Description

For sample children, VIOLENEV indicates whether the child has ever been the victim of violence or witnessed violence in their neighborhood.

VIOLENEV is part of the Child Stressful Life Events (SLE) section, which also asks:

• Whether the child ever lived with a parent who was incarcerated (JAILEV),

• Whether the child ever lived with anyone mentally ill or severely depressed (MENTDEPEV), and

• Whether the child ever lived with anyone with an alcohol or drug problem (ALCDRUGEV).

In 2021, four additional emerging or sponsored questions about adverse childhood events were added:

• Whether the child ever lived with a parent or adult that frequently swore at, insulted, or put him/her down (ADLTPUTDOWN),

• Whether there has ever been a time when the child's basic needs were NOT met (BASENEED),

• Whether the child has ever been treated unfairly based on their race or ethnicity(UNFAIRRACE),

• Whether the child has ever been treated unfairly based on their sexual orientation or gender identity (UNFAIRSEXOR).

According to the 2019 Survey Description, these questions are part of the Rotating Core and are asked due to the association between stressful life events and health conditions that may persist into adulthood. The four questions were adapted from a set of eight questions on stressful life events which appear in the National Survey of Children's Health (NSCH). The Survey Description explains that the full set of questions is not asked as information about some other stressful life events can be gained through other NHIS questions and some were inappropriate to ask in a face-to-face interview.

The 2021 Survey Description lays out a slightly different method for handling the sensitive nature of SLE questions. At the beginning of that section of the questionnaire, "an introductory paragraph precedes the first question and informs the respondent that these events can happen in any family and that any question can be skipped. It is possible that some respondents may choose to skip some of these questions, particularly if other individuals in the household are present at the time of the interview."

Comparability

This variable is comparable over time.

Universe

Availability

• 2019, 2021-2023

Weights

• 2019, 2021-2023 : SAMPWEIGHT