The Effect of Community Violence Exposure On Self-Reported Anxiety Symptoms in Adolescents: The Role of Social Support Versus Family Cohesion

Abstract

Exposure to community violence is a prevalent and problematic occurrence for many adolescents. Previous research associates direct (i.e., victimization) and indirect (i.e., witnessing or knowledge of incidences) community violence exposure with numerous adverse externalizing and internalizing psychological symptoms, including aggression, post-traumatic stress, depression, and anxiety. The literature also has identified risk and protective factors in community violence exposure and its outcomes. This study examined the relationship between community violence exposure and self-reported anxiety symptoms in adolescents, while also evaluating the role of social support and family cohesion as moderating variables. Results did not indicate significant relationship between community violence exposure and anxiety symptoms or the protectiveness of family cohesion, but suggested that social support from significant adults (e.g., parents, adult relatives, non-relative adults) was protective against symptoms of total and generalized anxiety following community violence exposure. Additional research with larger samples would be helpful to further investigate this finding.