Community Violence Exposure and Conduct Problems in Children and Adolescents with Conduct Disorder and Healthy Controls

Research output: Contribution to journalResearch articleContributedpeer-review

Contributors

  • Linda Kersten - , University of Basel (Author)
  • Noortje Vriends - , University of Basel (Author)
  • Martin Steppan - , University of Basel (Author)
  • Nora M Raschle - , University of Basel (Author)
  • Martin Praetzlich - , University of Basel (Author)
  • Helena Oldenhof - , Amsterdam University Medical Centers (UMC) (Author)
  • Robert Vermeiren - , Amsterdam University Medical Centers (UMC) (Author)
  • Lucres Jansen - , Amsterdam University Medical Centers (UMC) (Author)
  • Katharina Ackermann - , University Hospital Frankfurt (Author)
  • Anka Bernhard - , Department of Child and Adolescent Psychiatry and Psychotherapy, University Hospital Aachen, University Hospital Frankfurt (Author)
  • Anne Martinelli - , University Hospital Frankfurt (Author)
  • Karen Gonzalez-Madruga - , University of Southampton (Author)
  • Ignazio Puzzo - , Broadmoor High Secure Hospital (Author)
  • Amy Wells - , University of Southampton (Author)
  • Jack C Rogers - , University of Alabama at Birmingham (Author)
  • Roberta Clanton - , University of Alabama at Birmingham (Author)
  • Rosalind H Baker - , University of Alabama at Birmingham (Author)
  • Liam Grisley - , University of Alabama at Birmingham (Author)
  • Sarah Baumann - , University of Basel (Author)
  • Malou Gundlach - , University of Basel (Author)
  • Gregor Kohls - , Department of Child and Adolescent Psychiatry and Psychotherapy, University Medicine (Faculty of Medicine and University Hospital), University Hospital Aachen (Author)
  • Miguel A Gonzalez-Torres - , Basurto University Hospital (Author)
  • Eva Sesma-Pardo - , Basurto University Hospital (Author)
  • Roberta Dochnal - , University of Szeged (Author)
  • Helen Lazaratou - , National and Kapodistrian University of Athens (Author)
  • Zacharias Kalogerakis - , National and Kapodistrian University of Athens (Author)
  • Aitana Bigorra Gualba - , University Hospital Mutua Terrassa (Author)
  • Areti Smaragdi - , Center of Addiction and Mental Health (Author)
  • Réka Siklósi - , University of Szeged (Author)
  • Dimitris Dikeos - , National and Kapodistrian University of Athens (Author)
  • Amaia Hervás - , University Hospital Mutua Terrassa (Author)
  • Aranzazu Fernández-Rivas - , Basurto University Hospital (Author)
  • Stephane A De Brito - , University of Alabama at Birmingham (Author)
  • Kerstin Konrad - , University of Basel (Author)
  • Beate Herpertz-Dahlmann - , University of Basel (Author)
  • Graeme Fairchild - , University of Bath (Author)
  • Christine M Freitag - , University Hospital Frankfurt (Author)
  • Arne Popma - , Amsterdam University Medical Centers (UMC) (Author)
  • Meinhard Kieser - , University Hospital Heidelberg (Author)
  • Christina Stadler - , University of Basel (Author)

Abstract

Exposure to community violence through witnessing or being directly victimized has been associated with conduct problems in a range of studies. However, the relationship between community violence exposure (CVE) and conduct problems has never been studied separately in healthy individuals and individuals with conduct disorder (CD). Therefore, it is not clear whether the association between CVE and conduct problems is due to confounding factors, because those with high conduct problems also tend to live in more violent neighborhoods, i.e., an ecological fallacy. Hence, the aim of the present study was: (1) to investigate whether the association between recent CVE and current conduct problems holds true for healthy controls as well as adolescents with a diagnosis of CD; (2) to examine whether the association is stable in both groups when including effects of aggression subtypes (proactive/reactive aggression), age, gender, site and socioeconomic status (SES); and (3) to test whether proactive or reactive aggression mediate the link between CVE and conduct problems. Data from 1178 children and adolescents (62% female; 44% CD) aged between 9 years and 18 years from seven European countries were analyzed. Conduct problems were assessed using the Kiddie-Schedule of Affective Disorders and Schizophrenia diagnostic interview. Information about CVE and aggression subtypes was obtained using self-report questionnaires (Social and Health Assessment and Reactive-Proactive aggression Questionnaire (RPQ), respectively). The association between witnessing community violence and conduct problems was significant in both groups (adolescents with CD and healthy controls). The association was also stable after examining the mediating effects of aggression subtypes while including moderating effects of age, gender and SES and controlling for effects of site in both groups. There were no clear differences between the groups in the strength of the association between witnessing violence and conduct problems. However, we found evidence for a ceiling effect, i.e., individuals with very high levels of conduct problems could not show a further increase if exposed to CVE and vice versa. Results indicate that there was no evidence for an ecological fallacy being the primary cause of the association, i.e., CVE must be considered a valid risk factor in the etiology of CD.

Details

Original languageEnglish
Pages (from-to)219
JournalFrontiers in behavioral neuroscience
Volume11
Publication statusPublished - 2017
Peer-reviewedYes

External IDs

PubMedCentral PMC5681536
Scopus 85040700258

Keywords