Beyond the racialised Islamophobic narrative: Muslim identity as a protective factor against radicalisation

Objective: to analyze the risk and protective factors against violence associated with resilience and family functionality. Method: A non-experimental, cross-sectional, descriptive design was used with a sample of 335 teenage university students studying psychology, both men and women, from 3 universities in Trujillo. The following instruments were used: The Resilience Scale, by Wagnild and Young, the Family Functioning Assessment Scale – FACES III, and the Family Cohesion and Adaptability Scale by Olson, Porhner and Lavee. Results and discussion: The existence of protective factors against violence in resilience and family cohesion is evident. Regarding the adaptability indicator of family functionality, the flexible and structured family is associated with the protection factor against violence. However, rigid and chaotic families are associated as a risk factor for violence, with the risk factor prevailing for this group in the presence of chaotic families. Implications of the research: it contributes to the understanding of the variable with respect to its descriptive categories in university students, from which greater evidence and new studies aimed at explaining, associating or predicting the variables can be generated. Originality/Value: it was important because it analyzes protective and risk factors against violence, so that subsequent strategies can be used to reduce it and strengthen protective factors.

Mass incarceration of Black fathers and mothers in the United States has had an undeniably negative effect on the health and well-being of their children, families, and communities. Nearly 1 in every 9 Black youth in the United States has had an incarcerated parent compared to 1 in every 17 White youth. To mitigate the consequences of such historical and structural racism, family and community protective factors that promote health and flourishing in Black youth need exploration. The aim of this study was to understand the associations of protective family, school, and neighborhood factors of overall health and flourishing in Black youth ever exposed to parental incarceration. Using the 2016-2019 National Survey of Children's Health, secondary data analyses were conducted of Black youth ages 6-17 years exposed to parental incarceration (n = 839). Multivariable logistic regression models predicted the associations among protective family and community factors and two child outcomes of interest: overall good health status and flourishing. Overall good health status was measured dichotomously comparing children in "good, very good, or excellent" health to children in "fair or poor" health. Flourishing was measured as a count score using three survey questions designed to assess the child's curiosity and discovery about learning, resilience, and self-regulation. Protective factors of interest included family resilience and connectedness, neighborhood support and safety, and school safety. Other child and caregiver demographics and health characteristics were also included as covariates. Across all models, higher levels of family connectedness were associated with greater odds of having overall good health and flourishing in Black youth exposed to parental incarceration after adjusting for covariates and neighborhood and school protective characteristics. No significant associations were found between neighborhood or school protective factors and either outcome. To achieve health equity and maximize opportunities for all youth, we must remove the obstacles and consequences of mass incarceration. Improving the health and flourishing of Black youth who have had incarcerated parents requires greater investment in structural supports to bolster family connectedness and better evidence on how to support families affected by mass incarceration and structural racism.

In the research literature intelligence is commonly described as a risk or protective factor for crime and violence, depending on its level. In mostly exploratory analysis presented in this study, authors primarily focused on determining how socioeconomic factors and comorbidity disorders influence relationship between intelligence level and violence of risk. In total, 101 patients participated in the study, all of them were male, Polish detainees at three psychiatric hospitals with forensic psychiatry wards: the S. Kryzan Hospital for the Nervously and Mentally Ill in Starogard Gdański, the State Hospital for Mental Diseases in Rybnik, and the Józef Babiński Psychiatric Hospital in Kraków. Statistical analysis of the collected data confirmed positive relationship between level of intelligence and historical risk factors summary of HCR20v3. It was observed that no source of income is an important moderator between low intelligence and historical risk factors. Additionally, in the group of patients with primary or middle education, intelligence level above average is a significant factor that minimalizes historical risk. Comorbidity disorder was identified as aspect that minimalizes protective influence of medium or high level of intelligence in the dynamic, clinical scale of HCR-20v3. Besides that, intelligence level above average was a protective factor in the group of schizophrenic patients without personality disorders. Knowledge of the way in which analyzed moderators influence relationship between intelligence level and risk of violence can improve the risk management process by enabling the identification of protective factors that are specific to subtypes of perpetrators of violence with mental disorders.

Within nightlife settings, youth violence places large burdens on both nightlife users and wider society. Internationally, research has identified risk factors for nightlife violence. However, few empirical studies have assessed differences in risk factors between genders. Here, a pan-European cross-sectional survey of 1,341 nightlife users aged 16 to 35 assessed a variety of risk-taking traits, including violence, sexual, alcohol, and drug-related current and historic behaviors. Results show that the likelihood of having been involved in a physical fight in nightlife increases with younger age, drunkenness, and increasing preference for tolerant venues for both genders. The odds of involvement in a fight for females who were drunk five or more times in the past 4 weeks were almost five times higher than those who were never drunk (odds ratio for males 1.99). Use of cocaine more than doubled the risk of involvement in violence among males. However, no association was found for females. For heterosexual men, the odds for violence almost doubled compared with bisexual or homosexual men, whereas for women heterosexuality was a protective factor. The effects of structural risk factors (e.g., bar and club characteristics) for nightlife violence differed by gender. To develop effective violence prevention measures in nightlife, considerations need to be made regarding the demographic composition of patrons in addition to wider structural elements within the nighttime environment.

This study aimed to analyze the relationship between sociodemographic factors, health, functionality, depression, and frailty with the risk of abuse and violence against younger and older adults individuals. A cross-sectional observational study with a quantitative approach was conducted among Brazilian older adults between April and July 2022. Participants aged 60 years and older were recruited from Brazilian Primary Health Care Units. The Hwalek-Sengstock Elder Abuse Screening Test, Lawton and Brody's Instrumental Activities of Daily Living Scale, Edmonton Frail Scale, and the Geriatric Depression Scale (GDS-15) were used to assess the variables of interest. Odds Ratios (ORs) was calculated using binary logistic regression models to test the study hypothesis. The sample was divided into two groups: younger elderly individuals (aged 60-70 years) and older elderly individuals (> 70 years). A total of n = 200 individuals' participants were included in the study (n = 132 younger and n = 68 older). Non-white skin color (n = 15/ 22.1%/ p = 0.016/ OR= 2.0) was identified as a risk factor for the older group, while illiteracy emerged as a risk factor for violence in both groups (OR> 1.0). The absence of depressive symptoms and frailty were protective factors against the risk of abuse and violence in both groups (OR>1.0). Logistic regression analysis indicated that depression was the variable most strongly associated with the risk of abuse and violence, particularly in the younger group (R² = 0.46/ p < 0.001/ ß = 0.56). Among the observed associations, non-white skin color was a risk factor for abuse and violence in the older group, whereas literacy, absence of depression, and absence of frailty were protective factors in both groups.

This study aimed to analyze the relationship between sociodemographic factors, health, functionality, depression, and frailty with the risk of abuse and violence against younger and older adults individuals. A cross-sectional observational study with a quantitative approach was conducted among Brazilian older adults between April and July 2022. Participants aged 60 years and older were recruited from Brazilian Primary Health Care Units. The Hwalek-Sengstock Elder Abuse Screening Test, Lawton and Brody’s Instrumental Activities of Daily Living Scale, Edmonton Frail Scale, and the Geriatric Depression Scale (GDS-15) were used to assess the variables of interest. Odds Ratios (ORs) was calculated using binary logistic regression models to test the study hypothesis. The sample was divided into two groups: younger elderly individuals (aged 60–70 years) and older elderly individuals (> 70 years). A total of n = 200 individuals’ participants were included in the study (n = 132 younger and n = 68 older). Non-white skin color (n = 15/ 22.1%/ p = 0.016/ OR= 2.0) was identified as a risk factor for the older group, while illiteracy emerged as a risk factor for violence in both groups (OR> 1.0). The absence of depressive symptoms and frailty were protective factors against the risk of abuse and violence in both groups (OR>1.0). Logistic regression analysis indicated that depression was the variable most strongly associated with the risk of abuse and violence, particularly in the younger group (R² = 0.46/ p < 0.001/ ß = 0.56). Among the observed associations, non-white skin color was a risk factor for abuse and violence in the older group, whereas literacy, absence of depression, and absence of frailty were protective factors in both groups.

Adolescents and risks: Why not change our paradigm?

Despite a plethora of research examining campus dating and sexual violence (DSV) risk and protective factors, little of this research has been conducted at non-traditional institutions such as minority-serving institutions (MSIs), community colleges, or non-predominantly white institutions. A review of research on statistically significant protective and risk factors for campus perpetration or victimization at non-traditional institutions resulted in 12 articles. The inclusion criteria for the study were that the article was in English, in a peer-reviewed journal, and published between 2010 and 2021. Keyword searches identified 1,160 articles on campus DSV, which were then screened to ensure the quantitative research was conducted at a non-traditional institution. Significant perpetration and victimization factors, characteristics of the samples and institutions of these studies, and the research design were extracted. Few studies included in the review investigated DSV at MSIs, commuter campuses, or community colleges. Also, studies more commonly examined victimization, risk factors, and sexual violence, as opposed to perpetration, protective factors, or dating violence. Cross-cutting factors for both dating and sexual violence included alcohol and drug use, demographics, and prior abuse. Cross-cutting factors for both victimization and perpetration included personality characteristics, alcohol and drug use, demographics, and history of abuse. Future research should investigate DSV at non-traditional institutions to increase our understanding of risk and protective factors at these rarely studied institutions.

Changes in prevalence of violence and risk factors for violence and HIV among children and young people in Kenya: a comparison of the 2010 and 2019 Kenya Violence Against Children and Youth Surveys

Embedding Racial Justice and Advancing Health Equity at the American Medical Association

Adolescents are most at risk of engaging in violent interaction. Targeting violence risk and protective factors is essential for correctly understanding and assessing their role in potential violence. We aimed to use the Structured Assessment of Violence Risk in Youth (SAVRY) tool within the sample of adolescents to capture violence risk and protective factors and personality variables related to risk and protective factors. We further aimed to identify which violence risk and protective factors were positively or negatively related to violence within personal history and if any personality traits are typical for violent and non-violent adolescents. Identifying broader or underlying constructs within the SAVRY tool factor analysis can enable appropriate therapeutic targeting. We used the Czech standardized version of the SAVRY tool. The study sample comprised 175 men and 226 women aged 12-18 years divided into two categories according to the presence or absence of violence in their personal history. Mann-Whitney U test was used to compare numerical variables between the two groups. SAVRY factor analysis with varimax rotation was used to determine the item factors. We administered the High School Personality Questionnaire (HSPQ) to capture adolescents' personality characteristics. In our sample, there were 151 participants with violence in their personal histories and 250 non-violent participants. Non-violent adolescents had higher values for all six SAVRY protective factors. The strongest protective factor was P3, Strong attachment and bonds across gender or a history of violence. Using factor analysis, we identified three SAVRY internal factors: social conduct, assimilation, and maladaptation. The SAVRY protective factors were significantly positively related to several factors in the HSPQ questionnaire. The results highlight the significance of protective factors and their relationship with violence prevalence. HSPQ diagnostics could be helpful in clinically targeting personality-based violence risks and protective factors. The therapeutic focus should be on tension, peer rejection, and anxiety. It is also essential to foster positive attitudes toward authority, prosocial behavior, and attitudes toward school. These strategies can help strengthen protective factors of the SAVRY.

Introduction The COVID-19 pandemic has had drastic effects on youth violence protective and risk factors by isolating many at risk youth. While youth violence is a growing global health problem, there are limited studies exploring youth violence during the COVID-19 pandemic. Lake County in Northwest Indiana presents an opportunity for youth violence research and prevention given its socio-demographic context and its limited youth violence data. This study explored the COVID-19 pandemic’s impacts on youth violence and its risk and protective factors from the perspectives of professional key informants in Lake County, Indiana. Methods This study utilized a descriptive qualitative design inspired by the constructivist grounded theory. We recruited professional key informants through purposive and snowball sampling. Data collection consisted of virtual semi-structured key informant interviews that were audio-recorded and transcribed verbatim. Data analysis consisted of inductive thematic analysis with open line-by-line coding, focused coding in Dedoose, and theme identification. Results A total of six key informants were interviewed, representing diverse youth-serving occupations. These interviews revealed five general themes portraying the impacts of the COVID-19 pandemic on youth violence: mental health impacts on youth; socialization of youth; youth as victims, perpetrators, or witnesses; shifting of learning environments; and parent-child relationships. Key informants observed an increase in less visible types of youth violence, underlying pandemic-induced or-exacerbated youth mental and behavioral health issues, strained parent-child relationships, and the educational marginalization of youth in underserved communities during online learning transitions. Conclusions This study highlighted underserved youth’s vulnerability to the COVID-19 pandemic’s adverse impacts on youth violence experiences, risk, and protective factors. Our findings support the need to prioritize youth during and after crises, to utilize innovative strategies to better reach underserved youth, and to develop ethical and integrated youth violence data systems. Future research should explore youth’s lived experiences with violence throughout the pandemic.

Can Social Justice Live in a House of Structural Racism? A Question for the Field of Evaluation

BackgroundPrevious reviews on risk and protective factors for violence in psychosis have produced contrasting findings. There is therefore a need to clarify the direction and strength of association of risk and protective factors for violent outcomes in individuals with psychosis.MethodWe conducted a systematic review and meta-analysis using 6 electronic databases (CINAHL, EBSCO, EMBASE, Global Health, PsycINFO, PUBMED) and Google Scholar. Studies were identified that reported factors associated with violence in adults diagnosed, using DSM or ICD criteria, with schizophrenia and other psychoses. We considered non-English language studies and dissertations. Risk and protective factors were meta-analysed if reported in three or more primary studies. Meta-regression examined sources of heterogeneity. A novel meta-epidemiological approach was used to group similar risk factors into one of 10 domains. Sub-group analyses were then used to investigate whether risk domains differed for studies reporting severe violence (rather than aggression or hostility) and studies based in inpatient (rather than outpatient) settings.FindingsThere were 110 eligible studies reporting on 45,533 individuals, 8,439 (18.5%) of whom were violent. A total of 39,995 (87.8%) were diagnosed with schizophrenia, 209 (0.4%) were diagnosed with bipolar disorder, and 5,329 (11.8%) were diagnosed with other psychoses. Dynamic (or modifiable) risk factors included hostile behaviour, recent drug misuse, non-adherence with psychological therapies (p values<0.001), higher poor impulse control scores, recent substance misuse, recent alcohol misuse (p values<0.01), and non-adherence with medication (p value <0.05). We also examined a number of static factors, the strongest of which were criminal history factors. When restricting outcomes to severe violence, these associations did not change materially. In studies investigating inpatient violence, associations differed in strength but not direction.ConclusionCertain dynamic risk factors are strongly associated with increased violence risk in individuals with psychosis and their role in risk assessment and management warrants further examination.

Protective and risk factors of suicide in Native American youth: cross-sectional findings from a mixed-methods study