Bully Victimization as a Predictor of Weapon Carrying in US High Schools: Is Age a Factor?

Sex differences in the relationship between prescription opioid misuse and gun and other weapon-carrying behaviors

269. Bullying, Weapon Carrying And Mental Health Outcomes Among U.S. High School Students - Results From A Nationally Representative Survey

Research Article| June 01 2015 Teen Dating Violence in US High School Students AAP Grand Rounds (2015) 33 (6): 65. https://doi.org/10.1542/gr.33-6-65 Views Icon Views Article contents Figures & tables Video Audio Supplementary Data Peer Review Share Icon Share Facebook Twitter LinkedIn MailTo Tools Icon Tools Get Permissions Cite Icon Cite Search Site Citation Teen Dating Violence in US High School Students. AAP Grand Rounds June 2015; 33 (6): 65. https://doi.org/10.1542/gr.33-6-65 Download citation file: Ris (Zotero) Reference Manager EasyBib Bookends Mendeley Papers EndNote RefWorks BibTex toolbar search toolbar search search input Search input auto suggest filter your search All PublicationsAll JournalsAAP Grand RoundsPediatricsHospital PediatricsPediatrics In ReviewNeoReviewsAAP NewsAll AAP Sites Search Advanced Search Topics: high schools, violence Source: Vagi KJ, Olsen EO, Basile KC, et al. Teen dating violence (physical and sexual) among US high school students: findings from the 2013 National Youth Risk Behavior Survey. JAMA Pediatrics. 2015; 169(5): 474– 482; doi: https://doi.org/10.1001/jamapediatrics.2014.3577Google Scholar Investigators from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention sought to determine the prevalence of teen dating violence (TDV) and to assess associations of TDV with health-risk behaviors. Researchers used data from the Youth Risk Behavior Surveillance (YRBS), which is administered to a nationally representative sample of students in grades 9 to 12. New questions in the 2013 YRBS addressed physical TDV (“How many times did someone you were dating or going out with physically hurt you on purpose? Count such things as being hit, slammed into something, or injured with an object or weapon”) and sexual TDV (“How many times did someone you were dating or going out with force you to do sexual things that you did not want to do? Count such things as kissing, touching or being physically forced to have sexual intercourse”) in the previous 12 months. Responses to the TDV questions were dichotomized into 0 times or 1 or more times. The physical and sexual TDV question responses were combined to create a 4-level TDV measure (“physical TDV only,” “sexual TDV only,” “both physical and sexual TDV,” and “none”) and a 2-level TDV measure (“any TDV” indicating either or both physical and sexual TDV and “none”). Associations of TDV and health-risk behaviors (suicidal ideation and attempts, violence and bullying, alcohol and other drug use, and sexual risk behaviors) were assessed by logistic regression models and presented as adjusted prevalence ratios (aPR). Data from 13,097 surveys were analyzed. Seventy-five percent and 72.8% of females and males, respectively, had dated in the previous 12 months, respectively. Among females, the prevalence of TDV was 6.6% for physical only, 8.0% for sexual only, 6.4% for both physical and sexual, and 20.9% for any TDV in the 12 months prior to the survey. Among males, the prevalence of TDV was 4.1% for physical only, 2.9% for sexual only, 3.3% for both physical and sexual, and 10.4% for any TDV. Most students who experienced TDV experienced >1 incident. Every risk behavior was more prevalent among students who had experienced both physical and sexual TDV (eg, female attempted suicide aPR = 39.5 [95% CI, 32.2–47.3]) and least prevalent among students who experienced no TDV. The investigators conclude that both physical and sexual TDV are prevalent among US high school students and that the experience of TDV is associated with health-risk behaviors. Dr Wong has disclosed no financial relationship relevant to this commentary. This commentary does not contain a discussion of an unapproved/investigative use of a commercial product/device. TDV is a form of intimate partner violence that includes physical, sexual, psychological, or emotional violence within a dating relationship. With recent prominent coverage of sexual assault on college campuses and data demonstrating... You do not currently have access to this content.

We examined the prevalence of impaired driving among US high school students and associations with substance use and risky driving behavior. We assessed driving while alcohol or drug impaired (DWI) and riding with alcohol- or drug-impaired drivers (RWI) in a nationally representative sample of 11th-grade US high school students (n = 2431). We examined associations with drinking and binge drinking, illicit drug use, risky driving, and demographic factors using multivariate sequential logistic regression analysis. Thirteen percent of 11th-grade students reported DWI at least 1 of the past 30 days, and 24% reported RWI at least once in the past year. Risky driving was positively associated with DWI (odds ratio [OR] = 1.25; P < .001) and RWI (OR = 1.09; P < .05), controlling for binge drinking (DWI: OR = 3.17; P < .01; RWI: OR = 6.12; P < .001) and illicit drug use (DWI: OR = 5.91; P < .001; RWI: OR = 2.29; P = .05). DWI was higher for adolescents who drove after midnight (OR = 15.7), drove while sleepy or drowsy (OR = 8.6), read text messages (OR = 11.8), sent text messages (OR = 5.0), and made cell phone calls (OR = 3.2) while driving. Our findings suggest the need for comprehensive approaches to the prevention of DWI, RWI, and other risky driving behavior.

PurposeThe purpose of this paper is to compare high school students' global literacy level in metropolitan areas of China and the USA.Design/methodology/approachThe authors adopted a global literacy instrument to surveyed 2,157 New York City (NYC) high school students and 2,220 Chinese high school students. This paper adopted an independent sample t‐test and an ANOVA to identify significant differences regarding demographic features on the Likert‐scale items, and used the Pearson correlation coefficient to explore the degree of association between factors.FindingsFrom this global literacy scale, compared with NYC high school students, Chinese students have greater awareness of comprehending and appreciating cross‐cultural perspectives, becoming global citizens, and exhibited greater approval of the performance of their own country's interconnectedness and interdependence with other countries. Students in the two countries exhibited similar confidence in using new literacies.Practical implicationsStudents would pay close attention to global issues if they were aware of how these issues affect their daily life and future. With critical‐thinking abilities, students would be in a better position to make decisions that contribute to the common good. With awareness of diverse cultures, students could learn the values, strengths, and weaknesses of people. With fluency in new literacies, students could research and analyze information from multiple resources, and collaborate with others through the use of technology.Originality/valueThis paper profiles the global literacy of US and Chinese high school students, describes factors correlated with both US and Chinese students' global literacy, and suggests students' preferences regarding “global education”‐related activities.

Children with asthma are often marginalized at school, including bullying victimization. The purpose of this study is to estimate the association between asthma and school or electronic bullying victimization among US high school students, and test whether the association varies significantly by sex. Pooled data from five waves of the Youth Risk Behavior Survey (N = 73,074) were used. Additive interactions were estimated in R software as per STROBE guidelines. Asthma increases the risk of bullying victimization among female and male adolescents. The risk of school bullying was significantly greater among female students with asthma (7.3%) compared to males (4.0%, p = .002). Similarly, the increased risk for electronic bullying victimization associated with asthma was significantly greater among female (7.2%) than among male students (3.4%, p < .001). Targeted educational interventions to decrease bullying victimization among adolescents with asthma are needed to mitigate its negative impacts.

The recent increase in the number of school shootings in the United States is a great concern. Consistent with General Strain Theory, previous research suggests that high school students who perpetrate gun violence have often experienced bullying victimization. This research investigated the interaction between gender and school bullying victimization on gun carrying, weapon carrying, and weapon carrying at school. Estimates of additive interaction were reported as recommended by the Strengthening the Reporting of Observational Studies in Epidemiology (STROBE) guidelines and compared with the estimates of multiplicative interaction. Data were used from a nationally representative survey of 61,042 U.S. high school students. Secondary analysis of pooled cross-sectional data from the 2009, 2011, 2013, and 2015 Youth Risk Behavior Survey was done, using R to estimate interactive effects on an additive scale between male gender and school bullying victimization on weapon carrying. A significant association was found between school bullying victimization, and gun and weapon carrying. Estimates of additive interaction show that the relationship between school bullying victimization and gun or weapon carrying is significantly greater among males than females as predicted by General Strain Theory. School bullying victimization increases the rate of gun and weapon carrying among all students, and especially among male students. Most mass school shooters are male and most of them experience some form of bullying victimization. Consequently, bullying prevention is likely to be important in a national effort to reduce gun and weapon violence in U.S. schools. This research also illustrates why estimates of adjusted risk differences and additive interactions should be reported for interpersonal violence research.

The Harms of Structural Whiteness on Weapon Carrying, Policing, and Child Health.

Motives for smoking and drinking: Country and gender differences in samples of Hungarian and US high school students

Teen dating violence (TDV) negatively impacts health, mental and physical well-being, and school performance. Data from a nationally representative sample of high school students participating in the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC)'s 2013 Youth Risk Behavior Survey (YRBS) are used to demonstrate associations of physical and sexual TDV with school violence-related experiences and behaviors, including bullying victimization. Bivariate and adjusted sex-stratified regressions assessed relationships between TDV and school violence-related experiences and behaviors. Compared to students not reporting TDV, those experiencing both physical and sexual TDV were more likely to report carrying a weapon at school, missing school because they felt unsafe, being threatened or injured with a weapon on school property, having a physical fight at school, and being bullied on school property. School-based prevention efforts should target multiple forms of violence.

OBJECTIVES To examine, in a large, nationally representative sample of high school students, the association between bullying victimization and carrying weapons to school and to determine to what extent past experience of 1, 2, or 3 additional indicators of peer aggression increases the likelihood of weapon carrying by victims of bullying (VoBs). METHODS National data from the 2015 Youth Risk Behavior Survey were analyzed for grades 9 to 12 (N = 15624). VoB groups were determined by self-report of being bullied at school and additional adverse experiences: fighting at school, being threatened or injured at school, and skipping school out of fear for one’s safety. Weapon carrying was measured by a dichotomized (ie, ≥ 1 vs 0) report of carrying a gun, knife, or club on school property. VoB groups were compared with nonvictims with respect to weapon carrying by logistic regression adjusting for sex, grade, and race/ethnicity. RESULTS When surveyed, 20.2% of students reported being a VoB in the past year, and 4.1% reported carrying a weapon to school in the past month. VoBs experiencing 1, 2, or 3 additional risk factors were successively more likely to carry weapons to school. The subset of VoBs who experienced all 3 additional adverse experiences were more likely to carry weapons to school compared with nonvictims (46.4% vs 2.5%, P &amp;lt; .001). CONCLUSIONS Pediatricians should recognize that VoBs, especially those who have experienced 1 or more indicators of peer aggression in conjunction, are at substantially increased risk of weapon carrying.

To examine, in a large, nationally representative sample of high school students, the association between bullying victimization and carrying weapons to school and to determine to what extent past experience of 1, 2, or 3 additional indicators of peer aggression increases the likelihood of weapon carrying by victims of bullying (VoBs). National data from the 2015 Youth Risk Behavior Survey were analyzed for grades 9 to 12 (N = 15 624). VoB groups were determined by self-report of being bullied at school and additional adverse experiences: fighting at school, being threatened or injured at school, and skipping school out of fear for one's safety. Weapon carrying was measured by a dichotomized (ie, ≥1 vs 0) report of carrying a gun, knife, or club on school property. VoB groups were compared with nonvictims with respect to weapon carrying by logistic regression adjusting for sex, grade, and race/ethnicity. When surveyed, 20.2% of students reported being a VoB in the past year, and 4.1% reported carrying a weapon to school in the past month. VoBs experiencing 1, 2, or 3 additional risk factors were successively more likely to carry weapons to school. The subset of VoBs who experienced all 3 additional adverse experiences were more likely to carry weapons to school compared with nonvictims (46.4% vs 2.5%, P < .001). Pediatricians should recognize that VoBs, especially those who have experienced 1 or more indicators of peer aggression in conjunction, are at substantially increased risk of weapon carrying.

Physical activity is associated with greater odds of sunburn in adults, increasing harmful sun exposure and skin cancer risk. The authors sought to investigate parallel associations between sunburn and physical activity among US high school students. The authors examined pooled cross-sectional data from the 2015 and 2017 Youth Risk Behavior Survey. A nationally representative sample of 21,894 US high school students who responded to the sunburn question was included. Prevalence of sunburn was 56.6% between 2015 and 2017. Sunburn prevalence was higher in physically active students (88.3%; 95% confidence interval [CI], 86.7%-90.0%; P < .0001) and student athletes (63.0%; 95% CI, 59.4%-66.7%; P < .0001). Among male students who were vigorously physically active (≥5 d) or on ≥3 teams, the odds of sunburn were 2.33 (95% CI, 1.81-3.00; P < .0001) and 2.52 (95% CI, 1.96-3.23; P < .0001), respectively. Among female students who were vigorously physically active (≥5d) or on ≥3 teams, the odds of sunburn were 1.65 (95% CI, 1.36-2.02; P < .0001) and 2.92 (95% CI, 2.07-4.13; P < .0001), respectively. Many US high school students are affected by sunburn, and the odds of sunburn are elevated during physical activity and team sports participation. Efforts are needed to improve sun safety regulations, education, and resources for youth during school and physical activity.

We investigated associations between polysubstance use and behavioral problems among adolescents. Because substance use becomes more developmentally normative with age, we examined whether polysubstance use was less likely to co-occur with behavioral problems among older (vs. younger) adolescents. Using data from a nationally representative survey of US high school students, we compared the association between polysubstance use (i.e., use of alcohol, cannabis, tobacco/nicotine, and illicit drugs) and behavioral problems (i.e., suicide attempts, depressive symptoms, poor school performance, and sexual risk behaviors) by grade level. We conducted latent class analysis (LCA) to characterize patterns of polysubstance use, and multi-group LCA to estimate invariance by grade. Among the three latent classes that emerged, classes were distinguished by having low, moderate, and high probabilities for behavior problems and use of substances. Class I comprised 52% of the sample, whereas classes II and III comprised 35% and 12% of the sample, respectively. The multi-group LCA showed that younger adolescents had a higher relative probability of co-occurring problem behaviors and polysubstance use. Findings may be helpful in targeting screening and prevention efforts of high school students by grade. Specifically, our results provide evidence that associations between behavioral problems and alcohol/drug use are weaker in later high school grades, suggesting that substance use may not be a weaker marker of behavioral problems for students in higher grades.

To assess the prevalence of texting/e-mailing while driving (TWD) and association of TWD with other risky motor vehicle (MV) behaviors among US high school students. Data were used from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention's 2011 national Youth Risk Behavior Survey, which assessed TWD during the 30 days before the survey among 8505 students aged ≥16 years from a nationally representative sample of US high school students. TWD frequency was coded into dichotomous and polychotomous variables. Logistic regression assessed the relationship between TWD and other risky driving behaviors, controlling for age, race/ethnicity, and sex. The prevalence of TWD on ≥1 days during the 30 days before the survey was 44.5% (95% confidence interval: 40.8%-48.2%). Students who engaged in TWD were more likely than their non-TWD counterparts to not always wear their seatbelt (prevalence ratio; 95% confidence interval: 1.16; 1.07-1.26), ride with a driver who had been drinking alcohol (1.74; 1.57-1.93), and drink alcohol and drive (5.33; 4.32-6.59). These other risky MV behaviors were most likely to occur among students who frequently engaged in TWD. Nearly half of US high school students aged ≥16 years report TWD during the past 30 days; these students are more likely to engage in additional risky MV behaviors. This suggests there is a subgroup of students who may place themselves, their passengers, and others on the road at elevated risk for a crash-related injury or fatality by engaging in multiple risky MV behaviors.