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<ns4:p><ns4:bold>Background</ns4:bold>: Research has highlighted high rates of exposure to violence among South African youth. However, work to date has been largely cross-sectional, focused on violence exposure during the adolescence period, and has been limited to specific types of violence exposure. We examined violence exposure in South African preschool children between 3 and 6 years of age, capturing both direct and indirect forms of violence, and tested for potential sex differences across the several types of exposures.</ns4:p><ns4:p> <ns4:bold>Methods</ns4:bold>: Lifetime direct and indirect exposure to domestic and community violence was measured by parental report when children were 3.5 years (N = 530), 4.5 years (N = 749) and 6 years of age (N= 417) in a South African birth cohort located in a peri-urban community.</ns4:p><ns4:p> <ns4:bold>Results</ns4:bold>: There are three main findings. First, a large proportion of children (72%-75%) were reported as having been exposed to some form of direct or indirect violent experience in their homes or communities from a young age. Second, there was significant polyvictimization, with 49% of the children being exposed to more than one type of violence by age 6. Third, by 4.5 years of age, there was evidence that boys were more likely than girls to be exposed to domestic victimisation (28% vs. 17%)<ns4:italic> </ns4:italic>and polyvictimization (38% vs. 28%).</ns4:p><ns4:p> <ns4:bold>Conclusions</ns4:bold>: These findings highlight the high levels of violence exposure in young South African children, particularly among boys, and the need for prevention at both the community and individual levels.</ns4:p>
This article examines how exposure to violence in childhood is linked to impaired cognitive functioning and academic performance. Children who reside in low- and middle-income countries (LMICs) are more likely to be exposed to violence yet their representation in published studies is often limited. Here, we conducted a systematic review to examine the evidence regarding the association between childhood violence exposure and cognitive outcomes assessed up to age 11 in children from LMICs. EMBASE, Medline, and PsychInfo were systematically searched to identify cross-sectional, case-control, or cohort studies published from inception to May 2023. All studies were assessed for risk of bias. We identified 17 studies that met our inclusion criteria, encompassing 27,643 children from 20 LMICs. Children were exposed to maltreatment, intimate partner violence, and war. Cognitive outcomes assessed included cognitive development ( n = 9), executive functioning ( n = 6), general intelligence ( n = 2), language ( n = 2), and memory ( n = 1). A majority (71%) of the studies found a relationship between violence exposure and poor cognitive outcomes in childhood. Our findings suggest associations between different forms of violence and poor cognitive outcomes in children in LMICs. An increased investment in prevention is needed to tackle this human rights violation, and early interventions are important to ensure that LMIC children achieve their full potential. This is crucial in LMICs in which the burden of violence is high.
<ns4:p><ns4:bold>Background</ns4:bold>: Research has highlighted high rates of exposure to violence among South African youth. However, work to date has been largely cross-sectional, focused on violence exposure during the adolescence period, and has been limited to specific types of violence exposure. We examined violence exposure in South African preschool children between 3 and 6 years of age, capturing both direct and indirect forms of violence, and tested for potential sex differences across the several types of exposures.</ns4:p><ns4:p> <ns4:bold>Methods</ns4:bold>: Lifetime direct and indirect exposure to domestic and community violence was measured by parental report when children were 3.5 years (N = 530), 4.5 years (N = 749) and 6 years of age (N= 417) in a South African birth cohort located in a peri-urban community.</ns4:p><ns4:p> <ns4:bold>Results</ns4:bold>: There are three main findings. First, a large proportion of children (72%-75%) were reported as having been exposed to some form of direct or indirect violent experience in their homes or communities from a young age. Second, there was significant polyvictimization, with 49% of the children being exposed to more than one type of violence by age 6. Third, by 4.5 years of age, there was evidence that boys were more likely than girls to be exposed to domestic victimisation (28% vs. 17%)<ns4:italic> </ns4:italic>and polyvictimization (38% vs. 28%).</ns4:p><ns4:p> <ns4:bold>Conclusions</ns4:bold>: These findings highlight the high levels of violence exposure in young South African children, particularly among boys, and the need for prevention at both the community and individual levels.</ns4:p>
