Objectives: This study examines demographic and psychosocial characteristics to describe the prevalence and correlates of alcohol-related fighting (fighting due to drinking) in a nationally representative sample of adolescents. Although research shows that those who drink alcohol are more likely to fight, very little is known about the adolescent drinkers who fight while under the influence of alcohol. Methods: Cross-sectional data from the 1995 in-home survey of the National Longitudinal Study on Adolescent Health were used for the analyses. This study included a nationally representative school-based sample (N=18,924) of adolescents in grades 7-12. The analyses were restricted to adolescents drinkers (N=8,886). In this subsample there were 4,377 males and 4,496 females. Results: The weighted analyses show that 11,9% of adolescent drinkers (about 1.2 million adolescents) engaged in alcohol-related physical fighting. Males compared to females were almost twice as likely to engage in alcohol-related fighting (15.6% of males and 8.0% of females). Alcohol-related fighting was least frequently reported by Non-Hispanic African Americans (8.2%) and most frequently reported by Hispanic adolescents (13.1%). More than 25% of adolescent drinkers who reported frequent alcohol consumption, receiving drug or alcohol abuse treatment, selling drugs, engaging in delinquent behavior, or having been suspended and/or expelled from school also reported alcohol-related fighting. Conclusions: These results extend our limited understanding of the characteristics of adolescents who engage in alcohol-related physical fighting. Adolescents who engage in alcohol-related physical fighting may need special prevention programs designed to focus on reducing both alcohol use and aggressive behavior.
Learning Objectives: 1. Describe the epidemiology of alcohol-related fighting behaviors among adolescents. 2. Discuss the psychosocial characteristics of those adolescents who engage in alcohol-related fighting behaviors. 3. Recognize that adolescents who engage in alcohol-related fighting may need special prevention programs designed to focus on reducing both alcohol use and aggressive behavior.
Keywords: Alcohol Use, Youth Violence
Presenting author's disclosure statement:
Organization/institution whose products or services will be discussed: None
I do not have any significant financial interest/arrangement or affiliation with any organization/institution whose products or services are being discussed in this session.