How parents' gun involvement affects their adolescent children

Firearm Involvement Among Parents and Their Adolescent Children: A Prospective Longitudinal Study of At-Risk Youth

NIH-funded research Northwestern University at Chicago · NIH-10471954

This study is looking at how parents' experiences with guns affect their kids aged 12 to 15, especially those at higher risk, to better understand how these experiences might lead to gun-related issues for the children.

Quick facts

Grant typeR01 grant
Study typeNIH-funded research
Funding institutionNorthwestern University at Chicago NIH-funded
Lab location1 site (Chicago, United States)
Project IDNIH-10471954 on NIH RePORTER

What this research studies

This research investigates the impact of firearm involvement among parents on their adolescent children, particularly focusing on high-risk youth aged 12 to 15 years. By leveraging existing data from a long-term study, the project aims to understand how parents' past and current experiences with firearms influence their children's risk of firearm involvement and victimization. The study will involve interviews with 900 participants, including both high-risk adolescents and their parents, to gather comprehensive insights into this critical issue. The research seeks to identify patterns and factors that contribute to firearm involvement in urban settings.

Who could benefit from this research

Good fit: Ideal candidates for participation are adolescents aged 12 to 15 years who are children of juvenile offenders, along with their parents.

Not a fit: Patients who do not have a history of firearm involvement or whose parents are not involved with firearms may not benefit from this research.

Why it matters

Potential benefit: If successful, this research could lead to targeted interventions that reduce firearm violence among at-risk youth and improve community safety.

How similar studies have performed: Previous studies have shown that understanding familial influences on youth behavior can lead to effective prevention strategies, indicating potential success for this approach.

Where this research is happening

Chicago, United States

Researchers

About this research

  1. This is an active NIH-funded research project — typically early-stage science, not a clinical trial accepting patient enrollment.
  2. Some NIH-funded labs run parallel clinical studies or seek volunteers for related work. To check, contact the principal investigator or institution listed above.
  3. For full project details, budget, and progress reports, visit the official NIH RePORTER page below.
Conditions Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (U.S.)Centers for Disease ControlCenters for Disease Control and PreventionUnited States Centers for Disease ControlUnited States Centers for Disease Control and Prevention
Last reviewed 2026-06-13 by the Find a Trial editorial team. Information on this page is for educational purposes and is not medical advice. Always consult qualified healthcare professionals about clinical trial participation.