Back to Annual Meeting Page		American Public Health Association 133rd Annual Meeting & Exposition December 10-14, 2005 Philadelphia, PA

Abstract #111910

Cheryl Blalock Aspy, PhD¹, Roy F. Oman, PhD², Sara K. Vesely, PhD³, Eleni Tolma, MPH PhD⁴, Sharon Rodine, MEd⁵, LaDonna Marshall⁵, and Janene D. Fluhr, MS⁶. (1) Family & Preventive Medicine, University of Oklahoma Health Sciences Center, 900 NE 10th St. - FMC 2209, Oklahoma City, OK 73104, 405-271-2370, Cheryl-aspy@ouhsc.edu, (2) Department of Health Promotion Sciences, University of Oklahoma Health Sciences Center, P.O. Box 26901, Rm. 369, Oklahoma City, OK 73190, (3) Biostatistics and Epidemiology, University of Oklahoma Health Sciences Center, PO Box 26901, CHB, Room 309, Oklahoma City, OK 73190, (4) Department of Health Pormotion Sciences, Univeristy of Oklahoma, P.O.Box 26901, Oklahoma City, OK 73190, (5) HEART of OKC Project, Oklahoma Institute for Child Advocacy, 420 N.W. 13th St., #101, Oklahoma City, OK 73103, (6) College of Public Health, Health Promotion Sciences Department, University of Oklahoma Health Sciences Center, P O Box 26901, CHB-369, Oklahoma City, OK 73190

In a youth development framework, youth and family assets are viewed as protective from problem behaviors. This study was designed to identify those youth characteristics that were protective against physical fighting for the past 12 months. As part of the longitudinal Youth Asset Study, in-home, interview data from 942 youth/parent pairs residing in a Mid-western metropolitan area were analyzed to examine the association of nine youth assets and other characteristics with adolescent physical fighting. Of the two age groups studied (Middle School, High School), characteristics significantly associated with fighting included: being in middle school (49% vs. 36%), being African-American (53%) compared to Hispanics (48%) or Caucasians (33%), being male (54%) rather than female (33%), living in a 1-parent versus 2-parent household (48% vs. 40%, respectively), living in households with less than $35,000 yearly income (52%), and having parents with less (52%) rather than more education (38%). Logistic regression models for each asset suggested that, while controlling for demographic factors; Peer Role Models, Family Communication, and Responsible Choices were significantly related (p<.05) to no fighting in the past 12 months. Interaction effects suggested: 1) Use of Time - (Groups/Sports) was associated with greater risk of fighting for youth whose parents had less than a high school education; 2) Use of Time – Religion was protective only for Caucasians; and 3) Community Involvement was protective for youth in families with incomes greater than $35,000. These results suggest that strengthening adolescent assets and skills may be an effective strategy for reducing adolescent fighting.

Learning Objectives: At the conclusion of this session, participants will be able to

• Describe the Youth Asset Study constructs.
• Understand the relationships between youth assets and youth physical fighting.
• Describe the potential contribution of the Youth Asset Study to prevention of youth physical fighting.

Keywords: Adolescents, Violence Prevention

Presenting author's disclosure statement:

I wish to disclose that I have NO financial interests or other relationship with the manufactures of commercial products, suppliers of commercial services or commercial supporters.