Violence perpetration among urban american Indian youth: can protection offset risk?
OBJECTIVE
To predict the likelihood of violence perpetration given various combinations of the most statistically salient risk and protective factors related to violence perpetration.


METHODS
Urban Indian Youth Health Survey, conducted from October 9, 1995, to March 30, 1998, consisting of 200 forced-choice items exploring values, cultural identity, relationships, decision-making skills, and health and well-being.


METHODS
Urban schools and an after-school youth development program at an urban American Indian center.


METHODS
Five hundred sixty-nine urban American Indian youth enrolled in grades 3 through 12.


METHODS
Violence perpetration dichotomized in 2 ways: (1) level of violence perpetration (ie, hitting someone 1-2 times in the past year vs picking fights, hitting repeatedly, participating in group fights, or shooting or stabbing someone in the past year) and (2) having shot and/or stabbed someone during the past year.


RESULTS
In the final multivariate models with age as a covariate, most protective against violence perpetration were connections to school (odds ratio [OR], 0.17), positive affect (OR, 0.29), and peer prosocial behavior norms against violence (OR, 0.35). School connectedness (OR, 0.01) and positive affect (OR, 0.46) were also protective against shooting and/or stabbing someone, as was parental prosocial behavior norms against violence (OR, 0.23). The strongest risk factors for violence perpetration were substance use (OR, 2.60) and suicidal thoughts/behaviors (OR, 2.71); for shooting and/or stabbing, it was substance use (OR, 5.26). The likelihood of violence perpetration increased markedly (from 10% to 85%) as the exposure to risk factors increased and protective factors decreased. For shooting or stabbing someone, the probabilities ranged from 3% (0 risks and 3 protective factors) to 64% (1 risk and 0 protective factors).


CONCLUSIONS
The dramatic reduction in the likelihood of violence involvement when risk was offset with protective factors in the probability profiles suggests the utility of a dual strategy of reducing risk while boosting protection.
Bearinger
Linda H
LH
Center for Adolescent Nursing, School of Nursing, Department of Pediatrics, Medical School, University of Minnesota, Minneapolis 55455, USA. beari001@umn.edu
Pettingell
Sandra
S
Resnick
Michael D
MD
Skay
Carol L
CL
Potthoff
Sandra J
SJ
Eichhorn
John
J
D000293:Adolescent; D000294:Adolescent Behavior / Q000523:psychology*; D000339:Affect; D002648:Child; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007198:Indians, North American; D007604:Juvenile Delinquency / Q000517:prevention & control* / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D016013:Likelihood Functions; D008297:Male; D008910:Minnesota; D015999:Multivariate Analysis; D010287:Parent-Child Relations; D010379:Peer Group; D012307:Risk Factors; D012574:Schools; D012933:Social Identification; D019966:Substance-Related Disorders / Q000150:complications; D013405:Suicide / Q000523:psychology; D011795:Surveys and Questionnaires; D014754:Violence / Q000517:prevention & control* / Q000706:statistics & numerical data