Doctoral Dissertations

Date of Award

8-1996

Degree Type

Dissertation

Degree Name

Doctor of Philosophy

Major

Human Ecology

Major Professor

Greer Litton Fox

Committee Members

Connie Steele, Delores Smith, Kathleen deMarrais

Abstract

In the United States public exposure to community violence is on the rise. For families living in low-income, inner-city neighborhoods exposure to violence is an every day occurrence. The present study was conducted to explored the experiences of neighborhood violence for low-income African-American mothers and their children. Indepth, qualitative interviews were conducted with 10 mothers and 10 children between the ages of 10 and 14. The mothers and children discussed three different ways of experiencing violence in their neighborhoods. The three types of experiences were (a) hearing it, (b) being the target of violence, and (3) incidentally wałking into a violent event.

The mothers and children developed coping strategies that allowed them to respond effectively to each type of violence. The mothers taught their children at young ages how to learn ways to survive in their homes and neighborhood. In many instances, the children were more knowledgeable than their mothers about the types of violence occurring in the neighborhood because of their frequent interactions outside of the home. Many mothers said they did not socialize with people in their neighborhood so to "stay out of trouble" and "mind and their own business".

Future research must continue using qualitative methods in order to better understand how families cope and deal with their neighborhood environment. Children of different ages and men in the neighborhood also need to be studied. In order to better serve families living in violent neighborhoods, (i.e., teachers and social workers) must be aware of the conditions under which the families are forced to live.

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