Youth Violence and Non-school Related Media Use

Focused Area

Youth-At-Risk in Urban Settings

Relevance to Focused Area

Youth violence is a pervasive and ongoing public health concern. In particular youth whom are overexposed to non-school related media sources are at greater risk for acting out violent behaviors than non-overexposed others. Some urban youth, exposed to prolonged non-school related media use, and other risk factors, exhibit subsequent violent behavior. While others, under similar circumstances, are resilient and do not engage in this cycle of violence. The youth who reside in urban communities may benefit from this study as the results may inform on ways in which the youth might be engaged in positive extracurricular activities that are partially supervised, as opposed to unstructured free time allowing them free range at non-school related media use.

Primary Strand

Safety & Violence Prevention

Relevance to Primary Strand

With the recent completion of data analysis of 2013 YRBSS data, there was an association between prolonged non-school related media use and violent behaviors (carrying a weapon, being in a physical fight, being electronically bullied, perpetrating bullying). Prolonged, being 3 hours or more of television or video or computer games on an average school day. Teaching preventive strategies to adolescent youth and encouraging structure during free time may assist in minimizing continued violent behavior, thus promoting the safety and well-being of other youth, the family and those within the community.

Brief Program Description

I was able to test the relationships between, prolonged exposure to non-school related media and youth violence among urban youth in the city of Chicago.

4 main objectives: By the end of this presentation, the attendee should be able to 1) properly identify what is meant by prolonged non-school related media, 2) differentiate the association between effects of TV vs. video or computer games and youth violence, 3) identify the components of violent behavior among adolescent youth as associated with prolonged non-school related media use, and 4) recognize the value of adult support for adolescent youth in the educational setting

Target audience: educators, youth service workers, social workers

Summary

During unstructured free time, some adolescents play video or computer games or watch television for three or more hours per day on an average school day

Youth violence among urban youth is most notable in those with other risk factors such as low socio-economic status and poor family support but that proper primary prevention efforts are worthwhile.

Upon finding that urban youth who are exposed to 3 or more hours of non-school related media are also susceptible to carrying weapons and physical fighting, the focus for prevention should center on grooming positive communication and problem solving along with minimizing time spent watching television or playing video or computer games, also noted in the literature and study results.

For those students who had at least one adult or teacher within the school setting to whom they could talk to about problems, the grades were As and Bs.. Having at least one adult to talk to may be one of the primary prevention efforts that may be helpful in modifying maladaptive behaviors among urban youth and minimizing negative peer influence, as noted in the literature review. Urban inner-city adolescent youth require structured free time, adult support, family support and community commitment.

It is hopeful that with continued efforts to limit the amount of time middle students spend watching television and playing video games that it is one way to steer these youth onto the path away from violence and on to resilience, as youth violence is preventable

Evidence

An extended literature was completed and is available upon request

Format

Poster Presentation

Biographical Sketch

Cindy Davis is currently a social work case manager within the Illinois Medical District of Chicago. She has 19 years of experience working with adolescents. She is currently working on a PhD in Public Health and studying prolonged exposure to non-school related media and youth violence. Cindy has provided several presentations in a professional setting including: Pastoral Responses to Traumatic Events of Children and Seniors, Signs & Symptoms of Child Abuse and Neglect and Family Matters. She has served as a field placement liaison for Loyola University, University of IL at Chicago and Chicago State University

Start Date

10-23-2016 10:00 AM

End Date

10-23-2016 11:00 AM

This document is currently not available here.

Share

COinS
 
Oct 23rd, 10:00 AM Oct 23rd, 11:00 AM

Youth Violence and Non-school Related Media Use

I was able to test the relationships between, prolonged exposure to non-school related media and youth violence among urban youth in the city of Chicago.

4 main objectives: By the end of this presentation, the attendee should be able to 1) properly identify what is meant by prolonged non-school related media, 2) differentiate the association between effects of TV vs. video or computer games and youth violence, 3) identify the components of violent behavior among adolescent youth as associated with prolonged non-school related media use, and 4) recognize the value of adult support for adolescent youth in the educational setting

Target audience: educators, youth service workers, social workers