Emotional and behavioral impact of exposure to community violence in inner-city adolescents

Used multiple methods and measures (i.e., youth report, psychiatric intervi ews, psychophysiological assessment) to investigate the emotional and behav ioral impacts of exposure to community violence. Participants were 185 inne r-city high school students (M age = 15.4 years; 42% female; 90% African Am erican). Youth with high levels of community violence exposure reported mor e fears, anxiety, internalizing behavior and negative life experiences than those with low: exposure. No depression or externalizing behavior differen ces were observed In a psychophysiological assessment in which adolescents watched a montage of media violence. youth exposed to high levels of commun ity violence had lower baseline heart rates than those with low exposure. T here were no between-group differences in physiologic reactivity Regression analyses revealed that community violence exposure predicted posttraumatic stress and separation anxiety symptoms. The results suggest a significant link between community violence exposure and anxiety symptomatology Clinica l implications are discussed.