The Impact of Community Violence Exposure on the Developmental Outcomes of Young Children of Color

Abstract

The focus of this chapter is to discuss the ways in which community violence exposure (CVE) impacts the developmental outcomes for young children of color. The chapter provides information about (1) a conceptual framework for understanding the impact of violence on children’s developmental outcomes; (2) statistics, with a specific focus on community or neighborhood violence; (3) the impact of violence on children’s physical development including brain development that accompany their exposure to violence; (4) how exposure to community violence influences children’s academic performance, with specific attention given to learning in the classroom, and social development with an emphasis on peer relations; (5) formal and informal intervention/prevention programs; and (6) practical suggestions for educators of young children as well as a list of web resources and suggestions for additional readings.