Abstract
Objective
Previous research has recommended education for parents, teachers, and anticipatory
guidance by pediatricians regarding participation in the so-called choking game, a
potentially fatal behavior. The purpose of this study was to examine possible associations
between selected demographic variables and risk behaviors with youth engagement in
the choking game on the basis of secondary data analysis from a general adolescent
health risk behavior survey.
Methods
Self-administered survey data from an adolescent needs assessment was used to assess
choking game behavior between fall 2008 and fall 2009. The sample included 192 classrooms
across 88 schools in a Midwestern state.
Results
Of the 3598 questionnaires distributed to middle and high school students, 3408 (95%)
were returned completed. Participation rate in the choking game was 9%, with male
participation (11%) greater than female participation (7%), and high school students
(11%) more likely than middle school students (5%) to participate. Adjusted odds ratios
found that the likelihood of middle school students engaging in the choking game were
higher for older students, substance users, and those having lower grades. For high
school students, adjusted odds ratios found that being older, substance use, and selected
mental health issues (forced sex and attempted suicide) were most associated with
choking activities.
Conclusions
Engaging in the choking game was highly associated with abuse of substances, suggesting
that youth engage in the choking game for the thrill-seeking experience of brief euphoria,
a drug-related feeling. To reduce the potentially fatal consequences associated with
this behavior, pediatricians should screen youths and provide anticipatory guidance
for higher-risk youths and their parents.
Keywords
To read this article in full you will need to make a payment
Purchase one-time access:
Academic & Personal: 24 hour online accessCorporate R&D Professionals: 24 hour online accessOne-time access price info
- For academic or personal research use, select 'Academic and Personal'
- For corporate R&D use, select 'Corporate R&D Professionals'
Subscribe:
Subscribe to Academic PediatricsAlready a print subscriber? Claim online access
Already an online subscriber? Sign in
Register: Create an account
Institutional Access: Sign in to ScienceDirect
References
- Asphyxial games or “the choking game”: a potentially fatal risk behaviour.Inj Prev. 2009; 15: 45-49
- “Suffocation roulette”: A case of recurrent syncope in an adolescent boy.Ann Emerg Med. 2003; 41: 223-226
- Asphyxial games in children and adolescents.Am J Forensic Med Pathol. 2007; 28: 303-307
- Unintentional strangulation deaths from the “choking game” among youths aged 6–19 years, United States, 1995–2007.MMWR Morb Mortal Wkly Rep. 2008; 57: 141-144
- Update on the “choking game”.J Pediatr. 2009; 155: 777-780
- The choking game or suffocation roulette in adolescence.Int J Adolesc Med Health. 2006; 18 ([editorial]): 207-208
- The choking game: physician perspectives.Pediatrics. 2010; 125: 82-88
Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. 2007 youth risk behavior survey. Available at: http://www.cdc.gov/HealthyYouth/yrbs/brief.htm. Accessed March 18, 2010.
Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. YRBSS frequently asked questions. Available at: http://www.cdc.gov/HealthyYouth/yrbs/faq.htm. Accessed March 18, 2010.
- Discovering Statistics Using SPSS.2nd ed. Sage, Thousand Oaks, Calif2009
- “Choking game” awareness and participation among 8th graders—Oregon, 2008.MMWR Morb Mortal Wkly Rep. 2010; 59: 1-5
- Increased drug use among old-for-grade adolescents.Arch Pediatr Adolesc Med. 1996; 150: 470-476
- Fighting and weapon-carrying among seventh-grade students in Massachusetts and Louisiana.J Adolesc Health. 1998; 23: 94-102
Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. Student health and academic achievement. Available at: http://www.cdc.gov/HealthyYouth/health_and_academics/index.htm. Accessed March 18, 2010.
Article Info
Publication History
Accepted:
September 28,
2010
Received:
May 11,
2010
Identification
Copyright
© 2010 Academic Pediatric Association. Published by Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.
