Original article
Adolescents' knowledge and attitudes about and experience with violence

https://doi.org/10.1016/1054-139X(94)90264-XGet rights and content

Abstract

Purpose: Educational interventions directed to the prevention of youth inter-personal violence make assumptions about the educational needs of adolescents for violence-prevention despite little available data. This paper provides new information on background levels of adolescents' knowledge of, attitudes about and experience with violence.

Methods: Over 400 teens across Boston's neighborhoods were surveyed by rando-digit dialed telephone techniques.

Results: Results show that while boys are more often involved in violence, almost one quarter of girls report fighting. Black teens witness more violence and are threatened more often than whites, but they do not fight more. Knowledge scores indicate a need for improvement in adolescents' understanding of risk factors. Attitude scores indicate that adolescents believe fighting can and should be avoided, but they lack knowledge of behavioral options. Regression analyses show a positive relationship between violence experience and knowledge and attitudes.

Conclusion: These data suggest that preventive interventions should be directed to both improving adolescents' knowledge and understanding of personal risk and increasing their repertoire of conflict-resolution skills.

References (20)

  • AJ Hausman et al.

    Patterns of teen exposure to a community-based violence prevention project

    J Adol Health

    (1992)
  • J Gladstein et al.

    A comparison of innercity and upper-middle class youths' exposure to violence

    J Adol Health

    (1992)
  • National Center for Health Statistics

    Advanced Report of Final Mortality Statistics, 1988

    Monthly Vital Statistics Report

    (1990)
  • Centers for Disease Control

    Homicide among young black males—United States, 1978–1987

    Morbidity and Mortality Weekly Report

    (1990)
  • J Barancik et al.

    Northeastern Ohio trauma study: I. Magnitude of the problem

    Am J Public Health

    (1983)
  • JW Farquhar et al.

    Community studies of cardiovascular disease prevention

  • J Tuomilehto et al.

    Community programme for control of hypertension in North Karelia, Finland

    Lancet

    (1980)
  • R Wilson-Brewer et al.
  • Centers for Disease Control

    Physical fighting among high school students, United States 1990

    Morbidity and Mortality Weekly Report

    (1992)
  • I Rosenstock

    The Health Belief Model: Explaining health behavior through expectancies

There are more references available in the full text version of this article.

Cited by (0)

Source of Support: Henry J. Kaiser Family Foundation.

View full text