PERCEIVED RISK OF FIGHTING AND ACTUAL FIGHTING BEHAVIOR AMONG MIDDLE SCHOOL STUDENTS

This study evaluated the association between perceived risk of fightin g and actual fighting behavior among middle school students and determ ined if that relationship was modified by race, gender, or grade level . Survey data were obtained from a stratified random sample of 517 Bla ck and White students in a county school district in Maryland. Most st udents (72%) perceived fighting to be high-risk, but 20% reported figh ting on a regular basis. The effect of risk perception (RP) on fightin g behavior varied by race. Independent of grade and gender effects, st udents who believed fighting to be low-risk were more likely to fight on a regular basis than those with high RP (odds ratio for Blacks = 3. 1; odds ratio for Whites = 5.4). School violence prevention education must include an emphasis on the health risks of fighting and attention to cultural differences in risk perception.