Citation

Gilreath TD, Astor RA, Cederbaum JA, Atuel H, Benbenishty R. Prev. Med. 2014; 60: 21-26.

Affiliation

Bar Ilan University, Louis and Gabi Weisfeld School of Social Work, Ramat Gan, Israel 5290002.

Copyright

(Copyright © 2014, Elsevier Publishing)

DOI

10.1016/j.ypmed.2013.12.002

PMID

24333605

Abstract

OBJECTIVES: The present analysis sought to explore the normative rates and correlates of school victimization and weapon carrying among military-connected and nonmilitary-connected youth in public schools in southern California. METHODS: Data are from a sub-sample of the 2011 California Healthy Kids Survey (N=14,512). Items to assess victimization and weapon carrying were separated into three categories: physical acts (e.g., being pushed or shoved), nonphysical acts (e.g., having rumors spread about them) and weapon carrying. RESULTS: The bivariate results indicate youth with a military-connected parent had higher rates of physical victimization (56.8%), nonphysical victimization (68.1%), and weapon carrying (14.4%) compared to those with siblings serving (55.2%, 65.2%, and 11.4%, respectively) and nonmilitary-connected (50.3%, 61.6%, and 8.9%, respectively) youth. Having a parent in the military increased the odds of weapon carrying by 29% (OR=1.29, 95% CI=1.02-1.65). Changing schools and a larger number of family member deployments in the past 10years were associated with significant increases in the likelihood of victimization and weapon carrying. Conclusions The results of this analysis warrant a focus on school supports for youth experiencing parental military service, multiple relocations and deployments of a family member.

Language: en