Trends and Socioeconomic Correlates of Adolescent Physical Fighting in 30 Countries

William Pickett; Michal Molcho; Frank J. Elgar; Fiona Brooks; Margaretha de Looze; Katharina Rathmann; Tom F. M. ter Bogt; Saoirse Nic Gabhainn; Dagmar Sigmundova; Margarida Gaspar de Matos; Wendy Craig; Sophie D. Walsh; Yossi Harel-Fisch; Candace Currie

doi:10.1542/peds.2012-1614

Trends and Socioeconomic Correlates of Adolescent Physical Fighting in 30 Countries

William Pickett^*, Michal Molcho, Frank J. Elgar, Fiona Brooks, Margaretha de Looze, Katharina Rathmann, Tom F. M. ter Bogt, Saoirse Nic Gabhainn, Dagmar Sigmundova, Margarida Gaspar de Matos, Wendy Craig, Sophie D. Walsh, Yossi Harel-Fisch, Candace Currie

^*Corresponding author for this work

School of Medicine

Research output: Contribution to journal › Article › peer-review

97 Citations (Scopus)

Abstract

BACKGROUND AND OBJECTIVES: No recent international studies provide evidence about its prevalence, trends, or social determinants of physical fighting in adolescents. We studied cross-national epidemiologic trends over time in the occurrence of frequent physical fighting, demographic variations in reported trends, and national wealth and income inequality as correlates.

METHODS: Cross-sectional surveys were administered in school settings in 2002, 2006, and 2010. Participants (N = 493 874) included eligible and consenting students aged 11, 13, and 15 years in sampled schools from 30 mainly European and North American countries. Individual measures included engagement in frequent physical fighting, age, gender, participation in multiple risk behaviors, victimization by bullying, and family affluence. Contextual measures included national income inequality, absolute wealth and homicide rates. Temporal measure was survey cycle (year).

RESULTS: Frequent physical fighting declined over time in 19 (63%) of 30 countries (from descriptive then multiple Poisson regression analyses). Contextual measures of absolute wealth (relative risk 0.96, 95% confidence interval 0.93-0.99 per 1 SD increase in gross domestic product per capita) but not income inequality (relative risk 1.01, 95% confidence interval 0.98-1.05 per 1 SD increase) related to lower levels of engagement in fighting. Other risk factors identified were male gender, younger age (11 years), multiple risk behaviors, victimization by bullying, and national homicide rates.

CONCLUSIONS: Between 2002 and 2010, adolescent physical fighting declined in most countries. Specific groups of adolescents require targeted violence reduction programs. Possible determinants responsible for the observed declines are discussed. Pediatrics 2013;131:e18-e26

Original language	English
Pages (from-to)	E18-E26
Number of pages	9
Journal	Pediatrics
Volume	131
Issue number	1
DOIs	https://doi.org/10.1542/peds.2012-1614
Publication status	Published - Jan 2013

Keywords

trends
INCOME INEQUALITY
violence
CHILDREN
HEALTH INEQUALITIES
epidemiology
HIGH-SCHOOL-STUDENTS
YOUNG-PEOPLE
YOUTH
socioeconomic
RISK BEHAVIOR
INJURY
adolescent
VIOLENCE-RELATED BEHAVIORS
UNITED-STATES
fighting
inequality

UN SDGs

This output contributes to the following UN Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs)

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10.1542/peds.2012-1614

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@article{0bc8f83fd789456fb8e2488b00a05bb2,

title = "Trends and Socioeconomic Correlates of Adolescent Physical Fighting in 30 Countries",

abstract = "BACKGROUND AND OBJECTIVES: No recent international studies provide evidence about its prevalence, trends, or social determinants of physical fighting in adolescents. We studied cross-national epidemiologic trends over time in the occurrence of frequent physical fighting, demographic variations in reported trends, and national wealth and income inequality as correlates.METHODS: Cross-sectional surveys were administered in school settings in 2002, 2006, and 2010. Participants (N = 493 874) included eligible and consenting students aged 11, 13, and 15 years in sampled schools from 30 mainly European and North American countries. Individual measures included engagement in frequent physical fighting, age, gender, participation in multiple risk behaviors, victimization by bullying, and family affluence. Contextual measures included national income inequality, absolute wealth and homicide rates. Temporal measure was survey cycle (year).RESULTS: Frequent physical fighting declined over time in 19 (63%) of 30 countries (from descriptive then multiple Poisson regression analyses). Contextual measures of absolute wealth (relative risk 0.96, 95% confidence interval 0.93-0.99 per 1 SD increase in gross domestic product per capita) but not income inequality (relative risk 1.01, 95% confidence interval 0.98-1.05 per 1 SD increase) related to lower levels of engagement in fighting. Other risk factors identified were male gender, younger age (11 years), multiple risk behaviors, victimization by bullying, and national homicide rates.CONCLUSIONS: Between 2002 and 2010, adolescent physical fighting declined in most countries. Specific groups of adolescents require targeted violence reduction programs. Possible determinants responsible for the observed declines are discussed. Pediatrics 2013;131:e18-e26",

keywords = "trends, INCOME INEQUALITY, violence, CHILDREN, HEALTH INEQUALITIES, epidemiology, HIGH-SCHOOL-STUDENTS, YOUNG-PEOPLE, YOUTH, socioeconomic, RISK BEHAVIOR, INJURY, adolescent, VIOLENCE-RELATED BEHAVIORS, UNITED-STATES, fighting, inequality",

author = "William Pickett and Michal Molcho and Elgar, {Frank J.} and Fiona Brooks and {de Looze}, Margaretha and Katharina Rathmann and {ter Bogt}, {Tom F. M.} and Gabhainn, {Saoirse Nic} and Dagmar Sigmundova and {de Matos}, {Margarida Gaspar} and Wendy Craig and Walsh, {Sophie D.} and Yossi Harel-Fisch and Candace Currie",

year = "2013",

month = jan,

doi = "10.1542/peds.2012-1614",

language = "English",

volume = "131",

pages = "E18--E26",

journal = "Pediatrics",

issn = "0031-4005",

publisher = "American Academy of Pediatrics",

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T1 - Trends and Socioeconomic Correlates of Adolescent Physical Fighting in 30 Countries

AU - Pickett, William

AU - Molcho, Michal

AU - Elgar, Frank J.

AU - Brooks, Fiona

AU - de Looze, Margaretha

AU - Rathmann, Katharina

AU - ter Bogt, Tom F. M.

AU - Gabhainn, Saoirse Nic

AU - Sigmundova, Dagmar

AU - de Matos, Margarida Gaspar

AU - Craig, Wendy

AU - Walsh, Sophie D.

AU - Harel-Fisch, Yossi

AU - Currie, Candace

PY - 2013/1

Y1 - 2013/1

N2 - BACKGROUND AND OBJECTIVES: No recent international studies provide evidence about its prevalence, trends, or social determinants of physical fighting in adolescents. We studied cross-national epidemiologic trends over time in the occurrence of frequent physical fighting, demographic variations in reported trends, and national wealth and income inequality as correlates.METHODS: Cross-sectional surveys were administered in school settings in 2002, 2006, and 2010. Participants (N = 493 874) included eligible and consenting students aged 11, 13, and 15 years in sampled schools from 30 mainly European and North American countries. Individual measures included engagement in frequent physical fighting, age, gender, participation in multiple risk behaviors, victimization by bullying, and family affluence. Contextual measures included national income inequality, absolute wealth and homicide rates. Temporal measure was survey cycle (year).RESULTS: Frequent physical fighting declined over time in 19 (63%) of 30 countries (from descriptive then multiple Poisson regression analyses). Contextual measures of absolute wealth (relative risk 0.96, 95% confidence interval 0.93-0.99 per 1 SD increase in gross domestic product per capita) but not income inequality (relative risk 1.01, 95% confidence interval 0.98-1.05 per 1 SD increase) related to lower levels of engagement in fighting. Other risk factors identified were male gender, younger age (11 years), multiple risk behaviors, victimization by bullying, and national homicide rates.CONCLUSIONS: Between 2002 and 2010, adolescent physical fighting declined in most countries. Specific groups of adolescents require targeted violence reduction programs. Possible determinants responsible for the observed declines are discussed. Pediatrics 2013;131:e18-e26

AB - BACKGROUND AND OBJECTIVES: No recent international studies provide evidence about its prevalence, trends, or social determinants of physical fighting in adolescents. We studied cross-national epidemiologic trends over time in the occurrence of frequent physical fighting, demographic variations in reported trends, and national wealth and income inequality as correlates.METHODS: Cross-sectional surveys were administered in school settings in 2002, 2006, and 2010. Participants (N = 493 874) included eligible and consenting students aged 11, 13, and 15 years in sampled schools from 30 mainly European and North American countries. Individual measures included engagement in frequent physical fighting, age, gender, participation in multiple risk behaviors, victimization by bullying, and family affluence. Contextual measures included national income inequality, absolute wealth and homicide rates. Temporal measure was survey cycle (year).RESULTS: Frequent physical fighting declined over time in 19 (63%) of 30 countries (from descriptive then multiple Poisson regression analyses). Contextual measures of absolute wealth (relative risk 0.96, 95% confidence interval 0.93-0.99 per 1 SD increase in gross domestic product per capita) but not income inequality (relative risk 1.01, 95% confidence interval 0.98-1.05 per 1 SD increase) related to lower levels of engagement in fighting. Other risk factors identified were male gender, younger age (11 years), multiple risk behaviors, victimization by bullying, and national homicide rates.CONCLUSIONS: Between 2002 and 2010, adolescent physical fighting declined in most countries. Specific groups of adolescents require targeted violence reduction programs. Possible determinants responsible for the observed declines are discussed. Pediatrics 2013;131:e18-e26

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KW - INCOME INEQUALITY

KW - violence

KW - CHILDREN

KW - HEALTH INEQUALITIES

KW - epidemiology

KW - HIGH-SCHOOL-STUDENTS

KW - YOUNG-PEOPLE

KW - YOUTH

KW - socioeconomic

KW - RISK BEHAVIOR

KW - INJURY

KW - adolescent

KW - VIOLENCE-RELATED BEHAVIORS

KW - UNITED-STATES

KW - fighting

KW - inequality

U2 - 10.1542/peds.2012-1614

DO - 10.1542/peds.2012-1614

M3 - Article

SN - 0031-4005

VL - 131

SP - E18-E26

JO - Pediatrics

JF - Pediatrics

IS - 1

ER -

Trends and Socioeconomic Correlates of Adolescent Physical Fighting in 30 Countries

Abstract

Keywords

UN SDGs

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