at wave 3). To instantiate in-group and out-group affiliations, youths underwent a minimal group assignment induction procedure, in which they were randomly assigned to one of two groups. Youth were told that members of their assigned group shared common interests (in-group) and members of the other group did not (out-group). In pre-registered analyses, violence exposure was associated with lower implicit in-group bias, which in turn was associated prospectively with higher internalizing symptoms and mediated the longitudinal association between violence exposure and internalizing symptoms. During an fMRI task examining neural responses while classifying in-group and out-group members, violence-exposed children did not exhibit the negative functional coupling between vmPFC and amygdala to in-group vs. out-group members that was observed in children without violence exposure. Reduced implicit in-group bias may represent a novel mechanism linking violence exposure with the development of internalizing symptoms.

Longitudinal Associations Between Community Violence Exposure and Mental Health Problems in Inner-City Youth: Ethnicity and Gender Perspectives.

There is a lack of agreement on whether children and adolescents with different cultural/ethnic backgrounds react to trauma in a similar fashion. This study adds to the existing literature by providing ethnicity and gender perspectives on the longitudinal associations between the degree of community violence exposure (CVE) and mental health problems in U.S. inner-city youth. The study was conducted on a representative sample of predominantly ethnic minority youth (N = 2,794; 54.1% female; age 11-16 years old (M [SD] = 12.77 [1.29]); 60.0% African-American, 26.1% Hispanic American, 13.9% White). Self-reported information was obtained on CVE in year 1 and on mental health problems (depressive symptoms, posttraumatic stress, alcohol use, and conduct problems) in year 1 and year 2. Multivariate analyses of covariance (MANCOVA) were used to compare mental health problems in youth from the three ethnic groups in relation to the different degrees of CVE experienced one year prior, while controlling for their baseline mental health problem levels, age, and socio-economic status. Mental health problems in year 2 increased in a similar fashion in relation to the degree of severity of CVE in year 1 in all three ethnic groups. The interaction effects suggested a gender-specific response to CVE, where girls in the three ethnic groups reported higher levels of depression and posttraumatic stress in relation to the same degree of CVE, as compared to boys. Adolescents from different ethnic backgrounds respond similarly to differing degrees of CVE with an increase in mental health problems over time. In response to a similar degree of exposure, girls tend to experience greater levels of internalizing problems than boys. Timely recognition of traumatic exposure and associated mental health problems is important for early prevention and intervention strategies.

Childhood Abuse and Neglect, Exposure to Domestic Violence and Sibling Violence: Profiles and Associations With Sociodemographic Variables and Mental Health Indicators.

Research indicates substantial overlap between child abuse and neglect (CAN), exposure to domestic violence and sibling abuse, with multiple victimisation experiences conferring greater risk for adverse mental health outcomes than does exposure to a single subtype. The application of latent class analysis (LCA) to child maltreatment has gained momentum, but it remains the case that few studies have incorporated a comprehensive range of subtypes, meaning that real-life patterns in victimisation experiences cannot be accurately modelled. Based on self-report data from an ethnically diverse sample (N = 2813) of 10-17 year olds in the United Kingdom, the current study used LCA to model constellations among nine types of maltreatment in the home (physical, emotional and sexual abuse; physical and emotional neglect; exposure to physical and verbal domestic violence, or a drug-related threat; and sibling violence). A four-class solution comprising of a low victimisation class (59.3% of participants), an emotional abuse and neglect class (19.0%), a high verbal domestic violence class (10.5%) and a maltreatment and domestic violence class (11.2%) provided the best fit for the data. Associations with sociodemographic variables were examined, revealing differences in the composition of the classes. Compared to the low victimisation class, participants in the verbal domestic violence class, emotional abuse and neglect class and especially the maltreatment and domestic violence class, reported higher symptoms of anxiety and depression and an increased likelihood of non-suicidal self-injury, suicide ideation and suicide attempt. The findings carry important implications for understanding patterns of child maltreatment, and the implications for preventative strategies and support services are discussed.

Individual and environmental correlates of childhood maltreatment and exposure to community violence: Utilizing a latent profile and a multilevel meta-analytic approach.

BACKGROUND: Childhood maltreatment (CM) and exposure to community violence (ETV) are correlated with physical/mental health and psychosocial problems. Typically, CM and ETV are examined separately, by subtypes within category, or collapsed across both into one category of adversity. Consequently, research is limited in identifying subgroups of individuals with different amounts of exposure to both CM and ETV. Accordingly, we lack sufficient understanding of the extent to which problems associated with CM and ETV vary based on the amount (i.e. dose) of exposure to both of these experiences. METHODS: We used 20 samples (28,300 individuals) to estimate person-centered profiles of CM and ETV occurrence and co-occurrence within each sample. An individual data multilevel meta-analytic framework was used to determine the average effect size across samples for different profiles and conditional probability correlations within sociodemographic, neighborhood, health, mental health, and psychosocial domains. RESULTS: The profile characterized by high levels of CM and high levels of ETV correlated with stressful life events, depression and anxiety symptoms, and general indicators of externalizing behaviors. CM predominant profiles were associated with mental health diagnoses and treatment. ETV predominant profiles associated with risk-taking/violent behavior and neighborhood-level disadvantage. However, nuance based on the dose of CM or ETV was evident. CONCLUSIONS: It is important to identify subgroups based on the amount of exposure to CM and ETV. These subgroups have differential relationships with correlates across domains. Greater delineation and description of the lived experience will allow for more precision in addressing the burden of childhood adversity.

Lethal Police Encounters and Cardiovascular Health among Black Americans.

This study uses insights from social stress theory to examine associations between exposure to police killings of Black Americans and cardiovascular health among Black women and men. Data on lethal police encounters come from the Mapping Police Violence (MPV) database, which allows for examination of total exposures to police killings of Black people and exposures to events when decedents were unarmed. MPV data are merged with the Behavioral Risk Factor Surveillance System (n = 26,086) and state-level information from multiple federal databases. Four cardiovascular health outcomes are examined-hypertension, diabetes, heart attack, and stroke. After adjusting for important risk factors, results from gender-stratified multilevel logistic regressions reveal a positive association between exposures to police killings of unarmed Black people and odds of hypertension among Black women and stroke among Black men. Total exposures to police killings of Black people are also associated with greater likelihood of stroke for Black men. Findings from this study demonstrate that stress exposures generated by the quantity and injustice of police killings have important implications for cardiovascular health among Black Americans. Furthermore, adverse cardiovascular health associated with exposure to police violence tends to manifest differently for Black men and women.

Community Violence Exposure and Generalized Anxiety Symptoms: Do Callous-Unemotional Behaviors Moderate this Relation Among Urban Youth?

Community violence exposure (CVE; i.e., direct victimization and witnessed violence) is a major public health concern among youth who reside in low income, urban neighborhoods, who tend to experience CVE chronically and disproportionately. Frequent CVE is associated with generalized anxiety disorder (GAD) symptoms, such as persistent or excessive worry and difficulty concentrating. However, not all youth experiencing CVE exhibit such symptoms. One understudied factor that may moderate this relation is callous-unemotional (CU) behaviors (e.g., behaviors consistent with lack of guilt, low levels of empathy). CU behaviors are associated with lower levels of responsiveness to contextual processes; as such, CU behaviors may be associated with lower levels of GAD symptoms in the context of CVE. However, little research considers CU behaviors and GAD symptoms concurrently. To address this gap, the present study examined associations among witnessed and direct CVE, CU behaviors, and GAD symptoms among low-income, urban youth (N = 104, 50% male, Mage = 9.93 ± 1.22 years old, 95% African-American/Black). Multiple regression analyses indicated teacher-reported CU behaviors moderated the relations between CVE and caregiver-reported GAD symptoms. Post-hoc probing revealed that among youth with higher levels of CVE, higher levels of CU behaviors were associated with elevated GAD symptoms compared to their peers with lower levels of CU behaviors. Youth with lower levels of CU behaviors evidenced moderate levels of GAD symptoms regardless of their levels of CVE. Thus, low-income, urban youth who experience elevated levels of CVE may be at increased risk for co-occurring GAD and CU symptoms.

A cross-sectional study of the association between exposure to violence, intelligence, and executive function in Brazilian youths

Abstract We carried out an exploratory study of the association between exposure to violence, intelligence, and executive functions in Brazilian preadolescents. The study included 56 participants (31 males) aged 8 to 14 years old (mean = 11.3, SD = 1.0). We administered neuropsychological tests to evaluate executive functions and the Juvenile Victimization Questionnaire (JVQ) to evaluate exposure to violence. We used the following neuropsychological instruments: Wechsler Abbreviated Scale of Intelligence (WASI), Stroop Color-Word Interference task, digits subtest of the Wechsler Intelligence Scale for Children, and an N-back task. We generated a composite score from neuropsychological test scores and investigated the association of that score, and individual test scores, with exposure to violence and socioeconomic status (SES). Results suggest, first, that exposure to violence is associated with a 0.5-point lower intelligence quotient score for every reported victimization event in the Juvenile Victimization Questionnaire. Results also show that the digits backward subtest scores showed a significant negative correlation with exposure to violence (JVQ; rho = -0.29, p < 0.05); both analyses were adjusted for the level of schooling of parents or guardians, which was also found to be significantly associated with lower intelligence quotient scores. We discuss results in the light of the existing literature on the effects of exposure to violence on adolescent development, and the amounting evidence that suggests an association of exposure to violence, and of victimization, with tests that evaluate constructs of executive functions. The study struggled with low compliance from participants, and we underscore the challenges of carrying out empirical studies aimed at better understanding the development of underrepresented youths, such as those from Central and Latin America.

"Sonhei que morri": guerra e morte nos sonhos de jovens que cumprem medida socioeducativa de privação de liberdade / "Soñé que moría" guerra y muerte en los sueños de jóvenes que se encuentran en medidas socioeducativas / "I dreamed I died" war and death on adolescents' dreams who are subjected to socio-educational measures / "J'ai rêvé que je mourais" guerre et mort dans les rêves des jeunes en mesures socio-éducatives

Este artigo apresenta reflexões acerca da experiência com as Rodas de Sonhos, um dispositivo clínico-político construído em meio aos trabalhos de pesquisa-intervenção do NUPPEC junto aos adolescentes que cumpriam medida socioeducativa de privação de liberdade. Destacamos a temática da guerra e da morte presente nos relatos dos sonhos dos meninos em enlace com o desejo de morte que a sociedade brasileira dirige a esses jovens. Explicitamos o contexto violento da juventude brasileira em situação de vulnerabilidade social, sustentado pela lógica dos discursos capitalistas e neoliberais. Compartilhamos algumas narrativas oníricas, nas quais problematizamos os efeitos das políticas de morte e da violência dirigidas aos jovens negros e pobres do país. Entendemos que as Rodas de Sonhos oferecem um modo de resistência frente aos discursos mortíferos dirigidos a esses jovens

Este artículo presenta reflexiones sobre la experiencia con Rodas de Sonhos, un dispositivo clínico-político, construido en medio del trabajo de investigación-intervención del NUPPEC, con adolescentes que cumplían una medida socioeducativa de privación delibertad. Destacamos el tema de la guerra y la muerte presente en los relatos de los sueños de los chicos en relación con el deseo de muerte que la sociedad brasileña dirige a estos jóvenes. Explicamos el contexto violento de la juventud brasileña en situación de vulnerabilidad social, apoyados en la lógica de los discursos capitalista y neoliberal. Compartimos algunas narrativas oníricas, en las que problematizamos los efectos de las políticas de muerte y violencia dirigidas a los jóvenes negros y pobres del país. Entendemos que las Rodas de Sonhos ofrecen una forma de resistir los discursos mortíferos dirigidos a estos jóvenes

This article presents the reflections about the experience with Wheels of Dreams (Rodas dos Sonhos), a clinical-political device, developed around the research-intervention work of NUPPEC, with teenagers who are on depravation of liberty on detention centers for juvenile offenders. We emphasize the theme of war and death present in the narration of the dreams of teenagers in association with the desire for death that Brazilian society directed to these young people. We explicit the violent context of Brazilian youth in social vulnerability situation, sustained by the logic of capitalist and neoliberal discourses. We share some oneiric narratives, in which we problematized the effects of death policies and violence towards the country's young black and poor people. We understand that the Wheels of Dreams offer a mode of resistance in the face of deadly discourses directed at these young people

Cet article expose des réflexions sur l'expérience avec les Roues de Rêves, un dispositif clinique-politique, construit parmi aux travaux de recherche-intervention du NUPPEC, avec des adolescents qui purgeaient une mesure socio-éducatif de privation de liberté. Nous soulignons le thème de la guerre et de la mort présent dans les rapports des rêves des garçons combinés avec le souhait de mort que la société brésilienne apporte à ces jeunes. Nous explicitons le contexte violent de la jeunesse brésilienne en situation de vulnérabilité sociale, soutenu par la logique des discours capitalistes et néolibéraux. Nous partageons quelques récits oniriques, dans lesquels nous problématisons les effets des politiques de mort et de violence destinées à les jeunes noirs et pauvres du pays. Nous comprenons que les Roues de Rêves proposent une manière de résistance aux discours mortels destinés à ces jeunes

Violência psicológica no cotidiano escolar: o que pensam os alunos? / Psychological violence in school education: what do students think? / La violencia psicológica en el cotidiano escolar: ¿qué piensan los estudiantes?

A pesquisa identificou e analisou a representação de 115 alunos do Ensino Fundamental I de duas escolas públicas de Minas Gerais acerca da violência no contexto escolar. Especificamente buscou-se verificar a respeito da violência psicológica na modalidade humilhação presente na relação educacional entre professores e alunos. A metodologia englobou observação do cotidiano da sala de aula e uma entrevista semiestruturada. Os resultados indicam que a maioria dos alunos apresenta uma representação da violência vinculada à verificação de agressões físicas, isto é, a representação da violência está ancorada à violência física, tal como em atos de bater, chutar, machucar, brigar, empurrar, esfaquear. Devido a estas representações, notou-se que a violência psicológica é pouco percebida pelos discentes, visto não haver atos físicos visíveis e pela representação de que um professor não age com violência, tendo seus atos explicados e justificados como parte do processo de ensino, o que inclui as atitudes agressivas e humilhantes, em alguns casos, vindas deste profissional. (AU)

The research identified and analyzed the representation of 115 students from Elementary School I of two public schools in Minas Gerais about violence in the school context. Specifically, we sought to verify the psychological violence in the modality humiliation present in the educational relationship between teachers and students. The methodology included observation of the classroom everyday and a semistructured interview. The results indicate that most of the students present a representation of violence related to the verification of physical aggressions, that is, the representation of violence is anchored to physical violence, such as in acts of beating, kicking, bruising, fighting, pushing, stabbing. Due to these representations, it was noticed that the psychological violence is little perceived by the students, since there are no physical acts visible and by the representation that a teacher does not act with violence, having their actions explained and justified as part of the teaching process, the which includes the aggressive and humiliating attitudes, in some cases, coming from this professional. (AU)

La investigación identificó y analizó la representación de 115 alumnos de enseñanza básica de dos escuelas públicas de Minas Gerais sobre la violencia en el contexto escolar. Específicamente, buscamos verificar la violencia psicológica en forma de humillación presente en la relación educativa entre docentes y estudiantes. La metodología incluyó la observación de la vida cotidiana en el aula y una entrevista semiestructurada. Los resultados indican que la mayoría de los estudiantes presentan una representación de la violencia ligada a la verificación de la agresión física, o sea, la representación de la violencia está anclada a la violencia física, como en los actos de golpear, patear, lastimar, pelear, empujar, apuñalar. Debido a estas representaciones, se observó que la violencia psicológica es poco percibida por los estudiantes, ya que no hay actos físicos visibles y por la representación de que un docente no actúa con violencia, teniendo sus actos explicados y justificados como parte del proceso de enseñanza, lo que incluye actitudes agresivas y humillantes, en algunos casos, por parte de este profesional. (AU)