The Impact of the Communities that Care Approach in Reducing Violence and Crime Within an Urban, High-Burden Community.

Community violence and crime are significant public health problems with serious and lasting effects on young people, families, and communities. This violence and crime have significant ripple effects, affecting not just those who are directly physically injured, but also those who witness violent episodes, those who have friends or loved ones killed or injured, and those who must everyday navigate streets that they know have been frequent sites of serious violence and crime. The current study presents evidence of the impact that a data-driven, collective impact approach - the Communities that Care prevention system - can have on violence and crime outcomes within a large urban, high-burden community. Established as one of the national Youth Violence Prevention Centers (YVPC) funded by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, the Chicago Center for Youth Violence Prevention is among the first to implement the CTC approach in a large, urban community. The current study's findings show reductions in violence (i.e., aggravated assaults and robberies) in the Bronzeville community, compared to similar communities in Chicago.

Perils and Possibilities: Sexual Violence Preventionists' Perspectives on Gathering Community Input on Prevention Practice.

There is relatively little research unpacking provider processes or tensions (e.g., leadership decision-making) when attempting to gather and incorporate community feedback into gender-based violence work. Across focus groups with 18 sexual violence preventionists, we explored experiences collecting information and perspectives from or with community members; barriers, and facilitators; and how they navigate possibilities of community-informed sexual violence prevention. We learned that preventionists want to gather input, and they gather it in nonsystematic ways; they face barriers familiar to many community-informed processes; and the topic of sexual violence complicates community-informed processes. Determining boundaries of possibility is central to navigating practice. Further, organizational settings are influential in determining boundaries.

Women's Experiences of Intimate Partner Violence While Incarcerated: The Measurement Structure, Reliability, and Validity of a Novel Instrument.

While incarcerated, women may continue to experience intimate partner violence (IPV), perpetrated by partners who reside in the outside community. Power and control dynamics of abusive relationships may intensify as the abuser exploits their partners' incarceration. The current study assessed IPV experiences of 832 incarcerated women (50% white, 76% mothers), testing a novel instrument. Results validated a two-factor structure: (a) general abuse (i.e., verbal, physical) and (b) deny or threaten to deny (i.e., leveraging the women's incarceration to intimidate or control). This study introduces a novel instrument to measure IPV while incarcerated and provides implications for research and practice.

Incivility and interpersonal harm in organizational context: A qualitative exploration of values in STEM training programs.

This study investigates science, technology, engineering, and math (STEM) PhD students' perceptions of organizational values and incivility. Interviews with 26 STEM PhD students elicited examples of and perceptions surrounding incivility and related harms. Productivity, prestige, expertise, objectivity, self-sufficiency, and collaboration values were identified. Each included aspects deemed useful (e.g., productivity fueling discovery; expertise facilitating learning) as well as potentially contributing to harm when weaponized (e.g., productivity appeared in incivility stories when one "looked down" on those who did not work long days; expertise appeared when people gossiped about intelligence). Some aspects of collaboration (e.g., long-lasting working relationships fueling scientific discovery) may be protective. Organizational values such as productivity appeared to supersede considerations such as well-being. Current framing of these values may bolster refusal to engage in or support social justice and mental health efforts, which some participants identified as needed. Implications across settings are discussed.

Expanded Adverse Childhood Experiences (ACEs) and Adult Cannabis Use: A Latent Class Analysis.

In addition to traditionally assessed abuse, neglect, and household dysfunction, adverse childhood experiences (ACEs) include adversities like racial discrimination, community violence, and bullying. Prior research established associations between the original ACEs and substance use, but few used Latent Class Analysis (LCA) to examine patterns of ACEs. Examining patterns of ACEs may yield additional insights beyond cumulative risk studies focusing only on the number of different ACEs experiences. Therefore, we identified associations between latent classes of ACEs and cannabis use. Studies on ACES rarely examine cannabis use outcomes, which is important as cannabis remains one of the most commonly used substances and is associated with negative effects on health. Yet it is still unclear how ACEs influence cannabis use. Participants were adults in Illinois (n = 712) recruited through Qualtrics' online quota-sampling method. They completed measures of 14 ACEs, past 30-day and lifetime cannabis use, medical cannabis use (DFACQ) and probable cannabis use disorders (CUDIT-R-SF). Latent class analyses were performed using ACEs. We identified four classes, labeled: Low Adversity, Interpersonal Harm, Interpersonal Abuse and Harm, and High Adversity. The largest effect sizes (p<.05) were observed for those in the High Adversity class, who had elevated risks for lifetime (OR =6.2), 30-day (OR = 5.05), and medicinal cannabis use (OR = 17.9) relative to those in the Low Adversity class. Those in the Interpersonal Abuse and Harm and Interpersonal Harm classes also had increased odds (p<.05) for lifetime (OR =2.44/OR=2.82), 30-day (OR = 4.88/OR= 2.53), and medicinal cannabis use (OR = 2.59/OR =1.67(ns)) relative to those in the Low Adversity class. However, no class with elevated ACEs had higher odds for CUD relative to the Low Adversity class. Additional research could further disentangle these findings using extensive measures of CUD. Additionally, as participants in the High Adversity class had higher odds of medicinal cannabis use, future research could carefully study their consumption patterns.

Processes underlying Mexican adolescents' sexual behaviors and intentions: Examining the roles of familial cultural values and parental monitoring.

OBJECTIVES: The study examined the associations between familial cultural values of familismo (familism) and respeto (respect), parental monitoring, and Mexican adolescents' sexual behaviors. METHOD: The sample consisted of 1,024 Mexican adolescents (12-18 years) from two urban schools in Puebla, Mexico. RESULTS: Findings indicated that respeto was associated with paternal and maternal monitoring, sexual responsibility, sexual intention, and sexual behavior. Further, through indirect effects, among males, respeto was associated with paternal monitoring, which was, in turn, associated with sexual intentions. CONCLUSIONS: Findings highlight the relevance of caregivers and cultural values in Mexican adolescents' sexual health. (PsycInfo Database Record (c) 2023 APA, all rights reserved).

Cyber-Victimization and Mental Health Concerns among Middle School Students Before and During the COVID-19 Pandemic.

The COVID-19 pandemic had significant impacts on adolescents' mental health and social interactions; however, little is known about cyber-victimization and mental health concerns from before to during the pandemic. The current study addressed this gap, while also examining how social media use and disagreements with friends during the pandemic were associated with cyber-victimization and mental health outcomes. Participants included 272 youth in the U.S. (56% female; 32% White), surveyed in fall 2019 (Mage = 11.75, SD = 0.68) and spring 2021 (Mage = 13.11, SD = 0.75). Adolescents reported increases in mental health symptoms and decreases in cyber-victimization. Experiencing more cyber-victimization before the pandemic was associated with significant increases in anxiety, depression, and social stress. The results suggest bolstering violence prevention programming in schools to reduce the likelihood of cyber-victimization and associated mental health outcomes.

The impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on gender-based violence in the United States: Framework and policy recommendations.

OBJECTIVE: In response to the 2019 novel coronavirus pandemic, portions of the U.S. government implemented social distancing policies that, while necessary, yield unintended consequences. This article explores how risk for gender-based violence (GBV) has been exacerbated across the social-ecological model (SEM; e.g., by increasing economic stress and decreasing social support) and highlights differential impact across social locations (e.g., considering race, gender, social class). METHOD: Drawing on gender-based violence prevention and response research, considerations for researchers, policymakers, and practitioners are delineated. RESULTS: A comprehensive framework adapting an intersectional lens and the SEM is used to explain the changes in risk and protective factors for GBV. Policy recommendations that serve to augment (not replace) social distancing policies are proposed. CONCLUSION: The pandemic has uprooted life in a way that impacts GBV prevention and response. Yet, this is also an opportunity to define a new way forward rather than return to "business as usual"; psychologists should strive to improve social services by utilizing the SEM and intersectionality. (PsycInfo Database Record (c) 2022 APA, all rights reserved).

Suicidal Ideation Among Transgender and Gender Expansive Youth: Mechanisms of Risk.

Purpose: Suicide is a leading public health concern among transgender and gender expansive adolescents, although little research has examined mechanisms through which gender identity is associated with suicidal ideation. This study examined the indirect effects of peer victimization, dating violence, substance use (SU), SU problems, and depressive symptoms in the relationship between gender identity and suicidal ideation. Methods: Secondary data analysis was conducted from a 2018 statewide survey, including 4464 adolescents who identified as male, female, transgender, or gender expansive (n=1116 per gender). The sample was frequency matched on grade, race, geographic region, and free/reduced lunch status. Mediation analyses were performed. Results: Reports of suicidal ideation were highest among transgender (49.29%) and gender expansive (41.31%) adolescents compared with male (10.82%) and female adolescents (19.08%). Using the Karlson, Holm, and Breen approach, 50.45% of the effect of being transgender on suicidal ideation was mediated through peer victimization, dating violence, and depressive symptoms, and 39.29% through SU, SU problems, and depressive symptoms. The mediation through the same pathways for being gender expansive was 46.37% and 39.89%, respectively. Across both models, depressive symptoms predominately accounted for the mediating effect. Conclusion: Transgender and gender expansive youth are at alarming risk for suicidal ideation, which illustrates the critical need for suicide prevention within this population. Programs that promote mental health and work to prevent bullying, dating violence, SU, and SU problems are crucial; although longitudinal research is needed, targeting these mechanisms may play a critical role in reducing suicidal ideation and risk.

Motivation to Move Out of the Community as a Moderator of Bullying Victimization and Delinquent Behavior: Comparing Non-Heterosexual/Cisgender and Heterosexual African American Adolescents in Chicago's Southside.

A growing body of research documents that bullying victimization is associated with delinquent behavior. There is an increasing need to better illuminate the factors that might moderate this relationship. This study examined whether the motivation to move out of low-resourced neighborhoods and sexual orientation/gender identity moderated the relationship between bullying victimization and delinquent behavior among a sample of 450 heterosexual and 91 non-heterosexual/cisgender African American youths. Measures considered were bullying victimization, delinquent behavior, sexual orientation/gender identity, motivation to move out, and family demographics. Sexual orientation/gender identity was not associated with youth delinquent behavior after controlling for covariates. Being motivated to move out moderated the association between bullying victimization and delinquent behavior. Sexual orientation/gender identity and being motivated to move out of low-resourced communities jointly contributed to the moderating effect between bullying victimization and delinquent behavior. For non-heterosexual/cisgender youth, bullying victimization is correlated with increased delinquent behavior for those with low motivation to move out of their communities compared with those with an average or higher level of motivation to stay. However, such a moderating effect was not shown for heterosexual youth.

Exposure to mother's verbal conflict with her intimate partner and aggressive behavior of urban adolescents: An empirical test of three criminological theories.

The current study applied the General Strain Theory (GST), Social Disorganization Theory (SDT), and Social Control Theory (SCT) to examine the association between exposure to verbal conflict between a mother and her intimate partner, and aggressive behavior of urban adolescents. The sample included 518 urban adolescents (96% Black), aged 14 to 17 years. Descriptive statistics, structural equation modeling (SEM), and moderation analyses were conducted. Consistent with GST, exposure to verbal conflict between the mother and her intimate partner was indirectly associated with aggression, as mediated by emotional distress. Also, consistent with SDT, neighborhood violence was positively associated with aggression. Neighborhood violence was associated with exposure to verbal conflict between their mother and her intimate partner, which was related to aggressive behavior in urban adolescents. (PsycInfo Database Record (c) 2021 APA, all rights reserved).

Parental stress and adolescent bullying perpetration and victimization: The mediating role of adolescent anxiety and family resilience.

Although past research suggests that parental stress can heighten adolescents' risk for bullying perpetration and victimization, the mechanisms underlying such a potential link and that may involve child psychological wellbeing remain unclear. Parental stress may heighten adolescents' risk for bullying involvement by elevating adolescents' anxiety and interfering with family functioning. Therefore, the current study investigated the role of adolescent anxiety and family resilience as mediators linking parental stress with adolescent bullying involvement. Sex differences in these associations were also explored. Analyses relied on data collected from 11,244 parents who participated in the 2019 National Survey of Children's Health. Parents completed surveys assessing parental stress, adolescent anxiety, family resilience, and adolescents' involvement in bullying perpetration as well as victimization. Results from structural equation models indicated that a higher level of parental stress was related to greater bullying perpetration and victimization among both male and female adolescents. Moreover, parental stress was indirectly related to bullying victimization via elevated adolescent anxiety for both girls and boys, whereas parental stress was indirectly related to bullying perpetration via reduced family resilience for boys but not girls. The findings highlight connections between adolescents' family and peer contexts and implicate adolescent anxiety and family resilience as putative mechanisms linking parental stress and bullying involvement.

Evaluation of the Olweus Bullying Prevention Program in US Urban Middle Schools Using a Multiple Baseline Experimental Design.

We evaluated the impact of the Olweus Bullying Prevention Program (OBPP) in an 8-year study in urban middle schools that served primarily African American students living in low-income areas. Participants included 2755 students and 242 teachers. We evaluated the OBPP with a multiple-baseline experimental design where the order and intervention start time was randomly assigned for each school. We assessed the frequency of bullying behaviors and experiences including physical, relational, and verbal aggression and victimization using teacher ratings of student behavior and student-reported data, as well as cyber aggression and victimization and school climate measures using student-reported data. For teacher ratings of student behavior, we found significant main effects across all subtypes of aggression and victimization, with some variability in the timing of effects. The pattern of findings showed delayed intervention effects for boys and a weaker impact of the OBPP on 6th graders. We found main effects for student-reported cyber aggression and victimization, relational aggression, and a composite of physical, verbal, and relational victimization. Decreases in victimization emerged in the 1st or 2nd year of intervention, and reductions in aggression emerged during the 3rd year. Across all findings, once intervention effects emerged, they remained significant in subsequent intervention years. The OBPP resulted in significant decreases in student- and teacher-reported aggression and victimization. However, this intervention had limited impact on general areas of school climate including teacher support, positive peer interactions, and school safety. Overall, the findings offer important prevention and research implications.

Dating Violence and Peer Victimization Among Male, Female, Transgender, and Gender-Expansive Youth.

BACKGROUND AND OBJECTIVES: Transgender adolescents experience disproportionately high rates of dating violence and peer victimization. However, research has relied on small samples of transgender youth and has not captured victimization experiences of gender-expansive youth (who do not identify as male, female, or transgender). In the current study, we address these limitations, comparing victimization by gender. METHODS: We examined a subsample of 4464 male, female, transgender, and gender-expansive youth (1116 per group) from the 2018 Illinois Youth Survey who were frequency matched on grade, race, geographic region, and free or reduced lunch status. Prevalence of self-reported verbal, physical, and cyber peer victimization and physical and psychological dating violence was calculated. Adjusted prevalence ratios were obtained by using log-binomial regression. RESULTS: The highest rates across all forms of victimization were reported among transgender (15.6%-51.6%) and gender-expansive (13.2%-41.4%) youth. Transgender youth had a 2.09 to 2.96 times higher frequency of victimization than male youth and a 1.34 to 2.65 times higher frequency of victimization than female youth. Transgender youth also had higher frequencies of specific forms of victimization than gender-expansive youth. Gender-expansive youth had a 1.83 to 2.61 times higher frequency of victimization than male youth and 1.18 to 2.35 times higher frequencies of most forms of victimization than female youth. CONCLUSIONS: Disparities in dating violence and peer victimization rates exist among transgender and gender-expansive adolescents compared with male and female youth. The distinct experiences of transgender and gender-expansive youth should be considered in school policies and violence prevention programs.

A Latent Class Analysis of Early Adolescent Peer and Dating Violence: Associations With Symptoms of Depression and Anxiety.

Violence within peer and dating contexts is prevalent among early adolescents. Youth may be victims and/or aggressors and be involved in violence across multiple contexts, resulting in negative outcomes. This study identified patterns of perpetration and victimization for peer and dating violence, using a latent class analysis (LCA), and examined how different patterns of engaging in or experiencing violence among early adolescents were associated with symptoms of depression and anxiety. Participants included a sample of 508 racially and ethnically diverse youth (51% male) who had dated in the past 3 months. Youth were in the seventh grade within 37 schools and were primarily from economically disadvantaged communities across four sites in the United States. LCA identified three classes: (a) a low involvement in violence class, (b) a peer aggression and peer victimization class, and (c) a peer and dating violence class. Youth involved with multiple forms of violence displayed significantly higher levels of depressive and anxious symptoms than those with low involvement in violence. Study findings revealed the importance of understanding how peer and dating violence co-occur, and how different patterns of aggression and victimization were related to internalizing symptoms. Prevention efforts should address the intersection of victimization and perpetration in peer and dating contexts in potentially reducing internalizing symptoms among early adolescents.

Young Transgender Women Survivors of Intimate Partner Violence: A Latent Class Analysis of Protective Processes.

Research is critically needed to understand protective processes that may lessen the impact of intimate partner violence (IPV) on negative outcomes for transgender individuals. The current study utilized a latent class analysis to identify combinations of protective processes (i.e., collective self-esteem and social support) in relation to internalizing mental health symptoms among young transgender women (YTW) survivors of IPV. Data from Project LifeSkills (2012-2015), a multisite trial for HIV sexual risk reduction intervention, were used for the present study. A subsample of 78 YTW (ages 16 to 29) who were IPV survivors (i.e., indicated lifetime IPV) were included in the analyses. Participants completed measures of general social support, perceived social support from their mother and friends, and collective self-esteem, as well as mental health symptoms. Three latent classes emerged: 1) YTW who perceived high levels of social support and collective self-esteem (48%), 2) YTW who perceived low levels of collective self-esteem, but average to high levels of social support from mother and friends (23%), and 3) YTW who perceived low levels of collective self-esteem and low to average levels of social support from mother and friends (29%). YTW in the overall low class had significantly higher levels of depressive, anxiety, and somatization symptoms, compared to the other two classes. These findings highlight how low levels of social support and collective self-esteem can place YTW survivors of IPV at significant risk for experiencing negative internalizing mental health symptoms.

The Family Context and Adolescent Dating Violence: A Latent Class Analysis of Family Relationships and Parenting Behaviors.

Adolescent dating violence is a persistent public health concern, impacting many youths during their initial and formative relationships during middle school. Despite theoretical and empirical studies highlighting the essential role of family relationship dynamics and parenting practices in relation to youth violence, substantially less research has focused on associations between these factors and rates of adolescent dating violence. The current study examined aspects of the family context in relation to dating violence outcomes among a racially and ethnically diverse sample of middle school students from economically disadvantaged communities, a group of adolescents at a high risk for exposure to risk factors for dating violence. Participants included 495 adolescents (66% male; 63% African American). Data were collected at the beginning of sixth grade and three subsequent spring waves through eighth grade. The current study identified patterns of family factors using a latent class analysis and examined these classes in relation to dating violence and dating violence norms. Three classes emerged: a positive family context with mixed messages about parental support for fighting and nonviolence (42%), an average family context with consistent parental support for nonviolent responses to conflict (24%), and a poor family context with parental support for fighting (34%). The classes with average and positive family contexts showed the lowest levels of dating violence and dating violence norms. These findings support the development and integration of family context factors into adolescent dating violence prevention programs, especially within high-burden contexts where families may be more likely to endorse mixed messages about how to handle conflict and youth may be at a higher risk for dating violence outcomes.

A life course perspective of victimization, child welfare involvement, cumulative stress and mental health for mothers on probation and parole.

Women involved in the criminal justice system experience multiple forms of adversity over their lifetimes. These events may include childhood abuse, involvement in the child welfare system as children, intimate partner violence victimization during adulthood, and punitive interactions with the child welfare system as mothers. Community supervision (e.g. probation or parole) entails particular stressors, such as obtaining basic needs and employment. A majority of women under community supervision also experience depression and anxiety. The current study used the Stress Process Model to investigate associations between childhood and adulthood stressors (including childhood abuse, intimate partner violence and child welfare system involvement), recent stressful life events, and symptoms of depression and anxiety for mothers (n = 348) on probation and parole. All of the mothers had experienced some form of childhood and/or adulthood victimization. Structural equation modeling was conducted to examine how childhood abuse, adulthood victimization, and child welfare system involvement as a child and a mother were associated with recent stressful life events and symptoms of depression and anxiety. Results indicated multiple direct and indirect relationships from childhood and adulthood stressors to mental health symptoms as women navigated probation and parole. For example, adverse childhood experiences were associated with elevated anxiety and depression symptoms via higher levels of recent stressful life events and adverse adulthood experiences. These findings highlight relationships between childhood abuse and adulthood factors and the mental health of mothers involved in the criminal justice system, with implications for theory, practice, and research.

Dating violence perpetration and perceived parental support for fighting and nonviolent responses to conflict: An autoregressive cross-lagged model.

INTRODUCTION: The current study examined longitudinal and bidirectional relationships between adolescent perceptions of parental support for fighting and nonviolent responses to conflict and dating violence perpetration. These relationships were examined among a sample of predominately African American youth from an economically disadvantaged urban neighborhood in the United States, a group of adolescents who may be at a high risk for dating violence and for receiving a mixture of parental support for how to respond in conflict situations. METHOD: Participants were 1014 early adolescents (51% female, 91% African American) who were currently dating or had been recently dating. Adolescents completed measures on their perceptions of parental support for fighting and nonviolent responses to conflict, as well as dating violence perpetration. RESULTS: Using an autoregressive cross-lagged path analysis across four time points, perceptions of parental support for fighting were inversely associated with changes in perceived parental support for nonviolent responses to conflict, but not with changes in dating violence over time. However, perceived parental support for nonviolent responses to conflict were inversely associated with changes in dating violence perpetration over time. CONCLUSIONS: Although parents in high-burden communities may give a mixture of messages about how to handle conflict, encouraging parents to provide messages supporting nonviolent responses to conflict may protect youth from perpetrating violence within their dating relationships. These findings inform future research directions and dating violence prevention programs.

Prevalence and Risk Correlates of Intimate Partner Violence Among a Multisite Cohort of Young Transgender Women.

PURPOSE: Young transgender women (YTW) may experience disparate rates and distinct forms of intimate partner violence (IPV) in comparison with cisgender individuals. YTW also may experience high rates of minority stressors, including transgender-related victimization, discrimination, and mistreatment related to their gender identity and/or expression. The present study examined the prevalence and risk correlates of IPV among a sample of YTW. METHODS: Participants were a racially and ethnically diverse sample of 204 YTW ages 16-29 years from Chicago, Illinois and Boston, Massachusetts. Participants completed assessments of IPV, childhood abuse, and experiences with minority stressors, including transgender-related victimization and discrimination. RESULTS: Prevalence of IPV was high among this sample (42%), including experiencing distinct forms of IPV that were related to gender identity. Experiencing stressors was also high among this sample, including experiencing childhood abuse and minority stressors (i.e., transgender-related victimization and day-to-day unfair treatment and discrimination), all of which were associated with a greater risk for IPV. CONCLUSION: Our findings support the need for researchers to continue to examine the risk correlates of IPV among transgender individuals and to examine how the relationship between IPV and minority stressors may relate to coping strategies and mental health outcomes. Our findings have important implications for domestic violence service providers and other health professionals and highlight that providers should be trained to support survivors with histories of abuse and victimization related to gender identity and/or expression.