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Holloway ED, Irgens M, McPhee J, Folk JB, Tolou-Shams M. Youth recidivism: youth self-report matters. Front Psychol 2024; 14:1208317. [PMID: 38239481 PMCID: PMC10794774 DOI: 10.3389/fpsyg.2023.1208317] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/18/2023] [Accepted: 11/13/2023] [Indexed: 01/22/2024] Open
Abstract
Introduction "Recidivism" is used ubiquitously in juvenile justice research and typically describes repeat legal contact; however, researchers, policymakers, and clinicians operationalize it in various ways. Despite assuming each measure is a proxy for continued delinquent behavior leading to further legal contact, few have examined the association between youth delinquent behavior and self-reported and official records of legal contact. Furthermore, systemic bias against ethnoracial and gender minoritized youth often results in more harsh treatment by the legal system, which could influence recidivism measurement. Latent variable modeling of legal contact is understudied; thus, it is important to examine the feasibility of measuring this construct as a latent variable, including measurement invariance by gender. Methods Among 401 youth ages 12-18 years at first ever court contact, we examined three metrics of legal contact over a 2-year follow-up period: youth-report of arrest, caregiver-report of their adolescent's arrest, and official records of the number of new court charges. We examined between-group differences on each metric based on gender and ethnoracial identity. We then measured: (1) the association between youths' self-reported delinquency and each metric, (2) gender-specific associations between self-reported delinquency and each metric, and (3) gender-based measurement invariance for a latent recidivism variable using confirmatory factor analysis. Results Youth were consistent reporters of their own delinquent behavior and prospective legal contact measured by arrests. There were no between-group differences based on gender or ethnoracial identity for any legal contact measures. Delinquency and all legal contact variables were positively intercorrelated for the overall sample and the male subsample. For females, delinquency was not associated with caregiver-reported youth arrest or number of new charges. The latent legal contact variable had unique factor structures for male and female subsamples, suggesting no measurement invariance. Discussion Youth-reported delinquency at first ever legal contact was most strongly associated with youth-reported arrest during a 2-year follow-up period, followed by caregiver-reported arrest, and the number of new charges. Unique latent variable factor structures for male and female subsamples suggests the inter-relation between legal contact variables is gender-specific. Stakeholders should consider prioritizing youth-reported delinquency since it is most strongly related to prospective youth-reported arrest.
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Affiliation(s)
- Evan D. Holloway
- Juvenile Justice Behavioral Health Lab, Division of Infant, Child, and Adolescent Psychiatry, Zuckerberg San Francisco General Hospital, University of California, San Francisco, San Francisco, CA, United States
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Lozano A, Ocasio MA, Boga DJ, Fernandez A, Hodge S, Estrada Y, Cano MÁ, Prado G. Measurement Invariance of Family Functioning Among Latina/o/x Sexual Minority Youth and Heterosexual Latina/o/x Youth. LGBTQ+ FAMILY : AN INTERDISCIPLINARY JOURNAL 2023; 19:367-381. [PMID: 38264060 PMCID: PMC10805466 DOI: 10.1080/27703371.2023.2217096] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/25/2024]
Abstract
Positive family functioning is negatively associated with drug use, sexual risk behaviors, and depression; however, existing measures of family functioning were not specifically developed for Latina/o/x sexual minority youth (LSMY). This study examined the factor structure of family functioning and whether it is invariant across sexual orientation (i.e., LSMY and heterosexual Latina/o/x youth). Participants included 454 Latina/o/x youth (LSMY: n = 115, 25.3%). Results yielded a higher-order family functioning factor consisting of parental involvement, positive parenting, parent-adolescent communication, and parental monitoring. The model fit for the sample was acceptable (CFI/RMSEA = .91/.04) and configural invariance indicated that the model fit the data adequately in both groups (CFI/RMSEA = .87/.05). Fit of the metric invariance model (∆χ2 (42) = 54.83, p = .09, ΔCFI, ΔRMSEA, ΔTLI < .001) was not significantly worse than the configural model, however, the scalar invariance model (∆χ2 (42) = 80.18, p < .001, ΔCFI = .01, ΔRMSEA, ΔTLI < .001) was significantly worse than the less constrained models, suggesting that family functioning was noninvariant with regard to sexual orientation. Noninvariance may be related to the unique experiences of LSMY related to sexual orientation that are not captured in existing measures of family functioning.
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Affiliation(s)
- Alyssa Lozano
- Department of Public Health Sciences, Miller School of Medicine, University of Miami
| | - Manuel A. Ocasio
- Section of Adolescent Medicine, Department of Pediatrics, Tulane University School of Medicine
| | - Devina J. Boga
- Department of Public Health Sciences, Miller School of Medicine, University of Miami
| | - Alejandra Fernandez
- Department of Health Promotion and Behavioral Sciences, UTHealth School of Public Health, Center for Pediatric Population Health
| | - Shanelle Hodge
- School of Nursing and Health Studies, University of Miami
| | | | - Miguel Ángel Cano
- School of Public Health, The University of Texas Southwestern Medical Center
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Wolff J, Modrowski CA, Janssen T, Frank HE, Velotta S, Sheerin K, Becker S, Weinstock LM, Spirito A, Kemp KA. From court to the community: improving access to evidence-based treatment for underserved youth involved in the juvenile legal system at-risk for suicide. BMC Psychiatry 2023; 23:320. [PMID: 37147604 PMCID: PMC10163709 DOI: 10.1186/s12888-023-04824-7] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/12/2023] [Accepted: 04/27/2023] [Indexed: 05/07/2023] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND Juvenile legal involved youth (JLIY) experience disproportionately high rates of suicidal and self-injurious thoughts and behaviors (SSITB). Many JLIY lack access to evidence-based treatment specifically designed to treat SSITB, thereby increasing the overall risk of suicide. The overwhelming majority of JLIY are not placed in secure facilities and almost all incarcerated youth are eventually released to the community. Consequently, SSITB are a major concern of JLIY residing in the community and it is critical that this population has access to evidence-based treatment for SSITB. Unfortunately, most community mental health providers who treat JLIY have not been trained in evidence-based interventions that are specifically designed to SSITB, which often leads to youth experiencing prolonged periods of SSITB. Training community mental health providers who serve JLIY in the detection and treatment of SSITB shows promise for decreasing the overall suicide risk for JLIY. METHODS The current proposal aims to reduce SSITB among JLIY, and thus reduce mental health disparities in this vulnerable and underserved youth population, by increasing access to evidence-based treatment strategies specifically designed to treat SSITB behaviors. We will implement an agency-wide training among at least 9 distinct community mental health agencies that serve JLIY referred to treatment by a statewide court system in the Northeast. Agencies will be trained in an adapted version of the COping, Problem Solving, Enhancing life, Safety, and Parenting (COPES+) intervention. Training will be implemented via a cluster-randomized stepped wedge trial that proceeds through multiple phases. DISCUSSION This research engages multiple systems (i.e., juvenile legal and mental health systems) serving JLIY and has the potential to directly inform treatment practices in juvenile legal and mental health systems. The current protocol has significant public health implications as the primary goals are to reduce SSITB among adolescents involved in the juvenile legal system. By implementing a training protocol with community-based providers to help them learn an evidence-based intervention, this proposal aims to reduce mental health disparities in a marginalized and underserved population. TRIAL REGISTRATION osf.io/sq9zt.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jennifer Wolff
- Department of Psychiatry & Human Behavior, Brown University Medical School, 1 Hoppin Street, Suite 204, Providence, RI 02903 USA
| | - Crosby A. Modrowski
- Department of Psychiatry & Human Behavior, Brown University Medical School, 1 Hoppin Street, Suite 204, Providence, RI 02903 USA
| | - Tim Janssen
- Center for Alcohol and Addiction Studies, Brown University, 121 S. Main Street, Providence, RI 02903 USA
| | - Hannah E. Frank
- Department of Psychiatry & Human Behavior, Brown University Medical School, 1 Hoppin Street, Suite 204, Providence, RI 02903 USA
| | - Sydney Velotta
- Bradley Hasbro Children’s Research Center, 1 Hoppin Street, Suite 204, Providence, RI 02903 USA
| | - Kaitlin Sheerin
- Department of Psychiatry & Human Behavior, Brown University Medical School, 1 Hoppin Street, Suite 204, Providence, RI 02903 USA
| | - Sara Becker
- Center for Dissemination and Implementation Science, Northwestern University Feinberg School of Medicine, 633 N. Clair St, Chicago, IL 60611 USA
| | - Lauren M. Weinstock
- Department of Psychiatry & Human Behavior, Brown University Medical School, 1 Hoppin Street, Suite 204, Providence, RI 02903 USA
| | - Anthony Spirito
- Bradley Hasbro Children’s Research Center, 1 Hoppin Street, Suite 204, Providence, RI 02903 USA
| | - Kathleen A. Kemp
- Department of Psychiatry & Human Behavior, Brown University Medical School, 1 Hoppin Street, Suite 204, Providence, RI 02903 USA
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Folk JB, Ramos LM, Bath EP, Rosen B, Marshall BD, Kemp K, Brown L, Conrad S, Tolou-Shams M. The prospective impact of adverse childhood experiences on justice-involved youth's psychiatric symptoms and substance use. J Consult Clin Psychol 2021; 89:483-498. [PMID: 34264697 PMCID: PMC8754104 DOI: 10.1037/ccp0000655] [Citation(s) in RCA: 9] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/08/2022]
Abstract
OBJECTIVE Justice-involved youth report high rates of adverse childhood experiences (ACEs; abuse, neglect, household dysfunction) and are at high risk for elevated behavioral health needs (i.e., substance use, psychiatric symptoms). Research with broad samples of adolescents shows ACEs predict behavioral health outcomes, yet most research on the impact of ACEs among justice-involved youth focuses on recidivism. The present study addresses this gap by examining the prospective association between ACEs and psychiatric symptoms, substance use, and substance-related problems (i.e., consequences of use) among first-time justice-involved youth. METHOD First-time justice-involved youth (n = 271; 54.3% male; M age = 14.5 years; 43.5% Latinx; non-Latinx: 34.2% White, 8.6% Black, 7.1% Other, 6.7% Multiracial) and their caregivers were assessed at youth's first court contact and 4- and 12-month follow-ups. Youth and caregivers reported youth's exposure to ACEs through a series of instruments at baseline and 4-months (e.g., Childhood Trauma Questionnaire Short-Form; Traumatic Life Events Inventory). Primary outcomes included youth alcohol and cannabis use (Adolescent Risk Behavior Assessment), consequences of use (Brief Young Adult Alcohol Consequences Questionnaire; Brief Marijuana Consequences Scale), and psychiatric symptoms (Behavior Assessment System for Children; National Stressful Events Survey PTSD Short Scale). RESULTS Youth were exposed to three ACEs, on average, prior to first justice contact (M = 3). Exposure to more ACEs, particularly abuse, predicted substance use and psychiatric outcomes. Gender differences emerged for cannabis use and internalizing symptoms. CONCLUSIONS Implications for trauma-responsive juvenile justice reform are discussed, including screening for ACEs and their sequelae at first court contact and considering the role of masculine norms. (PsycInfo Database Record (c) 2021 APA, all rights reserved).
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Affiliation(s)
- Johanna B. Folk
- University of California, San Francisco, Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences, 1001 Potrero Ave, San Francisco, CA 94110
| | - Lili M.C. Ramos
- University of California, San Francisco, Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences, 1001 Potrero Ave, San Francisco, CA 94110
| | - Eraka P. Bath
- University of California, Los Angeles, Department of Psychiatry, 150 UCLA, Medical Plaza Driveway, Los Angeles, CA 90095
| | - Brooke Rosen
- University of California, San Francisco, Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences, 1001 Potrero Ave, San Francisco, CA 94110
| | - Brandon D.L. Marshall
- The Warren Alpert Medical School of Brown University, Department of Psychiatry and Human Behavior, 222 Richmond St, Providence, RI 02903
| | - Kathleen Kemp
- The Warren Alpert Medical School of Brown University, School of Public Health, 222 Richmond St, Providence, RI 02903
| | - Larry Brown
- The Warren Alpert Medical School of Brown University, Department of Psychiatry and Human Behavior, 222 Richmond St, Providence, RI 02903
| | - Selby Conrad
- The Warren Alpert Medical School of Brown University, Department of Psychiatry and Human Behavior, 222 Richmond St, Providence, RI 02903
| | - Marina Tolou-Shams
- University of California, San Francisco, Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences, 1001 Potrero Ave, San Francisco, CA 94110
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