The best way to reduce teen violence is to target prevention programs at specific groups of teenagers, according to new study from the University of Texas.
Currently, 30% of all teenagers engage in violent behaviors, such as physical fights or taking actions with the intention to deliberately cause physical injury to another person.
Dr. Rashmi Shetgirl and her colleagues found that combinations of certain factors make it more likely for a teenager to become violent. Therefore, it may be more effective to design programs that target these specific populations, such as "Latino teenagers who are depressed," "Caucasian teenagers who consume alcohol," or "African-American teenagers who live below the poverty line."
"Our findings tell us that it is unlikely that traditional cookie-cutter violence prevention programs will be effective for everyone," said Professor Shetgirl.
The study appears in the journal Academic Pediatrics.
Labels: violence
Posted By: Troubled Teens