The Measurement Gap In Community Violence Exposure: A Systematic Review of the Secv In Emerging Adults

Background and Purpose
Community violence exposure (CVE) is a pervasive social work issue linked to adverse mental, behavioral, and physical health outcomes and justice involvement, particularly for emerging adults. Despite decades of research, the field lacks consensus in how CVE is defined and measured, resulting in substantial variability in operationalization and limited comparability. The Survey of Exposure to Community Violence (SECV) is the most widely used instrument for assessing CVE in adult populations. To date, no systematic review has evaluated the psychometric qualities and application of the SECV for emerging adults across contexts and populations.

Methods
A systematic review was conducted following PRISMA guidelines. Database searches across Medline, PsycINFO, ERIC, Academic Search Complete, Social Sciences Full Text, ProQuest Dissertations and Theses identified studies published from 1990-2025 to capture the year the SECV was developed. Data extraction included study design, sample characteristics, reported psychometric characteristics of the SECV including reliability, validity, and factor validity analyses, and study outcomes. Two reviewers conducted screening and full text review using Covidence, with disagreements resolved through consensus.

Results
Seven studies met inclusion criteria. All studies used modified versions of the SECV, limiting comparability. Samples were primarily drawn from university and emergency department settings, and prevalence of CVE ranged widely (22%-96%). Internal consistency reliability of the SECV reported across identified studies was generally acceptable for witnessing (α = .72-.84) but more variable for victimization (α = .55-.86). No studies conducted factor analytic validation. Evidence of validity was limited; however, SECV scores were consistently associated with trauma-related symptoms and depression, supporting convergent validity. Across studies, males reported higher levels of CVE.

Conclusions and Implications
Findings highlight significant limitations in the current use of the SECV for emerging adults. First, modification of the measure undermines comparability across studies and raises concerns about construct consistency. Second, although internal consistency was generally acceptable for witnessing, the variability observed in victimization suggests instability in how this construct is measured. Third, the absence of factor analytic validation represents a critical gap. Without testing the underlying structure of the SECV in emerging adult samples, it is not possible to determine whether the measure reflects the multidimensional nature of CVE. While associations with trauma symptoms and depression provide some evidence of convergent validity, this alone is insufficient to establish overall measurement validity. The wide variation in reported prevalence suggests inconsistencies in measurement rather than true population differences. Finally, observed gender differences, with males reporting higher exposure, suggests measurement sensitivity to certain types of violence. This systematic review underscores the need for social work to develop, validate, and standardize a measure of community violence exposure. Without this measure, social work efforts to understand, prevent, intervene and advocate for resource allocation remain limited, constraining the ability to accurately identify need, target interventions, and evaluate outcomes among populations most affected. Strengthening the measurement of CVE is essential for advancing rigorous social work research serving the common good - preventing violence and supporting the right of individuals and communities to live in safe environments.