1 research outputs found
Emotional and behavioral problems in adolescents exposure to community violence
U radu smo prikazali rezultate istraživanja o emocionalnim i bihejvioralnim
problemima mladih koji su izloženi nasilju u zajednici i nasilju vršnjaka. Pod nasiljem u
zajednici podrazumevali smo nasilna dela koja su se dešavala na ulici, u školi ili na putu
do škole, kao i na bilo kom drugom mestu koje nije porodica. Brojna istraživanja ukazuju
na to da iskustvo nasilja dovodi do promena u ponašanju, osećanjima, socijalnim
odnosima, a i da je povezano sa antisocijalnim ponašanjem. Uzimajući u obzir značaj
roditelja i njihov odnos prema deci, proučavali smo da li i koliko određene karakteristike
roditeljstva (toplina, uključenost, nadzor i konzistentnost) utiču na tu vezu.
Istraživanje smo sproveli u Beogradu, na uzorku od 505 učenika VIII razreda, školske
2007/2008. godine. Primenili smo upitnike napravljene za projekat SAHA (The Social
And Health Assessment), koji je sproveden u više zemalja širom sveta. Koristili smo
skale za procenu: izloženosti nasilju u zajednici, vršnjačkog nasilja, antisocijalnog
ponašanja, Skalu snaga i teškoća i Skalu za procenu roditeljstva. Ispitanici su izveštavali
o događajima koji su se desili u periodu od godinu dana pre istraživanja.
U ispitivanom uzorku, 74,9% mladih je bilo izloženo nasilju vršnjaka. Najčešće je bila
prisutna socijalna manipulacija, verbalno nasilje (vređanje, psovanje ili ismevanje),
uzimanje ili uništavanje imovine, a najređe fizičko nasilje. Nešto manji broj ispitanika
(72,1%) prisustvovao je nasilju nad drugom osobom. Mladi su obično videli da nekome
prete ili da nekoga pljačkaju. Najređe je, kao i kod vršnjačkog nasilja, bilo prisutno
fizičko nasilje. Svaki peti ispitanik (20,4%) i sâm je bio žrtva nasilja u zajednici (bili su
izloženi pretnjama, jurili su ih sa ciljem da ih povrede), a samo malo ispitanika je bilo
fizički povređeno. Među mladima koji su imali iskustvo sa nasiljem, 26,9% bilo je
dvostruko traumatizovano (izloženost i svedočenje nasilju). Rezultati koje smo dobili
odgovaraju rezultatima drugih istraživanja – dečaci su češće i žrtve i svedoci nasilja u
zajednici. U pogledu izloženosti vršnjačkom nasilju nismo pronašli da postoji razlika po
polu.
Ispitanici su u 82,8% slučajeva saopštili da su u periodu od godinu dana pre
istraživanja ispoljili antisocijalno ponašanje. Obično su činili manje prekršaje: - lagali
roditelje i nastavnike ili povremeno bežali sa časova. Mladih koji su ozbiljno prekršili
socijalne norme (napalo vršnjaka, posedovalo oružje) bilo je 36,8%, sa delinkventnim
ponašanjem 9,5% ispitanika, a 1,2% je zbog svog ponašanja bilo i zakonski
sankcionisano. Blaža antisocijalna ponašanja pokazuju i dečaci i devojčice, ali ozbiljne
forme češće ispoljavaju dečaci.
Rezultati našeg istraživanja potvrđuju da postoji povezanost između izloženosti i
svedočenja nasilju u zajednici i vršnjačkog nasilja sa emocionalnim i bihejvioralnim
problemima mladih. Adolescenti koji su bili izloženi nasilju u zajednici pokazuju više
problema u svim sferama funkcionisanja (osim u emocionalnoj) i manje su spremni na
prosocijalno ponašanje. Očigledni je da postoje problemi u ponašanju mladih koji su
svedoci nasilja u zajednici: pažnja im je slabija i manje su zainteresovani za uključivanje
u pozitivne interakcije sa drugima. Žrtve vršnjačkog nasilja imaju više problema u
odnosima sa vršnjacima, češće pokazuju emocionalne i probleme u ponašanju i
hiperaktivni su. Utvrdili smo da su izloženost i svedočenje nasilju u zajednici povezani sa
antisocijalnim ponašanjem, a i mladi koji su bili žrtve vršnjačkog nasilja manifestuju
blaže oblike takvog ponašanja. Opisane probleme u funkcionisanju ispoljavaju i dečaci i
devojčice. Pol se izdvojio kao značajan faktor moderacije samo u slučaju vršnjačkog
nasilja – devojčice sa takvim iskustvom pokazuju više problema u ponašanju i pažnja im
je slabija nego kod dečaka.
Mladi koji su bili izloženi nasilju ili su bili svedoci nasilja u zajednici svoje roditelje
češće opisuju kao nekonzistentne, manje zainteresovane i hladnije u odnosu sa svojom
decom. Adolescenti koji ispoljavaju antisocijalno ponašanje smatraju da su njihovi
roditelji i manje spremni da ih kontrolišu.
Rezultati našeg istraživanja su potvrdili da nasilje kojem su mladi izloženi na direktan
ili indirektan način, kao i nasilje vršnjaka, ostavlja posledice u mnogim sferama života, a
može se dovesti i u vezu sa antisocijalnim problemima. Pol je i ovde značajan faktor koji
utiče na prirodu te povezanosti – dečaci su pod većim rizikom da dožive nasilje, a
devojčice da ispolje probleme u ponašanju. Jedina karakteristika roditelja koja dobro
predviđa verovatnoću pojave problema jeste nekonzistentnost. Kada smo u analizu
uključili i izloženost vršnjačkom nasilju, konzistentnost roditelja je izgubila značaj, a kao
jedini značajan prediktor emocionalnih i bihejvioralnih problema mladih pojavila se
izloženost vršnjačkom nasilju. Opisani rezultati mogu biti od pomoći prilikom kreiranja
programa prevencije nasilja među mladima.In this paper we presented research findings on emotional and behavioral problems in
youth who were exposed to community violence and peer victimization. Numerous
researches indicate that experience of violence leads to changes in behavior, emotions,
social relationships, but that it is also connected to antisocial behavior. Taking into
account the importance of parents and their attitude towards children, we studied weather
certain characteristics of parenting (warmth, involvement, supervision, and consistency)
influence this relationship.
Research was conducted in Belgrade, on a sample of 505 eighth grade students,
during school year 2007/2008. We applied the questionnaires developed for the project
SAHA (The Social and Health Assessment), which was conducted in several countries
throughout the world. We used following assessment scales: Exposure to Community
Violence Scales, Peer Victimization Scale, Antisocial behavior, The Strength and
Difficulties Questionnaire (SDQ), Parenting Scales. Subjects reported on the events that
took place over a period of one year before the survey.
In the survey sample, 74.9% of adolescents have been exposed to peer victimization.
The most frequent occurring was social manipulation, verbal abuse (insults, swearing or
ridiculing), taking or destruction of property, and the least common physical violence.
Slightly smaller number of subjects (72.1%) attended the violence against another person.
Young people often saw someone being threatened or robbed. The least common was, as
it was with peer victimization, a physical violence. One in five subjects (20.4%) was
victim of community violence himself (they were subjected to threats, were chased after
with intent to inflict injuries), but a very small number of subjects were physically
injured. Among youth who had experience with violence, 26.9% of them were twice as
traumatized (both through exposure and through witnessing). Our findings correspond to
those from other studies – boys are more often both victims and witnesses of community
violence. We did not find a difference in gender, regarding exposure to peer
victimization.
Total of 82.8% subjects reported that they expressed antisocial behavior during
previous year. These usually consisted of minor infractions – lying to parents and
teachers or occasional class skipping, but 36.8% of subjects seriously violated social
norms (attacked peer, weapon possession). Delinquent behavior was manifested in 9.5%
of subjects, and 1.2% of them were legally sanctioned due to their conduct. Both boys
and girls exhibit milder antisocial behaviors, but severe forms are more frequently
displayed by boys.
Results of our study show connection between exposure, witnessing community
violence, and peer victimization, with emotional and behavioral problems in youth.
Young people who were exposed to community violence show more problems in all
aspects of functioning (except in emotional one) and they are less willing to display prosocial
conduct. Witnesses of community violence display more problems in behavior,
poorer attention and they are less interested in participating in positive interactions with
others. Subjects of peer victimization have more problems in peer relations, express more
often emotional and behavioral problems, and are more hyperactive. We determined that
exposure to and witnessing community violence are related to antisocial behavior, and
that youth, who were subjects to peer victimizations, exhibit milder forms of these
behaviors. Both boys and girls exhibit described problems in functioning. Gender
appeared significant factor of moderation only in case of peer victimization – girls who
were exposed, show more problems in behavior and have poorer attention than boys.
Youth who were exposed to or witnessed community violence, describe their parents
more often as inconsistent, less interested in their children and more reserved, and those
who exhibit antisocial behavior consider their parents less willing to control them.
Results of our study confirmed that violence young people were directly or indirectly
exposed to, as well as peer victimization, has consequences in many aspects of life, and it
can be brought in connection with antisocial problems. Gender is an important factor
which influences the nature of this connection – boys have greater risk to experience
violence and girls to manifest behavioral problems. The only parental characteristic that
predicts well the probability of problem occurring is inconsistency. Once we included
exposure to peer victimization into analysis, parental consistency lost its significance, and
exposure to peer victimization appeared as the only significant predictor of emotional and
behavioral problems in youth. These results may help us in designing programs for
prevention of violence among youth