Cecilia Mengo

Violence Victimization on a College Campus: Impact on GPA and School Dropout.

Violence against university students has significant impact on their mental health. The impact of violence on students’ academic performance has received little attention. The primary purpose of this study is to examine the impact of sexual and physical/verbal violence on the academic performance of college students. Data from 74 case files of service users of a campus-based Relationship and Sexual Violence Program were examined. Bivariate analysis was used to examine the impact of sexual and physical/verbal victimization on grade point average and leaving school. Students who experienced both physical/verbal and sexual violence experienced significant drop in their grade point average. Students who experienced sexual victimization were more likely to leave the university than students who experienced physical/verbal victimization. Findings indicate that universities would be well served by investing resources in violence prevention programming.

Components of resilience in gender: a comparative analysis of HIV outcomes in Kenya.

Gender is a critical concept of human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) sexual risk; yet, few studies have examined the intersection between risk and protective factors associated with incidence of HIV among couples. The paper examines gender-specific constructs of resiliency among couples in Kenya. Using data from the Demographic and Health Surveys, Kenya (2008/2009), we apply logistic regression techniques to analyse three resilience-related outcomes (condom use, HIV test and knowing an HIV test place) in estimating the gender differences and barriers to HIV/AIDS sexual risk. Men’s outcomes were significantly associated with previous HIV testing, urban residence, being insured and higher levels of education. Predictors for women’s indicators included previous experience of sexual violence, previous HIV test, urban residence, number of children and willingness to care for a relative with AIDS. Practical implications are discussed to include providing protective factors to women and formulating policies that minimise the challenges faced by women.

Aggression behavior and substance use among immigrant children: Mediating effect of antisocial attitudes

ABSTRACT In 2010, approximately one out of four youths in the United States were immigrant children. Hispanics and Asians comprised the largest groups (58% and 16%), respectively. Today, the Hispanic population is the largest ethnic minority in the United States (15%) and is a majority of the U.S. foreign-born population (47%). While immigration is a positive process for most immigrants, resettlement into a new country has challenges, including acculturation adjustments. Youth engage in risky behaviors such as substance use and antisocial behaviors. For immigrant youth with limited supportive opportunities, however, the acculturation process can be difficult. Stress, alienation, and stigma often manifest and cause behavioral problems, including aggression. This pilot study examines the mediating effect of antisocial attitudes using sociocultural, developmental, and environmental factors to understand Hispanic youth problem behaviors. We sampled 136 youths, ages 6–12, from predominantly Hispanic elementary schools in the southwestern United States to ascertain the role of aggression and antisocial behavior in substance use attitudes. The results show significant differences in aggression, antisocial attitudes, and substance use according to (1) age, (2) years in the United States, (3) English level, and (4) relationship with mother. Aggression significantly predicted antisocial attitudes and substance use, with antisocial attitudes having a mediating effect on the relationship between aggression and substance use. In developing social service programs to prevent substance use among children from immigrant families, social work educators and practitioners may consider addressing the role of aggression in Hispanic adolescents’ future behavior.

Human Trafficking: An Exploratory Review of Awareness and Training Videos

ABSTRACT With the advent of a relatively newly recognized social phenomenon, human trafficking, there are dozens of agencies providing awareness and training materials on the subject. Many of these materials are available online through these agencies and are free to use. However, little is known about the effectiveness of these training and public-awareness materials, their pedagogical application, or if knowledge about human trafficking is increased because of these media. This study conducted a systematic review of publically available online human-trafficking training and public-awareness videos using Bloom’s (1956) pedagogical framework to assess the potential for knowledge transference. Findings from this study suggest that most of the videos did not appear to use Bloom’s Taxonomy of Learning to convey knowledge, and as such the potential for knowledge transference is statistically significant. Authors provide potential practice and research implications.

Accountability and Risk Assessment: Members’ and Leaders’ Perspectives about Psychoeducational Batterers’ Group

This study reports group leaders’ assessment of group members’ risk for reassault and level of accountability during a psychoeducational group intervention with male domestic violence perpetrators. It also examines members’ assessment of their own risk for reassault and level of accountability over the 18-week program. Group leaders and group members completed surveys every 2 weeks. Bivariate analyses examining differences in accountability rating and risk assessment between group leaders and group members show little agreement between leaders and members and few changes over time. Group leaders assessed group members as showing some increases in level of accountability near the end of the group. These findings suggest group leaders perceived increased accountability among group members, but they were rarely able to fulfill their goal of educating members about the connection between accountability and risk of reassault.

Investigating the association between age at first alcohol use and suicidal ideation among high school students: Evidence from the youth risk behavior surveillance system

BACKGROUND Although various studies have investigated and found a significant link between age at first alcohol use and health risk behaviors, few studies have investigated the effect of age at first alcohol use on suicidal ideation among adolescents. The objective of this study was to investigate the effect of age at first alcohol use on suicidal ideation. METHODS Data for this study were obtained from the 2015 Youth Risk Behavior Surveillance system. A sample of 10,745 adolescents aged 14-18 years (50.9% males) were analyzed using logistic regression with suicidal ideation as the outcome variable and age at first alcohol use as the main explanatory variable. RESULTS About 17% of adolescents experienced suicidal ideation during the past 12 months and 15.6% started having alcohol before age 13. Adolescents who started having alcohol before age 13 had 1.60 times higher odds of experiencing suicidal ideation and adolescents who started having alcohol by age 13 or over had 1.47 times higher odds of experiencing suicidal ideation. Other significant factors associated with suicidal ideation include experience of forced sex, physical teen dating violence, bullying, and feeling sad or hopeless. Having sufficient sleep lowered the odds of suicidal ideation. LIMITATIONS The use of cross-sectional data limits the extent to which we can make causal claims regarding age at first alcohol use and suicidal ideation. CONCLUSIONS Younger age at first alcohol use was associated with increased likelihood of suicidal ideation. Public health initiatives that seek to address the co-occurring problems of alcohol use and mental health illness, sexual violence, and victimization among sexual minority youth could help in reducing suicidal ideation.

Interpersonal Violence Prevention and Response on College and University Campuses: Opportunities for Faculty Leadership

Over the past decade, considerable and increasing attention has been paid to the high prevalence of sexual and intimate partner violence, stalking, and sexual harassment (i.e., interpersonal violence) on college and university campuses. Consequences of these victimizations are vast and long-lasting. Given the potential impact of dynamic changes in federal guidance on how to address interpersonal violence on campuses, it is even more critical for faculty from many different disciplines focused on anti-violence research and practice to be involved in efforts to intervene with and prevent such violence. In this commentary, we outline opportunities for faculty leadership in the areas of research, teaching, and service based on available research in these areas as well as our collective experiences as members of academia (e.g., students, former students, faculty) and former intimate partner violence and sexual assault service providers. Additionally, we discuss challenges that may arise for faculty (e.g., fixed-term faculty, adjunct faculty, pre-tenure assistant professors, tenured professors) taking on such leadership opportunities, such as increased workload and emotional labor, and make recommendations to help mitigate these challenges.

Antisocial attitude and aggressive behavior among immigrant children: The moderating effects of parent-child relationships

ABSTRACT Guided by the ecological framework, this study explored 1) the effect of antisocial attitude as a risk factor on aggressive behavior and 2) how a maternal- or paternal-child relationship buffers the impact of antisocial attitude in predicting aggressive behavior among children attending elementary school. A convenience sampling strategy was utilized to recruit 136 immigrant children (female 54.8%, Hispanic and Latino 80.9%) attending schools in one school district in the Southwestern United States. The results showed that the effect of antisocial attitude on aggressive behavior varied depending on the children’s relationships with their parents. A close relationship with their mother mitigated the effect of antisocial attitude on aggressive behavior. Also, if the child had a positive relationship with both parents, the impact of antisocial attitude on aggressive behavior decreased. Thus, immigrant children who had a close relationship with both parents were less likely to have aggressive behavior. These results indicate that there is a benefit when children have close relationships with their parents in reducing problem behaviors.

The association between school bullying victimization and substance use among adolescents in Malawi: the mediating effect of loneliness

Abstract Background and objectives Research has shown an increased prevalence of substance use among adolescents in countries in Sub-Saharan Africa. Peer affiliation, bullying, and psychological stress are significantly associated with substance use. This study empirically tested theoretical frameworks linking peer affiliation, bullying victimization, loneliness and substance use (specifically tobacco or alcohol use) among adolescents. Materials and methods Data were obtained from the 2009 Malawi Global School-based Health Survey (GSHS) with a representative sample of 2359 students aged 13–17 years in Malawi, Sub-Saharan Africa. Missing data were handled using multiple imputation. The study conducted path analyses using Mplus to test the conceptual models of tobacco use and alcohol use. Results The results showed that loneliness partially mediated the association between bullying victimization and tobacco use in the first model, as well as the relationship between bullying victimization and alcohol use in the second model. Results indicated statistically significant indirect paths from bullying victimization to tobacco use and alcohol use through the mediation of loneliness. However, peer affiliation did not directly predict bullying victimization in the two path models; it directly predicted tobacco use only. Conclusions These findings have important implications in early intervention for health practitioners in school and mental health settings to prevent feelings of loneliness and substance use among adolescents who have experience with bullying victimization but no experience with depression, alcohol use or tobacco use.

Women’s Autonomy and Attitudes toward Condom Use: A Multicountry Analysis

The objective of this study was to assess knowledge on HIV/AIDS among rural residents of south India where HIV/AIDS pandemic is high. A HIV-KQ-18 Questionnaire were distributed or directly interviewed to the population of rural people in the part of south India and the Respondents were asked to provide answers to a reliable and validated HIV-KQ 18 questionnaire about knowledge and attitudes about HIV/AIDS. Study results indicated that the majority of people had a minimum level of HIV / AIDS knowledge and acceptance attitudes towards people with HIV and AIDS. Males had more acceptance and positive attitudes towards answering the questionnaire about AIDS than females overall the knowledge about HIV/AIDS was uneven. A peer educational program to talk about self-esteem healthy sexual attitudes being human-accepting and loving should be developed in the near future. It is clear that learning for life is gaining momentum. However it is important to acquire knowledge and educate the public about HIV/AIDS preferably in rural part of India to lead healthy and better quality of life.ABSTRACT Autonomy gives women the ability to negotiate safe sex and make decisions on their health. This study explores the gender stratification framework to understand the intertwined nature of HIV and women’s autonomy using the nationally representative Demographic Health Survey. It examines women’s autonomy and attitudes toward condom use for prevention of HIV/AIDS in four culturally diverse countries. Findings from the logistic regression indicate that labor force participation, individual autonomy, and decision making significantly increased the odds of always using a condom during sex in all countries. Promoting prevention policies highlighting women’s autonomy may contribute in reducing the spread of HIV infection.