Involvement In Physical Fights Research Articles

Factors Associated With Gun Possession Among High-School Students in the U.S. Before and During the Pandemic.

Background: Adolescents' possession of guns was a matter of concern even before the pandemic. It is pertinent to examine whether students continued possessing guns after schools reopened, and if so, identify factors that might have been associated with such behaviors. Towards this end, the present study examined the relationship between highschool students' experiences and their propensity to possess guns. Methods: This used responses from multiple nationally representative cross-sectional surveys of high school students from the 2019 and 2021 Youth Risk Behavior Survey (YRBS) and the 2021 Adolescent Behaviors and Experiences Survey (ABES). Gun possession within the past year was the main outcome of interest. Experiences of violence, assault, injury, and other adverse experiences were the independent variables. Bivariate and multivariate logistic regressions, adjusting for sample weights, were performed using SAS. Results: Out of a total of more than 25,000 and 38,000 valid responses, respectively in 2019 and 2021 to the question on gun possession, 4.7% and 4.2% reported carrying a gun at least once within the past year. Experiences of sexual violence, involvement in physical fight, perceived lack of safety, and being threatened/injured by weapons, were associated with higher adjusted odds of guns possession among males and females. Among ABES 2021 respondents (more than 7500), those who witnessed violence in the neighborhood were more likely to possess guns. This association was significant among males, whereas parents being informed about whereabouts was significant for females. Conclusion: This study shows that adverse experiences were associated with a higher odds of guns possession among female and male highschool students. Witnessing violent attack on someone in the neighborhood emerged as a risk factor for males. This suggests that social determinants of health as well as adverse experiences are associated with gun possession among high-school students.

Demographic, lifestyle, social, and psychological factors associated with worry-related sleep problems among school-going adolescents in Timor-Leste.

Adolescent sleep problems are a worldwide public health issue. The present study examines factors associated with worry-related sleep problems among school-going adolescents. The country of interest is Timor-Leste, a low-income country, where studies pertaining to adolescent sleep problems are lacking. Data were analysed from the Global School-Based Student Health Survey Timor-Leste (n = 3455). An ordered probit model was used to assess the effects of demographic, lifestyle, social, and psychological factors on different levels of worry-related sleep problems (i.e., no, mild and severe sleep problems). School-going adolescents were more likely to face mild or severe worry-related sleep problems if they were older, passive smokers, alcohol drinkers and moderately active. School-going adolescents who sometimes or always went hungry were more likely to experience worry-related sleep problems than those who did not. Involvement in physical fights, being bullied, and loneliness were positively associated with the probability of having modest or severe worry-related sleep problems. Age, exposure to second-hand smoke, alcohol consumption, physical activity, going hungry, physical fights, being bullied and loneliness are the important determining factors of adolescent worry-related sleep problems. Policymakers should pay special attention to these factors when formulating intervention measures.

Correlates of internalizing and externalizing problems among school-going young adolescents in Sub-Saharan Africa.

Mental health in adolescence is important for health and well-being throughout the life course, but evidence from Sub-Saharan Africa is sparse. This study aimed to assess the correlates of internalizing, externalizingand cumulative problems among early adolescents. This study used cross-sectional survey data from 3516 school-going adolescents in Ouagadougou, Burkina Faso; Addis Ababa, Ethiopiaand Dar es Salaam, Tanzania. We used a 25-item Strengths and Difficulties Questionnaire to measure internalizing, externalizingand cumulative problems. We carried out multi-variable linear regression analyses with the estimation of adjusted mean differences and 95% confidence intervals, to determine the factors associated with internalizing, externalizingand cumulative problems. Overall, 1 in 8 adolescents had internalizing problems, while 1 in 10 had externalizing problems. In two sites, having friends was related to lower internalizing problems, while repeating a grade, physical fightsand household food insecurity wererelated to greater internalizing problems. Household food insecurity and involvement in physical fights were associated with greater externalizing problems across sites, while repeating a grade was linked with greater externalizing problems in two sites. Having a caring adult in school was associated with fewer externalizing problems across sites, while having friends was associated with fewer externalizing problems in two sites. Overall, having friends was related to fewer cumulative problems, while physical fights and household food insecurity were related to higher cumulative problems. School-based mental health and food programs may be useful in addressing social-emotional problems among school-aged adolescents in Burkina Faso, Ethiopiaand Tanzania.

Clinical Practice Guidelines for Assessment and Management of Patients with Borderline Personality Disorder.

Clinical Practice Guidelines for Assessment and Management of Patients with Borderline Personality Disorder.

Prevalence and correlates of physical fighting among adolescents in Paraguay: Findings from the 2017 national school-based health survey.

Interpersonal violence among adolescents is a serious public health issue across the globe and has been one of the leading causes of death among Paraguayan adolescents. This study aims to investigate the prevalence of physical fighting among adolescents in Paraguay in order to identify problematic fighting behaviour. We also aim to examine the correlates of physical fighting and the extent to which previously identified factors correlate with physical fighting. We used the Paraguay 2017 Global School-based Student Health Survey (GSHS). This survey collects health-related information on school-attending adolescents aged 13-17 years. We defined physical fighting as having participated in at least two physical fights in the previous 12 months. We chose 16 independent variables: 12 individual-level variables and four social-level variables. Multivariable logistic regression models were developed to identify factors associated with physical fighting. One of the limitations of this study is that it only captured the responses of the students who attended school on the day of the survey. A total of 3,149 students completed the survey questionnaire, with the response rates for the school, student, and total response being 100%, 87%, and 87%, respectively. In 2017, 8% of the survey participants (11.4% of the males, and 4.7% of the females) had been involved in two or more physical fights during the past 12 months. In the multivariable model, having been physically attacked, male gender, physical activity, alcohol use, early sexual debut, and suicide planning were significantly associated with involvement in physical fighting. Having helpful peers and supportive parents was not statistically significant in the model adjusted for all variables. Although Paraguay shows relatively lower prevalence of physical fighting than other countries, the high association between physical fighting and having been physically attacked is noteworthy. Considering the serious interpersonal violence among Paraguayan adolescents, preventive attributes should be considered, and further assessment of other types of interpersonal violence should be made.

Current tobacco use is associated with mental morbidity and health risk behaviours among school-going adolescents in Liberia and Mauritius

ABSTRACT Background The aim of the study was to provide estimates on associations between tobacco use and mental morbidity and health risk behaviors among adolescents in Liberia and Mauritius. Methods Cross-sectional and national school health survey data were analyzed from adolescents (median age, 17 years) in Liberia and Mauritius in 2017. Results Overall, 17.8% of the students reported current tobacco use. In the final logistic regression model, current tobacco use was associated with five poor mental health indicators (loneliness, anxiety, suicidal ideation, suicide attempt, and suicide plan), and 12 health risk behaviors (current alcohol use, current cannabis use, lifetime amphetamine use, leisure-time sedentary behavior, fast food and soft drink, non-condom use, multiple sexual partners, non-birth control use, involvement in physical fighting, serious injury, and school truancy). Conclusions Interventions should include multiple comorbidities with tobacco use.

Sex Differences and Similarities in Risk Factors of Physical Aggression in Adolescence

Considerable research has documented risk factors of physical aggression in adolescence. However, less is known of sex differences in these associations. The current study addressed this important area by examining sex differences in concurrent associations of physical aggression with mental health concerns, trauma exposure, and substance use. The study sample consisted of 3686 boys (mean age 15.9 years) and 3881 girls (mean age 16.0 years) from Young-HUNT3, a population-based study of adolescents in Norway. Logistic regression was used to analyze the association of physical aggression, measured as involvement in physical fighting, with possible risk factors: attention problems, anxiety and depression, loneliness, self-esteem problems, trauma exposure, PTSD symptoms, and substance use. Twenty-one percent (n = 773) of boys and three percent (n = 133) of girls reported participating in physical fights. The results indicated that all risk factors were associated with physical aggression in the total sample as well as in boys and girls separately. Interaction effects with sex emerged for attention problems, anxiety and depression, loneliness, traumatic events, alcohol intoxication, and narcotics use, with larger odds ratios for girls than for boys. Attention problems, traumatic events, and alcohol intoxication showed unique associations with physical aggression for both boys and girls, in addition to PTSD symptoms for boys. In sum, boys’ and girls’ engagement in physical aggression was associated mainly with the same risk factors, but several of the factors increased the relative risk more for girls than for boys. The findings can inform interventions targeting physical aggression in adolescence.

Exposure to Peer Violence Among Romanian High School Students And Its Relationship With Internet Use And Other Health Risk Behaviors

INTRODUCTION: Peer violence can have important physical and psychological consequences. OBJECTIVES: This study assessed exposure to peer violence among Romanian high school students and investigated its relationship with internet use and other health risk behaviors. METHODS: A cross sectional study using anonymous questionnaires was performed in the school year 2015/2016 among 220 high school students from Cluj-Napoca, Romania. RESULTS: Around 9% of the girls, respectively 20% of the boys were involved in a physical fight with a peer in the last year. More than half of both girls and boys declared verbal aggression by peers at least once in the last year, while around one quarter of the participants declared being aggressed in the last year through messages sent by peers by phone or social media platforms. The results of the bivariate correlation analyses show that involvement in physical fights was positively associated with being boy, experimentation with smoking, electronic cigarettes use and getting drunk during lifetime. High school students who declared verbal aggression in the last year had the tendency to spend more time on internet for several purposes, to experiment smoking and alcohol intoxication. Exposure to peer violence through messages sent by phone or social media platforms was more frequents among those spending more time on internet, having social media accounts and getting drunk during lifetime. CONCLUSIONS: The study shows the need for future investigations in this field as well as the necessity to develop appropriate programs for prevention and decreasing of peer violence among high school students.

Health risk behaviours among adolescents in Argentina: trends between 2007, 2012 and 2018 national cross-sectional school surveys

BackgroundThe aim of this study was to assess trends of various health risk behaviours among adolescents across three different surveys in Argentina.MethodsData from 115,697 adolescents (mean age:14.6 years, SD=1.2) that participated in three cross-sectional national school surveys in 2007, 2012 and 2018 were analysed. In all, 27 health risk behaviours were assessed through a self-administered questionnaire. Significance of a linear trend was tested by treating study year as categorical variable in logistic regression analyses, adjusted by age group and food insecurity for boys and girls separatelyResultsAmong both sexes, four health risk behaviours (current cigarette use, passive smoking, trouble from alcohol use, and physically attacked) significantly reduced from 2007 to 2018. Among boys five health risk behaviours (experience of hunger, parental tobacco use, current alcohol use, involvement in physical fighting, and multiple sexual partners), and among girls, inadequate physical activity significantly reduced over time. Among both sexes, the prevalence of four health risk behaviours (overweight/obesity, obesity, leisure-time sedentary behaviour and insufficient fruit intake) significantly increased among both sexes, and among girls ten health risk behaviours (not walking/biking to school, current other tobacco use, bullying victimisation, lifetime drunkenness, having no close friends, suicide plan, suicidal ideation, worry-induced sleep disturbance, loneliness, and ever sexual intercourse) significantly increased over time.ConclusionNine health risk behaviours among boys and five health risk behaviours among girls decreased, and four health risk behaviours among boys and 14 health compromising behaviours among girls increased over a period of 11 years. School health programmes for adolescents should be strengthened in Argentina.

Trends of 20 Health Risk Behaviours Among Adolescents in Morocco: Results of Three National Cross-Sectional School Surveys of 2006, 2010 and 2016.

BackgroundThis study aimed to estimate the trends of 20 health risk behaviours among adolescents in Morocco.MethodsCross-sectional data from 13,109 adolescents (14 years median age) that took part in three waves (2006, 2010, and 2016) of the “Morocco Global School-Based Student Health Survey (GSHS)” were analysed.ResultsAmong both boys and girls, five health risk behaviours (being physically attacked, annual injury, passive smoking, zero days walking or biking to school, and poor hand hygiene after toilet use) significantly declined over time, as well as among boys the involvement in physical fighting. Inadequate fruit intake and current tobacco use increased among both boys and girls over time, and among girls bullying victimization and among boys poor hand hygiene prior to eating increased over time.ConclusionMore health risk behaviours decreased than increased in this study of three cross-sectional surveys over a period of 10 years. Additional school health promotion is needed.

The Association of Family-Related Adversity With Fighting in Adolescents: Does Hopelessness Mediate This Association?

Objectives: To explore the association of family-related adversities with physical fighting, and whether this association is mediated by hopelessness. Methods: The sample consisted of 3712 Slovak adolescents (mean age: 13.9, 50.7% girls). Participants answered questions regarding experienced family-related adversities, involvement in physical fighting in the last 12 months and the Hopelessness Questionnaire. First, the association of family adversities in general with fighting and of each of family-related adversity separately was assessed using linear regression models and second, mediation was assessed using the a*b product method with bootstrapped 95% confidence intervals Results: Adolescents who had experienced at least one family adversity reported more frequent fighting. Similarly, each of reported family adversities (death of a parent, substance abuse problems of a parent, conflicts/physical fights, divorce) was associated with more frequent fighting among adolescents. The mediation effect of hopelessness was found in each association of family-related adversity with fighting. Conclusion: These findings suggest that interventions to support adolescents who had experienced family adversities could among other things be directed at better coping with hopelessness.

Prevalence and correlates of single and multiple unintentional non-fatal injuries among school-going adolescents in Liberia.

This investigation aims to report on single and multiple unintentional nonfatal injuries among in-school adolescents in Liberia. Nationally representative cross-sectional data were statistically analysed from 2,744 adolescents (median age=18 years) that participated in the 2017 Liberia Global School-Based Student Health Survey (GSHS). The prevalence of single or multiple serious injuries (past 12 months) was 71.6% (31.8% once and 39.7% two or more times). Struck or hit by an object (10.6%), fall (9.0%), and motor vehicle crashes (8.6%) were the most frequent causes of injury, and cuts or open wounds (13.6%), fractures or dislocation (8.2%), and concussion (5.0%) were the most prevalent types of injury. In adjusted multinomial logistic regression analysis, experience of hunger (or food insecurity), passive smoking, frequent school truancy, psychological distress, and current cannabis use were associated with multiple and/or single injury. In addition, in unadjusted analysis, current tobacco use, ever drunk, ever amphetamine use, physically inactive and sedentary and walking and biking to school were associated with single and/or multiple injuries. In a separate multinomial logistic regression model, victims of physically assault, involvement in physical fighting, and bullying victimization were associated with both single and multiple injuries. A high prevalence of unintentional single and multiple injuries was discovered and several factors were found that can be utilized in targeting programmes aimed at injury prevention among adolescents.

Locked, Loaded, and Ready for School: The Association of Safety Concerns With Weapon-carrying Behavior Among Adolescents in the United States.

There is limited, if any, prior research exploring the potential link between adolescents' safety concerns and their predisposition to possess weapons has been limited. This study aimed to examine the relationship between high school students' perceived lack of safety and their weapons carrying behavior in a multiyear nationally representative sample of high school students. Information on self-reported weapons carrying in past month and gun carrying in past year, perceived lack of safety at school or during commute, being bullied and/or threatened, involvement in physical fights, and demographic characteristics were retrieved from Youth Risk Behavior Surveillance Survey data for 1991-2017. Generalized linear mixed models were used to address data clustering by survey year. Sampling design and sample weights were accounted for. Of a total number of 195,280 respondents with valid responses during 1991-2017, 18%, 7%, and 5%, respectively, carried weapon(s) in general, weapon(s) to school, and gun. On an average, 5% skipped school due to safety concerns. Missing ≥2 school days was associated with weapon (adjusted odds ratio [AOR]: 2.25; 95% confidence interval [CI]: 1.94 -2.61) and gun (AOR: 3.18; 95% CI: 1.81 -5.58) possessions, as well as weapons possession in school (AOR: 2.47; 95% CI: 1.96 -3.12). Experiences of weapons-induced injury(ies) or threat(s), and involvement in physical fights were other significant covariates in adjusted analyses. Compared with non-Hispanic whites, students of other racial/ethnic groups had significantly lower odds of possessing weapons. Perceived lack of safety emerged as a potential determinant of weapon carrying, a behavior with far-reaching public health concerns. While future research looking into the psychological motivations of possessing weapons is recommended, our findings offer a unique opportunity to address the crucial problems of school absenteeism induced by experiences of aggression and fears for safety as well as preempt the consequences of weapons-possession by adolescents.

Prevalence and Associated Factors of Loneliness Among National Samples of In-School Adolescents in Four Caribbean Countries.

The goal of the study was to estimate the prevalence and correlates of loneliness among adolescent school children in four Caribbean countries. Nationally representative cross-sectional data were analysed from 9,143 adolescents (15 years=median age) that took part in the "2016 Dominican Republic, 2016 Suriname, 2017 Jamaica and 2017 Trinidad and Tobago "Global School-Based Student Health Survey (GSHS)." The prevalence of loneliness was 15.3% in four Caribbean countries, ranging from 12.1% in Dominican Republic to 18.6% in Jamaica. In adjusted logistic regression analysis, female sex, having no close friends, older age, anxiety induced sleep disturbance, frequent bullying victimization (≥3 days/month), having been physically attacked, parental emotional neglect, having sustained multiple serious injuries (past year) and not eating fruit and vegetables were associated with loneliness. In addition, in sex stratified adjusted logistic regression analysis, among boys, daily exposure to passive smoking, and being from Suriname, and among girls, frequent experience of hunger, low peer support, trouble from drinking alcohol and high leisure-time sedentary behaviour (≥8 hrs/day) were associated with loneliness. Moreover, in addition to above results, in unadjusted analysis, involvement in physical fight, parents never check on homework, parental disrespect of privacy, frequent school truancy (≥3 days/month), current tobacco use, having no physical education and drinking frequently soft drinks (≥3/day) were associated with loneliness. Almost one in six students reported loneliness and several associated factors were identified which can aid intervention strategies.

Trends of Alcohol Use, Dietary Behaviour, Interpersonal Violence, Mental Health, Oral and Hand Hygiene Behaviour among Adolescents in Lebanon: Cross-Sectional National School Surveys from 2005, 2011 and 2017.

Health risk behaviours during adolescence can have long-term negative consequences. Little is known, however, about the recent health risk behaviour trends in adolescents in Lebanon. This investigation aimed to report the trends in the prevalence of various health risk behaviours, such as alcohol use, dietary behaviour, interpersonal violence, mental health, oral and hand hygiene, among adolescents in Lebanon. Cross-sectional nationally representative data were analysed from 13,109 adolescents (14 years median age) that participated in three waves (2005, 2011 and 2017) of the “Lebanon Global School-Based Student Health Survey (GSHS)”. Results indicate that significant improvements were found among both boys and girls in the decline in interpersonal violence (bulling victimization, being physically attack and involvement in physical fighting), poor washing of hands after using the toilet, and suicide planning, and among girls only loneliness, worry-induced sleep disturbance and suicidal ideation. Significant increases were found among both boys and girls in the prevalence of inadequate fruit consumption, and among boys only unintentional injury and not always washing hands before eating. In conclusion, several decreases but also increases in health risk behaviours were found over three assessment points during a period of 12 years calling for continued health enhancing activities in this adolescent population.

Correlates of bullying victimization among school adolescents in Nepal: Findings from 2015 Global School-Based Student Health Survey Nepal.

Bullying is an emerging risk factor for poor mental health outcomes adversely affecting children and adolescents. However, it has rarely caught the attention of the health and education sector due to lack of evidence in many countries including Nepal. This study aimed to assess the prevalence and factors associated with bullying behavior among adolescent students in Nepal. We used nationally representative data from the Nepal Global School-Based Student Health Survey that involved two-stage cluster sampling design with the use of a standard set of self-administered questionnaires. Complex sample analysis was done to determine the prevalence and correlates of bullying among 6529 students of 68 schools studying in grade 7 to 11 using descriptive analysis and multivariable logistic regression. The overall prevalence of bullying among Nepalese school adolescents was 51% (55.67% in male and 46.17% in female). Bullied adolescents more commonly reported mental health problems with higher risk of loneliness (aOR 1.36, 95% CI: 1.12, 1.64), anxiety (aOR 2.04, 95% CI: 1.65, 2.52), suicide attempt (aOR 2.08, 95% CI: 1.54, 2.81), school absenteeism due to fear (aOR 1.72, 95% CI: 1.34, 2.21) and school truancy (aOR 1.48, 95% CI: 1.17, 1.87). A significant association was seen between bullying victimization and negative health behaviors like involvement in physical fights (aOR 3.64, 95% CI: 2.94, 4.51) and tobacco use (aOR 2.05, 95% CI: 1.15, 3.65). School bullying is significantly associated with mental health factors like loneliness, anxiety, suicide attempt, school absenteeism and risky behavioral factors like smokeless tobacco use and involvement in physical fight. The insights provided by these findings have important implications for planning anti-bullying strategies in school settings in the Nepalese context.

Prevalence and correlates of interpersonal violence among in-school adolescents in Tanzania

The study aimed to assess the prevalence and correlates of interpersonal violence (physical attacks and physical fighting) among school-going adolescents in Tanzania. We analysed an existing data set of 3 765 adolescent learners (mean age = 14 years, SD = 1. 7 years) by the Global School-based Student Health Survey in 2014. Results indicate that 53.1% of the students reported experiencing physical attack (54.4% in boys and 51.6% in girls) and 29.9% had engaged in a physical fight the past 12 months (29.3% in boys and 29.7% in girls). In adjusted logistic regression analyses, school truancy, bullying victimisation, and injury were associated with physical attack experience. Being younger and self-reporting health risk beahviours such as sedentary behaviour, current tobacco use, consumption of soft drinks, bullying victimisation, and injury were associated with involvement in physical fights. Preventive interpersonal violence interventions with adolescent school learners should seek to address both physical aggression survivorship and perpetration.

Factors associated with current tobacco use among adolescents and young students

ObjectivesTo determine the prevalence of current tobacco use and its association with sociodemographic factors and risk behaviors among adolescents and young students, according to gender. MethodsThe sample consisted of students from the state public school network aged between 12 and 24 years, who answered the Brazilian version of the Youth Risk Behavior Survey questionnaire. The data were analyzed in SPSS software (v. 20.0), using Poisson regression to evaluate the prevalence ratio (PR) of the independent variables in relation to the outcome. p<0.05 was established as the significance level. ResultsThe final analysis consisted of 1275 adolescents, of whom 716 (56.2%) were girls and 559 (43.8%) were boys. The prevalence of current tobacco use was 6.6% among girls and 9.7% among boys. In females, consuming alcohol in the last 30 days (3.91 [1.54–9.94]) and being 14 years old or younger (0.50 [0.26–0.96]) influenced current tobacco use. In the male gender, tobacco use in the last 30 days was influenced by current alcohol consumption (2.92 [1.21–7.08]) and involvement in physical fighting in the last 12 months (2.32 [1.32–4.09]). ConclusionAlthough the prevalence of current tobacco use was low in both genders, the assessed population still presents a risk, since male involvement in physical fighting and current consumption of alcohol in both genders increased the probability of this population becoming regular tobacco users.

School Violence Among a Nationally Representative Sample of Adolescents in Chile.

Background: School violence is widely acknowledged as a public health problem with considerable consequences on student learning and social development. There are also a wide range of health consequences. A large share of previous research on school violence has focused on populations in the global north, with significant gaps in the state of knowledge in the world's emerging economies. To this end, the present study provides an examination of correlates for school-based violence in Chile using a nationally representative cohort.Methods: Six independent variables were considered (age, sex, physical activity, sedentary life style, bullying victimization, food insecurity) within a logistic regression model to ascertain the strength and direction of associations with physical fighting.Results: Among the surveyed students, ~13.08% reported being involved in two or more physical fights during the twelve month recall period. Males were significantly over represented among those reporting being involved in a fight OR 2.91 (CI = 1.98–4.27). Those who reported experiencing food insecurity were 5.29 (CI = 1.43–19.50) times more likely to have been involved in a physical fight. Students who reported being bullied were 2.41 (CI = 1.67–3.47) times more likely to have been involved in physical fights. While age provided protection from involvement in physical fights with an adjusted odds ratio of 0.91 (CI = 0.84–0.98).Conclusion: Consistent with previous research, our results suggest that the use of school-based interventions that target multiple risk behaviors may be helpful in reducing rates of physical fighting.

Involvement in Physical Fights among School Attending Adolescents: A Nationally Representative Sample from Kuwait.

Background: Interpersonal violence in school settings is an important public health problem worldwide. This study investigated the individual and social correlates for being involved in a physical fight amongst a nationally representative sample of school-attending adolescents in Kuwait. Methods: We carried out bivariate and multivariate analyses to determine the strength and direction of associations with adolescent involvement in problematic fighting behavior within a 12-month recall period. Results: Within a total sample of 3637, n = 877 (25.2%) of school-attending adolescents reported being involved in two or more physical fights during the recall period. The multivariate analysis indicated that being male (OR = 2.71; CI = 1.88–3.90), a victim of bullying (OR = 2.77; CI = 2.14–3.58), truancy (OR = 2.52; CI = 1.91–3.32), planning a suicide (OR = 2.04; CI = 1.49–2.78) and food deprivation (OR = 1.91; CI = 1.37–2.65) were associated with an increased risk of involvement in physical fighting. Peer support in the form of having close friends (OR = 0.85; CI = 0.76–0.96) was found to be associated with a reduced involvement in fighting behavior. Conclusion: The results, when taken together, suggest that supportive school environments may represent important settings for violence mitigation and prevention strategies.