141st APHA Annual Meeting

In This section

292383
Cumulative risk and promotive factors and physical and relational aggression during early adolescence

Tuesday, November 5, 2013 : 1:30 PM - 1:50 PM

Sarah Stoddard, PhD , Department of Health Behavior and Health Education, School of Public Health, University of Michigan, Ann Arbor, MI
Carissa Schmidt, BS , Department of Health Behavior and Health Education, University of Michigan School of Public Health, Ann Arbor, MI
Raelle Saulson , Health Behavior and Health Education, University of Michigan, Ann Arbor, MI
Marc Zimmerman, PhD , Prevention Research Center of Michigan, University of Michigan School of Public Health, Ann Arbor, MI
Background: The presence of risk and promotive factors may increase or decrease the likelihood that adolescents will engage in physical or relational aggression (i.e., bullying). To date, most research has focused on single risk and promotive factors, without considering how the effects of cumulative risks and cumulative promotive factors influence physical and relational aggression. Methods: Hierarchical multiple regression was used to examine the association between cumulative risks and promotive factors and aggressive behaviors, and test two models of resilience (compensatory and risk-protective model) in a diverse sample of urban 7th grade youth (mean age = 13 years; N = 196; 60% female; 60% African American). Cumulative measures of risks and promotive factors included individual characteristics and peer, parental/familial, and school influences. Based on findings in the initial models, the association between cumulative risk and promotive factors and aggressive behavior was examined by race/ethnicity. Results: Higher cumulative risk was associated with higher levels of relational and physical aggression. Higher levels of promotive factors were associated with lower levels of physical and relational aggression, but did not moderate the association between cumulative risks and physical or relational aggression. Race/ethnic differences in the compensatory and risk-protective models by race/ethnicity will be discussed. Conclusions: Overall, our findings support a compensatory model of resiliency, but not a risk-protective model. Violence prevention programs focused on promotive factors may have a positive effect on adolescent aggressive behaviors. We will discuss the implications of our findings and its' application to the prevention of physical and relational aggression.

Learning Areas:
Public health or related research

Learning Objectives:
Describe the relationship between cumulative risk and promotive factors and bullying/aggressive behaviors. Discuss the inclusion of promotive factors in youth violence and bullying interventions.

Keywords: Risk Factors, Youth Violence

Presenting author's disclosure statement:

Qualified on the content I am responsible for because: I am qualified to present because I conduct research on aggression and bullying and prevention/intervention programs. I am a Research Assistant Professor in Health Behavior and Health Education. I am currently funded by NIDA to examine the co-occurrence of aggression and substance use among urban youth.
Any relevant financial relationships? No

I agree to comply with the American Public Health Association Conflict of Interest and Commercial Support Guidelines, and to disclose to the participants any off-label or experimental uses of a commercial product or service discussed in my presentation.