Relation between Community Violence Exposure and Mental Health Problems among Male Adolescents in Alexandria

Adolescents’ exposure to community violence as witnesses or victims is a significant
public health problem with negative consequences for several aspects of their adjustment.
Objective: Identify the relation between community violence exposure and mental health
problems among male adolescents. Setting: The study was conducted in three governmental
male secondary schools in Alexandria namely:-Gamal Abdel-Nasser, Moharem Bek and Ras
El-Teen. Subjects: 400 baccalaureate nursing students. Tools: Three tools were used for data
collection. A Students’ Basic Data Structured Interview Schedule, Recent Exposure to
Violence Scale (REVS) and Strengths and Difficulties Questionnaire (SDQ). Results:
Findings of the present study revealed that slightly less than two thirds (62.84%) of the
students were exposed to community violence. All the exposed students were witnessing
indirect violence while, 97.39% of them were victims to direct violence during the last year.
Statistically significant relation observed between students' violence exposure and each of
emotional symptoms (2=26.75, p=0.000), conduct problems (2=15.47, p=0.000),
hyperactivity and inattention (2=2.29, p=0.003), peer relation problems (2=51.51,
p=0.000) and prosocial behaviour (2=27.29, p=0.001). Conclusion: Community violence
exposure is a prevalent problem that plays a significant role in the occurrence of mental
health problems among male adolescents. Recommendations: Development of positive
coping skills, competencies and problem solving skills that will help young people deal
effectively with high levels of exposure to violence. Trained mental health professionals in
schools to identify youth in need of additional services.