Stressed Out and Strapped: Examining the Link between Psychological Well-being and Weapon Use

• In Event: Posters II

Abstract

This project examines the relationship between various measures of adolescent weapon use (including carrying to and use at school) and a number of indicators of psychological well-being. In particular, we explore the role of anxiety/depression, problem drinking, family history of mental health treatment, and medical/recreational use of Prozac or Ritalin in using guns and other weapons. We use the first two waves of data from the Rural Substance Abuse and Violence Project, which studied a panel of school students annually in Kentucky from 2001-2004. The sample analyzed consists of approximately 3600-3690 adolescents who were in the 7th grade during Wave 1 and the 8th grade during Wave 2 . We hypothesize that adolescents with lower psychological well-being will have higher firearm use behaviors. We examine this hypothesized linkage first through bivariate analyses, then in multivariate regression analyses controlling for gender, race, school attachment, delinquent peers, delinquent offending, parental education, prior level of fear, perceived risk of victimization, and actual victimization.

Authors

• Cheryl Laura Johnson, University of Cincinnati

• Pamela Wilcox, University of Cincinnati