Exposure to Multiple Forms of Violence and Adolescent Gun Carrying: The Moderating Role of Parental Monitoring

Adolescent gun carrying is a critical U.S. public health issue, yet little is known about how multiple violence exposures contribute to this risk. Guided by the Cumulative Risk and Protective Model, this study examined the direct effects of seven violence and threat exposures on gun carrying, alongside the promotive and protective roles of parental monitoring. Using a nationally representative sample from the 2023 Youth Risk Behavior Survey, complementary log-log regression models were employed, controlling for adverse childhood experiences, mental health, and demographics factors. Of the 20,103 adolescent examined, 4% reported gun carrying the past year. Results indicated that school threats, physical fights, neighborhood violence, sexual abuse, and racial discrimination significantly increased the odds of gun carrying. Conversely, school bullying was associated with reduced odds of gun carrying, whereas cyberbullying showed no significant association with gun carrying. Parental monitoring emerged as a strong promotive factor, reducing the odds of gun carrying by 38%; however, it did not buffer the risks posed by violence exposures. The findings of this study suggest that while parental monitoring is a vital protective asset, it may be insufficient to mitigate the influence of multiple violence exposures, necessitating multi-level strategies across school, community, and family contexts.