Examining Associations Between Race, Gender, Alcohol Use, School Performance, and Patterns of Bullying in the School Context: A Latent Class Analysis

2021 ◽  
pp. 088626052199912
Author(s):  
Valdemir Ferreira-Junior ◽  
Juliana Y. Valente ◽  
Zila M. Sanchez

Although many studies addressed bullying occurrence and its associations, they often use individual variables constructed from few items that probably are inadequate to evaluate bullying severity and type. We aimed to identify involvement patterns in bullying victimization and perpetration, and its association with alcohol use, school performance, and sociodemographic variables. Baseline assessment of a randomized controlled trial were used and a latent class analysis was conducted to identify bullying patterns among 1,742 fifth-grade and 2,316 seventh-grade students from 30 public schools in São Paulo, Brazil. Data were collected using an anonymous self-reported, audio-guided questionnaire completed by the participants on smartphones. Multinomial logistic regressions were performed to verify how covariant variables affected bullying latent classes. Both grades presented the same four latent classes: low bullying, moderate bullying victimization, high bullying victimization, and high bullying victimization and perpetration. Alcohol use was associated with all bullying classes in both grades, with odds ratio up to 5.36 (95% CI 3.05; 10.38) among fifth graders from the high bullying victimization and perpetration class. Poor school performance was also strongly associated with this class (aOR = 10.12, 95%CI = 4.19; 24.41). Black/brown 5th graders were 3.35 times more likely to fit into the high bullying victimization class (95% CI 1.34; 8.37). Lack of evidence for association of sociodemographic variables and bullying latent class among seventh-grade students was found. Bullying and alcohol use are highly harmful behaviors that must be prevented. However, prevention programs should consider how racial and gender issues are influencing the way students experience violence.

2020 ◽  
Vol 30 (Supplement_5) ◽  
Author(s):  
V Ferreira Júnior ◽  
J Yurgel Valente ◽  
Z van der Meer Sanchez

Abstract Bullying is a behavior highly prevalent in schools worldwide and is associated with several mental disorders later in life. Considering its prevalence and impact in mental health, it is being recognized as a public health problem. We aimed to identify patterns of bullying victimization and perpetration in children and adolescence, and investigated its association with school performance, alcohol use and sociodemographic factors. A latent class analysis was conducted using baseline data collected from a randomized controlled trial conducted to evaluate the effectiveness of the drug prevention program PROERD (the Brazilian adaptation of the the US program 'Keepin it REAL”) carried out among 1.742 students in 5th grade and 2.316 in 7th grade, from 30 public schools of São Paulo city, Brazil. Two models of four latent classes each were identified among the students, in 5th and 7th grade: Low bullying, Moderate bullying victimization, High bullying victimization and High bullying victimization and perpetration. In both grades, we found that alcohol use were associated to all bullying latent classes (e.g High bullying victimization and perpetration (aOR=5,63; 95%CI = [3,05; 10,38] and aOR=3,29; 95%CI = [1,28; 8,43], 5th and 7th grade respectively). In 5th grade, girls were more likely to belong to the “High bullying victimization” class and to “Moderate bullying victimization” (aOR=1,75; 95%CI = [1,02; 3,01] and aOR=1,47; 95%CI = [1,16; 1,87], respectively); students who reported to belonging to black or brown races were more likely to belong to 'High bullying victimization' class (aOR=3,35; 95%CI = [1,34; 8,37]); low and medium school grades were associated to High bullying victimization and perpetration (aOR=10,12; 95%CI = [4,19; 24,41]) and Moderate bullying victimization (aOR=1,63; 95%CI = [1,17; 2,27]). The results show the need to implement school prevention programs that simultaneously address alcohol use and bullying components, besides taking into account race and gender norms. Key messages Bullying profiles help us to understand how this type of violence happens among students. And the associated factors indicate which groups are at greatest risk and need more attention. The use of alcohol associated with all latent classes, besides showing the impacts of bullying, it also indicates the importance of bullying prevention programs to address substance use prevention.


2021 ◽  
pp. 0095327X2110469
Author(s):  
Scott D. Landes ◽  
Janet M. Wilmoth ◽  
Andrew S. London ◽  
Ann T. Landes

Military suicide prevention efforts would benefit from population-based research documenting patterns in risk factors among service members who die from suicide. We use latent class analysis to analyze patterns in identified risk factors among the population of 2660 active-duty military service members that the Department of Defense Suicide Event Report (DoDSER) system indicates died by suicide between 2008 and 2017. The largest of five empirically derived latent classes was primarily characterized by the dissolution of an intimate relationship in the past year. Relationship dissolution was common in the other four latent classes, but those classes were also characterized by job, administrative, or legal problems, or mental health factors. Distinct demographic and military-status differences were apparent across the latent classes. Results point to the need to increase awareness among mental health service providers and others that suicide among military service members often involves a constellation of potentially interrelated risk factors.


2019 ◽  
Vol 69 (2) ◽  
pp. 101-119 ◽  
Author(s):  
Seher Yalcin

This study aimed to determine individual- and country-level latent classes in literacy, numeracy and problem-solving competencies of individuals participating in the Programme for the International Assessment of Adult Competencies 2015. Specifically, it sought to distinguish these classes in relation to individuals’ sex and to identify the state of prediction of the determined latent classes by each person’s level of education. The study population consisted of 116,301 adults aged 16 to 65 years in 20 countries. Multilevel latent class analysis was conducted to consider the nested data structure and determine the number of latent classes. According to the results of the multilevel latent class analysis, Turkey and Chile were in the low achievement group in all skills, while Japan was in the most successful group. Moreover, the results revealed that sex and education level had a considerable influence on certain competence levels.


2021 ◽  
Vol 112 ◽  
pp. 106640
Author(s):  
Annah K. Bender ◽  
Jacquelyn L. Meyers ◽  
Stacey Subbie-Saenz di Viteri ◽  
Marc Schuckit ◽  
Grace Chan ◽  
...  

Author(s):  
Shikha Kukreti ◽  
Tsung Yu ◽  
Po Wei Chiu ◽  
Carol Strong

Abstract Background Modifiable risk behaviors, such as smoking, diet, alcohol consumption, physical activity, and sleep, are known to impact health. This study aims toward identifying latent classes of unhealthy lifestyle behavior, exploring the correlations between sociodemographic factors, identifying classes, and further assessing the associations between identified latent classes and all-cause mortality. Methods For this study, the data were obtained from a prospective cohort study in Taiwan. The participants’ self-reported demographic and behavioral characteristics (smoking, physical activity, alcohol consumption, fruit and vegetable intake, and sleep) were used. Latent class analysis was used to identify health-behavior patterns, and Cox proportional hazard regression analysis was used to find the association between the latent class of health-behavior and all-cause mortality. Results A complete dataset was obtained from 290,279 participants with a mean age of 40 (12.4). Seven latent classes were identified, characterized as having a 100% likelihood of at least one unhealthy behavior coupled with the probability of having the other four unhealthy risk behaviors. This study also shows that latent health-behavior classes are associated with mortality, suggesting that they are representative of a healthy lifestyle. Finally, it appeared that multiple risk behaviors were more prevalent in younger men and individuals with low socioeconomic status. Conclusions There was a clear clustering pattern of modifiable risk behaviors among the adults under consideration, where the risk of mortality increased with increases in unhealthy behavior. Our findings can be used to design customized disease prevention programs targeting specific populations and corresponding profiles identified in the latent class analysis.


2021 ◽  
Author(s):  
Giovanni Aresi ◽  
Angela Sorgente ◽  
Michael J. Cleveland ◽  
Elena Marta

Introduction: Two not mutually exclusive theories have been proposed to explain the effects of the COVID-19 pandemic on alcohol use: The Availability hypothesis contends that reduced opportunities to drink due to the closure of outlets and consumption sites should lead to decreases in alcohol use, whereas the Stress and Coping hypothesis argues that those exposed to stressful situations may increase drinking. Aims: This study aimed to test such hypotheses by describing pre/during-COVID-19-pandemic changes in patterns of alcohol use among the Italian young adults (18–34 years).Methods: This study involves the secondary analysis of data collected in 2015 and 2020 from nationally representative samples of Italian young adults. Latent class analysis (LCA) was used to identify common patterns of alcohol use.Results: Five classes were found: current non-drinker class (CND), weekend risky (WRD) and weekend non-risky drinkers (WnRD), daily non-risky (DnRD) and daily risky drinkers (DRD). Results indicate gender-specific changes in the prevalence of the five drinker profiles from 2015 to 2020.Conclusions: In support to the Availability hypothesis, increases in abstaining women and men were observed, however among men there were also increases in the prevalence of patterns characterized by risky drinking and related harm (Stress and Coping hypothesis).


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