The Impact of Urban Distortion on Violence in Children: A Field Study in the Syrian City of Homs

Abstract

This study aims to explore the relationship between urban distortion and violent behaviors among children in the Syrian city of Homs, within an environmental context that has deteriorated as a result of the radical changes the city has undergone, which have affected quality of life and the nature of the residential environment. The research problem focused on the extent to which this distortion influences children's tendency toward violent behavior. The aim was to measure the levels of both urban distortion and child violence, and to answer questions regarding the current reality, the existence of a relationship between the two variables, and the influence of parental educational attainment and family economic status. The researchers adopted the descriptive-analytical approach and used a questionnaire consisting of two researcher-developed scales: the first measures urban distortion across three dimensions-infrastructure and urban planning, quality of the residential environment, and level of neighborhood security and safety; the second measures forms of violence-physical, psychological, and verbal-after verifying content validity and internal consistency using Cronbach’s alpha. The instrument was applied to a sample of 40 families from Al-Qusour neighborhood. Results showed that the level of urban distortion was moderate, while the level of child violence was high, with a strong positive correlation between the two variables. Analysis also revealed statistically significant differences according to the father’s educational level and the family’s economic status, whereas no significant differences were found related to the mother’s educational level. The study concludes that the unstable urban environment is an influential factor in shaping aggressive behavior among children, especially under socioeconomic pressures. It recommends improving infrastructure, creating safe play spaces, implementing awareness and educational programs for parents, and providing psychological and social support for children, particularly in low-income neighborhoods.