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Teen Dating Violence Victimization Among High School Students: A Multilevel Analysis of School‐Level Risk Factors
Author(s) -
Parker Elizabeth M.,
Johnson Sarah Lindstrom,
Debnam Katrina J.,
Milam Adam J.,
Bradshaw Catherine P.
Publication year - 2017
Publication title -
journal of school health
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 0.851
H-Index - 86
eISSN - 1746-1561
pISSN - 0022-4391
DOI - 10.1111/josh.12538
Subject(s) - poison control , injury prevention , suicide prevention , human factors and ergonomics , multilevel model , psychology , clinical psychology , occupational safety and health , peer victimization , medicine , environmental health , statistics , mathematics , pathology
BACKGROUND Much etiologic research has focused on individual‐level risk factors for teen dating violence (TDV); therefore, less is known about school‐level and neighborhood‐level risk factors. We examined the association between alcohol outlet density around high schools and TDV victimization and the association between markers of physical disorder around schools and TDV victimization among adolescents. METHODS Data come from high school students participating in the Maryland Safe and Supportive Schools Initiative. Alcohol outlet density was calculated using walking distance buffers around schools. An observational tool was used to assess indicators of physical disorder on school property (eg, alcohol and drug paraphernalia). Hierarchical linear modeling was used to identify student‐ and school‐level predictors associated with TDV victimization. RESULTS Overall, 11% of students reported experiencing physical TDV and 11% reported experiencing psychological TDV over the past year. Recent alcohol use was a risk factor for TDV victimization for both sexes, whereas feeling safe at school was protective against TDV victimization for both sexes. Greater alcohol outlet density was associated with decreased TDV victimization for males, however, it was nonsignificant for females. Physical disorder around schools was not associated with TDV victimization for either sex. CONCLUSION Although the school‐level predictors were not associated with TDV victimization, alcohol use and perceptions of safety at school were significantly associated with TDV victimization. Prevention efforts to address alcohol use may affect TDV victimization.