The Overlap of Youth Violence Among Aggressive Adolescents with Past-Year Alcohol Use—A Latent Class Analysis: Aggression and Victimization in Peer and Dating Violence in an Inner City Emergency Department Sample

Abstract

The purpose of this study was to identify overlap and violence types between peer and dating aggression and victimization using latent class analysis (LCA) among a sample of aggressive adolescents with a history of alcohol use and to identify risk and protective factors associated with each violence class. Method: From September 2006 to September 2009, a systematic sample of patients (14-18 years old) seeking care in an urban emergency department were approached. Adolescents reporting any past-year alcohol use and aggression completed a survey using validated measures including types of violence (severe and moderate aggression, severe and moderate victimization with both peers and dating partners). Using LCA, violence classes were identifi ed; correlates of membership in each LCA class were determined. Results: Among this sample (n = 694), LCA identifi ed three classes described as (a) peer aggression (PA) (52.2%), (b) peer aggression + peer victimization (PAPV) (18.6%), and (c) multiple domains of violence (MDV) (29.3%). Compared with those in the PA class, those in the PAPV class were more likely to be male, report injury in a fi ght, and have delinquent peers. Compared with the PA class, those in the MDV class were more likely to be female, African American, report injury in a fi ght, carry a weapon, experience negative consequences from alcohol use, and have delinquent peers and more family confl ict. Compared with the PAPV class, those in the MDV class were likely to be female, African American, receive public assistance, carry a weapon, experience negative consequences from alcohol use, and use marijuana. Conclusions: There is extensive overlap of victimization and aggression in both peer and dating relationships. Also, those with high rates of violence across relationships have increased alcohol misuse and marijuana use. Thus, violence-prevention efforts should consider addressing concomitant substance use.

Prevalence and characteristics of three subtypes of dating violence among Danish seventh-grade students

“…Some findings suggest that boys and girls use similar levels of both physical and emotional violence toward their partners (37)(38)(39) resulting in propositions that adolescent ADV demonstrates a greater degree of gender symmetry compared with adult partner violence where women are predominantly the victim. Although studies show that boys and girls use similar levels of physical violence toward their partners, different patterns emerge (36,38,39). Some evidence demonstrates that although girls use violence predominantly for self-defense, boys mainly use violence as the primary aggressor to exert control over their partner (38,40).…”

Consumo de álcool e violência física entre adolescentes: quem é o preditor?

“…Quando o adolescente sai da posição de ví-tima e passa a ser analisado nos estudos como o perpetrador da violência, a associação significativa entre o álcool e o comportamento violento foi verificada em grande parte dos estudos [1][2][3]10,14,15,20,21,23,29 . Isso pode ocorrer pelo fato dos adolescentes, sob efeito da bebida, perderem o senso crítico e se tornarem agressivos 10 .…”

“…A violência avaliada pelos entrevistados nos últimos 12 meses foi relacionada ao consumo de álcool nos últimos 30 dias. Adotar essa variação na referência pode trazer comprometimento à análise dos estudos, uma vez que as relações temporais são diferentes e expõem os indivíduos ao viés de memória, visto que os estudos que consideraram os eventos nos últimos 12 meses encontraram menos associação significativa do que os que consideraram entre 1 e 3 meses 2,3,10,14,15,18,20,21,23 . Alguns autores optaram por agrupar algumas variáveis estudadas.…”

Understanding the service needs of assault-injured, drug-using youth presenting for care in an urban emergency department

“…in dating/partner relationships and peer/non-partner relationships, separately. 12,62 Weapon carriage during the past six-months was measured via two items assessing whether participants "carried a knife or razor" and/or "carried a gun." 63 Current gang affiliation was assessed via a question from the Tulane National Youth Study.…”

“…5 There is an extensive evidence-base regarding the association between substance use, mental health disorders, and a history of violence. [6][7][8][9][10][11][12][13][14][15][16][17][18] The few ED-based studies of youth with acute assault-injuries have reported high levels of depressive symptoms, [19][20][21][22][23] post-traumatic stress symptoms, 22,24 and alcohol/substance use. 19,22,25 Nonetheless, prior studies have been limited by: 1)the use of convenience samples; 2) the inclusion of only those with biological markers of substance use, alone; 3) interviewing patients long after the assault event took place; 4) the lack of use of diagnostic criteria for substance use/mental health disorders; 5) the lack of a non-injured comparison group of drug using youth.…”