Using police data to measure children's exposure to neighborhood violence: A new method for evaluating relations between exposure and mental health

TY - JOUR

T1 - Using police data to measure children's exposure to neighborhood violence

T2 - A new method for evaluating relations between exposure and mental health

AU - Boxer, Paul

AU - Sloan-Power, Elizabeth

AU - Piza, Eric

AU - Schappell, Ashley

PY - 2014

Y1 - 2014

N2 - Studies have identified a robust association between children's exposure to violence and their mental health. Yet, most of this research has been based on self-reported exposure and self-reported mental health. In this study, we used a new, map-based method via police data for measuring children's exposure to violent crime and compared it to child selfreports and parent reports of exposure. Results suggest that child self-reports of violence exposure may not be valid except for exposure to murder, but police and parent reports of violent crime can reveal interesting relations between violence and mental health. Children showed higher levels of internalizing problems in the absence of police-reported murder and parent-reported robbery. Discussion emphasizes implications for measurement as well as theory building.

AB - Studies have identified a robust association between children's exposure to violence and their mental health. Yet, most of this research has been based on self-reported exposure and self-reported mental health. In this study, we used a new, map-based method via police data for measuring children's exposure to violent crime and compared it to child selfreports and parent reports of exposure. Results suggest that child self-reports of violence exposure may not be valid except for exposure to murder, but police and parent reports of violent crime can reveal interesting relations between violence and mental health. Children showed higher levels of internalizing problems in the absence of police-reported murder and parent-reported robbery. Discussion emphasizes implications for measurement as well as theory building.

KW - Children

KW - Exposure

KW - Mental health

KW - Neighborhood

KW - Violent crime

UR - http://www.scopus.com/inward/record.url?scp=84893722136&partnerID=8YFLogxK

UR - http://www.scopus.com/inward/citedby.url?scp=84893722136&partnerID=8YFLogxK

U2 - https://doi.org/10.1891/0886-6708.VV-D-12-00155

DO - https://doi.org/10.1891/0886-6708.VV-D-12-00155

M3 - Article

C2 - 24672992

SN - 0886-6708

VL - 29

SP - 24

EP - 33

JO - Violence and Victims

JF - Violence and Victims

IS - 1

ER -