This study examined the effects of violence victimization on adolescents’ risk of multiple addictive behaviors and the mediating roles of depression and anxiety. Data from 52,880 middle and high school students in the 19th (2023) Korea Youth Risk Be...
This study examined the effects of violence victimization on adolescents’ risk of multiple addictive behaviors and the mediating roles of depression and anxiety. Data from 52,880 middle and high school students in the 19th (2023) Korea Youth Risk Behavior Web-based Survey were analyzed using complex sample analysis with SPSS 27.0.
The results are as follows. First, the risk of multiple addictive behaviors significantly differed by socio-demographic characteristics and types of addictive behaviors. Higher risk was observed among males, students in higher grades, those not living with their families, adolescents in the low economic status group, those with lower academic achievement and poorer subjective health, those who initiated drinking and smoking at an earlier age, and those classified as high-risk groups for addictive behaviors. Second, violence victimization had both direct and indirect effects on the risk of multiple addictive behaviors through depression. Third, anxiety was found to partially mediate this relationship. These findings highlight the need for integrated prevention strategies and psychosocial interventions to reduce multiple addictive behaviors among adolescents.