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Cross-Cultural Findings on Community Violence Exposure and Internalizing Psychopathology: Comparing Adolescents in the United States, Russia, and Belgium

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Abstract

The study aimed to investigate cross-cultural differences in the relation between community violence and psychopathology. A self-report survey was conducted in a representative sample of 3,309 14–17 year old adolescents from urban communities in the US (N = 1,343), Belgium (N = 946) and Russia (N = 1,009). In all three countries, boys reported higher prevalences of violence exposure and more victimization by community violence than girls. Controlling for involvement in antisocial behavior, levels of psychopathology increased along with severity of exposure to community violence (from no exposure to witnessing to victimization). The associations between community violence and internalizing problems were similar across countries and gender. Current findings suggest that the relationships between community violence and adolescent mental health are not culture bound and that they follow similar dynamics in different populations. Clinical implications and directions are discussed.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Child Study Center, Yale University Medical School, New Haven, CT, 06520, USA

    Mary Schwab-Stone & Vladislav Ruchkin

  2. Regional Centre for Child and Adolescent Mental Health, University of Tromsø, Breivika, 9037, Tromsø, Norway

    Roman Koposov

  3. Section of Child Psychiatry, Free University Medical Center, Amsterdam, The Netherlands

    Robert Vermeiren

  4. Department of Law, University of Leiden, Leiden, The Netherlands

    Robert Vermeiren

  5. Division of Neuroscience, Department of Child and Adolescent Psychiatry, Uppsala University, 751 85, Uppsala, Sweden

    Vladislav Ruchkin

  6. Säter Forensic Psychiatric Clinic, 783 27, Säter, Sweden

    Vladislav Ruchkin

Authors
  1. Mary Schwab-Stone
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  2. Roman Koposov
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  3. Robert Vermeiren
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  4. Vladislav Ruchkin
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Correspondence to Vladislav Ruchkin.

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Schwab-Stone, M., Koposov, R., Vermeiren, R. et al. Cross-Cultural Findings on Community Violence Exposure and Internalizing Psychopathology: Comparing Adolescents in the United States, Russia, and Belgium. Child Psychiatry Hum Dev 44, 516–524 (2013). https://doi.org/10.1007/s10578-012-0344-8

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s10578-012-0344-8

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