Abstract
Abstract: This paper examines the association between childhood trauma and gang membership. Specifically, this study compares histories of potentially traumatic events as assessed by the Childhood Trauma Questionnaire among a street-recruited random sample of Mexican American male gang members and a matched comparison group of delinquent youth. The gang and delinquent youth samples are then compared to normative samples of adolescent male psychiatric inpatients and male undergraduates. The findings show that gang members generally report experiencing lower levels of childhood trauma compared to those in the sample of delinquent youth. In fact, gang members' levels of childhood trauma more closely resemble those of the undergraduate sample. However, this analysis suggests that gang membership, and delinquency in general, may be associated with physical neglect.
| Original language | English (US) |
|---|---|
| Pages (from-to) | 205-217 |
| Number of pages | 13 |
| Journal | Child Abuse Review |
| Volume | 25 |
| Issue number | 3 |
| DOIs | |
| State | Published - May 1 2016 |
| Externally published | Yes |
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Keywords
- childhood trauma
- delinquency
- gangs
- Mexican American youth
ASJC Scopus subject areas
- Pediatrics, Perinatology, and Child Health
- Law
Cite this
Childhood Trauma among Mexican American Gang Members and Delinquent Youth : A Comparative Exploratory Study. / Cepeda, Alice; Valdez, Avelardo; Nowotny, Kathryn.
In: Child Abuse Review, Vol. 25, No. 3, 01.05.2016, p. 205-217.Research output: Contribution to journal › Article
}
TY - JOUR
T1 - Childhood Trauma among Mexican American Gang Members and Delinquent Youth
T2 - A Comparative Exploratory Study
AU - Cepeda, Alice
AU - Valdez, Avelardo
AU - Nowotny, Kathryn
PY - 2016/5/1
Y1 - 2016/5/1
N2 - Abstract: This paper examines the association between childhood trauma and gang membership. Specifically, this study compares histories of potentially traumatic events as assessed by the Childhood Trauma Questionnaire among a street-recruited random sample of Mexican American male gang members and a matched comparison group of delinquent youth. The gang and delinquent youth samples are then compared to normative samples of adolescent male psychiatric inpatients and male undergraduates. The findings show that gang members generally report experiencing lower levels of childhood trauma compared to those in the sample of delinquent youth. In fact, gang members' levels of childhood trauma more closely resemble those of the undergraduate sample. However, this analysis suggests that gang membership, and delinquency in general, may be associated with physical neglect.
AB - Abstract: This paper examines the association between childhood trauma and gang membership. Specifically, this study compares histories of potentially traumatic events as assessed by the Childhood Trauma Questionnaire among a street-recruited random sample of Mexican American male gang members and a matched comparison group of delinquent youth. The gang and delinquent youth samples are then compared to normative samples of adolescent male psychiatric inpatients and male undergraduates. The findings show that gang members generally report experiencing lower levels of childhood trauma compared to those in the sample of delinquent youth. In fact, gang members' levels of childhood trauma more closely resemble those of the undergraduate sample. However, this analysis suggests that gang membership, and delinquency in general, may be associated with physical neglect.
KW - childhood trauma
KW - delinquency
KW - gangs
KW - Mexican American youth
UR - http://www.scopus.com/inward/record.url?scp=84910644292&partnerID=8YFLogxK
UR - http://www.scopus.com/inward/citedby.url?scp=84910644292&partnerID=8YFLogxK
U2 - 10.1002/car.2340
DO - 10.1002/car.2340
M3 - Article
AN - SCOPUS:84910644292
VL - 25
SP - 205
EP - 217
JO - Child Abuse Review
JF - Child Abuse Review
SN - 0952-9136
IS - 3
ER -