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01-12-2011

Attitudes about Violence and Involvement in Peer Violence among Youth: Findings from a High-Risk Community

Authors: Bina Ali, Monica H. Swahn, Kymberle L. Sterling

Published in: Journal of Urban Health | Issue 6/2011

Abstract

Peer violence perpetration and victimization are the most common types of violence among youth. This study determined the associations among violent attitudes toward peers, involvement in peer violence perpetration, and experience with peer violence victimization among boys and girls in a high-risk, urban community. Analyses were based on data from the 2004 Youth Violence Survey, which was administered to over 80% of public school students in grades 7, 9, 11, and 12 (N = 4,131) in a disadvantaged, urban, school district in the USA. Logistic regression analyses were conducted to test the associations between attitudes in support of violence and involvement in violent behaviors. Results show that among youth, attitudes supporting boys hitting boys significantly increased the odds of peer violence perpetration after controlling for potential confounders (adjusted odds ratio [AOR], 1.35; 95% confidence interval [CI] = 1.07, 1.72). However, stratified analyses for boys and girls show that attitudes supporting boys hitting boys increased the odds of peer violence perpetration for girls only after controlling for potential confounders (AOR, 1.49; 95% CI = 1.05, 2.13). The findings demonstrate that there are important differences between boys and girls in terms of their associations with violent attitudes and involvement in actual violent behaviors. However, additional research is needed to determine how attitude modifications can be incorporated into youth violence prevention programs.

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Title: Attitudes about Violence and Involvement in Peer Violence among Youth: Findings from a High-Risk Community
Authors: Bina Ali
Monica H. Swahn
Kymberle L. Sterling
Publication date: 01-12-2011
Publisher: Springer US
Published in: Journal of Urban Health / Issue 6/2011
Print ISSN: 1099-3460
Electronic ISSN: 1468-2869
DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s11524-011-9601-6

At a glance: The STEP trials

Springer Medicine

Attitudes about Violence and Involvement in Peer Violence among Youth: Findings from a High-Risk Community

Abstract

At a glance: The STEP trials

Springer Medicine

Abstract

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