Fighting as a marker for multiple problem behaviors in adolescents

• Published in: Journal of adolescent health 1995-03, Vol.16 (3), p.209-215
• Main Authors: Sosin, Daniel M., Koepsell, Thomas D., Rivara, Frederick P., Mercy, James A.
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• Subjects: Adolescence; Adolescent; Adolescent Behavior; Adolescents; Aggression; Behavior Problems; Behavioural problems; Biological and medical sciences; Cluster Analysis; Cocaine; Conflict; Cross-Sectional Studies; Data Collection; Drug Use; Fighting; Firearms; Firearms - statistics & numerical data; Fundamental and applied biological sciences. Psychology; Health behavior; High School Students; Humans; Illness and personality; Indicators; Logistic Models; Personality, behavior and health; Prevalence; Psychology and medicine; Psychology. Psychoanalysis. Psychiatry; Psychology. Psychophysiology; Risk-Taking; Sex Distribution; Sexual Behavior; Sexual Behavior - statistics & numerical data; Sexual Partners; Social Problems - statistics & numerical data; Students; Substance-Related Disorders - epidemiology; Suicide; Suicide, Attempted - statistics & numerical data; United States - epidemiology; Violence
• ISSN: 1054-139X; 1879-1972
• DOI: 10.1016/1054-139X(94)00093-T

Behaviors that put adolescents at risk frequently occur together. To help identify high-risk adolescents, we analyzed a national, self-reported behavior survey of high school students to assess the suitability of fighting as a marker for students with multiple problem behaviors. A cross-sectional cluster survey of 11,631 U.S. high school students in 1990 was used to compare the prevalence of recent problem behaviors among all students and those who fight. One (8%) of every 12 students was in a fight during the 30 days before the survey. Reported problem behaviors were prevalent among fighters: during the previous 12 months, 24% attempted suicide; during the previous 30 days, 26% carried a firearm, 13% used cocaine, and 39% drove a motor vehicle while intoxicated; during the previous 3 months 41% had two or more sex partners; and 45% had sexual intercourse and did not use a condom the last time they had sex. Of all students, fighters accounted for 22% of those who reported attempting suicide, 49% carrying a firearm, 46% using cocaine, 18% driving while intoxicated, 25% having sex with multiple partners, and 11% not using condoms. Three or more of these six problem behaviors were reported by 26% of the fighters. The problem behaviors were all positively correlated, and the first principal component accounted for 35% of the total variation among the individual variables. Serious fighting heralds multiple problem behaviors in need of intensive, multifaceted interventions.