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Personally experiencing violence has well-known mental health sequelae, but less is known about indirect exposures to violence. Investigators used a screening questionnaire to survey 1548 New Orleans, Louisiana, children in grades 6 through 12 who were enrolled in a health intervention program (mean age, 13.5; grades 7–9, 79%; 57% girls; 93% black).
Overall, 30% witnessed violence against a parent; 42% a shooting, stabbing, or beating; and 18% a murder; 54% knew of the murder of someone close (e.g., friend, relative). Many children endorsed having post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) symptoms (lifetime, 46%; current, 27%) or current depressive symptoms (21%). The percentage exposed to violence and the number of violent incidents increased w…