Exposure to violence takes a toll on the socioemotional well-being of Californians

Researchers at the UC Davis Violence Prevention Research Program (VPRP) assessed the prevalence of exposure to violence, such as robbery or assault, and its impacts on the mental health and social functioning of California adults. Their study, published in the Journal of Interpersonal Violence, shows the far-reaching psychological effects an incident of gun violence can have on victims and those close to them. The study’s findings are based on data from 2,558 adults who responded to the 2018 California Safety and Wellbeing Survey (CSaWS).

“Our study highlights the pervasive socioemotional impacts of violence exposure,” said Amanda Aubel, first author on the study and a research data analyst at VPRP. “It points to the urgent need to address not only the physical but also the psychological consequences of violence exposure and the unique, exacerbating influence of firearms.”