Adolescent Weapon Carrying and Use: Are the Correlates Gendered?

Using longitudinal data from nearly 3000 students across 113 public schools in Kentucky, the authors attempt to untangle whether there are gendered correlates for weapon carrying and use among middle school students. Overall, the authors found evidence to support gendered theory of weapon carrying/use. The full sample model suggested that there were six significant predictors for weapon carrying (gender, peer attachment, parental attachment, delinquent peers, delinquency, and low self-control); however, when separated into gender-specific models, the correlates were substantially different for males versus females. Significant correlates for females included peer and parental attachment, while males were more impacted by delinquency and low self-control. Association with delinquent peers was a significant predictor for both male and female students. Implications of these findings for the applicability of gendered prevention programs are discussed.