Respondent age, gender, and race were found to be unrelated to the impact of exposure to interpersonal violence. Our results took into account children's chronic exposure to interpersonal violence within the South African context.
Background to the study
Numerous studies provide compelling evidence that children's exposure to interpersonal violence has a negative impact on socio-emotional development, resulting in psychological distress and high levels of fear (Burton & Leoschut, 2013; Gopal & Collings, 2013; Perrin, Smith , & Yule, 2000). A review of research by Horn and Trickett (1998) focusing on community violence indicated that the level of distress in children was not influenced by the location of exposure to harm.
Rationale for the study
Is the relative impact of interpersonal violence on young children mediated by mode of exposure. Is the relative impact of interpersonal violence on young children mediated by site of exposure.
Key concepts
- Mode of exposure
- Locus of exposure
- Psychological distress
- Interpersonal violence
If the relative impact of interpersonal violence on young children is mediated by mode of exposure and site of exposure, what is the relative importance of these two constructs. Psychological distress is the negative psychological consequences that may be influenced by the individual's experiences in their living environment, including childhood exposure to interpersonal violence (Sue, Sue, & Sue, 2010).
Outline of the study
Interpersonal violence can be defined as "the intentional use of physical force or force, threatened or actual, against another person or against a group or community that results or is likely to result in injury, death, psychological harm, malformation or deprivation” (Dahlber and Krug, 2002).7 Chapter 5 provides a discussion of the results in the context of the available literature on the subject.
CHAPTER TWO
LITERATURE REVIEW
Introduction
Theoretical framework: An ecological systems perspective
- Individual factors
- The Microsystem
- The Mesosystem
- The Exosystem
- The Macrosystem
- Rationale for the use of the Ecological Systems Theory
The microsystem: a pattern of activities and daily interactions within the child's immediate environment such as the home, school, and neighborhood. Other chronosystem factors relevant to the South African context include changes occurring in family structure, such as “the decline of the extended family household in developing countries” (Papalia, 2006, p.38).
Interpersonal violence in South Africa
It is argued that inequality, social fragmentation and individual socialization patterns are among the spectrum of contributors complicit in the continued prominence of violence in South African society” (Stevens et al., 2004, p.13-3). A recent study into the direct and indirect exposure of South African adolescents to violence at home, at school and in the neighborhood shows this.
Mode of exposure to interpersonal violence
- Direct victimisation
- Vicarious or indirect victimisation
- Adverse effects of direct and vicarious victimisation
Numerous studies indicate “that the impact of violence on children does not depend on the route of exposure” (Barbarin et al., 2001, p.17). The closer the bond with the victim, the greater the negative impact of the incident” (Barbarin et al., 2001, p.17).
Locus of exposure to interpersonal violence
- Domestic context: Family-based interpersonal violence
- The concept of family-based violence
- Categories of violence in the family context
- Non-domestic context: School-based interpersonal violence
- The concept of school-based violence
- The prevalence of school-based violence
- Adverse effects of school-based violence
- Categories of violence in the South African school context
- Non-domestic context: Community-based interpersonal violence
- The concept of community-based violence
- The prevalence of community-based violence
- Adverse effects of community-based violence
A study by Barbarin et al. 2001) investigated the exposure to violence and the psychological adjustment of South African children. Similarly, research by Osofsky et al. 1993) found that violence in the family has far more adverse consequences than that of community violence. Research by Kaminer et al. 2013) examined exposure to violence in a sample of South African adolescents, found that the majority of participants reported witnessing intimate partner violence.
A comparative study by Shields et al. 2009) investigated differences in levels of fear within a school or neighborhood context. Cluver et al. (2010) investigated levels of bullying in and out of school, focusing on highly vulnerable South African children. Many children are exposed to violence in the community on a daily basis (Foster et al., 2004).
A study of exposure to community violence and psychological adjustment of South African children found that “community violence emerged as the most consistent predictor of adverse child outcomes” (Barbarin et al., 2001, p .23).
Conclusion
While most of the available literature suggests that the impact of interpersonal violence does not depend on the mode or location of exposure, there appear to be inconsistencies in findings (Barbarin et al., 2001; Horn, & Trickett, 1998). 2001) also suggested that both direct and indirect (vicarious) exposure to violence resulted in similar levels of psychological distress, but found that the effects differed depending on the child's proximity to the violence. Studies that have focused on the site of exposure to interpersonal violence have shown that violence occurs in all spheres of a child's life, including the home, school, and community.
While exposure to community violence has emerged as a strong predictor of adverse outcomes, reports have also indicated that some children still feel safe and positive about living in violent communities (Barbarin et al., 2001; Burton, 2006). It is hoped that the findings that emerge from the examination of the constructs of locus and mode of exposure, simultaneously and comprehensively, will provide more clarity in the.
Chapter summary
This included corporal punishment, sexual and physical assaults, threats of violence, bullying, gang-related activities, and the presence of weapons in school (Burton, 2008; Burton & Leoschut, 2013). The authors assume that this is the result of victimization in a place where they felt the constant threat of violence and could not avoid it.
CHAPTER THREE
RESEARCH METHODOLOGY
- Introduction
- Research design
- Location of the study
- Sampling and sampling method
- Data collection procedures
- Data analysis methods
- Development of content categories and coding strategy
- Statistical analysis of the data
- Measures taken to ensure validity and reliability
- Chapter summary
The researchers used stratified random sampling of the schoolchildren, selected from secondary schools in the North West Province. The sample was stratified in terms of the quintile system, which divides South African schools into five categories (quintiles) based on their socio-economic status, dependency ratios and literacy levels of the area surrounding the school, ranging from quintile 1 (poorest) to quintile 5 (richest) (Hall & Griese, 2008; Meny-Gibert & Russel, 2010). A self-administered questionnaire was designed and administered to the research participants to explore children's fears and anxieties in the context of the family, school and community (Appendix 1).
It was made clear that the names of the research participants would not be used or requested at any stage of the study (Terre Blanche et al. 2006). KwaZulu-Natal, whose demographics matched the final study sample, the suitability of the measurement instrument was determined.
CHAPTER FOUR
RESULTS
- Introduction
- Risk of exposure to interpersonal violence
- Impact of exposure to interpersonal violence
- Chapter summary
The researcher then examined the impact (psychological distress scores) of the participants' exposure to interpersonal violence. Means and standard deviations for affect scores (participant ratings of psychological distress) are presented in Table 4. The effect of locus and mode of exposure was investigated using a 2 (mode) x 2 (locus) analysis of variance (ANOVA).
The main finding was that mode of exposure was significantly associated with the extent of psychological distress reported by research participants.
CHAPTER FIVE
DISCUSSION
Introduction
Exposure to interpersonal violence
A key finding of this study was that mode of exposure was significantly associated with the extent of psychological distress reported by research participants, as our results suggest that the impact of interpersonal violence is mediated by mode of exposure. The present findings are somewhat consistent with those of Barbarin and Richter's (2001) study, which found that exposure to community violence resulted in higher levels of psychological distress than direct victimization. A comparative study by Shields et al. 2009) separated community and school dimensions, whereas this study categorized the non-home context to broadly include both community and school.
As a result, the researcher was unable to confirm whether the significantly higher levels of psychological distress associated with witnessing violence were specifically related to either the school or the community domain. Thus, the findings of this study can be interpreted within the contemporary South African context, which recognizes that in both community and school contexts, violence is widespread and widespread.
Locus of exposure to interpersonal violence
- Gender dynamics
- Ethnicity
- The relevance of applying Ecological Systems Theory to the study
In contrast, the majority of research on child development indicates that the child's age should be taken into account when studying their responses in the context of adversity (Burger et al., 2000; Papalia, 2006). It is important to note that the majority of the sample in the current study consisted of young adolescents. Regarding the individual level, the results of the study also indicated that there were no significant differences between male and female fear responses, as gender was not related to both the risk and impact of exposure to interpersonal violence.
These findings are inconsistent with numerous studies indicating that the effects of exposure to interpersonal violence are influenced by gender dynamics, with women exhibiting a greater number and intensity of fear than men (Burkhardt, 2007; Foster et al., 2004; Papalia , 2006). While the analysis of the association between racial variables and both the risk and impact of exposure to interpersonal violence in the study was found to be inconsistent, it should be noted that the research participants in this study were predominantly black South Africans (90.7%).
Limitations
57 The observed trends in the findings thus highlight the importance of future research to see that children develop in an 'ecology of contexts' when exploring the complexity of the impact of interpersonal violence on South African children, rather than to focus primarily on the individual at risk. (Bronfenbrenner, 1979). An important contribution of ecological systems theory to current research is that it could not be established on its own. Finally, the current study did not distinguish between the dimensions of community and school in the non-domestic context.
Therefore, the researcher was unable to confirm whether the risk of exposure to interpersonal violence was related to vicarious community exposure or vicarious school exposure. Further research may be needed to systematically break down the non-domestic context into more discrete types to provide clarity so that more meaningful comparisons can be made.
Implications
- Implications of the findings for mode of exposure to interpersonal violence
- Implications of the findings for locus of exposure to interpersonal violence
Concluding summary
Exploring the narrative accounts of South African teachers working in a gang-violent community in the Western Cape. THESE QUESTIONS ASK ABOUT THINGS THAT HAVE HAPPENED AT YOUR HOME IN THE LAST YEAR. THESE QUESTIONS ARE ASKED ABOUT THINGS THAT HAVE HAPPENED TO YOU AT SCHOOL IN THE LAST YEAR.
What is the scariest or most upsetting thing that has happened to you AT SCHOOL in the past year (describe what happened in the space below. THESE QUESTIONS ARE ABOUT THINGS THAT HAVE HAPPENED TO YOU IN YOUR COMMUNITY IN THE PAST YEAR.
