Parent-youth Concordance Regarding Violence Exposure: Relationship to Youth Psychosocial Functioning

Purpose: To examine the relationship between parent-youth concordance with regard to youth exposures to violence and youth psychosocial functioning, including perpetration of violence, distress symptomatology, and social skillfulness.

Methods: A battery of self-report questionnaires were completed by 333 parent-youth dyads residing in urban public housing developments. Concordance status (<50%, 50-80%, and >80%) was based on dyad agreement regarding youth's violence exposures. The relationship between concordance and psychosocial factors was assessed by a series of analyses of covariance tests.

Results: Parents underestimated the extent to which their children were victims of or witnesses to violence and suffered from distress symptoms. Low concordance status was associated with youth perpetration of violence and distress symptomatology, as well as lower self-esteem and problem-solving skillfulness. Youth in the low concordance group characterized their families as exhibiting less involvement, open communication, and parental monitoring.

Conclusions: Concordance between parents and youth is associated with youth psychosocial competence and strong family functioning. Findings underscore the need to incorporate a parent component in primary and secondary violence-prevention programs. Further examination of the processes which contribute to concordance may enhance our ability to prevent youth engagement in violence and its untoward psychosocial sequelae.