Social Ecological Determinants of Youth Violence Among Ethnically Diverse Asian and Pacific Islander Students

Abstract

This study assesses the relative fit of risk/protective and social ecological models of youth violence among predominantly Asian and Pacific Islander students. Data from a 2007 survey of two multi-ethnic high schools in Hawai'i were used. The survey assessed interpersonal youth violence, suicidality and risk and protective factors. Two models of youth violence (risk/protective and social ecological) were tested using structural equation modeling. We found good fits for the risk/protective model (χ(2) = 369.42, df = 77, P < .0001; CFI = .580; RMSEA = .066) and the ecological model (χ(2) = 1763.65, df = 292, P < .0001; CFI = .636; RMSEA = .076). The risk/protective model showed the importance of coping skills. However, the ecological model allowed examination of the interconnectivity among factors. Peer exposure to violence had no direct influence on individuals and peer influence was fully mediated by school climate. Furthermore, family factors directly contributed to peer exposure, community, and individual risk/protection. These findings have significant implications for intervention and prevention efforts and for the promotion of positive, competent, and healthy youth development. While few family and school-based programs have been developed and evaluated for adolescents, they have the greatest potential for success.

The Role of Collaboration in Facilitating Policy Change in Youth Violence Prevention: a Review of the Literature

“…Policy-related interventions are difficult to design, evaluate, and disseminate. But this means that investigators must examine different methods of evaluation and surveillance, as well as utilize multiple data sources to monitor trends (Sugimoto-Matsuda et al 2012). Monitoring of macro-level changes also necessitates longitudinal data, as societal-level effects may not be seen until years after implementation.…”

“…The complex nature of youth violence dictates a comprehensive approach that integrates complementary interventions within an ecological context (Goebert et al 2010; Thornton et al 2002; WHO 2002). The social ecological framework drives interventions to address the micro-systems the individual interacts with, the meso-system (linkages between microsystem domains), the exo-system (institutional regulations that shape relationships between individuals and micro-systems), and the macro-system context of cultural history and social/political influences (Brach and Fraserirector 2000; Bronfenbrenner 1979).…”

Las muertes violentas en Costa Rica y sus inequidades geográficas

“…Esto es porque el contexto social actúa como un determinante de la conducta humana que tiene finalmente impacto en la salud. (Goebert, D., Chang, J., Chung-Do, J., et al, 2012;Umemoto, K., Baker, C., Helm, S., Miao, T., Goebert, D. & Hishinuma, E., 2009).…”

“…El espacio geográfico ha sido explorado como evidencia de las inequidades en salud en Costa Rica y en diversos países, mediante la redacción de mapas, atlas geográficos y estudios epidemiológicos con enfoque ecológico (Morera Salas, M., & Aparicio Llanos, A., 2007) (Benach Rovira, J., Yutaka, Y., et al, 2001(Guell, D., & Bixby, L., 2000) (Rodríguez, M., & Urbanos, R., 2008 Los modelos espaciales o socio ecológicos muestran importantes variaciones en la probabilidad de vivir y morir entre territorios de un mismo país, manifestación clara del desigual acceso a recursos (Goebert, D., Chang, J., Chung-Do, J., et al, 2012;Umemoto, K., Baker, C., Helm, S., Miao, T., Goebert, D., & Hishinuma, E.,2009).…”

Las inequidades geográficas en la mortalidad infantil en Costa Rica, período 2008-2012

“…Los modelos espaciales o socio ecológicos muestran importantes variaciones en la probabilidad de vivir y morir entre territorios de un mismo país, manifestación claridad sobre del desigual acceso a recursos (Goebert et al, 2012) (Umemoto, Baker, Helm, Miao, Goebert, y Hishinuma, 2009). De manera particular, en el caso de la mortalidad infantil, los diseños ecológicos se han utilizado también para medir inequidades (Ramalho, Sardinha, Rodrigues y Duarte, 2013) (Flores y Cerdas, 2012).…”