Perceptions of neighborhood disorder and gun carrying during adolescence: The indirect effect of exposure to violence

Objective: As society strives to curb gun violence among adolescents, understanding the risk factors associated with gun carrying is of critical importance. The current study seeks to examine the relationship between perceived neighborhood disorder and adolescents' susceptibility to carrying a gun to school. More specifically, the aim of the current study was threefold: (1) to examine the direct relationship between perceived neighborhood disorder and exposure to violence, (2) to investigate the association between perceived neighborhood disorder and gun carrying, and (3) to test the mediating effect of exposure to violence on the relationship between perceived neighborhood disorder and gun carrying. Methods: Data from waves I and II (1994-1996) of the National Longitudinal Study of Adolescent to Adult Health was analyzed (N = 11,887). Due to the binary nature of the mediating and dependent variables (i.e., exposure to violence and gun carrying) a series of logistic regression models were estimated. Results: Our analyses revealed that perceived neighborhood disorder is positive and significantly associated with, both, exposure to violence and gun carrying. The relationship between perceived neighborhood disorder and gun carrying was fully mediated by exposure to violence. Conclusions: While neighborhood disorder is a risk factor for gun carrying among youth, exposure to violence explains the relationship between perceived neighborhood disorder and carrying a gun to school. To reduce the prevalence of gun carrying and gun violence among the adolescent population, mental health resources should be provided to those who reside in communities with high levels of disorder and violence.