1
|
Abu-Ras W, Decker E, Burghul M, Terrana S. Psychological responses to political hostility: a study on aggression, bullying, and well-being in Qatar. Int J Qual Stud Health Well-being 2024; 19:2359267. [PMID: 38803196 PMCID: PMC11136466 DOI: 10.1080/17482631.2024.2359267] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/22/2023] [Accepted: 05/21/2024] [Indexed: 05/29/2024] Open
Abstract
In 2017, the Gulf crisis led to a blockade that severely restricted Qatar's air, land, and sea access. This political crisis had far-reaching consequences, particularly affecting cross-national families and children. This qualitative analysis explores the effects of the blockade's political instability on individuals and families, specifically for Qatari citizens married to non-Qatari spouses and their cross-national children. Applying the General Aggression Model and Social Learning Theory, we interviewed 24 individuals residing in Qatar from nations directly affected by the crisis (Bahrain, Egypt, Saudi Arabia, and the United Arab Emirates). Two main themes emerged: first, the characteristics of aggressive and bullying behaviour, and second, the impacts on the well-being of cross-national families. The results showed that Qatari women and their children suffered disproportionately due to gender-based citizenship rights issues. The impacts on their well-being included heightened anxiety, depression, feelings of danger, uncertainty, and division within individuals, families, and communities. Recommendations include increasing collaborative efforts between governments, educational institutions, and community-based organizations, which are crucial to addressing aggressive and bullying behaviour across all age groups fostering a more harmonious and resilient society.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Wahiba Abu-Ras
- School of Social Work, Adelphi University, Garden City, NY, USA
| | - Eliza Decker
- School of Social Work, Adelphi University, Garden City, NY, USA
| | - Maryam Burghul
- Department of Anthropology, University of Texas, Austin, USA
| | - Sara Terrana
- School of Social Work, Adelphi University, Garden City, NY, USA
| |
Collapse
|
2
|
Khoury-Kassabri M, Hasisi B, Itskovich E. Youth involvement in serious physical violence and political violence: Similarities and differences in risk factors. J Adolesc 2024. [PMID: 38584571 DOI: 10.1002/jad.12325] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/13/2022] [Revised: 03/11/2024] [Accepted: 03/19/2024] [Indexed: 04/09/2024]
Abstract
INTRODUCTION Youth involvement in violence and delinquency has received widespread attention in the literature. However, little is known about youth involvement in political violence, especially among youth who live in conflict areas. The current study examined the mechanisms that underlie youth involvement in serious physical and political violence. We explored the similarities and differences in the association between both individual factors (including religiosity and school commitment) and parental factors (including parental control and education), and the two types of violent behaviors. METHOD A large representative sample of 814 Arab male students from neighborhoods located in East Jerusalem, aged 12-18 years, completed a structured, anonymous, self-report questionnaire. The data was collected between February and May 2019. RESULTS Over half of the participants reported that they had been involved in political violence (55.1%) or serious physical violence (58.8%) during the previous year. Youth involvement in serious physical violence was positively associated with involvement in political violence. Furthermore, we found that greater parental control and lower impulsivity are associated with lower levels of political and physical violence. School commitment was associated negatively with serious physical violence but not with involvement in political violence. Youth work was positively correlated with involvement in political violence but not in serious physical violence. CONCLUSION The results of the current study show that Arab youth from East Jerusalem are highly involved in political and serious physical violence. The risk and protective factors identified here should inform the design of specific intervention strategies.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Mona Khoury-Kassabri
- School of Social Work and Social Welfare, The Hebrew University of Jerusalem, Jerusalem, Israel
| | - Badi Hasisi
- Institute of Criminology, Faculty of Law, The Hebrew University of Jerusalem, Jerusalem, Israel
| | - Eran Itskovich
- Institute of Criminology, Faculty of Law, The Hebrew University of Jerusalem, Jerusalem, Israel
| |
Collapse
|
3
|
Moreno F. Moral reasoning about gang violence in context: A comparative study with children and adolescents exposed to maras in Honduras and not exposed in Nicaragua. Child Dev 2024; 95:e1-e20. [PMID: 37589079 DOI: 10.1111/cdev.13984] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/14/2021] [Revised: 04/24/2023] [Accepted: 06/23/2023] [Indexed: 08/18/2023]
Abstract
This study examined how youth morally deliberate about conditions of gang violence shaping their communities. Participants (N = 80; 10-11 and 14-15 years; 50% female) exposed to gangs (maras) in Honduras and not exposed to maras in Nicaragua evaluated hypothetical situations of physical harm in contexts of chronic gang violence. Results indicated that mara-exposed youth were more likely to endorse harming a rival gang member in some contexts, but not others. Moreover, in some contexts, males were more likely to endorse harming others as necessary. Few age differences emerged, suggesting comparability among children and adolescents. Discussion focuses on how children and adolescents coordinate different moral and social concepts and concerns pertaining to acts of physical harm in situations involving gangs.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Franklin Moreno
- Institute for the Study of Global Racial Justice, Rutgers, The State University of New Jersey, New Brunswick, New Jersey, USA
- Department of Psychology, Rutgers, The State University of New Jersey, Newark, New Jersey, USA
| |
Collapse
|
4
|
Docherty M, Decrop R, McManamon B, Boxer P, Dubow EF, Huesmann LR. Exposure to violence predicts callous-unemotional traits and aggression in adolescence in the context of persistent ethnic-political conflict and violence. Aggress Behav 2023; 49:655-668. [PMID: 37539489 PMCID: PMC10592434 DOI: 10.1002/ab.22103] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/30/2022] [Revised: 04/19/2023] [Accepted: 07/05/2023] [Indexed: 08/05/2023]
Abstract
According to social-cognitive ecological theory, violence exposure increases emotional factors-such as callous-unemotional (CU) traits-which then contribute to engagement in aggressive behavior. However, previous research has generally not tested this mediational pathway, particularly in the context of persistent ethnic-political violence exposure. The present study examined associations among violence exposure, CU traits, and aggression in a sample of 1051 youth in the Middle East (Palestine and Israel), using youth- and parent-reported data in a cohort-sequential design with three age cohorts (starting ages 8, 11, and 14 years) assessed over four waves spanning 6 years. Results from structural equation models with latent variables indicated that cumulative violence exposure in childhood and adolescence (measured annually for 3 years, and comprising exposure across multiple settings including political, community, family, and school) predicted later CU traits and aggression in adolescence and early adulthood, even after controlling for earlier levels of aggression and CU traits and demographic characteristics (child age and sex and parental socioeconomic status). Additionally, in mediation analyses, CU significantly mediated the association from earlier cumulative violence exposure to concurrent aggression, while aggression did not significantly mediate the association from earlier exposure to concurrent CU traits. The results of this study suggest that violence exposure leads to both aggressive behavior and a constellation of traits that place youth at greater risk for subsequent aggressive behavior, and that CU traits could partially explain the increased risk of aggression after violence exposure.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
| | | | | | - Paul Boxer
- University of Michigan
- Rutgers University-Newark
| | - Eric F. Dubow
- Bowling Green State University
- University of Michigan
| | | |
Collapse
|
5
|
Huesmann LR, Dubow EF, Boxer P, Smith C, Shikaki K, Landau SF, Gvirsman SD. Consequences of Exposure to War Violence: Discriminating Those with Heightened Risk for Aggression from Those with Heightened Risk for Post-Traumatic Stress Symptoms. INTERNATIONAL JOURNAL OF ENVIRONMENTAL RESEARCH AND PUBLIC HEALTH 2023; 20:6067. [PMID: 37372654 DOI: 10.3390/ijerph20126067] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/19/2023] [Revised: 05/30/2023] [Accepted: 05/31/2023] [Indexed: 06/29/2023]
Abstract
Chronic exposure to ethnic-political and war violence has deleterious effects throughout childhood. Some youths exposed to war violence are more likely to act aggressively afterwards, and some are more likely to experience post-traumatic stress symptoms (PTS symptoms). However, the concordance of these two outcomes is not strong, and it is unclear what discriminates between those who are at more risk for one or the other. Drawing on prior research on desensitization and arousal and on recent social-cognitive theorizing about how high anxious arousal to violence can inhibit aggression, we hypothesized that those who characteristically experience higher anxious arousal when exposed to violence should display a lower increase in aggression after exposure to war violence but the same or a higher increase in PTS symptoms compared to those low in anxious arousal. To test this hypothesis, we analyzed data from our 4-wave longitudinal interview study of 1051 Israeli and Palestinian youths (ages at Wave 1 ranged from 8 to 14, and at Wave 4 from 15-22). We used the 4 waves of data on aggression, PTS symptoms, and exposure to war violence, along with additional data collected during Wave 4 on the anxious arousal participants experienced while watching a very violent film unrelated to war violence (N = 337). Longitudinal analyses revealed that exposure to war violence significantly increased both the risk of subsequent aggression and PTS symptoms. However, anxious arousal in response to seeing the unrelated violent film (measured from skin conductance and self-reports of anxiety) moderated the relation between exposure to war violence and subsequent psychological and behavioral outcomes. Those who experienced greater anxious arousal while watching the violent film showed a weaker positive relation between amount of exposure to war violence and aggression toward their peers but a stronger positive relation between amount of exposure to war violence and PTS symptoms.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- L Rowell Huesmann
- Research Center for Group Dynamics, Institute for Social Research, The University of Michigan, 426 Thompson St., Ann Arbor, MI 48106-1248, USA
| | - Eric F Dubow
- Research Center for Group Dynamics, Institute for Social Research, The University of Michigan, 426 Thompson St., Ann Arbor, MI 48106-1248, USA
- Department of Psychology, Bowling Green State University, Bowling Green, OH 43403, USA
| | - Paul Boxer
- Research Center for Group Dynamics, Institute for Social Research, The University of Michigan, 426 Thompson St., Ann Arbor, MI 48106-1248, USA
- School of Arts and Sciences, Psychology Department, Rutgers University, 101 Warren Street, Newark, NJ 07102, USA
| | - Cathy Smith
- Research Center for Group Dynamics, Institute for Social Research, The University of Michigan, 426 Thompson St., Ann Arbor, MI 48106-1248, USA
| | - Khalil Shikaki
- Palestinian Center for Survey and Policy Research, Off Irsal Street, Ramallah P.O. Box 76, Palestine
| | - Simha F Landau
- Faculty of Law, Institute of Criminology, The Hebrew University of Jerusalem, Mt. Scopus, Jerusalem 9190501, Israel
| | - Shira Dvir Gvirsman
- Department of Communication Studies, Tel-Aviv University, Tel Aviv 6997801, Israel
| |
Collapse
|
6
|
Wentz B, Miller-Graff LE, Merrilees CE, Cummings EM. A Developmental Psychopathology Perspective on Political Violence and Youth Adjustment. INTERNATIONAL JOURNAL OF ENVIRONMENTAL RESEARCH AND PUBLIC HEALTH 2023; 20:ijerph20105864. [PMID: 37239590 DOI: 10.3390/ijerph20105864] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/25/2023] [Revised: 05/08/2023] [Accepted: 05/08/2023] [Indexed: 05/28/2023]
Abstract
According to the United Nations (2021), [...].
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Bethany Wentz
- Department of Psychology, William J. Shaw Center for Children and Families, University of Notre Dame, Notre Dame, IN 46556, USA
| | - Laura E Miller-Graff
- Department of Psychology, William J. Shaw Center for Children and Families, University of Notre Dame, Notre Dame, IN 46556, USA
- Kroc Institute for International Peace Studies, University of Notre Dame, Notre Dame, IN 46556-5677, USA
| | | | - E Mark Cummings
- Department of Psychology, William J. Shaw Center for Children and Families, University of Notre Dame, Notre Dame, IN 46556, USA
| |
Collapse
|
7
|
Zhu W, Sun L, Lu D, Li C, Tian X. The longitudinal relation between violence exposure in daily life, hostile automatic thoughts, and cyber-aggression. Aggress Behav 2023; 49:101-109. [PMID: 36334307 DOI: 10.1002/ab.22058] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/16/2022] [Revised: 10/10/2022] [Accepted: 10/20/2022] [Indexed: 11/08/2022]
Abstract
Cyber-aggression is a serious social problem worldwide. Its risks have been frequently explored, and violence exposure in daily life has been regarded as an important risk factor of cyber-aggression. However, the longitudinal association between violence exposure in daily life and cyber-aggression has not yet been examined, and the mechanisms underlying the link between violence exposure and cyber-aggression remain largely unclear. Based on the General Aggression Model and Script Theory, we explored the circular relation between violence exposure in daily life, hostile automatic thoughts, and cyber-aggression. The current study adopted a longitudinal design to address these issues among 941 college students. The results indicated violence exposure in daily life predicted hostile automatic thoughts and cyber-aggression 6 months later; hostile automatic thoughts predicted violence exposure and cyber-aggression 6 months later; and cyber-aggression predicted hostile automatic thoughts and violence exposure 6 months later. Moreover, each of them plays a mediating role in the association between the other two variables. These results support and expand the General Aggression Model and Script Theory that violence exposure, aggressive cognition, and aggression facilitate each other. This also provides theoretical guidance on reducing cyber-aggression in daily life.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Wenfeng Zhu
- Key Research Base of Humanities and Social Sciences of the Ministry of Education, Academy of Psychology and Behavior, Tianjin Normal University, Tianjin, China.,Faculty of Psychology, Tianjin Normal University, Tianjin, China.,Tianjin Social Science Laboratory of Students' Mental Development and Learning, Tianjin, China
| | - Lindan Sun
- Key Research Base of Humanities and Social Sciences of the Ministry of Education, Academy of Psychology and Behavior, Tianjin Normal University, Tianjin, China.,Faculty of Psychology, Tianjin Normal University, Tianjin, China.,Tianjin Social Science Laboratory of Students' Mental Development and Learning, Tianjin, China
| | - Dongxue Lu
- Key Research Base of Humanities and Social Sciences of the Ministry of Education, Academy of Psychology and Behavior, Tianjin Normal University, Tianjin, China.,Faculty of Psychology, Tianjin Normal University, Tianjin, China.,Tianjin Social Science Laboratory of Students' Mental Development and Learning, Tianjin, China
| | - Chenxing Li
- Key Research Base of Humanities and Social Sciences of the Ministry of Education, Academy of Psychology and Behavior, Tianjin Normal University, Tianjin, China.,Faculty of Psychology, Tianjin Normal University, Tianjin, China.,Tianjin Social Science Laboratory of Students' Mental Development and Learning, Tianjin, China
| | - Xue Tian
- Key Research Base of Humanities and Social Sciences of the Ministry of Education, Academy of Psychology and Behavior, Tianjin Normal University, Tianjin, China.,Faculty of Psychology, Tianjin Normal University, Tianjin, China.,Tianjin Social Science Laboratory of Students' Mental Development and Learning, Tianjin, China
| |
Collapse
|
8
|
Huesmann LR, Dubow EF, Boxer PB, Bushman BJ, Smith CS, Docherty MA, O'Brien MJ. Longitudinal predictions of young adults' weapons use and criminal behavior from their childhood exposure to violence. Aggress Behav 2021; 47:621-634. [PMID: 34148248 PMCID: PMC8784960 DOI: 10.1002/ab.21984] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/10/2021] [Revised: 05/19/2021] [Accepted: 05/25/2021] [Indexed: 11/08/2022]
Abstract
In this study, we examine whether youth who are exposed to more weapons violence are subsequently more likely to behave violently with weapons. We use data collected with a 3-cohort, 4-wave, 10-year longitudinal study of 426 high-risk youth from Flint, Michigan, who were second, fourth, or ninth-graders in 2006-2007. The data were obtained from individual interviews with the youth, their parents, and their teachers, from archival school and criminal justice records, and from geo-coded criminal offense data. These data show that early exposure to weapons violence significantly correlates at modest levels with weapon carrying, weapon use or threats-to-use, arrests for weapons use, and criminally violent acts 10 years later. Multiple regression analyses, controlling for children's initial aggressiveness, intellectual achievement, and parents' income, education, and aggression, reveal statistically significant independent 10-year effects: (1) more early exposure to weapon use within the family predicts more using or threatening to use a gun; (2) more cumulative early violent video game playing predicts more gun using or threatening to use weapons, and normative beliefs that gun use is acceptable; (3) more cumulative early exposure to neighborhood gun violence predicts more arrests for a weapons crime; and (4) more cumulative early exposure to movie violence predicts more weapon carrying. We argue that youth who observe violence with weapons, whether in the family, among peers, or through the media or video games, are likely to be infected from exposure with a social-cognitive-emotional disease that increases their own risk of behaving violently with weapons later in life.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- L. Rowell Huesmann
- Research Center for Group Dynamics, Institute for Social Research, University of Michigan, Ann Arbor, Michigan, USA
| | - Eric F. Dubow
- Research Center for Group Dynamics, Institute for Social Research, University of Michigan, Ann Arbor, Michigan, USA
- Bowling Green State University, Bowling Green, Ohio, USA
| | | | | | - Cathy S. Smith
- Research Center for Group Dynamics, Institute for Social Research, University of Michigan, Ann Arbor, Michigan, USA
| | - Meagan A. Docherty
- Research Center for Group Dynamics, Institute for Social Research, University of Michigan, Ann Arbor, Michigan, USA
- Bowling Green State University, Bowling Green, Ohio, USA
| | - Maureen J. O'Brien
- Research Center for Group Dynamics, Institute for Social Research, University of Michigan, Ann Arbor, Michigan, USA
| |
Collapse
|
9
|
Schwartz D, Ryjova Y, Kelleghan AR, Fritz H. The refugee crisis and peer relationships during childhood and adolescence. JOURNAL OF APPLIED DEVELOPMENTAL PSYCHOLOGY 2021. [DOI: 10.1016/j.appdev.2021.101263] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/26/2022]
|
10
|
Moreno F. Social Expectations, Violence and Social-Moral Knowledge: Considerations for Developmental Research. Hum Dev 2020. [DOI: 10.1159/000511854] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/19/2022]
Abstract
Violence associated with gangs known as maras in Honduras is an impetus for why people flee and migrate out of the country. Based on fieldwork with youth between the ages of 10 and 18 in San Pedro Sula, Honduras, I discuss (a) that prevailing views of violence in developmental research need further elaboration in understanding the illicit and legal forms and functions of violence in a society that children and adolescents grow up in and (b) that a domain model of social-moral thinking offers more insight about violence and morality than a current model informing violence prevention in Honduras. Lastly, I conclude with a few implications for violence prevention efforts and future directions for developmental research.
Collapse
|
11
|
Townsend D, Taylor LK, Merrilees CE, Furey A, Goeke-Morey MC, Shirlow P, Mark Cummings E. Youth in Northern Ireland: Linking Violence Exposure, Emotional Insecurity, and the Political Macrosystem. Monogr Soc Res Child Dev 2020; 85:7-123. [PMID: 33184897 PMCID: PMC7702086 DOI: 10.1111/mono.12423] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/01/2023]
Abstract
Growing up in the aftermath of armed conflict puts youth at a higher risk for psychopathology—particularly in societies like Northern Ireland which continue to be characterized by intergroup tension and cyclical violence. This risk may be heightened during adolescence, when youth are beginning to explore their identities and are becoming more aware of intergroup dynamics in both their immediate communities and the broader society. It is also during this stage when youth increasingly witness or engage in antisocial behavior and sectarian activities. A series of studies in Belfast conducted by Cummings et al. (2014, Child Dev Perspect, 12(1), 16–38; 2019, J Clin Child Adolesc Psychol, 48(2), 296–305) showed that adolescents’ exposure to sectarian violence resulted in heightened emotional insecurity about the community and subsequent adjustment problems. Though the impact of direct exposure to violence is well documented, few studies have accounted for the influence of sectarianism that occurs outside of one's immediate environment. These influences may include the general climate surrounding events that are not experienced firsthand but are nonetheless salient, such as the overarching levels of tension between groups or societal discourse that is threatening to one's identity. These higher‐level influences, often referred to collectively as the macrosystem, are a necessary component to consider for adequately assessing one's socio‐developmental environment. Yet, measurement at this level of the social ecology has proven elusive in past work. The current study advances research in this area by using newspaper coding as a method of measuring the political macrosystem in Northern Ireland and assessing whether a tense or threatening climate serves as an added risk factor for youth living in Belfast. In the current study, we measured sectarian violence at the level of the macrosystem by systematically collecting and coding newspaper articles from Northern Ireland that were published between 2006 and 2011 (N = 2,797). Each article was coded according to its level of overall political tension between Catholics and Protestants, threat to Catholics, and threat to Protestants. When aggregated, these assessments reflected the overarching trends in Catholic–Protestant relations during this period. In order to assess the association between these sociopolitical trends and the direct experiences of adolescents, the newspaper coding was linked with five waves of survey data from families (N = 999) in socioeconomically disadvantaged areas of Belfast. Using a series of multilevel moderation analyses, we then tested whether intergroup tension and ingroup threat moderated the relation between adolescents’ direct exposure to violence and their emotional insecurity. These analyses were followed by a thematic analysis of the coded newspaper articles in order to provide further context to the findings. The results indicated that adolescents’ response to direct exposure to sectarian violence varied based on the political climate at the time of their interview. Overall, the adolescents’ emotional insecurity about the community increased with exposure to sectarian violence. During periods when the sociopolitical climate was characterized by high levels of intergroup political tension, this relation was slightly weaker—regardless of the adolescents’ ingroup (i.e., Protestant vs. Catholic). During periods when the sociopolitical climate was coded as threatening, this relation was weaker for Catholic adolescents. That is, high levels of macro‐level threat—particularly events coded as threatening for Protestants—seemed to be a protective factor for Catholic adolescents. Group differences were also found based on the adolescents’ cumulative amount of exposure to sectarian violence. As threat in the macrosystem increased, Catholic adolescents who were directly exposed to higher than average levels of sectarian violence became more emotionally secure, while Catholics with little to no exposure to violence became more insecure. Contrastingly, Protestant adolescents directly exposed to higher than average levels of sectarian violence were more insecure than Protestants with little to no violence exposure. A thematic analysis of the newspaper articles revealed the categories of events that were viewed by coders as politically tense and threatening. Five primary themes emerged: ineffective policing and justice, family and community unrest, memories of violence, destabilized leadership, and organized paramilitary activity. Many of the articles coded as most threatening reported on a spike in attacks organized by dissident republican groups—that is, members of the Catholic community with, particularly hardline views. This may be pertinent to the finding that associations between sectarian violence exposure and emotional insecurity were exacerbated during this time for Protestants but not for Catholics. Findings from the thematic analysis provide a deeper examination of the context of events taking place during the study period, as well as their potential bearing on interpretation of the macro‐level effects. In conclusion, these findings illustrate how one's response to the immediate environment can vary based on shifts in the political macrosystem. The current study thus contributes conceptually, empirically, and methodologically to the understanding of process relations between multiple levels of the social ecology and adolescent functioning. These results may further inform the design of future interventions and policies meant to lessen the impact of political violence. The methods used here may also be useful for the study of other contexts in which macrosystem effects are likely to have a salient impact on individual wellbeing.
Collapse
|
12
|
Wagener E, Padmanabhanunni A. Sex differences in normative beliefs about aggression among South African university students. JOURNAL OF PSYCHOLOGY IN AFRICA 2020. [DOI: 10.1080/14330237.2020.1777030] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 10/23/2022]
Affiliation(s)
- Emma Wagener
- Community and Health Sciences, University of the Western Cape, Cape Town, South Africa
| | | |
Collapse
|
13
|
Xu M, Macrynikola N, Waseem M, Miranda R. Racial and Ethnic Differences in Bullying: Review and Implications for Intervention. AGGRESSION AND VIOLENT BEHAVIOR 2020; 50:101340. [PMID: 32863731 PMCID: PMC7453877 DOI: 10.1016/j.avb.2019.101340] [Citation(s) in RCA: 49] [Impact Index Per Article: 12.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 05/10/2023]
Abstract
Despite increased research on bullying over the past few decades, researchers still have little understanding of how bullying differentially affects racial and ethnic minority and immigrant youth. To facilitate efforts to better evaluate the impact of bullying among racial and ethnic minority youth and improve interventions, we integrated research from multiple disciplines and conducted a systematic search to review relevant cross-cultural research on the prevalence of bullying, risk and protective factors, and differences in behaviors and outcomes associated with bullying in these populations. Studies measuring differences in bullying prevalence by racial and ethnic groups are inconclusive, and discrepancies in findings may be explained by differences in how bullying is measured and the impact of school and social environments. Racial and ethnic minorities and immigrants are disproportionately affected by contextual-level risk factors associated with bullying (e.g., adverse community, home, and school environments), which may moderate the effects of individual-level predictors of bullying victimization or perpetration (e.g., depressive symptoms, empathy, hostility, etc.) on involvement and outcomes. Minority youth may be more likely to perpetrate bullying, and are at much higher risk for poor health and behavioral outcomes as a result of bias-based bullying. At the same time, racial and ethnic minorities and immigrants may be protected against bullying involvement and its negative consequences as a result of strong ethnic identity, positive cultural and family values, and other resilience factors. Considering these findings, we evaluate existing bullying interventions and prevention programs and propose directions for future research.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Mariah Xu
- Hunter College, City University of New York
| | | | | | - Regina Miranda
- Hunter College and The Graduate Center, City University of New York
| |
Collapse
|
14
|
Dubow EF, Huesmann LR, Boxer P, Smith C, Landau SF, Dvir Gvirsman S, Shikaki K. Serious violent behavior and antisocial outcomes as consequences of exposure to ethnic-political conflict and violence among Israeli and Palestinian youth. Aggress Behav 2019; 45:287-299. [PMID: 30690775 DOI: 10.1002/ab.21818] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/08/2018] [Revised: 11/30/2018] [Accepted: 12/03/2018] [Indexed: 11/07/2022]
Abstract
We examine whether cumulative-past and concurrent exposure to ethnic-political violence among Israeli and Palestinian youth predict serious violent behavior and antisocial outcomes toward the in-group and the out-group. We collected four waves of data from 162 Israeli Jewish and 400 Palestinian youths (three age cohorts: 8, 11, and 14 years old) and their parents. The first three waves were consecutive annual assessments, and the fourth was conducted 4 years after the third wave, when the three age cohorts were 14, 17, and 20 years old, respectively. Based on social-cognitive-ecological models of the development of aggression (Dubow et al., 2009, Clinical Child and Family Psychology Review, 12, 113-126; Huesmann, 1998) and models of the development of beliefs about the "other," (Bar-Tal, 2004, European Journal of Social Psychology, 34, 677-701; Tajfel & Turner, 1986), we predicted that serious violent outcomes directed toward both the in-group and the out-group would be related to both concurrent and to persistent-past exposure to ethnic political violence. Bivariate regression models (prior to including covariates) indicated that both early cumulative exposure to ethnic-political violence during childhood and adolescence and concurrent exposure during late adolescence/early adulthood predicted all six serious violent and antisocial outcomes. When we added to the models the covariates of ethnic subgroup, age, sex, parents' education, and youths' prior physical aggression, concurrent exposure to ethnic-political violence was still significantly associated with a greater likelihood of concurrently perpetrating all six serious violent and nonviolent forms of antisocial behavior, and earlier cumulative exposure remained significantly related to three of these: severe physical aggression, participating in violent demonstrations, and our overall index of violent/antisocial behavior.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Eric F. Dubow
- Bowling Green State UniversityBowling GreenOhio
- University of MichiganAnn ArborMichigan
| | | | - Paul Boxer
- University of MichiganAnn ArborMichigan
- Rutgers UniversityNewarkNew Jersey
| | | | | | | | - Khalil Shikaki
- Palestinian Center for Policy and Survey ResearchRamallahIsrael
| |
Collapse
|
15
|
Huesmann LR, Boxer P, Dubow EF, Smith C. Anxiety, Depression, and Offending in the Columbia County Longitudinal Study: A Prospective Analysis from Late Adolescence to Middle Adulthood. JOURNAL OF CRIMINAL JUSTICE 2019; 62:35-41. [PMID: 31190689 PMCID: PMC6561654 DOI: 10.1016/j.jcrimjus.2018.08.002] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 06/09/2023]
Abstract
PURPOSE We use data from a community sample, the Columbia County Longitudinal Study, which followed participants from childhood through adulthood, to examine the longitudinal relations between mental health (serious anxiety and serious depression) and offending across three waves of data collection (ages 19, 30, and 48). METHOD Participants were from the Columbia County Longitudinal Study (436 males and 420 females). The youth, their parents, and peers were first interviewed when the youth were age 8; the youth were later interviewed at ages 19, 30, and 48. RESULTS We found significant longitudinal relations from offending to experiencing subsequent severe anxiety and weaker longitudinal relations from experiencing severe anxiety to subsequent offending. For the relation between offending and severe depression, we found similar but somewhat weaker longitudinal associations. Cross-lagged longitudinal structural modelling analyses controlling for the continuity of offending, anxiety, and depression and for family socio-economic status and education were conducted to test the plausibility of alternative causal effects. CONCLUSIONS The analyses suggest that it is more plausible to conclude that offending is stimulating serious anxiety and depression than to conclude that anxiety and depression are stimulating offending. These results mirror what has been found previously about general aggressive behaviour.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
| | - Paul Boxer
- Rutgers University and the University of Michigan
| | - Eric F Dubow
- The University of Michigan and Bowling Green State University
| | | |
Collapse
|
16
|
Abstract
PURPOSE OF REVIEW The aim of this review was to focus solely on youths' behavioral responses to natural disasters and political conflicts in order to fully understand their impact and scope. RECENT FINDINGS Recent studies in the field of trauma have shown that theoretical conceptions have moved away from a narrow focus on the individual and towards wider ecological perspectives and from a narrow focus on negative responses to trauma exposure towards positive prosocial responses. Although there is a distinction between youths' behavioral responses towards natural disasters vs. towards political conflicts, in both of these adverse situations, behavioral responses exist alongside emotional responses. Adolescents exposed to either type of adverse scenario are often able to turn their negative experiences into positive ones, take greater responsibility for themselves and others, contribute to recovery processes, and engage in prosocial behaviors. These responses must be investigated in the context of the trauma field's recent understandings regarding psychological, biological, environmental, and cultural factors.
Collapse
|
17
|
Padmanabhanunni A, Gerhardt M. Normative beliefs as predictors of physical, non-physical and relational aggression among South African adolescents. J Child Adolesc Ment Health 2019; 31:1-11. [PMID: 30905314 DOI: 10.2989/17280583.2019.1579096] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/22/2022]
Abstract
This study investigated the contribution of general normative beliefs about aggression and specific normative beliefs about retaliatory aggression in predicting physical, non-physical and relational aggression. Adolescents (N = 229) from a low-income community in South Africa completed the Normative Beliefs about Aggression Scale (NOBAGS) and the Aggression-Problem Behaviour Frequency Scale (A-PBFS). The results revealed significantly higher levels of all forms of aggression amongst boys as compared to girls. There were significant gender differences in belief-behaviour associations with more significant correlations found among girls. General beliefs endorsing aggression were positively correlated with physical aggression among girls. For girls, beliefs about the acceptability of verbal and physical retaliation were associated with relational and non-physical aggression. The current findings broaden the understanding of the predictors of aggressive behaviour among South African youth. They emphasise that both general beliefs about aggression and specific beliefs about retaliation predict actual aggressive behaviour. Significantly, the study emphasizes that there are gender differences in the prediction of aggressive behaviour in terms of normative beliefs.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Anita Padmanabhanunni
- a Department of Psychology , University of the Western Cape , Bellville , South Africa
| | - Martin Gerhardt
- a Department of Psychology , University of the Western Cape , Bellville , South Africa
| |
Collapse
|
18
|
Shao R, Wang Y. The Relation of Violent Video Games to Adolescent Aggression: An Examination of Moderated Mediation Effect. Front Psychol 2019; 10:384. [PMID: 30846962 PMCID: PMC6394371 DOI: 10.3389/fpsyg.2019.00384] [Citation(s) in RCA: 17] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/25/2017] [Accepted: 02/07/2019] [Indexed: 11/13/2022] Open
Abstract
To assess the moderated mediation effect of normative beliefs about aggression and family environment on exposure to violent video games and adolescent aggression, the subjects self-reported their exposure to violent video games, family environment, normative beliefs about aggression, and aggressive behavior. The results showed that there was a significant positive correlation between exposure to violent video games and adolescent aggression; normative beliefs about aggression had a mediation effect on exposure to violent video games and adolescent aggression, while family environment moderated the first part of the mediation process. For individuals with a good family environment, exposure to violent video games had only a direct effect on aggression; however, for those with poor family environment, it had both direct and indirect effects mediated by normative beliefs about aggression. This moderated mediation model includes some notions of General Aggression Model (GAM) and Catalyst Model (CM), which helps shed light on the complex mechanism of violent video games influencing adolescent aggression.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Rong Shao
- Research Institute of Moral Education, College of Psychology, Nanjing Normal University, Nanjing, China.,The Lab of Mental Health and Social Adaptation, Faculty of Psychology, Research Center for Mental Health Education, Southwest University, Chongqing, China
| | - Yunqiang Wang
- Research Institute of Moral Education, College of Psychology, Nanjing Normal University, Nanjing, China
| |
Collapse
|
19
|
|
20
|
Tremblay RE, Vitaro F, Côté SM. Developmental Origins of Chronic Physical Aggression: A Bio-Psycho-Social Model for the Next Generation of Preventive Interventions. Annu Rev Psychol 2017; 69:383-407. [PMID: 29035692 DOI: 10.1146/annurev-psych-010416-044030] [Citation(s) in RCA: 54] [Impact Index Per Article: 7.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/09/2022]
Abstract
This review describes a bio-psycho-social approach to understanding and preventing the development of chronic physical aggression. The debate on the developmental origins of aggression has historically opposed genetic and environmental mechanisms. Recent studies have shown that the frequency of physical aggression peaks in early childhood and then decreases until old age. Molecular genetic studies and twin studies have confirmed important genetic influences. However, recent epigenetic studies have highlighted the important role of environments in gene expression and brain development. These studies suggest that interrelated bio-psycho-social channels involved in the development of chronic physical aggression are generally the product of an intergenerational transmission process occurring through assortative mating, genetic inheritance, and the inheritance of physical and social environmental conditions that handicap brain functioning and support the use of physical aggression to solve problems. Given these intergenerational mechanisms and physical aggression onset in infancy, it appears clear that preventive interventions should start early in pregnancy, at the latest.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Richard E Tremblay
- Department of Pediatrics and Department of Psychology, University of Montreal, Montreal QC H3T 1J4, Canada;
| | - Frank Vitaro
- School of Psychoeducation, University of Montreal, Montreal QC H3T 1J4, Canada;
| | - Sylvana M Côté
- Department of Social and Preventive Medicine, University of Montreal, Montreal QC H3T 1J4, Canada; .,INSERM U1219, University of Bordeaux, 33400 Talence, France
| |
Collapse
|