Emotional and behavioral problems in adolescents exposure to community violence

Abstract

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

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