Original Articles
Self-reported characterization of seventh-grade students’ fights

https://doi.org/10.1016/S1054-139X(98)00020-2Get rights and content

Abstract

Purpose: To determine the characteristics of recent fights among seventh-grade students at public middle schools in three dissimilar U.S. communities.

Methods: The study sample was composed of 289 seventh-grade students at public middle schools in three U.S. communities who participated in fights during the previous 6 months. Students at each site completed a self-administered two-part questionnaire (developed for this study) in May or October 1991. Pearson Chi-square test was performed to determine the association among characteristics of the fights, weapon use, and injury severity.

Results: One or more weapons were present at 43% of the fights, weapons were used to threaten or injure in 23%, and stab or gunshot wounds were reported in 10%. Fights with five or more participants or with participants who were intoxicated or gang members involved more weapon use and more severe injury (p < 0.02). There was more frequent weapon use occurring away from home and school (p < 0.01). Spectators were present at 87% of the fights, and when they attempted to mediate or end the fighting, injury severity was lower. Students who often carry a weapon were much more likely to report involvement in fights in which weapons were used and to suffer more severe injuries (p < 0.02).

Conclusions: Seventh-graders’ fights frequently involve the threat and actual use of weapons. The large number of participants and spectators at many of the fights with the most severely injurious outcomes implies that social factors and not exclusively poor conflict resolution skills are important factors precipitating fights among seventh-grade students.

Section snippets

Methods

During 1991, we developed a survey instrument in collaboration with school personnel and consultants from the Center for Survey Research at the University of Massachusetts–Boston. Details of survey development, parental consent, and method of administration are presented elsewhere 10. The final version of the questionnaire was administered to 567 seventh-grade students at public middle schools in three locations: the Jamaica Plain neighborhood of Boston, Massachusetts, Shreveport, Louisiana,

Characterization of the violent act

Pushing, shoving, punching, and kicking occurred during most fights. Some type of weapon was present but not used in 20% of the fights, and a weapon was used to threaten or injure in 23% of fights. Guns were used to threaten or injure in 6% of the fights.

Characterization of the injuries

Scratches, bleeding, and bruising were all seen at over half of the fights; this resulted in nurse or doctor care in 9% of the cases.

A combatant lost consciousness in 9% of fights. Students reported a broken bone in 16% of the fights. One or

Discussion

Our findings concerning the characteristics of fights and their relationship to weapon carrying and injury severity strongly support the call for multidimensional approaches to violence prevention 11, 12, 13. Many individuals involved in antiviolence activity have emphasized the importance of improving problem-solving and conflict-resolution skills 14, 15, 16, 17. In particular, students may lack knowledge of nonviolent alternative behaviors to resolve conflict 18. The current study confirms

Acknowledgements

The authors thank Sher Quaday of the Harvard Injury Control Center for organizing the survey in the McCall Middle School in Winchester, Massachusetts. They also thank Linda Cox and Kathy Manning, Principal and Counselor at Linwood Middle School, who assisted with the development and administration of the survey instrument. Finally, they acknowledge Michelle van Ryn, Ph.D., for useful suggestions concerning interpretation and analysis. The project was supported by the Harvard School of Public

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    At the time of the study, Dr. Malek was at the Harvard School of Public Health.

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