Correlates of community violence exposure in hospitalized adolescents

To examine psychological and behavioral correlates of community violence ex posure in psychiatrically hospitalized adolescents, 89 inpatients were admi nistered a battery of psychometrically well-established self-report instrum ents, Violence exposure was assessed using the Child's Exposure to Violence Checklist (CEVC), Half of the patients reported exposure to multiple incid ents violence in their community (52%) and home (53%). Sixty-one percent we re victims of physical assault, and 39% were victims of sexual assault. Pat ients who had witnessed community violence reported significantly more post -traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) symptoms, drug use, and violence potentia l than patients without a history of witnessing community violence. Patient s exposed to community violence were also more likely to be the victim of c hildhood maltreatment, as well as a perpetrator of violence. In conclusion, traumatization via exposure to community violence may serve as one importa nt determinant in the development of mixed internalizing and externalizing psychopathology in adolescent inpatients, thus necessitating accurate asses sment and treatment planning. Copyright (C) 2001 by W.B. Saunders Company.