Examining the Effect of Childhood Individual and Contextual Risk Factors on Violence Use and Experience at Early Adulthood (18-21 years)

Violence against children is a human rights and public health concern affecting an estimated 1 billion children globally (Hillis et al., 2016). Contexts at home and in school shape both children's experiences of violence and may also affect how children's experiences of violence affect them. Children's individual factors and contexts are dynamic and are likely to shape their experiences and impacts of violence (Rada, 2014; Rodrigues et al., 2022). Household factors like single-parent headed, witnessing violence, mental health status of parent are likely influence sexual violence or physical violence perpetration or victimization at early adulthood (Rada, 2014). School attendance over time is likely to reduce exposure to violence during adolescence and the likely effects of violence during early adulthood (Rada, 2014). Schools and households are promising entry points for VAC prevention. This study aims to generate evidence to explore changes in violence experiences over W1 & 2 and their associations with physical & sexual violence; and mental health outcomes at early adulthood (W3).
Objective 1: To examine individual risk factors associated with physical and sexual violence experience and use at early adulthood (W3)
What individual factors (W1) are associated with physical and sexual violence use & experience at late adolescence and early adulthood (W3)?
Objective 2: To determine the associations between violence exposure during adolescence (11-14 years) and violence experience and use at early adulthood (18-21 years)
1.Is there a difference in physical and sexual violence experience (W3) and use among young adults following different exposure patterns to violence at W1 & W2?
2.Is the severity of violence experienced during early adolescence associated with physical and sexual violence use and experience at early adulthood?
3.Is the association between violence exposure at early adolescence (W1) and early adulthood (W3) violence experience and use affected by disability status and sex of the adolescent?
4.Is there an association between type of perpetrator (W1 & W2) and experience and use of violence at early adulthood (W3)?
Objective 3: To measure the influence of family and school contexts on the effect of childhood exposure to violence at adulthood
1.How does family/school context affect the association between experience of violence at adolescence and experience (W1) and use of physical and sexual violence at early adulthood (W3)?
2.Are positive family/school contexts protective against negative effects of violence at early adulthood?
3.How does family/school context affect the association between experience of violence at adolescence (W1) and mental health outcomes at early adulthood (W3)?
The researcher shall conduct longitudinal data analysis using the COVAC dataset which is comprised of 3,431 adolescents followed over 3 time points: W1 in 2014, W2 in 2018 and W3 in 2021. 3,820 adolescents were recruited at W1 & 90% accepted to be followed up. Exposure shall be obtained from W1 & W2. Multivariable modelling shall be conducted to measure the association between childhood exposure to violence and physical and sexual violence use and experience at early adulthood.
Project alignment to the MRC's strategy and core skills
This proposed project will directly contribute to VAC program design and policy discourse especially in making our schools, homes and communities safer for children in Uganda. The project will equip me to conduct rigorous & independent violence research.
It provides an opportunity for me to acquire skills in conceptualization, analysis and reporting of violence use and experience. Through support from the experienced researchers, I will build a support network to enable me successfully complete this PhD and explore opportunities for research collaboration. The skills I will acquire from this program shall contribute to reducing the current gap in the number of locally available experts wi