Journal of Community Medicine & Health Education
Open Access

Abstract

Previous literature reported that children in out-of-home care have higher risks to be exposed to various violence-related trauma, such as abuse and neglect, family violence and community violence than the general population (Kang, Chung, Chun, Nho, & Woo, 2017). The exposure to violence in childhood would affect the belief endorsing violence and aggressive and delinquent behaviors in adolescence (Low & Espelage, 2014; Schwartz & Proctor, 2000). Moreover, it is a concern that increased aggression is shown to be one of the risk factors for bullying by peers (Schwartz, McFadyen-Ketchum, Dodge, Pettit, & Bates, 1999). Therefore, the main purpose of this study is to examine whether the childhood violence victimization experiences affect school violence victimization of Korean adolescents in care through aggression. For the study purpose, the data of 460 adolescents in out-of-home care were analyzed. The data were derived from the first and second wave of the Panel Study on Korean Children in Out-of-Home Care, nationally representative and only longitudinal data of Korean children in care. At the first panel survey in 2011, the adolescents at the age of 11 or 12 were asked if they had experienced particular negative and traumatic events in their childhood, including violence victimization, before they entered out-of-home care. Violence victimization events subcategorized into two types: direct violence victimization and indirect violence victimization. As an analytic method, structural equation modeling was utilized. The results of the confirmatory analysis showed good model fit (χ2=61.577, p< .001, df=31; GFI= .976, CFI=.984, TLI= .977, RMSEA=.043) and each measuring variable was loaded on their latent constructs (violence victimization, aggression and school bullying victimization) at the level of p<.001. The structural model found that violence experiences impacted bullying victimization through aggression. Based on the results, practice implications for Korean adolescents in care are discussed.

Biography

E-mail: hkang3@sookmyung.ac.kr