Race and Gender Influences on Adjustment in Early Adolescence: Investigation of an Integrative Model

Research has consistently linked two forms of childhood antisocial behavior, physical aggression and nonaggressive rule-breaking, to adolescent delinquency. However, there is a lack of knowledge regarding the development of problem behavior during the latter years of childhood and early adolescence (ages 6 to 14). The current study utilized longitudinal data that followed 756 at-risk males and females from early childhood into early adolescence to identify trajectories of physical aggression and nonaggressive rule-breaking and the association between documented risk factors with class membership. The findings supported a four-class model for both physical aggression and nonaggressive rule-breaking. Both models produced high, moderately high, average, and abstaining classes. However, the physical aggression models decreased as participants aged, while the nonaggressive rule-breaking classes increased. Family adversity, protective neighborhoods, negative child temperament, premature birth, race, and gender were associated with class membership. The study findings may inform targeted, problem-specific strategies aimed at early intervention.

Download Full-text

Referral Patterns for Youths Identified at Risk for Suicide by Trained Gatekeepers

Crisis ◽

10.1027/0227-5910/a000114 ◽

2012 ◽

Vol 33 (2) ◽

pp. 113-119 ◽

Cited By ~ 10

Author(s):

Michael S. Rodi ◽

Lucas Godoy Garraza ◽

Christine Walrath ◽

Robert L. Stephens ◽

D. Susanne Condron ◽

...

Keyword(s):

Suicide Prevention ◽

Demographic Characteristics ◽

Service Access ◽

Referral Patterns ◽

Race And Gender ◽

Lee Smith ◽

Prevention Behavior ◽

Key Variables ◽

And Gender ◽

To Receive

Background: In order to better understand the posttraining suicide prevention behavior of gatekeeper trainees, the present article examines the referral and service receipt patterns among gatekeeper-identified youths. Methods: Data for this study were drawn from 26 Garrett Lee Smith grantees funded between October 2005 and October 2009 who submitted data about the number, characteristics, and service access of identified youths. Results: The demographic characteristics of identified youths are not related to referral type or receipt. Furthermore, referral setting does not seem to be predictive of the type of referral. Demographic as well as other (nonrisk) characteristics of the youths are not key variables in determining identification or service receipt. Limitations: These data are not necessarily representative of all youths identified by gatekeepers represented in the dataset. The prevalence of risk among all members of the communities from which these data are drawn is unknown. Furthermore, these data likely disproportionately represent gatekeepers associated with systems that effectively track gatekeepers and youths. Conclusions: Gatekeepers appear to be identifying youth across settings, and those youths are being referred for services without regard for race and gender or the settings in which they are identified. Furthermore, youths that may be at highest risk may be more likely to receive those services.

Download Full-text