The Role of Anxiety/Depression in the Development of Youth High Risk Behaviors: An Examination of Two Competing Hypotheses in a Sample of African-American, Single Mother Families

Background: Although high-risk behaviors lead to adverse physical, psychological, and sociological consequences, less attention has been paid to identifying their related factors. The aim of this study was to investigate the mediating role of alexithymia in the relationship between defense mechanisms and high-risk behaviors among adolescents in Zahedan. Methods: In this descriptive-correlative study, junior and senior high school students of Zahedan, Iran were studied in the academic year 2015-2016. A sample of 250 (125 males and 125 females) students were chosen by multi-stage cluster sampling and asked to complete the Defense Style Questionnaire (DSQ), Toronto Alexithymia Scale (TAS), and the Risk-Taking Scale (IARS) for Iranian Adolescents. Data analysis was conducted by measuring coefficients of correlation and performing a path analysis. Results: Path analysis showed a significant correlation between defense mechanisms and alexithymia (P<0.01) and a significant correlation was found between immature defense mechanisms and high-risk behaviors (P<0.01). Conclusion: In the relationship between dysfunctional defense mechanisms and high-risk activities, alexithymia played a mediating role. It can be inferred that dysfunctional defense mechanisms play a key role in high-risk activities by influencing alexithymia.

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African American Children’s Diminished Returns of Subjective Family Socioeconomic Status on Fun Seeking

Children ◽

10.3390/children7070075 ◽

2020 ◽

Vol 7 (7) ◽

pp. 75 ◽

Cited By ~ 2

Author(s):

Shervin Assari ◽

Golnoush Akhlaghipour ◽

Shanika Boyce ◽

Mohsen Bazargan ◽

Cleopatra H. Caldwell

Keyword(s):

Socioeconomic Status ◽

African American ◽

High Risk ◽

Risk Behaviors ◽

Reward Sensitivity ◽

Behavioral Approach ◽

High Risk Behaviors ◽

Wide Range ◽

Fun Seeking ◽

Family Ses

Background: Reward sensitivity (fun-seeking) is a risk factor for a wide range of high-risk behaviors. While high socioeconomic status (SES) is known to reduce reward sensitivity and associated high-risk behaviors, less is known about the differential effects of SES on reward sensitivity. It is plausible to expect weaker protective effects of family SES on reward sensitivity in racial minorities, a pattern called Minorities’ Diminished Returns (MDRs). Aim: We compared Caucasian and African American (AA) children for the effects of subjective family SES on children’s fun-seeking. Methods: This was a cross-sectional analysis of 7061 children from the Adolescent Brain Cognitive Development (ABCD) study. The independent variable was subjective family SES. The main outcome was children’s fun-seeking measured by the behavioral approach system (BAS) and behavioral avoidance system (BIS). Age, gender, marital status, and household size were the covariates. Results: In the overall sample, high subjective family SES was associated with lower levels of fun-seeking. We also found a statistically significant interaction between race and subjective family SES on children’s fun-seeking in the overall sample, suggesting that high subjective family SES is associated with a weaker effect on reducing fun-seeking among AA than Caucasian children. In race-stratified models, high subjective family SES was protective against fun-seeking of Caucasian but not AA children. Conclusion: Subjective family SES reduces the fun-seeking for Caucasian but not AA children.

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