Early predictors of adolescent violence

Objectives. This study sought to identify early predictors of adolescent vi olence and to assess whether they vary by sex and across different types an d levels of violence.; Methods. Data from a 5-year longitudinal self-report survey of more than 43 00 high school seniors and dropouts from California and Oregon were used to regress measures of relational, predatory, and overall violence on predict ors measured 5 years earlier. Results. Deviant behavior in grade 7. poor grades, and weak bonds with midd le school predicted violent behavior 5 years later. Attending a middle scho ol with comparatively high levels of cigarette and marijuana use was also l inked with subsequent violence. Early drug use and peer drug use predicted increased levels of predatory violence but not its simple occurrence. Girls with low self-esteem during early adolescence were more likely to hit othe rs later on: boys who attended multiple elementary schools were also more l ikely to engage in relational violence. Conclusions. Violence prevention programs for younger adolescents should in clude efforts to prevent or reduce troublesome behavior in school and poor academic performance. Adolescent girls may also profit from efforts to rais e self-esteem: adolescent boys may need extra training in resisting influen ces that encourage deviant behavior. Programs aimed at preventing drug use may yield an added violence-reduction bonus.