Sex-Differences in School-Related Violence and Victimization

Recent violence among youth remains a significant health problem in the US. Since the 1980's, the US has observed a substantial increase in violence among youth. Limited research on sex differences in school-related violence and victimization has been conducted. Therefore, the purpose of this study was to investigate sex differences in the impact of pro-social activities on school-related violence and victimization. This study also examined whether school-related violence and victimization differed between males and females. The PRIDE National survey was completed by students in a large Midwestern city (n = 48,359). Participation was strictly voluntary. Subscales used in this study included: 1) Involvement in pro-social activities; 2) Involvement in school violence; and 3) Involvement in school victimization. The survey has been tested previously for validity and reliability with stability reliability and Cronbach alphas exceeding .80. Results indicated that a sizeable percentage of youth had been involved in school-related violence and victimization within the past year. Males were significantly more likely than females to have been involved in school violence. Logistic regression analyses were performed to determine differences between males and females regarding school violence and victimization as well as the effect of involvement in pro-social activities on such behaviors. Several differences were found among males and females regarding involvement in violence and victimization as well as the impact of pro-social activities on these dependent variables. Such findings have important implications for school health professionals and prevention specialists interested in protecting youth from risky behaviors such as violence and victimization.