Urban School-aged Children Research Articles

Neighborhood Types and Externalizing Behavior in Urban School-Age Children: Tests of Direct, Mediated, and Moderated Effects

We evaluated the association of neighborhood types and externalizing behavior problems in 99 predominately African-American urban children (M = 10.7 years), and the extent to which qualities of the family environment mediated or moderated these associations. Three distinct neighborhood types were identified using cluster analysis of census and crime data. Results showed that children living in very poor neighborhoods with moderate crime levels had more behavior problems than children living in relatively low crime, low poverty areas. Family stress mediated the association between neighborhood type and behavior problems. Family cohesion moderated the association of neighborhood type and adjustment: children living in the most impoverished neighborhoods with high levels of family cohesion demonstrated fewer behavior problems relative to their peers in low-cohesive households in the same area, and similar levels of behavior problems relative to children in highly cohesive homes in low crime, low poverty areas.

Exposure to Violence Among Urban School-Aged Children: Is It Only on Television?

To measure exposure to different types of violence among school-aged children in a primary care setting. Child interviews using an instrument measuring 4 types of exposure (direct victimization, witnessing, hearing reports, media). Violent acts measured include being beaten up, chased/threatened, robbed/mugged, stabbed/shot, killed. Pediatric primary care clinic of large urban hospital. Convenience sample of 175 children 9-12 years old and their mothers. A total of 53% of the children were boys, 55% were Hispanic, and 40% received public assistance. All children had been exposed to media violence. A total of 97% (170/175) had been exposed to more direct forms of violence; 77% had witnessed violence involving strangers; 49% had witnessed violence involving familiar persons; 49% had been direct victims; and 31% had witnessed someone being shot, stabbed, or killed. Exposure to violence was significantly associated with being male. Most school-aged children who visited a pediatric primary care clinic of a large urban hospital had directly experienced violence as witnesses and/or victims.