Understanding the Association between Community Violence Exposure and Youth Academic Functioning

Abstract

There is a growing body of literature documenting the incidence and prevalence of youth community violence exposure (CVE) and poorer academic functioning (AF). However, what remains relatively unexplored are the underlying mechanisms that are likely to explain the relationship between CVE and poorer AF and the extent to which key features of the school environment mitigate the academic burdens associated with CVE. Further, we know very little about the nuanced ways in which youth, themselves, make meaning of their exposures to community violence. Thus, the overarching aim of my dissertation is to examine the association between CVE and AF and explore key mediators and moderators of their relationship as well as the vital perspective of youth.

In Paper 1, I apply structural equation modeling method to analyze the degree to which youths’ Emotion Regulation and Inattention explain the relationship between their self-reported CVE and AF using a longitudinal sample of 581 urban youth age 12 at baseline and age 14 at follow-up. In Paper 2, using multivariate regression, I examine the role that School Climate and Connectedness play in moderating the relationship between parent self-reported CVE (as a proxy of child CVE) and child AF using a longitudinal sample of 2,254 children, age 5 at baseline and age 9 at follow-up. Finally, in Paper 3, I designed and executed a qualitative pilot study using semi-structured interviews in a modified grounded theory analysis to explore the ways in which 10 youth, age 16-19, living in communities with high rates of exposure to violence define and make meaning of CVE, as well as how they think about the relationship between CVE and AF.

My findings suggest a need for systematic educational efforts to reduce the negative consequences of youth CVE. Specific practices and policies include equipping adults with the capacity to create developmentally appropriate curriculum and programming initiatives that build ER and attention skills among youth with CVE. Lastly, there is a need for targeted support at the community and school level. Specific practices might include jointly developing community and school-wide activities that foster social cohesion and collective efficacy.