PROFILES OF VIOLENT YOUTH - SUBSTANCE USE AND OTHER CONCURRENT PROBLEMS

Objectives. This study examined the prevalence of various violent beha viors among high schoolage adolescents, the co-occurrence of teenage v iolence with other public health problems, and gender differences in v iolence. Methods. Longitudinal data for more than 4500 high school sen iors and dropouts from California and Oregon were used to develop weig hted estimates of the prevalence of violent behavior and its cooccurre nce with other emotional and behavioral problems. Results. More than h alf the sample had engaged in violence during the last year, and one i n four had committed predatory violence. Boys were more likely than gi rls to engage in most types of violence, but both were equally prone t o violence within the family. Violent youth were more likely than thei r peers to have poor mental health, use drugs, drop out of school, and be delinquent. Violent boys were more likely than violent girls to co mmit nonviolent felonies and sell drugs, but less likely to have poor mental health or become a parent. Prevalence estimates for violence co -occurring with three or more other problems ranged from 4% to 21%. Co nclusions. Teenage violence typically coexists with additional emotion al and behavioral problems. Programs must consider the broader public health context in which violence occurs. (Am J Public Health. 1997;87: 985-991).