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Violent victimization and perpetration during adolescence: developmental stage dependent ecological models.
Jennifer L Matjasko1, Belinda L Needham, Leslie N Grunden
1National Center for Injury Prevention and Control, Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, 4770 Buford Highway NE, Atlanta, GA 30341, USA. jmatjasko@cdc.gov
Journal of Youth and Adolescence
|January 30, 2010
Summary
Negative peer influence strongly predicts adolescent violence, especially in early adolescence. Middle adolescents face heightened risks from disadvantaged neighborhoods, highlighting developmental differences in violence exposure.
Area of Science:
- Developmental Psychology
- Criminology
- Sociology
Background:
- Adolescent violence is a significant public health issue.
- Understanding ecological predictors is crucial for prevention.
- Developmental stages influence vulnerability to violence.
Purpose of the Study:
- To explore ecological predictors of violent victimization and perpetration across adolescent developmental stages.
- To examine the relative influence of individual, family, peer, and neighborhood factors.
- To identify specific vulnerabilities during early, middle, and late adolescence.
Main Methods:
- Utilized a variant of the ecological-transactional model and delinquency theories.
- Analyzed data from the National Longitudinal Study of Adolescent Health (Wave 1 and Wave 2).
- Focused on a nationally representative sample (N = 8,267) with no prior violence exposure.
Main Results:
- Proximal factors, particularly negative peers, significantly predicted violent victimization and perpetration.
- Peer influence was strongest in early adolescence.
- Middle adolescents in disadvantaged neighborhoods showed particular vulnerability.
Conclusions:
- Ecological factors, especially peers and neighborhoods, play a critical role in adolescent violence.
- Developmental differences exist in the influence of these factors.
- Interventions should consider age-specific ecological contexts to address adolescent violence effectively.
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