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Gepubliceerd in: Journal of Child and Family Studies 7/2016

11-03-2016 | Original Paper

The Relationship Between Family Stress and Behavioral Health Among African American Adolescents

Auteurs: Dexter R. Voisin, Caitlin Elsaesser, Dong Ha Kim, Sadiq Patel, Annie Cantara

Gepubliceerd in: Journal of Child and Family Studies | Uitgave 7/2016

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Abstract

African American youth, especially those who live in low-income communities, are at increased risk for experiencing higher juvenile justice involvement, poorer mental health, low school engagement, higher illicit drug use, and STIs, relative to their higher income peers and those from other ethnic backgrounds. However, few studies have examined the relationship between family stressors and these multiple youth concerns. This study examines the relationship between family stress (i.e., having an adult in the home with a history of mental illness, substance use, and incarceration) and youth concerns such as substance use, mental health challenges, low school engagement, juvenile justice involvement, and STI risk behaviors. A total of 638 African American adolescents living in predominantly low-income, urban communities participated in the study by completing self-report measures on the above constructs. Logistic regressions controlling for age, gender, socioeconomic status, and sexual orientation indicated that adolescents who reported higher rates of family stress were significantly more likely to report mental health problems, delinquent behaviors, juvenile justice involvement, drug use, risky sex, and lower school engagement factors. Findings suggest that attending to the developmental concerns of youth also requires addressing the needs of the family unit.
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Metagegevens
Titel
The Relationship Between Family Stress and Behavioral Health Among African American Adolescents
Auteurs
Dexter R. Voisin
Caitlin Elsaesser
Dong Ha Kim
Sadiq Patel
Annie Cantara
Publicatiedatum
11-03-2016
Uitgeverij
Springer US
Gepubliceerd in
Journal of Child and Family Studies / Uitgave 7/2016
Print ISSN: 1062-1024
Elektronisch ISSN: 1573-2843
DOI
https://doi.org/10.1007/s10826-016-0402-0

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