title: A cross-national study of violence-related behaviors in adolescents.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Violent behavior among adolescents is a significant problem worldwide, and a cross-national comparison of adolescent violent behaviors can provide information about the development and pattern of physical violence in young adolescents.
  
  
  OBJECTIVE
  To determine and compare frequencies of adolescent violence-related behaviors in 5 countries and to examine associations between violence-related behaviors and potential explanatory characteristics.
  
  
  METHODS
  Cross-sectional, school-based nationally representative survey at ages 11.5, 13.5, and 15.5 years in 5 countries (Ireland, Israel, Portugal, Sweden, and the United States).
  
  
  METHODS
  Frequency of physical fighting, bullying, weapon carrying, and fighting injuries in relation to other risk behaviors and characteristics in home and school settings.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Fighting frequency among US youth was similar to that of all 5 countries (nonfighters: US, 60.2%; mean frequency of 5 countries, 60.2%), as were the frequencies of weapon carrying (noncarriers: US, 89.6%; mean frequency of 5 countries, 89.6%) and fighting injury (noninjured: US, 84.5%; mean frequency of 5 countries, 84.6%). Bullying frequency varied widely cross-nationally (nonbullies: from 57.0% for Israel to 85.2% for Sweden). Fighting was most highly associated with smoking, drinking, feeling irritable or bad tempered, and having been bullied.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Adolescents in 5 countries behaved similarly in their expression of violence-related behaviors. Occasional fighting and bullying were common, whereas frequent fighting, frequent bullying, any weapon carrying, or any fighting injury were infrequent behaviors. These findings were consistent across countries, with little cross-national variation except for bullying rates. Traditional risk-taking behaviors (smoking and drinking) and being bullied were highly associated with the expression of violence-related behavior.
authors.affiliation: National Institute of Child Health and Human Development, National Institutes of Health, Bethesda, MD 20892, USA.
authors.forename: Eleanor
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Smith-Khuri
authors.forename: Ronaldo
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Iachan
authors.forename: Peter C
authors.initials: PC
authors.lastname: Scheidt
authors.forename: Mary D
authors.initials: MD
authors.lastname: Overpeck
authors.forename: Saoirse Nic
authors.initials: SN
authors.lastname: Gabhainn
authors.forename: William
authors.initials: W
authors.lastname: Pickett
authors.forename: Yossi
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Harel
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D000294:Adolescent Behavior; D017677:Age Distribution; D002648:Child; D003431:Cross-Cultural Comparison; D003430:Cross-Sectional Studies; D005195:Family Relations; D005260:Female; D006306:Health Surveys; D006801:Humans; D007494:Ireland / Q000453:epidemiology; D007557:Israel / Q000453:epidemiology; D008297:Male; D016017:Odds Ratio; D011174:Portugal / Q000453:epidemiology; D017678:Sex Distribution; D019966:Substance-Related Disorders / Q000453:epidemiology; D013548:Sweden / Q000453:epidemiology; D014481:United States / Q000453:epidemiology; D014754:Violence / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D014947:Wounds and Injuries / Q000453:epidemiology