The Role of Trait Anxiety in Reducing the Relationship Between Childhood Exposure to Violence/Victimization and Subsequent Violent Behavior Among Male Delinquent Youth

Abstract

In this project, the authors examined the relationship trait anxiety has on incarcerated male adolescents’ progression from childhood exposure to violence/victimization to violent behavior. Self-report survey data were analyzed to determine the youth’s levels of trait anxiety, how the degree of childhood trauma was related to their level of anxiety, as well as whether their level of anxiety affected the relationship between trauma and subsequent frequency and severity of their delinquent acts using a moderation analysis. Anxiety significantly decreased the relationship between victimization and the commission of violence (F = 15.93, p < .001).

Keywords

anxiety exposure to violence delinquency

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