Gang membership of California middle school students: behaviors and attitudes as mediators of school violence

Abstract

Empirical evidence examining how risk and protective behaviors may possibly mediate the association between gang membership and school violence is limited. This study utilizes a statewide representative sample of 152 023 Latino, Black and White seventh graders from California to examine a theoretical model of how school risk (e.g. truancy, school substance use and risky peer approval) and protective (e.g. connectedness, support and safety) behaviors and attitudes mediate the effects of gang membership on school violence behaviors. The dataset was collected in the 2005-2006 and 2006-2007 academic school years using the ongoing large-scale California Healthy Kids Survey conducted by WestEd for the State of California. Approximately 9.5% of the sample considered themselves to be a member of a gang. The findings indicate that school risk behaviors and attitudes mediate the association between gang membership and school violence behaviors. Although the direct negative association between gang membership and school violence perpetration is weak, the positive indirect effect mediated by school risks behaviors and attitudes is strong. This indicates that when gang members engage in school risk behaviors, they are much more likely to be school violence perpetrators. Implications for further research, theory and practice for both gang and school violence researchers are discussed.

Conceptualizing and Measuring Safe, Stable, Nurturing Relationships and Environments in Educational Settings

“…Children who experience relationships and environments that promote these factors, individually and in combination, are more likely to build healthy brain architecture and less likely to experience toxic stress in their environment (Conger, Schofield, Neppl, & Merrick, 2013; Dixon, Browne, & Hamilton-Giachritsis, 2009; Mercy & Saul, 2009; Shonkoff, Boyce, & McEwen, 2009). They also may be less likely to be victims and perpetrators of school violence (Estrada, Gilreath, Astor & Benbenishty, 2013; Hill et al, 1999), have higher emotional intelligence (Elipe, Del Rey, & Ortega-Ruiz, 2015) and higher academic achievement (Hurd & Sellers, 2013). …”

“…School violence represents the extreme end of the safety continuum in the school ecology and there is ample evidence for its detrimental effects on developmental outcomes. School violence has been shown to be associated with other delinquent activities such as gang membership (Estrada, Gilreath, Astor & Benbenishty, 2013) and bullying (Bradshaw, Waasdorp, Debnam, & Johnson, 2014). Violence and aggressive behavior among school-aged youth have also been shown to negatively impact cognition, school connectedness, and school attendance, which have cumulative effects on academic achievement (Basch, 2011) and interpersonal relationships (Elipe, Del Rey, Ortega-Ruiz, 2015).…”

“…For example, the U.S. Department of Education’s Safe and Supportive Schools model promotes emotional and physical safety (including bullying prevention, drug-free environments, and emergency preparedness) as key components of healthy schools (National Center on Safe Supportive Learning Environments, 2015). Research suggests that increased school connectedness, school safety, and school support are associated with decreased risks of school victimization and school violence perpetration (Estrada, Gilreath, Astor & Benbenishty, 2013), as well as increased academic performance (Estell & Perdue, 2013; Garcia-Reid, Peterson & Reid, 2015; Murray, 2009), improved well-being (Shochet & Smith, 2014), and more seamless transitions to adulthood (Monahan et al, 2010). Substantial research suggests the likelihood of student victimization decreases when middle school students feel safe, connected and supported by an adult or adults within their school (Benbenishty & Astor, 2005; Cornell & Mayer, 2010; Estrada, Gilreath, Astor & Benbenishty, 2013; Jimerson & Furlong, 2006; Mayer & Furlong, 2010; Swearer et al, 2010).…”

“…Research suggests that increased school connectedness, school safety, and school support are associated with decreased risks of school victimization and school violence perpetration (Estrada, Gilreath, Astor & Benbenishty, 2013), as well as increased academic performance (Estell & Perdue, 2013; Garcia-Reid, Peterson & Reid, 2015; Murray, 2009), improved well-being (Shochet & Smith, 2014), and more seamless transitions to adulthood (Monahan et al, 2010). Substantial research suggests the likelihood of student victimization decreases when middle school students feel safe, connected and supported by an adult or adults within their school (Benbenishty & Astor, 2005; Cornell & Mayer, 2010; Estrada, Gilreath, Astor & Benbenishty, 2013; Jimerson & Furlong, 2006; Mayer & Furlong, 2010; Swearer et al, 2010). Further, positive mentoring relationships in the classroom may be supportive of positive school attitudes (Zimmerman et al, 2005) as well as youth school engagement and academic performance, particularly for youth from low-income and minority backgrounds (Estell & Perdue, 2013; Garcia-Reid, Peterson & Reid, 2015; Hurd & Sellers, 2013; Murray, 2009).…”

Exploring the Relationships between Perceptions of Peer Prejudice, School Attendance, and Academic Performance among Adolescent Youth

“…However, previous research [28,29] has identified perceived peer prejudice in school to be a factor related to negative experiences and behaviors in the school environment among adolescents including but not limited to unexcused absences and/or truancy, violence and aggression, and bullying [28][29][30].…”