Abstract
Background and Goals: The current study investigated the relationship between gang involvement and multiple mental health difficulties; anxiety, depression, paranoia, victim trauma and perpetrator trauma. Additionally, it examined the mediating influence of an individual’s exposure to violence within this relationship.
Method: One hundred adolescents aged 11-16 years old completed two questionnaires and an interview which investigated their friendship groups, exposure to violence and mental well-being. Eighteen participants were identified as current or ex-gang members and the other eighty-two were classified as the nongang comparison group. Results: Findings show that gang members displayed more symptoms of depression and perpetrator trauma compared to non-gang members. The relationship between gang involvement and these mental health difficulties was mediated by exposure to violence. Conclusion: Discussion focuses on the need for researchers, practitioners and policymakers to acknowledge the relationship between gang involvement and mental health difficulties and implement additional strategies to support young people currently or previously involved in gangs.Keywords: Gangs, anxiety, depression, paranoia, victim and perpetrator trauma, mental-illness.
Adolescent Psychiatry
Title:Gang Involvement, Mental Health Difficulties and Exposure to Violence in 11-16-Year-Old School Students
Volume: 10 Issue: 4
Author(s): Georgia A. Naldrett and Jane L Wood*
Affiliation:
- Centre of Research and Education in Forensic Psychology (CORE-FP), School of Psychology, University of Kent, Canterbury, Kent, CT2 7NP,United Kingdom
Keywords: Gangs, anxiety, depression, paranoia, victim and perpetrator trauma, mental-illness.
Abstract: Background and Goals: The current study investigated the relationship between gang involvement and multiple mental health difficulties; anxiety, depression, paranoia, victim trauma and perpetrator trauma. Additionally, it examined the mediating influence of an individual’s exposure to violence within this relationship.
Method: One hundred adolescents aged 11-16 years old completed two questionnaires and an interview which investigated their friendship groups, exposure to violence and mental well-being. Eighteen participants were identified as current or ex-gang members and the other eighty-two were classified as the nongang comparison group. Results: Findings show that gang members displayed more symptoms of depression and perpetrator trauma compared to non-gang members. The relationship between gang involvement and these mental health difficulties was mediated by exposure to violence. Conclusion: Discussion focuses on the need for researchers, practitioners and policymakers to acknowledge the relationship between gang involvement and mental health difficulties and implement additional strategies to support young people currently or previously involved in gangs.Export Options
About this article
Cite this article as:
Naldrett A. Georgia and Wood L Jane *, Gang Involvement, Mental Health Difficulties and Exposure to Violence in 11-16-Year-Old School Students, Adolescent Psychiatry 2020; 10 (4) . https://dx.doi.org/10.2174/2210676610999201229141153
DOI https://dx.doi.org/10.2174/2210676610999201229141153 |
Print ISSN 2210-6766 |
Publisher Name Bentham Science Publisher |
Online ISSN 2210-6774 |
- Author Guidelines
- Graphical Abstracts
- Fabricating and Stating False Information
- Research Misconduct
- Post Publication Discussions and Corrections
- Publishing Ethics and Rectitude
- Increase Visibility of Your Article
- Archiving Policies
- Peer Review Workflow
- Order Your Article Before Print
- Promote Your Article
- Manuscript Transfer Facility
- Editorial Policies
- Allegations from Whistleblowers
- Announcements
Related Articles
-
L-Arginine Modulates Glucose and Lipid Metabolism in Obesity and Diabetes
Current Protein & Peptide Science Sundowning Syndrome: A Possible Marker of Frailty in Alzheimer’s Disease?
CNS & Neurological Disorders - Drug Targets Development of Nucleic Acid Drugs for Neurological Disorders
Current Topics in Medicinal Chemistry Self-management Programmes for People with Osteoarthritis: A Systematic Review and Meta-analysis
Current Rheumatology Reviews Microwaves-Assisted Syntheses of Imidazolylbenzamides and their Antioxidant Activities
Letters in Drug Design & Discovery Scutellaria barbata Flavonoids Improve the Composited Aβ-induced Abnormal Changes in Glial Cells of the Brains of Rats
Combinatorial Chemistry & High Throughput Screening Genetics of Serotonin Receptors and Depression: State of the Art
Current Drug Targets Auto-Contractive Maps: An Artificial Adaptive System for Data Mining. An Application to Alzheimer Disease
Current Alzheimer Research Next-generation Metabolomics in the Development of New Antidepressants: Using Albiflorin as an Example
Current Pharmaceutical Design Induced Pluripotent Stem Cells as a Model for Accelerated Patient- and Disease-specific Drug Discovery
Current Medicinal Chemistry Emerging Proof of Protein Misfolding and Interactions in Multifactorial Alzheimer's Disease
Current Topics in Medicinal Chemistry Neuropeptide - Adipose Tissue Communication and Intestinal Pathophysiology
Current Pharmaceutical Design A Transient Survival Model of Alteration of Electrophysiological Properties Due to Amyloid Beta Toxicity Based on SH-SY5Y Cell Line
Current Alzheimer Research The Biological Activity of the Novel Vinca Alkaloids 4-chlorochablastine and 4-chlorochacristine
Current Cancer Drug Targets 2-Amino/Azido/Hydrazino-5-alkoxy-5H-[1]benzopyrano[4,3-d]pyrimidines:Synthesis and Pharmacological Evaluation
Medicinal Chemistry Anesthesia and Postoperative Cognitive Dysfunction (POCD)
Central Nervous System Agents in Medicinal Chemistry Neuropeptide Y as an Endogenous Antiepileptic, Neuroprotective and Pro-Neurogenic Peptide
Recent Patents on CNS Drug Discovery (Discontinued) Quality of Education and Memory Test Performance in Older Men: The New York University Paragraph Recall Test Normative Data
Current Alzheimer Research Cancer and Virus Leads by HTS, Chemical Design and SEA Data Mining
Current Topics in Medicinal Chemistry Author Index To Volume 1
Recent Patents on CNS Drug Discovery (Discontinued)