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Weerakoon SM, Henson-Garcia M, Abraham A, Vidot DC, Messiah SE, Opara I. Adolescent Polysubstance Use and Co-Occurring Weapon Carrying, Bullying Victimization, and Depressive Symptomology: Patterns and Differences in the United States. Child Psychiatry Hum Dev 2023:10.1007/s10578-023-01573-2. [PMID: 37477824 DOI: 10.1007/s10578-023-01573-2] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Accepted: 07/10/2023] [Indexed: 07/22/2023]
Abstract
Adolescent substance use commonly co-occurs with poor mental health, bullying victimization and risky behaviors that may lead to violence. The purpose was to describe the United States (US) national prevalence of polysubstance use and co-occurring characteristics and associated demographic characteristics among youth. Middle and high school students in the 2019 CDC YRBS survey reported their demographics and current ( ≥ 1 days in the last 30 days) substances used (alcohol, cigarette, e-cigarette, cannabis); polysubstance combinations were generated. Cross-sectional weighted logistic regression estimated odds of polysubstance use and frequent use ( ≥ 6 days in the last 30 days) by weapon carrying, depressive symptoms, bullying victimization, and demographics. Mean age of the sample was 16 years, 51% were boys, 51% were non-Hispanic White. While accounting for 21% of the sample, 22-40% of Multiracial youth reported polysubstance use and frequent use. Odds of frequent polysubstance use (all combinations) were highest for weapon carrying youth.
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Affiliation(s)
- Sitara M Weerakoon
- The Substances and Sexual Health Lab, Department of Social and Behavioral Sciences, Yale University School of Public Health, 47 College Street Suite 18, New Haven, CT, 06510, USA.
- Department of Epidemiology, Human Genetics, and Environmental Sciences, University of Texas Health Science Center at Houston (UTHealth) School of Public Health, Dallas, TX, USA.
- Center for Pediatric Population Health, University of Texas Health Science Center at Houston (UTHealth) School of Public Health, Dallas, TX, USA.
| | - Mike Henson-Garcia
- Department of Health Promotion and Behavioral Sciences, University of Texas Health Science Center at Houston (UTHealth) School of Public Health, Dallas, TX, USA
| | - Ann Abraham
- The Substances and Sexual Health Lab, Department of Social and Behavioral Sciences, Yale University School of Public Health, 47 College Street Suite 18, New Haven, CT, 06510, USA
- Department of Epidemiology, Columbia University Mailman School of Public Health, New York, NY, USA
| | - Denise C Vidot
- School of Nursing and Health Studies, University of Miami, Coral Gables, FL, USA
| | - Sarah E Messiah
- Department of Epidemiology, Human Genetics, and Environmental Sciences, University of Texas Health Science Center at Houston (UTHealth) School of Public Health, Dallas, TX, USA
- Center for Pediatric Population Health, University of Texas Health Science Center at Houston (UTHealth) School of Public Health, Dallas, TX, USA
| | - Ijeoma Opara
- The Substances and Sexual Health Lab, Department of Social and Behavioral Sciences, Yale University School of Public Health, 47 College Street Suite 18, New Haven, CT, 06510, USA
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Chavez L, Kivisto AJ, Gray SL, Thomas KJ. Youth gun carrying and household firearm ownership in 22 US states. JOURNAL OF COMMUNITY PSYCHOLOGY 2022; 50:3640-3658. [PMID: 35415916 DOI: 10.1002/jcop.22861] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/26/2021] [Revised: 02/16/2022] [Accepted: 03/21/2022] [Indexed: 06/14/2023]
Abstract
Youth gun carrying is associated with a range of adverse outcomes, including increased risks for homicide, suicide, school disciplinary problems, and criminal legal involvement. In this study we examined the association between state-level household firearm ownership rates and the odds of past-year gun carrying among high-school-aged youth. Using survey-weighted multivariable logistic regression models, results showed that each 1% point increase in state-level gun ownership was associated with a 2.7% (95% confidence interval [CI] = [1.1%, 4.2%], p = 0.001) increased odds of youth gun carrying, controlling for histories of school-based victimization, physical fighting, and substance use. Among a subset of weapon-carrying youth, state-level firearm availability was a significant factor in determining whether the weapon carried was a gun or a less lethal (i.e., nonfirearm) weapon (odds ratio = 1.021, 95% CI = [1.005, 1.038], p = 0.01). These findings show that firearm availability confers additional risk for youth gun carrying beyond the psychosocial risks emphasized in prior research and efforts to restrict youth access to firearms might be particularly important, especially in communities with high levels of household gun ownership.
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Affiliation(s)
- Leo Chavez
- Graduate Department of Clinical Psychology, University of Indianapolis, Indianapolis, Indiana, USA
| | - Aaron J Kivisto
- Graduate Department of Clinical Psychology, University of Indianapolis, Indianapolis, Indiana, USA
| | - Samantha L Gray
- Graduate Department of Clinical Psychology, University of Indianapolis, Indianapolis, Indiana, USA
| | - Kendra J Thomas
- Graduate Department of Clinical Psychology, University of Indianapolis, Indianapolis, Indiana, USA
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Pengpid S, Peltzer K. Prevalence and associated factors of weapon carrying among university students from 25 countries. JOURNAL OF PSYCHOLOGY IN AFRICA 2021. [DOI: 10.1080/14330237.2020.1871246] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 10/22/2022]
Affiliation(s)
- Supa Pengpid
- ASEAN Institute for Health Development, Mahidol University, Salaya, Phutthamonthon, Nakhon Pathom, Thailand
- Department of Research Administration and Development, University of Limpopo, Turfloop, South Africa
| | - Karl Peltzer
- Department of Psychology, University of the Free State, Bloemfontein, South Africa
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Ganson KT, Nagata JM. Gender and Sexual Orientation Bullying Victimization are Associated with Gun Carrying Among Adolescent Boys. CHILD & ADOLESCENT SOCIAL WORK JOURNAL : C & A 2020; 38:631-640. [PMID: 32836723 PMCID: PMC7402073 DOI: 10.1007/s10560-020-00689-x] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 06/11/2023]
Abstract
Gun carrying and bullying victimization are associated among adolescent boys, however the type of the bullying remains relatively unknown. This study aimed to identify whether experiencing bullying victimization based on gender and sexual orientation is associated with carrying a gun to school among adolescent boys. A cross-sectional analysis among a representative sample of high school boys (n = 3672) from the 2015 Maine Integrated Youth Health Survey was conducted. Odds ratios (OR) and 95% confidence intervals (CI) were obtained using logistic regression analyses while controlling for grade level, race/ethnicity, sexual orientation, suicidal ideation, alcohol and marijuana use, and gun access. Among the sample, 3.3% reported carrying a gun to school at least one time in the previous 12-months, 9.5% reported experiencing gender-based bullying victimization, and 7% reported experiencing sexual orientation-based bullying victimization. Regression analyses indicated that adolescent boys who experienced gender-based bullying victimization (OR 3.40, 95% CI 1.64, 5.62, p < .001) or sexual orientation-based bullying victimization (OR 3.57, 95% CI 1.91, 6.67, p < .001) had greater odds of reporting they carried a gun to school while controlling for grade level, race/ethnicity, sexual orientation, suicidal ideation, alcohol and marijuana use, and gun access. These results expand upon previous gun carrying and bullying research by identifying the specific type of the bullying experienced and have important implications for social workers and school personnel. Importantly, these results emphasize the need to address two of the Grand Challenges for Social Work: building healthy relationships to end violence and ensuring the healthy development for all youth.
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Affiliation(s)
- Kyle T. Ganson
- Factor-Inwentash Faculty of Social Work, University of Toronto, Toronto, ON Canada
| | - Jason M. Nagata
- Division of Adolescent and Young Adult Medicine, Department of Pediatrics, University of California, San Francisco, San Francisco, CA USA
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Emmert AD, Hall GP, Lizotte AJ. Do Weapons Facilitate Adolescent Delinquency? An Examination of Weapon Carrying and Delinquency Among Adolescents. CRIME AND DELINQUENCY 2018; 64:342-362. [PMID: 29725135 PMCID: PMC5926245 DOI: 10.1177/0011128717714466] [Citation(s) in RCA: 8] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 06/02/2023]
Abstract
This article examines whether weapon carrying influences the frequency and variety of violent, property, and drug delinquency adolescents commit through fixed-effects analyses of data from the Rochester Youth Development Study (RYDS). We conclude that weapon carrying contributes to violent, substance, and property delinquency, and delinquent behaviors learned during weapon carrying continue to affect substance and property delinquency long after carrying has ceased.
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Community violence exposure and substance use: cross-cultural and gender perspectives. Eur Child Adolesc Psychiatry 2018; 27:493-500. [PMID: 29264649 PMCID: PMC5893709 DOI: 10.1007/s00787-017-1097-5] [Citation(s) in RCA: 13] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/21/2016] [Accepted: 12/08/2017] [Indexed: 11/03/2022]
Abstract
The negative effects of community violence exposure on child and adolescent mental health are well documented and exposure to community violence has been linked both to a number of internalizing and externalizing symptoms. Our aim was, therefore, to investigate cross-cultural and gender differences in the relationship between community violence exposure and substance abuse. A self-report survey was conducted among 10,575, 12-18 year old adolescents in three different countries, Czech Republic (N = 4537), Russia (N = 2377) and US (N = 3661). We found that in all three countries both substance use and problem behavior associated with it increased similarly along with severity of violence exposure and this association was not gender-specific. It was concluded that in spite of the differences in the levels of violence exposure and substance use cross-culturally and by gender, the pattern of their association is neither culturally nor gender bound.
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Wallace LN. Illicit juvenile weapon possession: The role of serious sanctioning in future behavior. THE SOCIAL SCIENCE JOURNAL 2017; 54:319-328. [PMID: 29398772 PMCID: PMC5793880 DOI: 10.1016/j.soscij.2017.03.005] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.1] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/22/2015] [Revised: 11/10/2016] [Accepted: 03/29/2017] [Indexed: 06/07/2023]
Affiliation(s)
- Lacey N Wallace
- Penn State Altoona, Department of Criminal Justice, 101G Cypress Building, 3000 Ivyside Park, Altoona, PA 16601
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