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Weapon Carrying Prevention

Should Adults Spend More Time With Youth?

Center for Health Promotion and Prevention Research, School of Public Health, University of Texas Health Science Center, Houston, Melissa.F.Peskin{at}uth.tmc.edu

Susan R. Tortolero

Center for Health Promotion and Prevention Research, School of Public Health, University of Texas Health Science Center, Houston

Robert C. Addy

Center for Health Promotion and Prevention Research, School of Public Health, University of Texas Health Science Center, Houston

Nancy F. Weller

Family and Community Medicine, Baylor College of Medicine, Houston

Positive youth involvement with any adult—not just parents—may be protective against adolescent participation in risk behaviors. This cross-sectional study examines the association between adult involvement and weapon carrying among predominantly low-income African American and Hispanic urban high school students. Adult involvement was measured using a 6-item scale that assessed frequency of student participation in activities with an adult; weapon carrying was measured using questions from the Youth Risk Behavior Survey. Almost 20% of high school students reported carrying a weapon at least once during the past month. In the adjusted model, adult involvement was protective against student participation in weapon carrying. School absenteeism caused by safety concerns, threats at school, and substance use were also associated with weapon carrying. Interventions that aim to increase the amount of time youth spend with adults may be beneficial for the prevention of weapon carrying behaviors. Future longitudinal studies are needed to confirm the temporal association between variables.

Key Words: adults • weapon carrying • protective factors

This version was published on January 1, 2009

Youth Violence and Juvenile Justice, Vol. 7, No. 1, 32-45 (2009)
DOI: 10.1177/1541204008324912


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