Purpose

Adult support is inversely linked to health-affecting risk behaviors. This study aimed to describe adolescent-adult support network structure and quality, and to analyze associations among network properties, strength of emotional and instrumental support, and violence involvement among predominantly Black youth residing in neighborhoods with high levels of community violence.

Methods

One hundred six youth from urban neighborhoods with high levels of community violence in Pittsburgh, PA completed egocentric social network surveys describing adult supports, measures of support across contexts, and past 30-day violence perpetration, victimization, and witnessing. Forty youth-identified adults completed complementary social network surveys. Poisson regression examined associations among strength of social support, adults’ violence experiences, and youths’ violence experiences.

Results

Mean youth participant age was 16.7 years, 56% self-identified as female, and 84% as Black or African-American. Youth and adult participants reported high levels of violence exposure and involvement. Youth identified a mean of 4.8 adult supports. Identifying at least one immediate family member in their network was inversely related to violence perpetration (adjusted incidence rate ratio [aIRR] 0.44, 95% confidence interval [CI] 0.22–0.89), victimization (aIRR 0.42, 95% CI 0.25–0.72), and witnessing (aIRR 0.48, 95% CI 0.35–0.64). The percent of adult supports involved in violence was directly associated with violence perpetration (aIRR 1.81, 95% CI 1.07–3.07), victimization (aIRR 1.95, 95% CI 1.09–3.45), and witnessing (aIRR 1.85, 95% CI 1.25–2.73). Few associations emerged between the structure of youth-reported adolescent-adult social networks and violence.

Discussion

Network-based interventions combined with healing-centered services attuned to violence experiences among Black youth and their adult supports may offer opportunities to leverage youths’ existing adult support network and reduce violence.

中文翻译：

---

社区暴力高发社区黑人青年的青少年-成人社交网络和暴力经历

目的

成人支持与影响健康的风险行为呈负相关。本研究旨在描述青少年-成人支持网络的结构和质量，并分析网络属性、情感和工具支持的强度以及居住在社区暴力程度高的社区的以黑人为主的青少年的暴力参与之间的关联。

方法

来自宾夕法尼亚州匹兹堡社区暴力严重的城市社区的 106 名青少年完成了以自我为中心的社交网络调查，描述了成年人的支持、跨环境的支持措施以及过去 30 天的暴力实施、受害和目击。四十名青少年身份的成年人完成了补充性社交网络调查。泊松回归检验了社会支持强度、成人暴力经历和青少年暴力经历之间的关联。

结果

青少年参与者的平均年龄为 16.7 岁，56% 的人自认为是女性，84% 的人是黑人或非裔美国人。青少年和成人参与者报告称，暴力暴露和参与程度很高。青少年平均得到 4.8 名成人支持。识别网络中至少一名直系亲属与暴力实施（调整后的发生率比 [aIRR] 0.44，95% 置信区间 [CI] 0.22–0.89）、受害（aIRR 0.42，95% CI 0.25–0.72）呈负相关。和目击（aIRR 0.48，95% CI 0.35–0.64）。参与暴力的成人支持百分比与暴力实施（aIRR 1.81，95% CI 1.07-3.07）、受害（aIRR 1.95，95% CI 1.09-3.45）和目击（aIRR 1.85，95% CI 1.25-）直接相关。 2.73）。青年报告的青少年-成人社交网络结构与暴力之间几乎没有出现任何关联。

讨论

基于网络的干预措施与针对黑人青年暴力经历及其成人支持的以治疗为中心的服务相结合，可能会提供机会，利用青年现有的成人支持网络并减少暴力。