This prospective study will examine the mental health consequences of exposure to intentional interpersonal violence. The major purpose of this study is to advance understanding of both the psychological impact of violent victimization and the coping resources and mechanisms that promote successful adjustment. 600 young adults (18-25 years of age) will be recruited for participation from a large urban medical center following treatment for penetrating- or blunt-injury trauma stemming from community violence. Three face-to-face assessment interviews will be conducted over a nine-month period. The first assessment will take place following medical treatment. The remaining two interviews will be conducted at 3 months and 9 months after initial treatment. The broad aims of the proposed research are: (1) to describe the contribution of pre-assault individual and family factors, assault stressor characteristics, and peritraumatic reactions to post-assault psychological functioning; (2) to determine the influence of personal and social coping resources (e.g., dispositional optimism, perceived self-mastery, and social support) on adjustment to assaultive violence; and (3) to evaluate the role of specific coping mechanisms (e.g., seeking social support), as possible mediators of the impact of coping resources on adaptive adjustment to assaultive violence.
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