Adverse Life Experiences and Delinquent Behavior among Youth Living in Nairobi’s Informal Settlements

Caroline Kabiru, African Population and Health Research Center (APHRC)
Donatien Beguy, African Population and Health Research Center (APHRC)

Adverse life events, including sexual and physical abuse or exposure to violent behavior, are associated with negative outcomes such as depression and other psycho-social impacts that heighten the likelihood of risk behavior. However, there has been little interrogation of the prevalence and consequences of adverse life events among sub-Saharan African youth living in urban slums where adversity is pervasive. The purpose of this study is to examine the extent to which experience of adverse life events (e.g., exposure to violence in the family and experience of sexual or physical abuse) predicts delinquent behavior among 3,064 males and females aged 12-19 years living in two slum settlements in Nairobi. In addition, we examine whether self-esteem, religiosity, and parental monitoring moderate the relationship between adverse life events and delinquent behavior.Overall, 54% of young people had experienced at least one adverse life event, while 9% had experienced four or more adverse life events.