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Experiences of Violence, Post-Traumatic Stress, Academic Achievement and Behavior Problems of Urban African-American Children

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Abstract

This study examined the frequency of family violence, community violence, and witnessing of violence for 110 African-American children. Levels of post-traumatic stress, academic achievement and behavior problems of the children were also examined. The students were sixth graders between the ages of 11 and 13 from four inner-city Chicago public schools. The level of exposure to family violence was significantly related to levels of behavior problems and negatively related to school achievement. The level of exposure to community violence was associated with levels of behavior problems and approached significance in a negative direction with school achievement. Academic achievement was not significantly related to behavior, but was significantly associated with post-traumatic stress disorder, family violence, witnessing violence and approached significance with community violence exposure.

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Notes

  1. The day after the above incident occurred, one of the authors was called to a school as part of a crisis team and was told this story by the child.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Chicago Public Schools, 125 S. Clerk St., 8th floor, Chicago, IL, 60603, USA

    Theodre Thompson Jr. Ph.D.

  2. Jane Addams College of Social Work, University of Illinois at Chicago, 1040 W. Harrison, M/C 309, Chicago, IL, 60607, USA

    Carol Rippey Massat Ph.D.

Authors
  1. Theodre Thompson Jr. Ph.D.
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  2. Carol Rippey Massat Ph.D.
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Correspondence to Theodre Thompson Jr. Ph.D..

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Theodre Thompson is affiliated with the Chicago Public Schools, Chicago, IL. Carol Rippey Massat is Associate Professor, Jane Addams College of Social Work, University of Illinois at Chicago, Chicago, IL.

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Thompson, T., Massat, C.R. Experiences of Violence, Post-Traumatic Stress, Academic Achievement and Behavior Problems of Urban African-American Children. Child Adolesc Soc Work J 22, 367–393 (2005). https://doi.org/10.1007/s10560-005-0018-5

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