Runaway and homeless youth often have a constellation of background behavioral, emotional, and familial problems that contribute to stress and maladaptive behaviors, which, in turn, can lead to self-harming and suicidal behaviors. The current study examined the roles of stress and maladaptive behaviors as mediators between demographic and…

Background: Different dimensions of oppositional defiant disorder (ODD) have been found as valid predictors of further mental health problems and antisocial behaviors in youth. The present study aimed at testing the construct, concurrent, and predictive validity of ODD dimensions derived from parent- and self-report measures. Method: Confirmatory…

This study utilized cross-lagged longitudinal models to examine prospective, bidirectional relationships between witnessing violence and victimization and three adjustment variables--delinquency, conduct problems, and school connectedness. Participants included 603 early adolescent boys and girls (78% African American, 20% Caucasian). Witnessing…

Baseline, one-year and two-year follow-up interviews were obtained from 164 arrested youths processed at a juvenile assessment center in a prospective longitudinal study. A structural equation model that included cross-sectional and longitudinal associations among drug (alcohol and marijuana), drug sales and index offenses was supported by the…

Study (a) investigated differences in demographic variables, previous delinquent/criminal behavior variables, family system variables, juvenile court system variables, and subsequent delinquent behavior variables between court-involved juvenile delinquent youth who did and did not receive services; and (b) created a predictive model that would…

Studied 100 clients of the East Baton Rouge Parish Family Court to develop predictive model for identifying offenders at high risk for recidivism. Found important predictor variables to be presence of delinquent siblings or friends, school problems, type of offense committed, and gender of delinquent. (Author/NB)

The Health, Education and Welfare (HEW) Office of Youth Development's National Strategy for Youth Development model was promoted as a community-based planning and procedural tool for enhancing positive youth development and reducing delinquency. To test the applicability of the model as a function of delinquency level, the program's Impact Scales…

Data from two juvenile correctional facilities indicate that the deprivation model is a better predictor of adaptation to confinement for males than is the importation model. For females, variables from both deprivation and importation models have a significant impact. (Author)

The predictive validity of a hypothesized model of 5 factors associated with the development of juvenile delinquency was evaluated with 68 children (ages 6-11) who had been referred for delinquent behavior. Analysis of clinical files indicated that aggressiveness and variety of conduct problems accounted for 31% of variance in delinquent behavior.…

Event history analysis, spanning grades 7 through 12, was used to test a developmental model of the timing of first sexual intercourse among boys at risk for delinquency. As predicted, antisocial/delinquent behavior and substance use along with early physical maturity and parental transitions predicted early onset of sexual intercourse. Anxiety…

The father-child relationship and father's parenting style are examined as predictors of first delinquency and substance use, using data from the National Longitudinal Study of Youth 1997, Rounds 1 to 3 (N = 5,345), among adolescents in intact families. Discrete time logistic regressions indicate that a more positive father-child relationship…

Explores the interplay of various factors that may jointly predict the frequency of drug use and the intention for further use. Drug-use prevalence data for 969 adolescents, high school students, and imprisoned offenders linked drug-use frequencies with psychosocial variables such as disinhibition, peer drug use, peer pressure, and other factors.…

Three models reflecting stages of substance abuse were tested using path analysis with subsamples of 626 to 850 subjects. Models indicate that measures of religiosity and religious conservatism help explain substance use. Results suggest that explanations of substance abuse can be enhanced through models using stage of drug involvement. (SLD)

Examined the relationship between adolescents' detection of self-discrepancies and internalizing and externalizing problems. Found that self-discrepancy, independent of actual-self positivity, predicted internalizing and externalizing problems. For girls, discrepancy with parental standards predicted functioning, and discrepancy with independent…

Tested an empirically based prediction model of school dropout on juvenile delinquents (N=137). Identified four factors yielding a high level of prediction: misbehavior in school, disliking school, the negative influence of peers with respect to dropping out and getting into trouble, and a marginal or weak relationship with parents. (Author/ABB)