Journal Article

Effects of Alcohol on Trajectories of Physical Aggression Among Urban Youth: An Application of Latent Trajectory Modeling

Komro, Kelli A, Jennings, Wesley G, Maldonado-Molina, Mildred M

2010

Overview

Several studies have investigated factors associated with physical aggression during adolescence. Yet, little is known about the longitudinal relationship between drug use, particularly alcohol use, and physical aggression among minority youth. The present study examined the effects of alcohol and substance use at age 11 on trajectories of physical aggression over time (ages 12-14) among urban adolescents from Chicago, IL. Data from the Project Northland Chicago (n = 3038, 49.4% female) was used. The current study sample included 1,160 Black, 1,015 Hispanic and 863 White/other adolescents for a total of 3,038 adolescents. Four trajectories of physical aggression were identified: Non-aggressive (16%), Desistors (9%), Escalators (20%) and Chronic Aggressive (55%). After adjusting for physical aggression behaviors, delinquent friends, lack of supervised time, demographic variables, smoking and marijuana use, past year alcohol users at age 11 were 2.1 times more likely to be “Escalators” and 1.9 times more likely to be in the “Chronic Aggressive” group. Gender and ethnic differences were also observed in the trajectories of physical aggression. Black youth were 2.5 times more likely to be in the “Chronic Aggressive” group. Findings highlight the importance of targeting alcohol prevention to reduce physical aggression among urban young adolescents.

• Publisher: Boston : Springer US,Springer US,Springer,Springer Nature B.V
• Subject: Addictive behaviors / Adolescence / Adolescent / Adolescents / Adult and adolescent clinical studies / African Americans / Aggression / Aggression - psychology / Aggressiveness / Alcohol / Alcohol Drinking - ethnology / Alcohol Drinking - psychology / Alcohol use / Behavior / Behavior problems / Behavioral Science and Psychology / Biological and medical sciences / Black or African American / Black People - statistics & numerical data / Black white differences / Black white relations / Chicago / Chicago, Illinois / Child / Child and School Psychology / Child development / Children & youth / Clinical Psychology / Developmental psychology / Drinking / Drug abuse / Drug Use / Economic conditions / Empirical Research / Ethnic groups / Ethnicity / Female / Fundamental and applied biological sciences. Psychology / Gender Differences / Health Psychology / Hispanic Americans / Hispanic or Latino - statistics & numerical data / History of Psychology / Humans / Juvenile delinquency / Law and Psychology / Learning Theories / Longitudinal Studies / Male / Marijuana / Medical sciences / Minority & ethnic groups / Minority Groups / Neighborhoods / Prevention / Psychology / Psychology. Psychoanalysis. Psychiatry / Psychology. Psychophysiology / Psychopathology. Psychiatry / Racial differences / Risk factors / Sex Differences / Smoking / Social behavior disorders. Criminal behavior. Delinquency / Studies / Substance abuse / Supervision / Teenagers / Urban Areas / Urban Population / Urban Youth / Violence / White People - statistics & numerical data / Young adults / Youth