The Impact of Violence and Victimization Exposure on Caregivers Living in Urban Poverty: Attributions, Posttraumatic Stress and Depressive Symptoms – Psychiatry AI: Real-Time AI Scoping Review

AI Summary

Caregivers in urban poverty reported high violence exposure (mean 11.13 events) and elevated probable clinical depression and PTSD.
Event centrality and depressive symptoms mediated the link between violence exposure and trauma symptoms; significant indirect effects detected.
Findings support therapies that incorporate life stories to address trauma among predominantly female caregivers surviving poverty.

AI Summary

We proposed direct and indirect effects such that: (1) violence/victimization exposure, depressive symptoms, and event centrality will be associated with trauma symptoms; (2) event centrality will be associated with depressive symptoms; (3) depressive symptoms will have an indirect effect on the relationship between violence/victimization exposure and trauma symptoms; and (4) event centrality will have an indirect effect on the relationship between violence/victimization exposures and trauma symptoms event centrality. Positive associations were found between violence/victimization exposure, event centrality, depressive symptoms, and PTSD symptoms. Increased violence/victimization exposures were associated with increased depressive symptoms and greater perceived event centrality.

Basic summary

J Child Adolesc Trauma. 2025 Sep 12;19(2):365-373. doi: 10.1007/s40653-025-00759-1. eCollection 2026 Jun.

ABSTRACT

Exposure to violence and victimization is associated with adverse effects on psychological functioning, physical health, and well-being. Little is known about the association between violence/victimization exposure, event centrality and PSTD in caregivers living in poverty. We proposed direct and indirect effects such that: (1) violence/victimization exposure, depressive symptoms, and event centrality will be associated with trauma symptoms; (2) event centrality will be associated with depressive symptoms; (3) depressive symptoms will have an indirect effect on the relationship between violence/victimization exposure and trauma symptoms; and (4) event centrality will have an indirect effect on the relationship between violence/victimization exposures and trauma symptoms event centrality. We sampled 215 caregivers who were predominantly female (98.0%), African American (94%), and unemployed (79%). We used path analysis to test for direct and indirect effects. Participants reported an average of 11.13 violent/victimizing events (SD = 4.57). Most presented with probable clinical depression (CESD M = 21.15, SD = 11.95) and PTSD (PCL-C M = 42.21, SD = 15.09). Positive associations were found between violence/victimization exposure, event centrality, depressive symptoms, and PTSD symptoms. Analyses detected significant indirect effects of event centrality and depressive symptoms on the relationship between violence exposure and trauma symptoms. Increased violence/victimization exposures were associated with increased depressive symptoms and greater perceived event centrality. As exposure increased, participants were more likely to incorporate violent events into personal narratives and to experience symptoms of depression and PTSD. Findings suggest therapeutic techniques that incorporate life stories are critical in addressing trauma symptomatology in female caregivers surviving poverty.

PMID:42179417 | PMC:PMC13190893 | DOI:10.1007/s40653-025-00759-1

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