Pathways to Aggression and Violence Among African American Adolescent Males: The Influence of Normative Beliefs, Neighborhood, and Depressive Symptomatology

Abstract

Youth violence continues to present a serious public health challenge in the United States, particularly so for African American adolescent males. The present study utilized a multilevel approach to predict aggression within a community sample of low-income, urban African American adolescent males (n = 80). Participants' self-report data on normative beliefs about aggression, exposure to community violence, and depressive symptoms were used in multiple regression equations to predict (a) self-reported interpersonal aggression and (b) self-reported aggressive response style when angered. Results of this study indicate that all three of the independent variables contributed significantly to the prediction of interpersonal aggression and aggressive response style when angered. The findings are important for increasing our understanding of pathways to various types of youth aggression and guiding the development of evidence-based approaches to violence prevention among African American adolescent males.

KEYWORDS:

• adolescence
• African American
• aggression
• depression
• prevention
• violence

Acknowledgments

The work that provided the basis for this publication was supported by Spencer Foundation Grant 199900310, awarded to W. LaVome Robinson, and funding from the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development (Grant COPC-IL-95-0010). The authors are solely responsible for the accuracy of the statements and interpretations contained in this article. Such interpretations do not necessarily reflect the views of the U.S. Government and/or the Spencer Foundation. To the adolescents and school personnel, and the Violence Intervention Prevention research staff, the authors express their sincere indebtedness. The authors also recognize and thank LaRae Holliday for her assistance in the preparation of this article.

Notes

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