The role of psychofortigenic factors on the psychological sequelae after adolescent exposure to violence

Abstract

English: This thesis addresses the role of psychofortigenic factors on the psychological sequelae of adolescents after the exposure to violence. The first article is a theoretical exposition of the effects of exposure to violence on children and adolescents. The second article is an empirical study regarding adolescent exposure to violence and its relationship to selected demographic variables. The final article empirically investigates the relationship between exposure to violence and traumarelated symptoms and explores the health-sustaining and stress-reducing roles of fortitude and sense of safety in adolescents. The findings indicate that adolescents report a high incidence of exposure to violence either as a victim or as a witness. Furthermore, significant relationships were found between the various subscales of violence and certain demographic variables. However, moderated regression analyses reported direct effects for fortitude on trauma-related symptoms and moderating effects for fortitude in respect to the impact of witnessing stranger violence. Regarding sense of safety, moderated regression analyses indicated direct effects but no significant moderating effects.

Afrikaans: Hierdie proefskrif ontgin die rol van psigofortigene faktore in die ontwikkeling van sielkundige problematiek by adolessente na blootstelling aan geweld. Die eerste artikelomvat 'n empiriese sowel as teoretiese oorsig ten opsigte van die effek van die blootstelling aan geweld op kinders en adolessente. Die tweede artikel is 'n empiriese studie waarin die verband tussen die adolessent se blootstelling aan geweld en sekere demografiese veranderlikes eksploreer word. Die derde artikel ondersoek die verband tussen die blootstelling aan geweld en trauma-verwante simptome en die rol wat sielkundige sterktes en sin van veiligheid in die adolessent se sielkundige welsyn en streshantering speel. Die bevindings dui aan dat adolessente in 'n hoë mate aan geweld blootgestel word. Hierdie blootstelling geskied as ooggetuie sowel as slagoffer van geweld. Beduidende verbande is ook gevind tussen die onderskeie subskale van geweld en sekere demografiese veranderlikes. Deur middel van moderator regressie-analise is egter direkte effekte ten opsigte van sielkundige sterktes en trauma-verwante simptome getoon. Dieselfde tendens is ook gevind ten opsigte van blootstelling aan geweld teen 'n vreemdeling gepleeg. Wat die sin van veiligheid betref, het moderator regressieanalise direkte effekte aangetoon, maar geen betekenisvolle modereringseffekte nie.