The NIMH community violence project: II. Children's distress symptoms associated with violence exposure

• Published in: Psychiatry (Washington, D.C.) Vol. 56; no. 1; p. 22
• Main Authors: Martinez, P, Richters, J E
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: United States 01.02.1993
• Subjects: Adaptation, Psychological; Anxiety Disorders - diagnosis; Anxiety Disorders - psychology; Child; Child Abuse - complications; Child Abuse - psychology; Child Reactive Disorders - diagnosis; Child Reactive Disorders - psychology; Depressive Disorder - diagnosis; Depressive Disorder - psychology; District of Columbia; Female; Gender Identity; Humans; Male; Personality Inventory; Sleep Wake Disorders - diagnosis; Sleep Wake Disorders - psychology; Social Environment; Spouse Abuse - complications; Spouse Abuse - psychology; Violence; District of Columbia
• ISSN: 0033-2747; 1943-281X
• DOI: 10.1080/00332747.1993.11024618

The rising tide of violence in American cities has placed the causes and consequences of violence squarely on the public health agenda. The U.S. Government's Year 2000 National Health Promotion and Disease Prevention Objectives includes a full chapter devoted to violence issues and delineates a number of goals and programs aimed at reducing the number of deaths and injuries associated with violence (Public Health Service 1990). Notably absent from these objectives, however, is attention to the possible adverse psychological consequences of exposure to acute or chronic violence. Nonetheless, in light of numerous media reports of children's exposure to community violence and recent reports documenting high levels of exposure even among very young children (Richters and Martinez 1993), it is reasonable to question whether the risks of exposure extend beyond death and physical injury to psychological well-being.