Living in the Aftermath: Narratives on the impact of exposure to community and school violence in childhood on mental health and adjustment outcomes in later life

Exposure to community and school violence in childhood has a lasting impact on mental health and adjustment in later life. The impact is likely worsened by mistrust of others, a continued sense of feeling unsafe and counterproductive coping mechanisms, while connectedness and community seem to lessen the impact. Further research can refine these findings to build an understanding of these mechanisms to inform secondary prevention and treatment interventions in low- and middle-income countries.