Victimization by Community Violence in Young Adolescents from a Suburban City

Abstract

An exploratory model of the victimization-distress relation was tested with a sample of 123 sixth- through eighth-grade students from a small suburban city. More than one-half of the participants reported being victimized by community violence (including being chased, hit, mugged, and wounded). Although the majority of victimization incidents described by students included less severe types of physical confrontations such as chasing or hitting, nearly one-fifth of the students experienced more severe forms of victimization, namely mugging or wounding. An exploratory model was constructed whereby assertiveness and self-controlling coping predicted victimization. Victimization and family support emerged as direct predictors of distress, and family support moderated the victimization-distress relation. Suggestions for further research are discussed.