The impact of childhood adversity on female‐perpetrated intimate partner violence in young adulthood

• McGrath, A., Mackay, J., & Baguley, T. (2024). The impact of childhood adversity on female-perpetrated intimate partner violence in young adulthood. Legal and Criminological Psychology, 0(0), 1–19. 

Abstract: 

A common conception of intimate partner violence (IPV) is that women rarely use violence against romantic partners, and when they do, this is usually in self-defence. However, evidence demonstrates that women perpetrate IPV at least as frequently as men, particularly in young adult populations. Despite this, there is still a significant lack of research focusing on women's IPV perpetration, particularly in determining risk markers. The unique relationship between adversity in childhood and IPV perpetration has been recognized in males and it is thought that this relationship may be even more marked in females. The present study aimed to investigate this relationship to see whether experiencing increasing numbers of adverse childhood experiences (ACEs) would be associated with higher incidence of female-perpetrated IPV.

Structural interventions to reduce harms & promote the capabilities of girls experiencing multiple complexities: A scoping review

• Benoit, C., Mellor, A., & Premji, Z. (2024). Structural interventions to reduce harms and promote the capabilities of girls experiencing multiple complexities: A scoping review. Children and Youth Services Review, 157(0). 1-22. 

Abstract: 

Structural interventions have the potential to reduce complexity in the lives of marginalised cis girls/young women and promote their health and well-being so that they have improved chances to reach their potential. However, most interventions available for this group focus on the micro/psychological level of wellness, risks associated with sexualized violence, and behaviour-based interventions which do little to address the root causes of complexity in their lives. Our scoping study was conducted to identify structural interventions, those that improve the environmental contexts within which health is produced and reproduced, that exist and have been evaluated for marginalised girls around the globe. The scoping review methodology was based on the Joanna Briggs Institute (JBI) Manual for Evidence Synthesis. Six databases were searched up to November 16, 2021. The search strategy yielded 2,009 unique articles, of which 45 met the criteria for final inclusion. Studies included were from the United States (34), Canada (2), Australia (1), Italy (1), Norway (1), Portugal (1), Scotland (1), Wales (1), and Sub-Saharan Africa (1; Rwanda, South Africa, Ghana). Twenty family-level, 13 child-level, seven youth-level, and three community-level interventions were identified. Evidence from this scoping review suggest that early interventions, especially for disadvantaged mothers from low socioeconomic and racialized backgrounds, that support their parenting capabilities and empower them through equalizing material supports like housing, food, and clothing, have positive outcomes for children’s development and holistic health across the life course. Few structural interventions were identified that focus specifically on cis girls/young women, suggesting the systems that are in place are currently failing them. Our findings nevertheless contribute to an improved understanding of ways trauma-informed and culturally appropriate structural interventions can address complexity in their lives. This work will inform ways that policy makers can improve access to equitable, inclusive, culturally safe, harmonized, and adaptable services for marginalised girls in Canada and elsewhere.

The prevalence of peer sexual harassment during childhood in Australia

• Hunt, G., & Meinck, F. (2024). The prevalence of peer sexual harassment during childhood in Australia. Journal of Interpersonal Violence, 0(0). 

Abstract: 

Sexual harassment inflicted by adolescents on their peers is a major public health issue but its prevalence across childhood is not known. We provide the first nationally representative data on the prevalence of peer sexual harassment across childhood, using cross-sectional data from the Australian Child Maltreatment Study (ACMS). The ACMS surveyed 8,503 people aged 16 and over about their experiences of child maltreatment and associated health outcomes. The prevalence of peer sexual harassment was assessed using the Juvenile Victimisation Questionnaire-R2 Adapted Version (ACMS), with survey data weighted to reflect characteristics of the Australian population. Overall, one in ten (10.4% (95% CI, 9.7-11.3%)) Australians experienced peer sexual harassment during childhood. Peer sexual harassment is an issue disproportionately affecting gender diverse individuals (24.0%, 95% CI, 15.5-35.2%) and women (15.3%, 95% CI, 14.0-16.7%), compared to men (5.0%, 95% CI, 4.3-5.9%). Rates of peer sexual harassment were also very high among sexuality diverse participants (prevalence estimates ranging between 14.2-29.8%). Peer sexual harassment was predominately inflicted by male peers (9.6%, 95% CI, 8.9-10.4%), compared to 1.8% (95% CI, 1.5-2.2%) reporting harassment from female peers. These findings have implications for understanding and reducing attitudes supporting peer sexual harassment in childhood, particularly against girls and gender and sexually diverse youth, and associations with other gendered violence both in childhood and later life.

The effect of peer victimization during adolescence on depression and gender differences: A systematic review and meta-analysis

• Song, Q., Yuan, T., Hu, Y., Liu, X., Fei, J., Zhao, X., Gao, R., Yue, J., & Mei, S. (2024). The effect of peer victimization during adolescence on depression and gender differences: A systematic review and meta-analysis. Trauma, Violence, & Abuse, 0(0).  

Abstract: 

Peer victimization during adolescence has a detrimental impact on the mental health of victims throughout their lives. However, it remains unclear whether these effects are gender-specific. The present study conducted a systematic review to examine the effects of peer victimization on depression status, explore potential sources of heterogeneity, and investigate gender differences in these effects. We systematically searched four electronic databases (Web of Science, PubMed, Embase, and CNKI) for relevant articles that published as far as July 2022. We then extracted odds ratios (OR) and 95% confidence intervals (CI) to assess the association between peer victimization during adolescence and depression, and potential gender differences in the relation. Meta-analysis was performed, using fixed effects models and random effects models, to evaluate the association between each exposure and the outcome. A meta-analysis of 27 studies revealed that peer victimization during adolescence was significantly associated with higher risks of depression (OR = 2.79, 95% CI [2.43, 3.21], p < .001). This finding was consistent across subgroup analyses. In particular, the effect of peer victimization during adolescence on depression was found to be more pronounced in studies conducted in Asia (OR = 3.06, 95% CI [2.38, 3.92], p < .001). Furthermore, five studies focused on gender differences demonstrated that peer victimization has a stronger association with the risk of depression in women (OR = 2.84, 95% CI [2.49, 3.26], p < .001). Peer victimization during adolescence is a significant risk factor for depression, with a greater impact on women and individuals residing in Asia. Further prospective studies are needed to investigate the relationship between peer victimization and depression.

Rural culture and coercive sexual environments: A queer path from victimization to incarceration

• Terry, A. N., (2023). Rural culture and coercive sexual environments: A queer path from victimization to incarceration. Critical Criminology, 31, 1097-1111. 

Abstract: 

Coercive sexual environments (CSE) create communities that support, and even encourage, the sexual harassment and exploitation of young women. While recent publications have investigated the culture surrounding rural CSEs, the research is absent on LGBTQA+ youth residing in rural places. While oppressive conditions exist globally for the queer population, rural culture—including the harboring of old-fashioned values and systemic patriarchy—manifests additional victimization. As such, the current research involved in-depth interviews with incarcerated girls and young women (n = 20), as well as community stakeholders (n = 50), residing within a primarily rural state. LGBTQA+ identifying participants reported being subjected to both direct (e.g., sexual victimization) and indirect (e.g., intentional avoidance to intervene) victimization, creating an abuse-to-prison pipeline. Community stakeholders appeared ill-equipped to provide responsive services, leading to continued victimization. Both proactive and responsive approaches can help build resiliency within communities while preventing system-involvement.

A developmental approach to understanding gender differences among youth offenders regarding perceptions of police legitimacy

• Lee, S., Baek, H., & Cooper, J. (2024). A developmental approach to understanding gender differences among youth offenders regarding perceptions of police legitimacy. International Criminal Justice Review, 34(1), 20-42. 

Abstract: 

While there is a rich body of literature regarding attitudes toward the police, longitudinal empirical research on perceptions of police legitimacy among youth offenders is scant. Using data from Pathways to Desistance, a longitudinal study of 1,354 serious juvenile offenders, the current study builds upon the literature by identifying developmental trajectories of perceptions of police legitimacy among serious young offenders by gender. The study used group-based trajectory modeling, which yielded five trajectory groups for males and four trajectory groups for females. Female youth offenders exhibited slight increases in perceptions of police legitimacy, whereas males showed variations in perceptions of police legitimacy across the seven waves. To examine the probability that predictors belong to certain trajectory groups, the average marginal effects from a multinomial logit regression model were calculated. The findings showed that direct and indirect procedural justice and Black were statistically significant predictors of the probability of police legitimacy trajectories for both males and females. Compared with the male youth offenders, among their female counterparts, legal cynicism, self-reported offense, Hispanic, and age were not associated with the probability of each trajectory group. Given our findings and the strong association between the likelihood of offending and perceptions of the police, we suggest that existing early intervention programs may add a curriculum on prosocial attitudes toward the police. The findings also shed light on the significance of gender in the developmental perspective of police legitimacy perceptions among youth offenders.

Demographic differences in gender dysphoria diagnosis and access to gender-affirming care among adolescents

• Kahn, N. F., Asante, P. G., Coker, T. R., Kidd, K. M., Christakis, D. A., Richardson, L. P., & Sequeira, G. M. (2024). Demographic differences in gender dysphoria diagnosis and access to gender-affirming care among adolescents. LGBT Health, 10.1089/lgbt.2023.0273. Advance online publication. 

Abstract: 

Purpose: The goal of this article was to identify demographic differences in receipt of gender dysphoria (GD) diagnosis and access to gender-affirming care (GAC) among adolescents whose gender identity and/or pronouns differed from their sex assigned at birth. Methods: Data were from 2444 patients who were 13-17 years old and had a documented gender identity and/or pronouns that differed from their sex assigned at birth in the electronic health record. Adjusted logistic regression models explored associations between demographic characteristics (sex assigned at birth, gender identity, race and ethnicity, language, insurance type, rural status) and presence of GD diagnosis and having accessed GAC. Results: Thze average predicted probability (Pr) of having received a GD diagnosis was 0.62 (95% confidence interval [CI] = 0.60-0.63) and of having accessed GAC was 0.48 (95% CI = 0.46-0.50). Various significant demographic differences emerged. Notably, Black/African American youth were the least likely to have received a GD diagnosis (Pr = 0.43, 95% CI = 0.33-0.54) and accessed GAC (Pr = 0.32, 95% CI = 0.22-0.43). Although there were no significant differences in GD diagnosis by insurance type, youth using Medicaid, other government insurance, or self-pay/charity care were less likely to have accessed GAC compared with youth using commercial/private insurance. Conclusion: Results indicate significant differences in both receipt of GD diagnosis and accessing GAC by various demographic characteristics, particularly among Black/African American youth. Identification of these differences provides an opportunity to further understand potential barriers and promote more equitable access to GAC among adolescents who desire this care.

Self-harm and suicidality among trans and gender diverse youth from culturally and linguistically diverse backgrounds - A scoping review

• Macedo, D., McEvoy, M., Crowley, T., Loughhead, M. & Procter, N. (2024). Self-harm and suicidality among trans and gender diverse youth from culturally and linguistically diverse backgrounds—A scoping review. International Journal of Mental Health Nursing, 00, 1–16. 

Abstract: 

Rates of suicidality and self-harm are substantial among trans and gender diverse people, particularly among younger groups. The objective of this scoping review is to explore the state of the research conducted on determinants of mental distress, self-harm and suicidality among trans and gender diverse (TGD) youth from culturally and linguistically diverse (CALD) backgrounds. The Joanna Briggs Institute methodology for scoping reviews was used as a methodology guide. Inclusion criteria for study selection comprehended: publications on the intersectionality between gender non-conformity and cultural and linguistic diversity; focus on a young population (≤25 years of age); publications addressing self-harm and/or suicidality. Searches were conducted on eight databases and a public web search engine and yielded 474 results. Publications were screened and selected by two independent reviewers. Thematic analysis was used to identify key themes overarching the findings. The screening process yielded seven peer-reviewed studies and six research reports based on case studies, retrospective qualitative interviews, cross-sectional and longitudinal survey analyses. The key themes approached in the retrieved literature include: (1) precipitating factors for suicidality; (2) pathways contributing to self-harm and suicidality; and 3) barriers and facilitators for accessing services and mental health care. Practical actions to help mitigate suicidality among TGD youth from CALD backgrounds need to consider the impact of trauma and allow for the development of trust in the therapeutic relationship. Shifts in service delivery and policy formulation are necessary to reduce stigmatisation and potentialise the inclusion of different racial, ethnic, cultural, sexual and gender identity expressions in society.

Child and adolescent exposure to sexual harassment: Relationship to gender, contact sexual abuse, and adult psychological symptoms

• Briere, J., Runtz, M., & Rodd, K. (2024). Child and adolescent exposure to sexual harassment: Relationship to gender, contact sexual abuse, and adult psychological symptoms. Journal of Interpersonal Violence, 0(0).  

Abstract: 

In contrast to adults, there is considerably less research on childhood or adolescent exposure to sexual harassment (CAESH), its lasting psychological correlates, and whether such experiences should be included in definitions of childhood sexual abuse. The current study examined the prevalence and symptomatic sequels of unwanted flirting, being “checked out” sexually, unwanted sexual attention, sexual comments, propositions, and related noncontact behaviors that occurred before age 18, as well as the multivariate relationship between CAESH and contact child sexual abuse (C-CSA) in a diverse online sample of 528 individuals. CAESH was very common, with over 95% of women and 64% of men reporting at least one experience of noncontact sexual harassment before age 18. When childhood sexual abuse was operationalized as the presence of either C-CSA or a total CAESH score of 18 or higher (corresponding to an average score of “3–5 times” prior to age 18), the prevalence was 67% for women and 26% for men, more than three times higher than C-CSA alone. This expanded definition was associated with significantly more anxiety, depression, and posttraumatic stress relative to C-CSA alone. These results suggest that CAESH is a significant source of symptoms in adults and support the emerging perspective that childhood sexual abuse may be best understood as including both contact and noncontact events.

Doing and undoing gendered racism with racialized girls: A school-based youth participatory action research study

• Angod, L. (2023). Doing and undoing gendered racism with racialized girls: A school‐based youth participatory action research study. Children & Society, chso.12826. 

Abstract: 

This article explores the ethics and transformative potential of youth participatory action research (yPAR) using data from a 2-year school-based yPAR study at an elite, independent school in Toronto, Canada. I use discourse analysis to show how school-based yPAR with racialized girls intensified their experiences of gendered racism, shaping the research in a circular fashion. I demonstrate how youth researchers' strategies for counteracting this intensification contradicted the project's critical race feminist investments. This study concludes that yPAR facilitators must address the potential/actual harm of youth researchers' involvement in yPAR as part of the research process.

Factors Associated With Experiences of Harassment or Abuse Among Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, Trans, Queer, and Asexual Young People With Disability in Australia

• Amos, N., Hill, A. O., Lyons, A., Bigby, C., Carman, M., Parsons, M., & Bourne, A. (2023). Factors associated with experiences of harassment or abuse among lesbian, gay, bisexual, trans, queer, and asexual young people with disability in Australia. Journal of Interpersonal Violence, 08862605231216690. 

Abstract: 

Lesbian, gay, bisexual, trans, queer, and asexual (LGBTQA+) young people with disability are known to experience higher rates of harassment or abuse than LGBTQA+ young people without disability. This study focused on participants in Australia and identified factors associated with harassment or abuse among LGBTQA+ adolescents and young adults who reported a disability as well as associations with mental health outcomes. Analyses were conducted from a national survey that included 2,500 LGBTQA+ people who reported a disability and were aged 14 to 21 years. Measures included experiences in the past 12 months of verbal and physical harassment or abuse due to one’s sexual orientation or gender identity, sexual harassment or abuse, mental health, suicidality, and sociodemographic traits. Overall, 48.4% of participants with disability reported experiencing verbal harassment or abuse, 12.4% physical harassment or abuse, and 29.7% sexual assault or harassment. In multivariable regression analyses, verbal harassment or abuse was significantly more likely among trans men, participants with an intellectual disability, and those who were “out” to most or all of their family. Physical harassment or abuse was significantly more likely among participants with a physical or sensory disability. Sexual harassment or abuse was significantly more likely among trans women and participants with a physical or sensory disability. Participants who experienced harassment or abuse were also significantly more likely to have attempted suicide in the past 12 months. These findings will assist policymakers and practitioners in identifying contexts linked to a heightened risk of abuse among LGBTQA+ young people with disability and further underscore an immediate need to address and prevent harm in this population.

‘I would love to do something about it’: Young men’s role in addressing violence against women in Ireland 

• Bolton, R., Edwards, C., Leane, M., & Súilleabhain, F. Ó. (2023). ‘I would love to do something about it’: Young men’s role in addressing violence against women in Ireland. Journal of Gender-Based Violence, 1(aop), 1–15.  

Abstract: 

This article reports on how young people (aged 18–24) and stakeholders working in the area of violence against women (VAW) in Ireland, perceive young men’s role in addressing VAW. We find that men are considered well positioned to intervene as active bystanders and to engage in feminist allyship. However, several barriers to men’s active bystanding and engagement with the issue of VAW, as well as ethical, theoretical and practice issues, need to be considered. These include: the privileging of men’s willingness to listen to other men, thereby devaluing women’s perspectives; pluralistic ignorance where men feel other men do not share their discomfort of violence-supportive practices; and a tendency for men to default to confrontational modes of active bystanding. We highlight how these issues are even more pertinent to address given the presence of political forces that seek to stymie men’s support for feminist activism and causes related to gender politics.

‘Pipe Down Silly Girl’: The Silencing, Vilification and Discrediting of Girl Activists 

• Cameron, L. (2023). ‘Pipe down silly girl’: The silencing, vilification and discrediting of girl activists. In K. Wright & J. McLeod (Eds.), Childhood, Youth and Activism: Demands for Rights and Justice from Young People and their Advocates (Vol. 33, pp. 89–108). Emerald Publishing Limited. 

Abstract: 

Using data from a feminist discourse analysis of comments on Facebook news articles, this research outlines backlash and regulatory practices directed towards youth activists Greta Thunberg, X González and Malala Yousafzai. A conceptual framework of semiotic violence highlights how these comments function to silence, delegitimise, vilify and punish sociopolitically active girls who challenge the status quo. The first mode of semiotic violence works to symbolically annihilate girl activists by silencing or rendering their political contributions invisible. The most obvious manifestation of this is instructing girls to shut up and go away. Additionally, their activism is ignored by refusals to acknowledge it as appropriate through suggestions they focus on gender-normative activities, such as domestic chores, playing with dolls and finding boyfriends. Undermining girls’ agency by describing them as puppets, mouthpieces, script readers, pawns and tools is also common. Here, girls’ contributions are rendered invisible through implications that they are being brainwashed and manipulated. The second mode of semiotic violence reinforces ideologies that girls are not politically competent and punishes them for being outspoken. This includes explicitly discrediting girls’ knowledge and abilities. Regulating their emotionality is also prevalent. This is consistent with Liberal political theory which justified women’s exclusion from public life by associating men with reason and women with emotion. Finally, insults degrade them for transgressing into a space demarcated as an adult and masculine realm. The semiotic violence directed towards these ‘girl power’ figures highlights that many people do not believe girls have the right to assert their sociopolitical opinion.

Comparing Meters to Yards: A Nationally Representative Evaluation of Gender Bias in Risk Assessment

• Hamilton, Z., Kowalski, M., Campagna, M., Kobie, A., & Kigerl, A. (2023). Comparing meters to yards: A nationally representative evaluation of gender bias in risk assessment. Justice Quarterly, 1–25.   

Abstract: 

Risk-needs assessments (RNAs) assist correctional staff in assigning supervision and programming. While gender is a well-known predictor of crime, for decades contemporary RNAs have claimed “gender-neutrality” or risk prediction equality for males and females. Unfortunately, females are frequently overclassified, relegated to a category higher than their risks indicate. Using ridge and mixed effects regression methods, we sought to enhance the predictive accuracy of the Modified Positive Achievement Change Tool (MPACT) comparing three common assessment development methods via a 10-state sample of youth (N = 241,596) across multiple justice settings. Findings demonstrated recidivism rates vary substantially by gender and bias/overclassification is likely for assessments using a “gender-neutral” approach. Tools that oversample females, or attempt “equally weighting,” have similar issues. However, “gender-specific” methods create prediction parity, rooting out overclassification. Study takeaways include the need to evaluate tools for overclassification, methods of eliminating gender bias, while achieving strong predictive validity in development of the MPACT. 

Rethinking inclusion: empowering the children of sex workers in Kalighat, Kolkata, India 

• Dutt, K. G. (2023). Rethinking inclusion: Empowering the children of sex workers in Kalighat, Kolkata, India. In Research Handbook on Migration and Education (pp. 262–271). Edward Elgar Publishing.  

Abstract: 

In South Asia, the intersection of culture, class, gender, and access to education addresses the unique interpretations of disability which is related to the social environment. The metanarratives encased in the study elicit global concerns of social exclusion, stigmatisation, marginalisation as well as exploitation of the weak and the vulnerable. The red-light district of Kalighat is located in a neighbourhood of south Kolkata and comprises of migrant women, not only from the nearby villages but also from Bangladesh and Nepal. The city of Kolkata has emerged as a hub for the trafficking of girls. The study explores the pivotal role of inclusion that is transforming the lives of children living in the red-light district of Kalighat in the city of Kolkata, India. The ‘safe space’ provided by the stakeholders enables the children of Kalighat to complete their education. This ensures that the children are not harvested back into the human trafficking industry. The qualitative enquiry sheds light on the lived-in realities of the informants. The findings from the study reinforces that ‘inclusion’ is imperative towards realising dreams, aspirations and building bridges within societies to attain equality for every person. Inclusion is symbiotic to social justice and imperative for accessibility to education. The study signals that intervention needs to be contextualised in order to meet, address and overcome the challenges that hinders the realisation of human rights.

Risk and Protective Factors for Sexual Exploitation in Male and Female Youth From a Cross-Cultural Perspective: A Systematic Review 

• Mercera, G., Kooijmans, R., Leijdesdorff, S., Heynen, E., & van Amelsvoort, T. (2023). Risk and protective factors for sexual exploitation in male and female youth from a cross-cultural perspective: A systematic review. Trauma, Violence, & Abuse, 0(0). 

Abstract: 

Youth are at elevated risk of becoming victims of sexual exploitation, which has a detrimental impact on their physical and psychological well-being. Understanding factors associated with sexual exploitation is key for prevention efforts and adequate and timely treatment. This systematic review sheds more light on this by providing an overview of both risk and protective factors for sexual exploitation in male and female youth from a cross-cultural perspective. In all, 65 studies were selected meeting the inclusion criteria: qualitative or quantitative peer-reviewed studies in English, Dutch, or German with findings on risk and protective factors associated with sexual exploitation in youth aged up to 24 years. Results show that there are common risk factors in male and female youth worldwide (e.g., adverse childhood experiences, lack of a social network, substance use, and running away). Positive and supportive relationships are an important protective factor in mitigating the risk of sexual exploitation. Geographic differences were found. In non-Western continents, more environmental factors (e.g., economic vulnerabilities, residential instability) were cited. Research in countries outside the United States is limited and protective factors and males are underexamined. To fully understand vulnerabilities in youth, their interactions, and possible gender differences and to address the needs of diverse populations, more insight should be gained into the broader range of risk and protective factors worldwide. This systematic review has made a valuable contribution to this by providing practice, policy, and research guidance in the establishment of more targeted prevention efforts, adequate treatment, and areas to address in future research.

The Importance of Reflexivity in Program Development: A Case Study Involving Teaching Self-Defense to Middle School Girls in PE Class

• Follo, G. (2023). The importance of reflexivity in program development: A case study involving teaching self-defense to middle school girls in PE class. Violence Against Women, 0(0).   

Abstract: 

This research used a self-defense program to explore how middle school girls could change their perspectives on the gendered roles of victim and protector within an empowered self-defense approach. Taking the dual role of researcher and self-defense instructor, I developed a program to influence changing information strips directed toward gender norms, behavior, and discourse. Reflexive thematic analysis was utilized due to its intersection of the researcher's experience, literature, and theory. The research consisted of 40 girls journaling and 23 girls completing a post-program survey. Findings suggested that reflexive body techniques through self-defense could potentially impact internalized gendered information strips. 

The Role of Gender Norms on Intimate Partner Violence Among Newly Married Adolescent Girls and Young Women in India: A Longitudinal Multilevel Analysis

• Gopalakrishnan, L., Bertozzi, S., Bradshaw, P., Deardorff, J., (Shakya) Baker, H., & Rabe-Hesketh, S. (2023). The role of gender norms on intimate partner violence among newly married adolescent girls and young women in India: A longitudinal multilevel analysis. Violence Against Women, 0(0).  

Abstract: 

Gender norms have been posited to impact intimate partner violence (IPV), but there is scant evidence of the longitudinal association between community-level gender norms and IPV. Using longitudinal data on 3,965 married girls surveyed in India, we fitted mixed-effects ordinal and binary logistic regression models for physical IPV intensity and occurrence of sexual IPV. We found a 26% increase in the odds that women experience frequent physical IPV per one unit increase in greater community-level equitable gender norms. We did not find an association between community-level equitable gender norms and sexual IPV. Findings suggest that the relationship between gender norms and physical and sexual IPV differs, indicating the need for tailored interventions for different types of IPV.

A mixed method exploration of gender, self-esteem, narcissistic traits, and aggression in a youth justice sample 

• Brook, G., Thapa, S., & Brown, S. L. (2023). A mixed method exploration of gender, self-esteem, narcissistic traits, and aggression in a youth justice sample. Feminist Criminology.

Abstract: 

The relationship between gender, self-esteem, narcissistic traits, and aggression was evaluated in a sample of justice-impacted youth (JIY). Forty-two audio-recorded interviews (n = 21 boys; n = 21 girls) with equal representation of low, moderate, and high self-esteem scoring JIY were selected. Narcissistic features could be reliably coded retrospectively; common features included: arrogance, interpersonal exploitation, and lack of empathy or shame. No gender differences emerged in feature frequency or type. Correlational analyses revealed that narcissistic traits were significantly correlated with self-report measures of aggression; only girls evidenced this relationship. A potential gendered relationship between narcissistic features and aggression merits further investigation.

Gender differences and latent class in the perpetration of teen dating violence

• Villanueva-Blasco, V. J., Hernández, M. J., Mitjans, M. T., & Ejarque, B. I. (2023). Gender differences and latent class in the perpetration of teen dating violence. Journal of Family Violence.   

Abstract: 

Teen dating violence (TDV) refers to harmful behavior perpetrated in the context of the relationship between adolescents. This study aimed to estimate the prevalence of perpetration TDV according to gender and to identify latent classes of young people with different patterns of behavior. The sample consists of 862 secondary school students (50.2% girls and 49.8% boys) of different Spanish regions, with an average age of 14.1 years. TDV was measured in a cross-sectional study applying a latent class analysis. It was found that TDV is mainly bidirectional and is present in 57.2% of participants of both genders. Only 10.6% were exclusively aggressors, and 6.3% were victims only. A high probability of perpetration behaviors appears especially for verbal-emotional TDV (65.4%), compared to physical TDV (20.1%) and relational TDV (15.7%). The categorical nature of TDV perpetration was shown by a three-class model (none/low TDV perpetration; jealousy/manipulation TDV perpetration; high TDV perpetration). Only gender differences were observed for jealousy/manipulation TDV. Results suggest that TDV is mostly bidirectional, with verbal/emotional violence being more common than physical and relational violence. TDV coheres into three latent classes (low, jealousy/manipulation, and high), of which the middle profile is more common among girls than boys. 

Exploring the role of prior sexual abuse in the commercial sexual exploitation of boys and young men

• Connella, A., Valentine, C. L., Stone, S. S., & Reid, J. A. (2023). Exploring the role of prior sexual abuse in the commercial sexual exploitation of boys and young men. Journal of Child Sexual Abuse, 1–22. 

Abstract: 

Although there has been a large body of research conducted on girl and young women victims of commercial sexual exploitation, boy and young men victims do not receive the same attention. The scant research that exists demonstrates mixed findings on the prevalence of boys and young men as victims of commercial sexual exploitation. For example, some studies find they are not as likely to be victims and others find they are victimized equally, or in some cases, potentially even more so than girls and young women, depending on location. ECPAT published a study in 2013 that revealed a lack of awareness and misclassification of boys as victims and the lack of services available to help them. The purpose of this study is to replicate the ECPAT study and determine what changes might have occurred over the past decade. We consulted with key individuals involved in serving boys and young men and conducted a survey of anti-trafficking service agencies to gather current information on the boys/young men being referred to them for care, the dynamics of their victimization, their most pressing needs, the services/programs being offered, and gaps in service in their respective locations. Among other relevant findings, one commonality among the boys and young men served by the responding agencies was a history of sexual abuse. Findings inform service providers and contribute to advocacy efforts and policy recommendations at the local, state, and federal levels.

'We need to tackle their well being first’: Understanding and supporting care-experienced girls in the youth justice system

• Staines, J., Fitzpatrick, C., Shaw, J., & Hunter, K. (2023). 'We need to tackle their well being first’: Understanding and supporting care-experienced girls in the youth justice system. Youth Justice, 0(0). 

Abstract: 

Despite some positive developments within policy and practice, the over-representation of care-experienced children in the youth justice system remains of significant concern globally. Moreover, there is a relative lack of research or policy focusing specifically on the needs of care-experienced girls who become involved in offending behavior. This article presents novel findings from interviews with 17 girls and young women and eight Youth Offending Team (YOT) staff, highlighting how being in care can affect offending behavior and how YOTs may provide support to care-experienced girls who have been inadequately supported elsewhere. Reviewing research and practice through a gendered lens helps to demonstrate how and why care-experienced girls may be escalated through justice systems at a greater rate than boys. The provision of gender-specific, trauma-informed interventions by YOTs demonstrates how focusing on care-experienced girls’ well-being first is essential if their involvement in the youth justice system is to be reduced. Nonetheless, while YOTs can plug the gaps by providing valuable support within an unsatisfactory system, youth justice intervention must not be a default option for girls in care who exhibit ‘challenging’ behavior. 

Respecting the free will, authenticity and autonomy of transgender youth

• Crosse, L. (2023). Respecting the free will, authenticity and autonomy of transgender youth. Nursing Ethics, 0(0).   

Abstract: 

Transgender and gender diverse (TGD) youth are currently being targeted by global anti-trans legislation that would prevent their access to gender-affirming care even by healthcare providers willing to deliver it and who understand the importance of this support. It has been suggested in some studies that transness in young people is a result of peer contagion. As such their free will, authenticity and autonomy could be brought into question when accessing gender-affirming care. It is important to explore the relevance of these concepts concerning the provision of gender-affirming care to TGD youth by nurses and other healthcare professionals. Nurses should challenge the notion held by some that these young people are not capable of knowing themselves or the level of treatment they require. They can do this by practising gender-affirming care determined by aspirational ethical values of beneficence, non-maleficence, autonomy and justice.

Youth activists' perspectives on climate, sexual and reproductive health and rights, and gender inequality

• Rampazzo, V. M., do Nascimento, A. H. B., Choonara, S., & Helfand, R. (2023). Youth activists' perspectives on climate, sexual and reproductive health and rights, and gender inequality. The Lancet Planetary Health, 7(8), 639-640. 

Abstract: 

Generation Equality is a global multistakeholder partnership mechanism advocating for a wide range of issues, including the gender and climate justice agenda. Convened by UN Women in 2020, Generation Equality is based on the landmark 25th anniversary of the 1995 Beijing Declaration and Platform for Action on the promotion of women's rights. In this Comment, we build on a Generation Equality side event held during the Sixty-Sixth Commission on the Status of Women in 2021, which placed a spotlight on the neglected but highly interconnected climate, sexual and reproductive health and rights (SRHR), and gender inequality crises.1 Among the alarming magnitude of climate disasters worldwide, the effects of climate change on people and the planet continue to be catastrophic, including the disruptions to education, health services, and SRHR services; as a result, gender equality is being threatened on a global scale. We can no longer sit back and ignore these interconnections—the lives of women, girls, and vulnerable populations are at risk. This Comment puts forth the interlinked climate–SRHR–gender crises and then shifts to young climate activists contextualising the crises in Brazil.

“They Do Us Wrong”: Bringing together black adolescent girls’ voices on school staff’s differential treatment 

• Griffith, A. N. (2023). “They Do Us Wrong”: Bringing together black adolescent girls’ voices on school staff’s differential treatment. Journal of Black Psychology, 00957984231191848.

Abstract: 

During adolescence, Black girls face the developmental task of achieving a positive identity while developing skills to navigate hostile contexts, including schools. This study brings together quotes on student-staff interactions extracted during a qualitative meta-synthesis (n = 64 quotes) to discuss how Black adolescent girls interpret being treated differently by staff. Black adolescent girls described differential treatment occurring because of one’s: (a) race such as Black students being treated less humanely and punished more severely; (b) gender such as staff inadequately responding to sexual harassment; (c) intersection of race and gender such as staff inequitably applying the dress code; and (d) perception of the individual such as staff viewing one as a “bad” student. It appeared that differential treatment largely rooted in one’s perceived racialized/gendered identity negatively impacted Black girls and simultaneously provided little recourse for addressing differential treatment, likely undermining their sense of school belonging. This study brings together the voices of Black adolescent girls published across articles to focus specifically on the process of differential treatment within student-staff relationships. 

Identifying protective factors for gender diverse adolescents’ mental health

• Holt, M. K., Parodi, K. B., Elgar, F. J., Vigna, A., Moore, L. B., & Koenig, B. (2023). Identifying protective factors for gender diverse adolescents’ mental health. npj Mental Health Research, 2(1), 10.   

Abstract: 

Few studies have disentangled differences in victimization exposures and mental health symptoms among gender diverse subgroups, nor considered the role of potential protective factors in ameliorating the impact of victimization on gender diverse youths’ mental health. Here we report findings from a secondary data analysis, in which we address this gap by analyzing cross-sectional survey data (N = 11,264 in the final analytic sample) from a population-based survey of youth in participating school districts in a large Midwestern U.S. county. Relative to cisgender youth with gender conforming expression, transgender youth and cisgender youth with nonconforming gender expression are more likely to experience victimization and severe mental health concerns. Additionally, school-connectedness moderates the association between bias-based harassment and depression for cisgender youth with gender nonconforming expression, and family support/monitoring buffers the association of peer victimization with suicide attempts among transgender youth. Findings highlight the need to better understand factors which may confer protection among gender diverse adolescents, so that in turn appropriate supports across key contexts can be implemented. 

Impact of family rejection and racism on sexual and gender minority stress among LGBTQ young people of color during COVID-19

• Salerno, J. P., Gattamorta, K. A., & Williams, N. D. (2023). Impact of family rejection and racism on sexual and gender minority stress among LGBTQ young people of color during COVID-19. Psychological Trauma: Theory, Research, Practice, and Policy, 15(4), 637–647. 

Abstract: 

Given the inequitable impact of COVID-19 on sexual and gender minority (SGM) youth and current sociopolitical racial justice concerns in the United States, this study examines the impact of SGM-related family rejection and racism since the start of COVID-19 on SGM-related internalized homophobia and identity concealment among SGM college students of color (SOC). Method: Participants were a subset of SOC (n = 200) from a larger nonprobability cross-sectional study about minority stress and COVID-19 pandemic experiences among SGM college students. Participants completed survey items specifically related to changes in minority stress and racism experiences since the start of COVID-19. Logistic regression models were used to examine the independent and interactive effects of racism and family rejection on identity concealment and internalized homophobia since the start of COVID-19 (adjusting for covariates). Results: Main effects models revealed that increased racism and family rejection were significantly associated with greater odds of experiencing identity concealment since the start of COVID-19. The interaction of increased racism and family rejection was also significantly associated with greater odds of experiencing identity concealment since the start of COVID-19. Conclusions: Study findings suggest that the intersection of racism and family rejection since the start of COVID-19 consequently translates to increased experiences of identity concealment. Such experiences are known to negatively impact mental health across the life course among SGM young people. Public health, medical, mental health, and higher education stakeholders must implement SGM-affirmative and antiracist practices and interventions to support SGM SOC during COVID-19 and beyond its containment.

Dating Violence Perpetration Among Sexual Minority Youths in the US: Exploring the Effects of Masculinity Ideology

• Lin, K., & Liu, L. (2023). Dating violence perpetration among sexual minority youths in the US: Exploring the effects of masculinity ideology. Crime and Delinquency, 0(0). 

Abstract: 

This study analyzes two waves of survey data from a prospective cohort study of secondary school students in Midwestern United States and shows that masculinity ideology contributes in varying degrees to dating violence perpetration across different gender and sexual orientation groups. Conformity to masculinity ideology not only elevates physical violence among bisexual male and lesbian youths, but also does it to a greater extent than its effect among heterosexual male youths. Gay youths, on the other than hand, report lower levels of physical violence perpetration with higher conformity to masculinity ideology. Conformity to masculinity ideology also precipitates higher levels of sexual violence perpetration among bisexual male and lesbian youths. Several policy implications for dating violence prevention are discussed.

Capturing Resilience: Utilizing the Brief Child and Youth Resilience Measure with Sexual and Gender Minority Youth

• Craig, S. L., Eaton, A. D., & Leung, V. W. Y. (2023). Capturing resilience: Utilizing the brief child and youth resilience measure with sexual and gender minority youth. Social Work Research, 47(2), 89–98.  

Abstract: 

This study explores the relevance of the brief Child and Youth Resilience Measure (CYRM-12) for sexual and gender minority youth (SGMY) aged 14–23 (N = 4,810), compares their patterns of resilience with general youth populations, and explores distinctions between key subgroups of SGMY. SGMY reported significantly lower scores, indicating poorer outcomes, than non-SGMY in several CYRM-12 items, especially those addressing familial and community support. Older SGMY (aged 19–23) reported significantly higher CYRM-12 scores than younger SGMY (aged 14–18; t = 11.00, p <.001). Compared with their non-SGMY counterparts, SGMY reported significantly lower scores regarding supportive parental relationships, connection to offline community, and school belongingness yet reported higher scores regarding the importance of education. Three factors contributed to SGMY resilience: (1) peer and community belonging, (2) familial and cultural support, and (3) youth's personal attributes and self-efficacy. The results of this study also suggest that measuring resilience in SGMY should incorporate online as well as offline sources. Recommendations to enhance the CYRM-12 to capture the experiences of SGMY for social work research and practice are provided. 

Binge Drinking and Depression Symptoms as Risk Factors for Teen Dating Violence Among Sexual Minority Youth

• Thaxton, T., Nguyen, A.-M., & Prata, N. (2023). Binge drinking and depression symptoms as risk factors for teen dating violence among sexual minority youth. Journal of Family Violence, 0(0). 

Abstract: 

Given sexual minority youth (SMY) are disproportionately impacted by teen dating violence (TDV), this study assessed binge drinking and depression symptoms as possible risk factors contributing to this disparity. Cross-sectional survey data collected from a nationally representative sample of SMY high school students in the United States in 2017 and 2019 through the national Youth Risk Behavior Surveillance System (YRBSS) (n = 3,424) was used to create 3 logistic regression models. The models estimated the associations between the exposures, binge drinking and depression symptoms, and TDV, including physical TDV, sexual TDV, or both. Additionally, we hypothesized that these associations would be stronger in SMY than heterosexual youth. Therefore, we expanded the study population to include SMY and heterosexual youth (n = 22,798) and tested for interaction.Both binge drinking (adjusted odds ratio [aOR]: 2.6, 95% confidence interval [CI]: 1.8–3.8) and symptoms of depression (aOR: 2.7, 95% CI: 1.8–4.02) were positively associated with TDV among SMY. Additionally, binge drinking was associated with a significantly greater risk of victimization for SMY (aOR = 2.7, 95% CI 1.9–3.9) than heterosexual youth (aOR = 1.5, 95% CI 1.2–2.0). Our results suggest that while both exposures are associated with an increased risk of both physical and sexual TDV, binge drinking may contribute to the disparate rates of dating violence impacting SMY.

Diversity and inclusion strategies for LGBTQ + students from diverse ethnic backgrounds in higher education: a scoping review 

• Raja, A., Lambert, K., Patlamazoglou, L., & Pringle, R. (2023). Diversity and inclusion strategies for LGBTQ + students from diverse ethnic backgrounds in higher education: a scoping review. International Journal of Inclusive Education, 0(0), 1–21.

Abstract: 

LGBTQ + students from diverse ethnic backgrounds studying in higher education institutions (HEI) continue to face high levels of marginalisation due to the intersections of their identities. These students have distinct needs and require specialized support that are currently not being met. This scoping review aims to consolidates literature of diversity and inclusion strategies implemented by HEIs to support LGBTQ + students from diverse ethnic backgrounds. It also strives to determine the degree to which these strategies have been evaluated and their level of efficacy. This study utilized Arksey and O'Malley’s (Citation2005) scoping review framework, yielding 28 relevant publications. The diversity and inclusion strategies outlined in the studies for this scoping review include tangible strategies such as dedicated queer inclusive spaces on campus, and support services such as mentoring, counseling and peer programmes. While diversity and inclusion strategies exist in HEI, they are sporadic, lack theoretical grounding, and are often inaccessible to LGBTQ + students from diverse ethnic backgrounds. This scoping review calls for HEI diversity and inclusion efforts to be reimagined through a queer and intersectional perspective. This scoping review can inform policy, practice, and enhance understanding of diversity and inclusion strategies in HEI. 

Twenty-First Century Trends in Girls’ Violence and the Gender Gap: Triangulated Findings from Official and Unofficial Longitudinal Sources 

• Steffensmeier, D., Schwartz, J., Slepicka, J., & Zhong, H. (2023). Twenty-First Century Trends in Girls’ Violence and the Gender Gap: Triangulated Findings from Official and Unofficial Longitudinal Sources. Journal of Interpersonal Violence, 08862605231169733. 

Abstract: 

Recent media and academic reports project rising levels of girls’ violence and a narrowing gender gap. In response, the authors investigate 21st century trends in girls’ violence as reported across multiple official and unofficial longitudinal sources: Uniform Crime Reports (UCR) arrest and juvenile court referral statistics; National Crime Victimization Survey (NCVS) victimization data; and three sources of self-reported violent offending—Monitoring the Future, Youth Risk Behavior Surveillance System, and National Survey on Drug Use and Health. Augmented Dickey-Fuller time-series tests and intuitive plot displays show much overlap in each source’s portrayal of trends in girls’ violence and the youth gender gap. Specifically, there is no systematic change in the gender gap for homicide, aggravated assault, nor the violent crime index. However, UCR police arrests and juvenile court referrals show a moderate female-to-male rise for simple assault during the early decades of the 21st century. This rise in official statistics is not borne out in NCVS counts based on victims’ reports nor in self-reported violent-offending counts. Net-widening policy shifts and more gender-neutral enforcement have apparently elevated somewhat the arrest proneness of adolescent females for simple assault. Rather than girls having become more violent, triangulating data sources revealed a decline in both girls’ and boys’ violence levels, considerable similarity in their violent-offending trends, and little or no systematic change in the gender gap. 

Age Trends in Bias-Based Bullying and Mental Health by Sexual Orientation and Gender Identity 

• Fish, J. N., Bishop, M. D., & Russell, S. T. (2023). Age Trends in Bias-Based Bullying and Mental Health by Sexual Orientation and Gender Identity. Prevention Science.

Abstract: 

Disparities in mental health and bullying between SGM youth and their heterosexual, cisgender peers are well-established. There remain questions about whether the onset and progression of these disparities differ across adolescence—knowledge critical for screening, prevention, and intervention. To address this, the current study estimates age-based patterns of homophobic bullying, gender-based bullying, and mental health across groups of adolescents defined by sexual orientation and gender identity (SOGI). Data are from the 2013–2015 cycle of the California Healthy Kids Survey (n = 728,204). We estimated the age-specific prevalence rates of past-year homophobic bullying, gender-based bullying, and depressive symptoms using three- and two-way interactions by (1) age, sex, and sexual identity and (2) age and gender identity, respectively. We also tested how adjustments for bias-based bullying alter predicted prevalence rates of past-year mental health symptoms. Results showed that SOGI differences in homophobic bullying, gender-based bullying, and mental health were already present among youth aged 11 and younger. SOGI differences by age were attenuated when adjusting models for homophobic and gender-based bullying, particularly among transgender youth. SOGI-related bias-based bullying and mental health disparities were present early and generally persisted throughout adolescence. Strategies that prevent exposure to homophobic and gender-based bullying would significantly reduce SOGI-related disparities in mental health across adolescence.

Transgender Youth, Challenges, Responses, and the Juvenile Justice System: A Systematic Literature Review of an Emerging Literature

• Watson, J., Bryce, I., Phillips, T. M., Sanders, T., & Brömdal, A. (2023). Transgender Youth, Challenges, Responses, and the Juvenile Justice System: A Systematic Literature Review of an Emerging Literature. Youth Justice, 14732254231167344.

Abstract:

This systematic literature review synthesizes available empirical studies exploring the challenges experienced by transgender youth within juvenile justice contexts and systems responses to them. The review followed PRISMA guidelines and searches were conducted in five academic databases from January 2000 to December 2020. Four qualitative articles met the inclusion criteria for review. Further research must be pursued to elucidate the lived experiences of transgender youth in juvenile justice systems. The juvenile justice system responses in providing for the unique health, social, and psychological needs of this vulnerable, carceral population are necessary to influence and guide best practice policies and procedures.

Reproductive Justice for young Black women aging out of foster care

• Matsuzaka, S., Katz, C. C., Jemal, A., Shpiegel, S., & Feliz, N. (2023). Reproductive Justice for young Black women aging out of foster care. Journal of Public Child Welfare, 0(0), 1–18.

Abstract:

In this paper, we apply the reproductive justice framework to discuss how gendered racism disadvantages pregnant and parenting young Black women aging out of foster care. Specifically, we highlight the reversal of Roe v Wade as reflective of the United States’ long legacy of efforts to control Black women’s reproduction. We then discuss the structural factors contributing to the reproductive injustices of young Black women aging out of care, including a lack of access to sexual and reproductive health education, barriers to educational attainment, and foster care-based relational and placement deficits. We conclude with research, practice, and policy enhancements.

Making Sense of Sexual Harassment Over Time: Young Women’s and Nonbinary People’s Accounts in 2000 and 2021

• Venäläinen, S., Aaltonen, S., & Phoenix, A. (2023). Making Sense of Sexual Harassment Over Time: Young Women’s and Nonbinary People’s Accounts in 2000 and 2021. NORA - Nordic Journal of Feminist and Gender Research, 0(0), 1–14.

Abstract:

The #metoo movement and various other social media campaigns have made sexual harassment increasingly visible in recent years. Such collective practices of naming and thereby resisting sexual harassment have been made possible by feminist discourses that have enabled the linking of personal experiences to gendered social structures. In this paper, we examine temporal shifts in young people’s accounts of sexual harassment based on two datasets generated by 15–16-year-old girls and nonbinary people which were collected 20 years apart (2000 and 2021) in Finland. We draw on poststructuralist discourse theory, intersectionality and Sara Ahmed’s writings on complaints in analyzing the participants’ positions in relation to sexual harassment. Notably, in the 2000 dataset, the participants emphasized individual agency and responsibility, whereas in the 2021 dataset, they acknowledged gendered and intersectional patterns in victimization and actively resisted victim-blaming and silencing. We conclude that the positions the participants held in the two datasets differ specifically in the extent to which they are informed by feminist discourses and the extent to which sexual harassment is seen as warranting and legitimating complaint.

Commercial Sexual Exploitation Victims Treated as Offenders: Examining the Gendered Risk Factors of Incarcerated Youth Charged with Prostitution 

• Cain, C. M. (2023). Commercial Sexual Exploitation Victims Treated as Offenders: Examining the Gendered Risk Factors of Incarcerated Youth Charged with Prostitution. Victims & Offenders, 18(3), 543–571.  

Abstract: 

Minors under the age of 18 involved in prostitution, or commercial sex acts, are defined as victims by the Trafficking Victims Protection Act. However, state and local justice systems continued to arrest and incarcerate minors for prostitution after the passage of the TVPA despite widespread agreement that youth involved in commercial sexual exploitation are victims, not offenders. Most youth charged with prostitution have an extensive history of victimization experiences and detaining them often exacerbates their problems, delays appropriate therapeutic responses, interrupts their education, exposes them to youth who commit more serious offenses, and increases justice system costs. The purpose of this study is to describe the characteristics and risk factors (e.g., victimization histories, drug/alcohol use, gang involvement, home type) of justice-involved youth charged with prostitution in the United States. Given that males and females have different pathways to crime/arrest, this study will also test for gender differences in these risk factors using a nationally representative sample of incarcerated youth (Survey of Youth in Residential Placement; Sedlak, 2003). Results indicate this population of incarcerated youth have several risk factors, including extensive victimization experiences during childhood, and that these experiences vary by gender. I conclude with the implications of this research and give several policy and future research recommendation. 

Longitudinal Associations Between Community Violence Exposure and Mental Health Problems in Inner-City Youth: Ethnicity and Gender Perspectives Scholarly Works 

• Ruchkin, V., Isaksson, J., Stickley, A., &amp; Schwab-Stone, M. (2023). Longitudinal associations between community violence exposure and mental health problems in inner-city youth: Ethnicity and gender perspectives. Journal of Interpersonal Violence, 088626052311587. 

Abstract:  

There is a lack of agreement on whether children and adolescents with different cultural/ethnic backgrounds react to trauma in a similar fashion. This study adds to the existing literature by providing ethnicity and gender perspectives on the longitudinal associations between the degree of community violence exposure (CVE) and mental health problems in U.S. inner-city youth. The study was conducted on a representative sample of predominantly ethnic minority youth (N = 2,794; 54.1% female; age 11–16 years old (M [SD] = 12.77 [1.29]); 60.0% African-American, 26.1% Hispanic American, 13.9% White). Self-reported information was obtained on CVE in year 1 and on mental health problems (depressive symptoms, posttraumatic stress, alcohol use, and conduct problems) in year 1 and year 2. Multivariate analyses of covariance (MANCOVA) were used to compare mental health problems in youth from the three ethnic groups in relation to the different degrees of CVE experienced one year prior, while controlling for their baseline mental health problem levels, age, and socio-economic status. Mental health problems in year 2 increased in a similar fashion in relation to the degree of severity of CVE in year 1 in all three ethnic groups. The interaction effects suggested a gender-specific response to CVE, where girls in the three ethnic groups reported higher levels of depression and posttraumatic stress in relation to the same degree of CVE, as compared to boys. Adolescents from different ethnic backgrounds respond similarly to differing degrees of CVE with an increase in mental health problems over time. In response to a similar degree of exposure, girls tend to experience greater levels of internalizing problems than boys. Timely recognition of traumatic exposure and associated mental health problems is important for early prevention and intervention strategies. 

Timing of Violence Exposure and Girls’ Temperament Stability From Childhood to Adolescence 

• Battaglia, L. P., Tung, I., Keenan, K., &amp; Hipwell, A. E. (2023). Timing of violence exposure and girls’ temperament stability from childhood to adolescence. Journal of Interpersonal Violence, 088626052311562. 

Abstract:  

Individual differences in temperament (e.g., negative emotionality) are robust early predictors of emotional and behavioral health. Although temperament is often conceptualized as relatively stable across the lifespan, evidence suggests that it may change over time as a function of social context. Extant studies have been limited by cross-sectional or short-term longitudinal designs that have precluded tests of stability as well as factors that may influence stability across developmental periods. In addition, few studies have tested the impact of social contexts that are common for children living in urban and under-resourced environments, such as exposure to community violence. In the present study we hypothesized that levels of negative emotionality, activity, and shyness would decrease across development from childhood to mid-adolescence as a function of early exposure to violence in the Pittsburgh Girls Study, a community study of girls enriched for families living in low-resourced neighborhoods. Temperament was assessed by parent- and teacher-report on the Emotionality Activity Sociability Shyness Temperament Survey in childhood (5–8-years-old), early-adolescence (11-years-old), and mid-adolescence (15-years-old). Violence exposure (e.g., victim of or witness to violent crime, exposure to domestic violence) was assessed annually via child and parent report. Results showed that on average, combined caregiver and teacher reports of negative emotionality and activity level exhibited small but significant reductions from childhood to adolescence, whereas shyness remained stable. Violence exposure in early adolescence predicted increases in negative emotionality and shyness by mid-adolescence. Violence exposure was not associated with stability of activity level. Our findings suggest that exposure to violence, particularly in early adolescence, amplifies individual differences in shyness and negative emotionality, underlying an important pathway of risk for developmental psychopathology.