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. 2021 May:69:102579.
doi: 10.1016/j.healthplace.2021.102579. Epub 2021 May 8.

Exposure to community violence and depressive symptoms: Examining community, family, and peer effects among public housing youth

Andrew Foell  1 , Kyle A Pitzer  2 , Von Nebbitt  2 , Margaret Lombe  3 , Mansoo Yu  4 , Melissa L Villodas  5 , Chrisann Newransky  6
Affiliations

Exposure to community violence and depressive symptoms: Examining community, family, and peer effects among public housing youth

Andrew Foell et al. Health Place. 2021 May.

Abstract

Exposure to community violence is an epidemic problem that causes debilitating effects on youth mental health. However, the relationships between violence exposure and youth mental health remain unclear when examining co-occurring socioecological risk and protective factors. The purpose of this study is to clarify the observed gaps in knowledge by utilizing structural equation modeling (SEM) to examine the mediating role of community violence exposure on the relationship between perceived neighborhood risk factors, parental behaviors, and peers on depressive symptoms in a sample of urban youth in low-income public housing communities (n = 320). Results indicate that community violence exposure and exposure to delinquent peers mediates the effects of perceived neighborhood risk and parenting behaviors on depressive symptoms. These findings suggest that while interventions that limit exposure to community violence and delinquent peers could reduce depressive symptoms, interventions that reduce community violence are essential to improve youth mental health.

Keywords: Exposure to community violence; Public housing; Urban neighborhoods; Youth mental health.

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Conflict of interest statement

Declaration of competing interest

None.

Figures

Fig. 1.
Fig. 1.
Conceptual model of the socioecological correlates of depressive symptoms.
Fig. 2.
Fig. 2.
Final Structural Model for Violence Victimization (Standardized coefficients) (n = 226). *p < 0.05, **p < 0.01, **p < .001. Indirect Effects (DS = Depressive Symptoms). Perceived Neighborhood Risk - > DS = 0.066. Delinquent Peers - > DS = 0.143. Parenting Behaviors (Supervision and Encouragement) - > DS = 0.057. Data Source: DCFAM (2012).
Fig. 3.
Fig. 3.
Final Structural Model for Violence Witnessing (Standardized coefficients) (n = 222). *p < 0.05, **p < 0.01, ***p < .001. Indirect Effects (DS = Depressive Symptoms) Perceived Neighborhood Risk - > DS = 0.073. Delinquent Peers - > DS = 0.118. Parenting Behaviors (Supervision and Encouragement) - > DS = 0.046. Data Source: DCFAM (2012).
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