title: Prevalence and correlates of victimization and weapon carrying among military- and nonmilitary-connected youth in Southern California.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  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 that 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% (Odds Ratio=1.29, 95% confidence interval=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.
authors: University of Southern California, School of Social Work, 669 W 34th Street, Los Angeles, CA 90089-0411, USA. Electronic address: tgilreat@usc.edu.
authors: Tamika D
authors: TD
authors: Gilreath
authors: University of Southern California, School of Social Work, 669 W 34th Street, Los Angeles, CA 90089-0411, USA.
authors: Ron A
authors: RA
authors: Astor
authors: University of Southern California, School of Social Work, 669 W 34th Street, Los Angeles, CA 90089-0411, USA.
authors: Julie A
authors: JA
authors: Cederbaum
authors: University of Southern California, School of Social Work, 669 W 34th Street, Los Angeles, CA 90089-0411, USA.
authors: Hazel
authors: H
authors: Atuel
authors: Bar Ilan University, Louis and Gabi Weisfeld School of Social Work, Ramat Gan 5290002, Israel.
authors: Rami
authors: R
authors: Benbenishty
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D000294:Adolescent Behavior / Q000523:psychology*; D000428:Alcohol Drinking / Q000453:epidemiology; D002140:California / Q000453:epidemiology; D016022:Case-Control Studies; D002648:Child; D002675:Child, Preschool; D019548:Crime Victims / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D005260:Female; D005389:Firearms / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D006801:Humans; D007223:Infant; D007231:Infant, Newborn; D007398:Interpersonal Relations; D008297:Male; D008889:Military Personnel / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D015999:Multivariate Analysis; D010379:Peer Group; D032024:Personnel Delegation; D012907:Smoking / Q000453:epidemiology; D013334:Students / Q000523:psychology*; D019966:Substance-Related Disorders / Q000453:epidemiology; D054041:Weapons / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*
keywords: Adolescents; Military; School victimization