What comes to mind when you think about children’s upbringing? For some young people, words like “violence” or “fear” might sadly resonate.
Recent NHS statistics reveal a troubling trend: a significant increase in mental health issues among UK adolescents. In 2023, approximately 20% of individuals aged 8 to 25 are likely suffering from mental disorders. Such conditions often stem from exposure to violence, leading to anxiety, depression, and PTSD.
But what exactly contributes to this rise in mental health challenges? It’s tempting to categorize influences into protective and harmful factors, but what if some factors can be both?
Community Interactions: The safety of one’s environment significantly influences community relationships; if the community is governed by violence and crime, the social relationships can buffer the negative effects; at the same time, living in an unsafe environment can make people engage in violent acts;
Family Dynamics: While family can buffer the adverse effects of community violence, a violent home environment forces young people to seek support elsewhere, often from peers;
Peer Influence: Friendships are crucial for adolescent well-being but can also exacerbate the negative impacts of a violent environment;
Self-Esteem: High self-esteem can help manage the effects of witnessing violence, yet continuous exposure to violence can erode even strong self-esteem, leading to increased involvement in violent activities;
Social Identity: A young person’s social identity is shaped by their community, affecting how they cope with their circumstances;
These insights are derived from studies that often examine these factors in isolation; they can either safeguard or compromise young people’s mental health. Directly involving young people in research is vital—they are the ones navigating these challenging environments. Accordingly, I shaped the research questions and selected Newham, one of London’s top five most dangerous boroughs, as our focus area based on these findings.
Research aims for the current study:
- How does violence and crime affect young people’s mental health in relation to their community interactions and social relationships?
- How do factors like social identity, self-esteem and family relationships impact young people’s mental health who may be directly affected by violence and crime?
Methods
Data Collection and Recording: Data were collected in a group format during sessions that varied in size, with attendance ranging from 5 to 12 participants. Responses were analysed for a number of 20 participants. These participants were aged between 16 and 25 years.
Coding Process: I reviewed and live coded the recordings, a method where I directly coded relevant conversations and ideas from the recordings as I listened. This process involved identifying initial commonalities, similar patterns, and summarizing paragraphs that aligned with my research goals.
Thematic Analysis: Following the initial coding, I conducted Thematic Analysis. This method involves identifying and analysing themes that emerge from the initial codes and summaries, allowing for deeper insights into the data collected.
Results
Here are the themes identified:
The Thematic Analysis generated seven themes, four themes addressing the first research question, three of them the second research question. While each theme encompasses one aspect of the difficulties young people faced, I would like to focus on one, particularly because these feelings were expressed throughout the transcripts, and every theme encompasses in one way or another these two important values. For young people living in Newham, it is crucial that they feel safe and that that can trust those around you, as one young adolescent noted: ‘‘trust is a big part’ (P012). If these values are present in the community and people around them, they can help buffer the negative effects. Safety and Trust were values important in the community, in their family environment and in those that are around them.
Take home messages from the current research
– Engagement and Participation of Young People: It’s crucial to actively involve young people in discussions about their challenges, needs, and opinions. As we work to make their living areas safer, their thoughts and insights are invaluable. Implementing changes should not be generic but rather targeted, with young people at the centre of these initiatives. This approach not only facilitates the implementation of relevant changes but also ensures meaningful feedback from those directly affected.
– Understanding the Full Scope of Challenges: Research often captures only a fraction of the real struggles faced by young people, especially those living in dangerous areas. The challenges they encounter are multifaceted and require them to constantly adapt and find ways to cope. Acknowledging the complexity of their experiences is essential for developing effective interventions.
– Role of Self-Esteem: According to previous studies, self-esteem is uniquely impacted by living in a dangerous area, predominantly affecting young people negatively. Unlike other factors, self-esteem does not dual-function as both a protective and a detrimental factor; it only shows negative impacts under these circumstances, with one participant noting: ‘women can’t go out, that’s when the paranoia starts to kick in, I have to look over my shoulder, I can’t go out at night time I don’t feel comfortable in like my area, in my skin’ (P014)
Impact of Violence and Crime on Young People’s Environment: Violence and crime profoundly affect every aspect of a young person’s environment—from their living conditions to the friendships they form, and their willingness to engage with others, including social services or psychologists who offer help. For young people to effectively communicate and seek assistance, two critical values are essential: safety and trust in those around them.
Limitations
One of the limitations of the current study is the area where the study was conducted, namely Newham. Further studies can potentially look at various areas in the UK, with a different demographics and potentially a different community dynamics.
Understanding the shadows cast by violence and crime on youth’s mental health isn’t just about statistics—it’s about stories, struggles, and lessons. Let’s not just be observers but active participants in crafting safer, supportive communities where every young person can thrive.