Browsing by Subject "youth violence"

Now showing 1 - 4 of 4
  • Thumbnail Image
    Item
  • Thumbnail Image
    Item
    Comprehensive assessment of youth violence in five Caribbean countries: Gender and age differences
    (Taylor & Francis, 2017) Gentle-Genitty, Carolyn; Kim, Jangmin; Yi, Eun-Hye; Slater, Douglas; Reynolds, Beverly; Bragg, Natasha; School of Social Work
    Differences in gender and age have been established in the context of crime, violence, and prevalence of risk and protective factors. These studies are often notable only in the Western Hemisphere. Despite growth in crime and violence in the Caribbean Community (CARICOM), relatively little understanding of violence in CARICOM member states exists. In light of these concerns, the major purposes of this study include: (1) comprehensively assessing the scope of the four behaviors (i.e., engagement, victimization, witness, and report) in relation to violence and youth’s perceptions of risk and protective factors in family and school domains, and (2) examining how they differ by youth’s gender and age. This study draws on assessment data on youth violence in five CARICOM Member States: Antigua and Barbuda, St. Kitts and Nevis, St. Lucia, Jamaica, and Trinidad and Tobago using a completed 51-item quantitative questionnaire from approximately 512 students. The results suggest that violence engagement, victimization, witness, and report significantly differed by gender and age. Male students were more likely to engage in violence, but less likely to report such violence to adults. Similarly, older students reported that they were more likely to engage in and witness violence. For risk and protective factors, female students reported significantly higher scores on domestic violence, whereas male students had higher scores on the access to drugs/weapons. Older students also tended to report higher levels of some school risk factors and lower levels of some protective factors in both family and school.
  • Thumbnail Image
    Item
    Trends in Depressed Mood and Suicidal Behaviors Among Female High School Students Who Engaged in Physical Fighting
    (Sage, 2019) Ford, Janet H.; Zollinger, Terrell W.; Zhang, Jianjun; O'Neil, Joseph; Nelson, David R.; Steele, Gregory K.; Epidemiology, School of Public Health
    The objective of this article is to identify prevalence changes in depressed mood/suicidal behaviors among female high school students reporting physical fighting. This research analyzed the national combined data set of the Youth Risk Behavior Surveillance (YRBS) cross-sectional surveys from 2001 to 2015. Logistic regression analyzed the time trends. Two multiple logistic regression models were built. A quadratic trend was present with an initial decrease followed by an increase 2009 to 2015 (p < .001). The odds and severity of depressed mood/suicidal behaviors were greater among female youths with four or more fights and for other violent events, which were even greater when accounting for electronic bullying. The odds of depressed mood/suicidal behaviors among female adolescents engaged in physical fighting has been increasing with electronic bullying contributing to polyvictimization.
  • Thumbnail Image
    Item
    The Young Men in the Streets of “Pockets of Peace”: The Feasibility of Obtaining Data through Cell Phone Journals
    (Office of the Vice Chancellor for Research, 2016-04-08) Sow, Hadyatoullaye; Leech, Tamara; Irby-Shasanmi, Amy
    This project is an extension of a study by Dr. Tamara Leech called “Pockets of Peace,” which examines certain Indianapolis communities that, despite high rates of concentrated disadvantage, exhibit low rates of youth violence. The following research focuses on the methods, incentives, and logistics needed to recruit and retain young men most at risk for violence in these communities. To understand the reasons for resilience or nonresilience, 28 participants in both pockets and non-pockets were provided iPhones. Using these iPhones, they completed biweekly surveys regarding their experiences, their neighborhoods, and the violence that does or does not define them. Participants had their phone plans paid for the duration of the study and were provided $25 gift cards per monthly meeting they attend, wherein they were granted the opportunity to elaborate on survey responses. Participation rates tell an interesting story. The sample size and the engagement of the participants fluctuated weekly; yet, the average participation rate, which considers the number of participants expected to complete the survey and the actual number of surveys completed, ranged from 70% to 95% per survey. After two missed surveys, participants’ phones were shut off, as an incentive for them to complete surveys consistently. While some of the young men fail to do so, significant data was gathered from completed surveys and monthly meetings. There are no better experts on youth violence in Indianapolis than the youth themselves. The participants’ cell phone journals provide qualitative meaning to researchers’ quantitative data by recording perspectives and stories that contextualize the statistics. Simultaneously, participants benefit materially and also gain a sense of purpose from contributing to the betterment of their community.