Gender differences in caregiver-child relationship mediation of the association between violence exposure severity and adolescent behavior problems

Susan Yoon, Julia M. Kobulsky, Laura A. Voith, Stacey Steigerwald, Megan R. Holmes

Research output: Contribution to journalArticlepeer-review

8 Scopus citations

Abstract

The main objectives of this study were to investigate (1) the relationship between mild, moderate, and severe violence exposure in the home and behavior problems in adolescents; (2) the caregiver-child relationship as a potential mediator in this relationship; and (3) gender differences. A series of path analyses were conducted using a sample drawn from the National Survey of Child and Adolescent Well-Being (NCSAW-I) of 848 adolescents (ages 11-15) who had been reported to Child Protective Services for maltreatment and who remained in their homes. Exposure to violence and the caregiver-child relationship were reported by adolescents. Both caregiver ratings and adolescent self-reports were used to assess adolescents' behavior problems. Path analysis indicated that exposure to mild and severe violence was directly associated with higher levels of child-reported behavior problems. However, exposure to violence was not directly associated with caregiver ratings of adolescent behavior problems. The caregiver-child relationship mediated the relationship between mild and moderate violence on both caregiver and child-reported adolescent behavior problems. Gender differences also emerged; for girls, the caregiver-child relationship mediated the effects of mild and moderate violence, whereas for boys, it mediated the effects of severe violence on behavior problems. Study findings suggest caregiver-child relationships as a critical underlying mechanism in the association between violence exposure and adolescent behavior problems, highlighting the importance of adding the caregiver-child relationship factor to intervention efforts.

Original languageEnglish
Pages (from-to)104-115
Number of pages12
JournalChild Abuse and Neglect
Volume50
DOIs
StatePublished - 1 Dec 2015

Keywords

  • Adolescents
  • Behavior problems
  • Caregiver-child relationships
  • Gender difference
  • Violence exposure in the home

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