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Weapon-related violence, especially the use of handguns, among adolescents is a serious public health concern. Using public-use data file from the adolescent sample (N = 17,842) in the 2008 National Survey on Drug Use and Health (NSDUH), this study examines the behavioral, parental involvement, and prevention correlates of handgun carrying. Overall, 3.1% of adolescents between the ages of 12 and 17 reported carrying a handgun in the past year. Results from a series of logistic regression models indicated that males, selling and using illicit drugs, were robustly associated with an increased probability of handgun carrying among adolescents. Furthermore, youth who carry handguns were significantly less likely to report a parent being involved in their lives and were significantly more likely to have encountered violence and drug prevention programming compared with youth who did not carry handguns. Implications of these results for prevention and policy are discussed. (Contains 3 tables.)

This study examined effects of type of and cumulative burden of childhood adversities on bullying and cruelty to animals in the United States. Data were derived from Waves I and II of the National Epidemiologic Survey on Alcohol and Related Conditions, a nationally representative sample of U.S. adults. Structured psychiatric interviews were completed by trained lay interviewers between 2001-2002 and 2003-2004. Although the effects of childhood adversity diminished with the inclusion of confounding variables, several adversities remained significant. For bullying, these included being made to do chores that were too difficult or dangerous, threatening to hit or throw something, pushing, shoving, slapping, or hitting, and hitting that left bruises, marks, or injuries. With respect to cruelty to animals, swearing and saying hurtful things, having a parent or other adult living within the home that went to jail or prison, and adult/other person fondling/touching in a sexual way were significant. The final models indicated that the cumulative burden of childhood adversities had strong effects on the increased likelihood of bullying behavior but not cruelty to animals. (Contains 3 tables.)

There is a burgeoning line of criminological research examining the genetic underpinnings to a wide array of antisocial phenotypes. From this perspective, genes are typically viewed as risk factors that increase the odds of various maladaptive behaviors. However, genes can also have protective effects that insulate against the deleterious effects of environmental pathogens. The authors use this logic as a springboard to examine whether four different genes protect against victimization in a sample of youths determined to be at risk for being victimized. Analysis of data drawn from the National Longitudinal Study of Adolescent Health (Add Health) revealed that certain genetic polymorphisms protected adolescents from victimization. The authors conclude by discussing the complex ways in which genes and the environment can promote resiliency to victimization. (Contains 2 notes and 3 tables.)

Physical child abuse continues to be a serious public health issue in the United States. This study expands on previous research by exploring trends in physical child abuse diagnoses among children admitted to emergency departments (EDs) across the United States. The analysis aimed to explicate the association between physical child abuse and both sociodemographic and behavioral health covariates to better inform and identify risk factors associated with ED admissions for abuse. The study also explicated differences between confirmed and suspected physical child abuse cases. The study utilized a nationally representative sample of hospital-owned EDs that included 319,676,625 ED admissions between 2006 and 2017 for children under 18-years-old. The analysis included a trend analysis, bivariate descriptive statistics, and multivariate logistic regression models were employed. Children with a physical child abuse diagnosis were less likely to be from higher income communities (a OR = 0.61, 95% CI [0.53, 0.71]), less likely to be female (a OR = 0.93, 95% CI [0.90, 0.96]), and more likely to be uninsured (a OR = 1.65, 95% CI [1.48, 1.84]). Children with attention-deficit hyperactivity disorder (a OR = 1.36, 95% CI [1.14, 1.62]) and a conduct disorder (a OR = 1.28, 95% CI [1.04, 1.58]) were more likely to have a physical abuse diagnosis. The sex-stratified analyses found that the higher rates of physical abuse among children with attention-deficit hyperactivity disorder were driven by the male subsample, while higher rates of abuse for those with conduct disorders were the result of the female subsample. A supplemental analysis of suspected versus confirmed physical child abuse for the fourth quarter of 2015 through 2017 also revealed sociodemographic and behavioral health differences. This study supports the need to consider sociodemographic and behavioral risk factors associated with physical child abuse to inform treatment and potential reoccurrence of abuse. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Incarcerated women are at high risk of exposure to traumatic events with subsequent development of post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD). The present study builds on prior research by adding new findings from Spain on the association between childhood and prison victimization, and negative emotional states with PTSD symptoms during incarceration among women. The study sample (N = 174) included female prison inmates enrolled from two prisons located in Southeast Spain. Participants completed self-report questionnaires including demographic and criminal variables, childhood and prison victimization (including emotional, physical and sexual victimization), negative emotional states (including depression, anxiety, and stress symptoms) and PTSD symptoms. Logistic regression analysis revealed that women screening positive for trauma had significantly greater odds for the assortment of childhood victimization, prison victimization (specifically physical victimization) and depression, anxiety, and stress. Current findings suggest a need to include these construct assessments in the screening and identification of PTSD among incarcerated women in Spain. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Studies on criminal behaviors largely focus on youth and younger adults. While criminal engagement declines with age, the aging population and significant costs associated with older offenders warrant their increased clinical and research attention. The present study utilizes data from the 2002 to 2017 National Survey on Drug Use and Health to estimate the prevalence and explore the sociodemographic and psychosocial correlates of criminal behavior in adults aged 50 years and older. The overall prevalence of older adults engaging in criminal behaviors during this time was approximately 1.20%. There was no significant difference in crime involvement between adults aged 50 to 64 years and 65 years and older. Older individuals who committed crimes were more likely to be male and Black and earning low income. Criminality was also associated with use of illicit substances and depression as well as receipt of mental health treatment. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

A growing number of studies have examined the “immigrant paradox” with respect to health behaviors in the United States. However, little research attention has been afforded to the study of adverse childhood experiences (ACE; neglect, physical and sexual abuse, and witnessing violence) among immigrants in the United States. The present study, using Waves I and II data from the National Epidemiologic Survey of Alcohol and Related Conditions (NESARC), aims to address these gaps by comparing forms of ACE of first- and second-generation immigrants with native-born American adults in the United States. We also examined the latent structure of ACE among immigrants and conducted analyses to assess the psychiatric correlates of identified latent classes. With the exception of neglect, the prevalence of ACE was markedly higher among native-born Americans and second-generation immigrants compared with first-generation immigrants. Four latent classes were identified—limited adverse experience (n = 3,497), emotional and physical abuse (n = 1,262), family violence (n = 358), and global adversity (n = 246). The latter three classes evinced greater likelihood of being diagnosed with a mood, anxiety, personality, and substance use disorder, and to report violent and non-violent antisocial behavior. Consistent with prior research examining the associations between the immigrant paradox and health outcomes, results suggest that first-generation immigrants to the United States are less likely to have experienced physical and sexual abuse and witness domestic violence. However, likely due to cultural circumstances, first-generation immigrants were more likely to report experiences that are deemed neglectful by Western standards. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

A number of studies suggest that physical size is associated with violent behavior. However, few, if any, studies have examined this relationship using population-based samples. Moreover, limited evidence exists on the relationship between physical size and violence with respect to gender, race/ethnicity, and exposure to childhood maltreatment. The present study, using data from Waves I and II (N = 34,653) of the National Epidemiologic Survey of Alcohol and Related Conditions (NESARC), aims to address these gaps by comparing the prevalence of violent behavior among individuals in the top quintiles in height and weight with that of the general population. Significant associations were identified for both males and females between physical size and bullying/intimidation, intentional injury of other persons, and hitting someone so hard that they required medical attention. Stratified analyses revealed that the magnitude of the relationship between physical size and violence is greater among Hispanics than among non-Hispanic Whites and African Americans. Childhood abuse and neglect significantly moderated the relationship between physical size and violent behavior. While an important degree of variability can be observed with respect to gender, race/ethnicity, and exposure to child maltreatment, results indicate that, in general, physically larger individuals are more likely than their relatively smaller counterparts to be violent. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The predictors of engaging in physical violence appear to be quite diverse, covering an array of social and psychological risk factors. The present study expands upon this literature by exploring the link between diet quality and physical fighting during early adolescence using cross-national data from the 2005/2006 Health Behaviors of School Children (HBSC) survey. The results reveal that the rate of physical fighting was 40% higher among youths with lower quality diets, whereas the odds of frequent physical fighting were 68% higher, relative to youths with better diets. Ancillary analyses reveal that (a) the link between diet quality and physical fighting was significantly larger among females and (b) significant associations between diet quality and physical fighting were detected in 38 of the 40 countries examined. Strategies designed to improve diet quality among youth may have the added benefit of reducing the likelihood of physical fighting and its negative sequelae. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]