Violent victimization and drug involvement among Mexican middle school students

Victimizations of Mexican youth (12-17 years old): A 2014 national survey

Victimization of Mexican youth (aged 12-17) has received little attention compared to that of adults. Using the 2014 Social Survey on Social Cohesion for the Prevention of Violence and Delinquency, we examine prevalence and types of victimization; describe the characteristics of incidents in terms of relationship with perpetrator(s) and places where took place; and study significant correlates of forms of victimization and poly-victimization. During 2014 alone, more than 2.8 million minors were victims of bullying, cyberbullying, theft, sexual abuse, physical assault, threats, robbery, or extortion. About 10% of these were poly-victims-experienced at least four different types of victimization by at least four types of perpetrators. Youth tended to be victimized by people in their inner circle. The factors associated with victimization tended to vary by victimization type, but proximity to crime and peer delinquency increased the risk of experiencing all types of victimization. Implications for future research and practice are discussed.

Continuity and Change in Adolescent Victimization: Examining the Effects of Stable and Dynamic Influences

After decades of treatment as a fairly distinct topic, recent research on victimization has begun to draw on theoretical approaches previously directed at understanding criminal behavior. The current study expands this research by studying victimization and its relationship to key developmental influences with data from 3,976 adolescents. We first detail the longitudinal process that underlies continuity and change in victimization and then consider the impact of time-stable and time-varying covariates that reflect mechanisms within those explanations. Findings suggest that time-varying markers of risky lifestyle and attachment affect victimization, but also that victimization affects risky behaviors and prosocial ties.

Interpersonal Violence and its Association with US Migration Desires and Plans among Youths in Guanajuato, Mexico

This study examined interpersonal physical and sexual violence and its association with desires and plans to migrate to the USA among 500 alternative high school students, aged 14-17 years, from Guanajuato, Mexico. Two thirds of the youths had ever experienced interpersonal violence, the most common form being physical fights. More youths, and more boys relative to girls, reported wanting to migrate than planning to migrate. Although those who had experienced interpersonal violence were not more likely to want to migrate to the USA, their odds of planning to migrate were 44% greater. Gender did not moderate the effect of interpersonal violence.

Neighborhood, school, and family effects on the frequency of alcohol use among Toronto youth

This study examines the effect of neighborhood, school, and family indicators on adolescent drinking. The Toronto Drugs, Alcohol, and Violence International (DAVI) data were collected in 2001-2002. The sample was stratified both by region (city vs. outskirts) and by the socio-economic status of the schools. Two schools from each stratum were randomly selected and 910 students completed the survey. The survey contains extensive measures of substance use, violence, and mental health. The study uses cluster analysis and multinomial logits to examine the variation in the effect of schools, family, and demographic indicators on alcohol use across neighborhood contexts. Study implications and suggestions for future research are included. The study was partially funded by NIDA grant #R01-DA11691-01A1.

Criminal victimization and comorbid substance use and psychiatric disorders in the United States: results from the NESARC

PURPOSE

Criminal victimization produces enormous personal and societal costs, yet few investigations have systematically examined substance use and psychiatric disorders of crime victims. Our objectives were to (i) examine the prevalence and patterns of criminal victimization in the United States and (ii) their associations with specific substance use disorders, prevalent psychiatric conditions, and violent and nonviolent antisocial behaviors in controlled multivariate analyses.

METHODS

Data were derived from the National Epidemiologic Survey on Alcohol and Related Conditions, a nationally representative sample of US residents 18 years of age and older (N=43,093). Interviews conducted between 2001 and 2002 included measures of past-year criminal victimization and Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders, IV mood, anxiety, substance use, and personality disorders.

RESULTS

More than 1-in-25 adults in the United States (4.1%) reported past-year criminal victimization. Respondents who reported lower levels of income, lived in urban areas, and were separated or divorced were at significantly heightened risk for criminal victimization. Persons reporting various forms of violent and nonviolent antisocial behavior also were more likely to be victims of crime. In controlled multivariate analyses, crime victims evidenced significantly increased rates of alcohol, cocaine, and opioid use disorders. Paranoid personality disorder, major depressive disorder, and a family history of antisocial behavior were also significantly associated with past-year criminal victimization.

CONCLUSIONS

Criminal victimization is prevalent in the United States and associated with significant psychiatric comorbidities and behavioral dysfunction. Poor, unmarried persons living in urban areas who have family histories of antisocial conduct and personal histories of specific substance use and psychiatric disorders are at substantially elevated risk for criminal victimization.

Violence involvement, substance use, and sexual activity among Mexican-American and European-American adolescents

PURPOSE

This study examined longitudinal associations between violence involvement, substance use, and sexual activity.

METHODS

A total of 302 urban Mexican-American and European-American adolescents were randomly selected and recruited from the membership lists of a large health maintenance organization. Data were obtained from interviews conducted when the mean ages of adolescents were 15, 18, and 19 years.

RESULTS

Independent of age, gender, ethnicity, family socioeconomic status, and previous levels of health risk behavior, adolescents who had been victimized by violence at age 15 were more likely to use tobacco at age 19. Adolescents who had been victimized by or perpetrated violence at age 18 had a greater number of sexual partners and were more likely to use marijuana at age 19. In addition, adolescents who had perpetrated violence at age 18 engaged in greater alcohol use at age 19. A second set of analyses showed that independent of demographics and previous violence involvement, adolescents who had used marijuana at age 15 were more likely to report violence involvement at age 19. Adolescents who had used tobacco or who had a greater number of sexual partners at ages 15 or 18 were more likely to report violent victimization at age 19.

CONCLUSIONS

Associations between violence involvement and other forms of health risk behavior are bidirectional. Adolescents involved with violence are at risk for increases in substance use and sexual behavior over time. Adolescents who engage in substance use and sexual behavior with multiple partners are also at risk for later violence involvement.

Cognitive coping moderates the association between violent victimization by peers and substance use among adolescents

OBJECTIVE

This study tested whether violent victimization by peers was associated with alcohol and tobacco use among adolescents, and whether adaptive coping styles moderated associations.

METHODS

A total of 247 urban Mexican-American and European-American adolescents aged 16-20 years were interviewed.

RESULTS

Independent of demographics and violent perpetration, adolescents victimized by violence reported greater alcohol and tobacco use. Adolescents who engaged in higher levels of behavioral coping (e.g., problem solving) reported less substance use, independent of violence variables. Interaction effects showed that violent victimization was associated with greater substance use only among adolescents who engaged in lower levels of cognitive coping (e.g., focusing on positive aspects of life). Substance use was relatively low among adolescents who engaged in higher levels of cognitive coping, regardless of whether they had been victimized.

CONCLUSIONS

Enhancement of cognitive coping skills may prevent engagement in substance use as a stress response to violent victimization.

Epidemiology of inhalant use

PURPOSE OF REVIEW

The aim of the present article is to review recent research on the prevalence and correlates of inhalant use.

RECENT FINDINGS

During the review period more prevalence studies have been conducted in the developing world, adding information to the ongoing studies that are periodically undertaken in the more developed countries. These studies suggest that inhalant use is widespread among children and adolescents and is increasing among females in the developing and developed world. Not all surveys report inhalants as a separate group from other illegal substances; data by type of inhalants are even rarer, and few studies address abuse or dependence. New evidence suggests lower reliability rates for the diagnostic criteria of dependence as compared with other substances, suggesting the need for a review including the evidence of withdrawal. Studies conducted in the period identify vulnerable groups and suggest an increased risk of injecting drug use, HIV, suicidality and psychiatric disorders among inhalant users.

SUMMARY

The extension of inhalant abuse and its adverse consequences argues for greater efforts to advance classification and to increase knowledge through research, including the evaluation of prevention and treatment models.

The effects of victimization on drug use: a multilevel analysis

Agnew's general strain theory suggests that negative life experiences constitute stress that may lead to deviance, unless effective coping strategies are forthcoming. In the present study, the principles of general strain theory were employed to examine the age-varying effects of three types of victimization on drug-using behavior: sexual victimization, physical victimization, or other victimization. Study data came from seven waves of the National Youth Survey, a longitudinal survey of youth ages 11 to 17 years when the study began in 1976. The broad hypotheses of general strain theory were supported, by the data, with some qualifications. Results of the data analysis also showed that victimization's impact on drug use is type-specific and/or drug-specific. Further studies with more sophisticated measures of drug use should clarify the role of victimization (by type) in various drug-using behaviors. The study's limitations are noted.