Gender Differences in Youth Exposure to Community Violence: A Partial Test of Power-Control Theory

Abstract

Youths’ exposure to community violence increases their risk for harmful emotional and behavioral outcomes. Several family management strategies protect youth against exposure though there is scant literature exploring whether their application is gendered. Using data from the Project on Human Development in Chicago Neighborhoods, we draw from power-control theory to assess gender differences in family management strategies and the extent to which this accounts for boys’ greater exposure to neighborhood violence. Controlling for neighborhood contextual factors and youth covariates of exposure to violence, findings suggest that parents adopt gendered parenting practices, which in turn helps clarify why boys are more likely to report exposure to community violence.