SURVEY OF EXPOSURE TO VIOLENCE AMONG THE CHILDREN OF MIGRANT AND SEASONAL FARM-WORKERS

Numerous children of migrant and seasonal farm workers live in rural a reas of our country. The lifestyles and living conditions of farm work ers place the children of these families at high risk for many health problems. However, few studies have focused on the emotional and behav ioral well-being of these children. This study extends past research b y examining the emotional and behavioral health of the children of far m workers in relation to a potentially risky environmental exposure, n amely, exposure to violence. In this descriptive study, the extent of violence exposure, including being a witness to and a victim of violen ce, is examined among 8-11-year-old children of migrant and seasonal f arm workers. Potential relationships between sociodemographic factors and violence exposure are examined, and associations between violence exposure and children's emotional and behavioral problems, and weapon carrying behavior are investigated. The results show that more than ha lf of the study children had been exposed to violence, with 46 percent having witnessed violence among others and 19 percent having been the direct victims of violence. There was a fair degree of overlap betwee n having witnessed violence and having been a victim of violence; 13 p ercent of all study children both witnessed and had been victims of vi olence, 33 percent only had witnessed violence, and 6 percent only had been victims of violence. Violence exposure was positively related to children's emotional problems, behavioral problems, and weapon carryi ng behavior. Compared to nonexposed children, violence exposed childre n were eight times more likely to evidence internalizing problems, wer e six times more likely to evidence externalizing problems, and were f our times more likely to carry weapons (specifically, knives or guns). These findings suggest that there is a need for further research on t his high-risk population, as well as the need to develop and implement innovative public health interventions for rural children.