Say it Loud: The Obama Effect and Racial/Ethnic Identification of Adolescents

The current study examined how self-reported racial/ethnic identification of adolescents living in poverty may be related to significant societal events and seminal public figures. Data from a multiple cohort longitudinal study, conducted in Mobile, Alabama between 1998 and 2011, were used to examine the impact of Barack Obama's nomination and presidency on racial/ethnic identification. The results show that significantly more adolescents changed their self-reported racial/ethnic identification from White or Mixed-Race to Black or Mixed Race after the election than before. These results suggest that a distant public figure can serve as a role model with observable effects for adolescents.     

Ethnic and gender differences in parental expectations and life stress

This paper presents ethnic and gender differences in reported stressful life events (SLE) in a sample of 70 Southeast Asian (SEA) adolescents. The ranking of five SLEs with the highest percentage reportingSome orA Lot of stress showed differences in qualitative life events among Cambodian, Hmong, and Vietnamese adolescents. Cambodians rankedstrict discipline in social life by parents as most stressful. Hmong and Vietnamese adolescents reporteddoing house chores andacademic pressure to do well, respectively, as most stressful. In other stressor domains, academic performance (i.e.studying for a test, personal pressure to get good grades) and parental expectations (i.e.high expectations from parents to do well, fear of failure to meet family expectations) show similarity across ethnic groups. T-tests show that female adolescents reported higher stress on eight out of 10 life events females than males.Personal pressure to get good grades had the highest percentage mean for females. For males,worrying about where to live or getting a job after graduation were the two most endorsed stressful life events. Important implications for social work practice in schools and with parents in SEA families are discussed. Further research into parental involvement and family distress is also recommended.     

Exploring Gender and Racial/Ethnic Differences in the Effects of Child Sexual Abuse

Child sexual abuse (CSA) has been linked to a number of adverse effects including hypersexuality (HYP), substance use (SUB), suicidality (SUI), and depression (DEP). Despite a plethora of research on CSA, little is known about how it affects adolescents and the cultural factors that influence their coping styles. This study was founded on social-cultural coping theory and the model of traumagenic dynamics of sexual abuse, suggesting that CSA consequences lead to maladaptive coping mechanisms influenced by sociocultural factors. Using archival data, loglinear analysis was conducted to examine gender differences within racial/ethnic groups in HYP, SUI, DEP, and SUB among adolescent survivors of CSA in a National sample of 13,583 male and female high school students. The purpose of the study was to identify differences in the effects of CSA as manifested by variations of maladaptive coping across racial/ethnic groups and gender. Boys were significantly more likely to use substances, while girls were more likely to experience depressive symptoms and suicidality. Notably, this study did not reveal any significant racial/ethnic differences in adolescent coping. These findings can inform treatment planning and interventions for adolescents who may present with DEP, SUI, SUB, or risky sexual behaviors, but may have underlying trauma from CSA. This study contributes to the knowledge base about the processes that take place within adolescent CSA survivors, shedding light on cultural nuances among adolescent coping and informing culturally competent practice.     

Protectors of Indigenous Adolescents’ Post-disaster Adaptation in Taiwan

The study examined the protectors of post-disaster adaption in indigenous adolescent survivors of a devastating typhoon in Taiwan. In total, 152 adolescent participants were recruited from two mountainous districts that were the most severely destroyed by Typhoon Morakot (August 7, 2009). A self-reported questionnaire with five major sections including: (1) sociodemographic information and previous traumatic experience; (2) the adolescent-family inventory of life events and changes; (3) the Family APGAR Index; (4) the Family Satisfaction Scale; and (5) the WHO Quality of Life Scale was administered to the adolescents. Multiple regression was performed to analyze the collected data. Gender, religion, and perceptions of overall life changes, family functioning, and satisfaction with family were found to significantly affected post-disaster life adaptation in indigenous adolescents. The findings suggest that clinicians should be more sensitive to gender differences, strengthen adolescents’ beliefs and family systems, and minimize transitional post-disaster experience in order to assist indigenous survivors with coping with disasters.     

Assessing Depression in Childhood and Adolescence: A Guide for Social Work Practice

Depression is relatively common in children and adolescents, and if left undetected and untreated, can have long-term negative consequences. Social workers providing services to families, children and adolescents need to understand the characteristics, and conduct developmentally appropriate assessments, of depressive symptoms. This paper provides a review of current literature related to the definition, prevalence, co-occurrence, and measurement of depression in childhood and adolescence. It also highlights relevant gender, race, and ethnic influences.     

Gender differences in symptoms of depression among adolescents.

In this paper, we examine sources of gender differences in depressive symptoms among adolescents. Using data collected from a self-administered survey of 306 high school students, we examine differences in the impact of life events, psychosocial resources, and parent-child relationships on levels of psychological distress. Our results confirm a substantial gender difference in level of psychological distress. Moreover, analyses indicate that this gender difference may be due largely to higher levels of self-esteem among males and a tendency for adolescents to perceive their fathers to be overprotective. There is, however, also evidence that other psychosocial resources and parent-child relationships are implicated in this gender difference. We also present analyses to support our contention that parent-child relationships have important effects on the development of psychosocial resources of adolescents that, in turn, influence levels of depressive symptoms.     

Depression Level in Inner-City Asian American Adolescents

Summary

This study examines the effects of cultural orientation and interpersonal relationships on depression among inner-city Asian American adolescents, controlling for demographic variables. Data were obtained from 144 high school students. The mean CES-D was 19.24. Cultural orientation and interpersonal relationships were significant predictors of depression. Individuals who were separated (had a high orientation towards ethnic culture and low orientation towards mainstream culture) experienced greater depression than those who were assimilated (had a high orientation towards American culture and low orientation towards ethnic culture). In addition, the presence of a more positive parent and peer relationship predicted lower depression levels. None of the demographic variables were significant predictors of depression in the overall model, although late immigrants (those who immigrated after the age of 12) were more depressed than American-born adolescents in the bivariate analysis. Implications of findings are discussed.     

Testing a path model of relationships between gender,age, and bullying victimization and violent behavior,substance abuse,depression, suicidal ideation,and suicide attempts in adolescents

The goal of this study was to test a path model for the relationships between age, gender, traditional bullying and cyberbullying victimization, and violent behavior, substance abuse, depression, suicidal ideation and suicide attempts in adolescents. A hypothesized path model was fit to data from the 2011 Youth Risk Behavior Surveillance System (YRBSS) on a nationally representative sample of 15,425 high-school students from across the United States. Results suggested that the effects of traditional and cyberbullying victimization on suicidal thinking, suicide planning, and suicide attempts were mediated by violent behavior, substance abuse, and depression. Results also suggested reciprocal paths between substance abuse and violent behavior. There were statistically significant indirect paths from both traditional and cyberbullying victimization to suicide attempts without the involvement of depression, suicidal thinking, or suicide planning, findings suggesting a model for spontaneous, unplanned adolescent suicides. Results suggested that female adolescents who reported cyberbullying victimization also reported higher rates of depression and suicidal behaviors compared to their male counterparts, and that as adolescents got older, depression and substance abuse tended to increase, while violent behavior and suicidal thinking tended to decrease. The implications of these findings for social workers, school counselors, and others who work with adolescents are considered.     

Gender,Race/Ethnicity,and Deviant Drinking: A Longitudinal Application of Social Structure and Social Learning Theory

Aker's (1998) theory of social structure and social learning (SSSL) argues that structural variations in deviant behavior, such as gender or race/ethnic differences in underage or heavy drinking, are mediated by social learning variables. However, longitudinal analyses of deviant drinking in an urban sample of white, black, and Hispanic adolescents fail to support the SSSL mediation hypothesis. Significant gender and race/ethnic differences persist after controls for social learning variables as well as for social bonding variables. Interaction effects involving two social bonding variables—family attachment and moral belief—point to theoretically important conditions that maintain a gender gap in underage drinking and relatively low levels of deviant drinking among African American adolescents.     

Socioeconomic Strain,Family Ties,and Adolescent Health in a Rural Northeastern County

In adolescence, vital sources of support come from family relationships; however, research that considers the health‐related impact of ties to both parents and siblings is sparse, and the utility of such ties among at‐risk teens is not well understood. Here we use two waves of panel data from the population of 8th and 12th grade students in a geographically isolated, rural, northeastern U.S. county to assess whether socioeconomic status (SES) moderates the effects of parental and sibling attachments on three indicators of adolescent health: obesity, depression, and problem substance use. Our findings indicate that, net of stressful life events, prior health, and sociodemographic controls, increases in parental and sibling attachment correspond with reduced odds of obesity for low‐SES adolescents, reduced odds of depression for high‐SES adolescents, and reduced odds of problem substance use for low‐SES adolescents. Results suggest also that sibling and maternal ties are more influential than paternal ties, at least with regard to the outcomes considered. Overall, the findings highlight the value of strong family ties for the physical, psychological, and behavioral health of socioeconomically strained rural teens, and reveal the explanatory potential of both sibling and parental ties for adolescent health.     

Relational Strains and Delinquency: Assessing the Gendering of Emotions’ Claims among Chinese Adolescents*

This study assesses the gendering of emotions’ claims in an understudied population, that is, adolescents in mainland China. Specifically, it examines gender variations in the emotional reactions to relational strains and gendered responses to emotions with types of delinquency. Data drawn from over 500 middle‐school students from an urban city in China yield results in support of general strain theory in most respects, but culture‐specific patterns are noted. In general, Chinese boys and girls respond to different domains of relational strains, and relational strains are more strongly associated with depression than anger. Furthermore, boys respond to relational strains with anger more often than do girls, whereas girls and boys are about equal in responding to strains with depression. Gender differences are observed concerning responses to emotions with delinquency. Boys are more likely than girls to use aggression in response to anger and depression, whereas no gender differences are manifested in the reaction to emotions with non‐aggressive delinquency. Gender patterns are also noted in the assessment of negative emotions as mediators of the strain–delinquency relationship. We address these findings along with other observations in light of general strain theory and sociocultural factors pertinent to mainland China.     

The effect of the COVID-19 pandemic on infant development and maternal mental health in the first 2 years of life

We investigated how exogenous variation in exposure to the COVID-19 pandemic during the first year of life is related to infant development, maternal mental health, and perceived stress. Ninety-three socioeconomically diverse pregnant women were recruited before the pandemic to participate in a longitudinal study. Infants ranged in age at the beginning of lockdown (0–9.5 months old), thus experiencing different durations of pandemic exposure across the first year of life. The duration of pandemic exposure was not associated with family demographic characteristics, suggesting it captured exogenous variability. We tested associations between this exogenous variation in pandemic exposure and child and family outcomes. We also examined whether mother-reported disruptive life events were correlated with child and family outcomes. We found no association between duration of pandemic exposure in the first year of life and infant socioemotional problems, infant language development, or maternal mental health and perceived stress symptoms, at 12 or 24 months. However, we found that self-reported exposure to pandemic-related disruptive life events predicted greater maternal depression, anxiety, and perceived stress at 12 months, and greater depression and anxiety at 24 months. Socioeconomic status did not moderate these associations. These findings suggest cautious optimism for infants raised during this period.     

Developmental Characteristics of African American and Caribbean Black Adolescents' Attributions Regarding Discrimination

The present study examined discrimination attributions in the psychological well‐being of Black adolescents. Findings are based on a representative sample of 810 African American and 360 Caribbean Black youth, aged 13–17, who participated in the National Survey of American Life. Youth completed measures of perceived discrimination, discrimination attributions, depressive symptoms, self‐esteem, and life satisfaction. Approximately half the youth attributed discrimination to race/ethnicity (43%), followed by age (17%), physical appearance (16.5%), and gender (7.5%), and there were no ethnic, gender, or age differences regarding discrimination attributions. Key findings suggest that the association between perceived discrimination and psychological well‐being did not vary according to discrimination attribution, which implies that discrimination is harmful for Black youth regardless of the attribution.     

Race,ethnicity and the strength of Facebook ties

This study investigates the role of race and ethnicity in the self-reported strength of the social ties of young adolescents on Facebook. Based on the social diversification hypothesis, which argues that in multicultural societies, race and ethnicity are key factors that shape the nature of associations, we examine whether there are ethnic and racial differences in the size and strength of the ties of adolescent Facebook users and the role of the strength of these ties in several positive outcomes. Using data from the U.S. Teens’ Social Media and Privacy Survey conducted by the Pew Research Center’s Internet & American Life project among 802 teens ages 12–17, we found no differences in the total number of ties that adolescents from different ethnic and racial groups reported. However, African Americans reported significantly higher number of weak ties, while White Americans had a significantly higher number of strong ties. The results are consistent with the social diversification hypothesis. The implications of the findings are discussed.     

Youth–Family,Youth–School Relationship,and Depression

This study sought to examine the association between adolescents’ relationship with family and school and depressive symptoms across ethnic/racial groups (White, Black, Hispanic, and Asian), and to test potentially unique explanatory power in youth–family relationship versus youth–school relationship, in a sample of 4,783 adolescents. Depressive symptoms were assessed with a 19-item, modified Center for Epidemiologic Studies-Depression Scale (CES-D). The results indicated that youth–family relationship and youth–school relationship were significant predictors of adolescent depression. However, the findings of the study indicated that unique contributions by youth–family relationship and youth–school relationship were different by racial/ethnic groups. These findings elucidate protective factors for adolescent depression and highlight the importance of cultural context of each racial/ethnic group.     

NEIGHBORHOOD CONTEXT AND THE GENDER GAP IN ADOLESCENT VIOLENT CRIME

Although researchers consistently demonstrate that females engage in less criminal behavior than males across the life course, research on the variability of the gender gap across contexts is sparse. To address this issue, we examine the gender gap in self-reported violent crime among adolescents across neighborhoods. Multilevel models using data from the Project of Human Development in Chicago Neighborhoods (PHDCN) indicate that the gender gap in violent crime decreases as levels of neighborhood disadvantage increase. Further, the narrowing of the gender gap is explained by gender differences in peer influence on violent offending. Neighborhood disadvantage increases exposure to peer violence for both sexes, but peer violence has a stronger impact on violent offending for females than for males, producing the reduction in the gender gap at higher levels of disadvantage. We also find that the gender difference in the relationship between peer violence and offending is explained, in part, by (1) the tendency for females to have more intimate friendships than males, and (2) the moderating effect of peer intimacy on the relationship between peer violence and self-reported violent behavior.     

Internalizing Symptoms in Adolescents: Gender Differences in Vulnerability to Parental Distress and Discord

This longitudinal study investigated gender differences in the relation between (1) internalizing symptoms of depression and anxiety reported by adolescents, and (2) emotional distress and marital discord reported by their mothers. Structural equation modeling was used to track the relationship between these variables in a community sample of 116 males and 101 females and their parents across three data intervals roughly corresponding to early adolescence (M = 11,4), mid‐adolescence (M = 13,7), and late adolescence/early adulthood (M = 19,2). For early adolescents, there were no gender differences in the relation between internalizing symptoms and parental distress and discord. Gender differences did emerge, however, by midadolescence, at which time parental disturbances were significantly associated with internalizing symptoms in adolescent females but not adolescent males. The emergence of this risk factor during this developmental phase may help account for frequent findings that place adolescent females at higher risk for anxiety and depression than adolescent males.     

Perceived Stigma and Depression among Black Adolescents in Outpatient Treatment

Despite the high prevalence of depression among children and adolescents, most that need mental health treatment do not seek care. This is especially true for ethnic minority adolescents. Prior research has shown that perceived stigma may act as a barrier to the initiation of and adherence to depression treatment, yet few studies have examined the relationship between stigma and depression among Black adolescents. This exploratory study examined the relationship between Black adolescents' depression severity and their current level of perceived stigma in an outpatient sample. Face-to-face interviews were conducted with a clinical sample of adolescents referred for mental health services at a community-based outpatient clinic (n =108), participating in a prospective pilot study on adolescents' patterns of mental health service use. The analyses revealed that greater depression severity was significantly associated with higher perceived stigma (p < .05), particularly among females. The results also suggest that Black adolescents appear to exhibit an appropriate level of self-assessment regarding their need for mental health services. These results are interpreted in relation to previous literature, and limitations and directions for future research are discussed.     

Life Stress and Depression in University Students: Clinical Illustrations of Recent Research

Abstract

Through the use of case vignettes, this paper demonstrates the clinical relevance of findings from previously reported research conducted at the University of Toronto. These published studies link life stress to depression in university students. Three psychosocial factors—a family history of psychiatric illness, stressful life events, and lack of social support—are found to be significantly related to depressive symptoms. A fourth psychosocial factor, childhood or adolescent loss of a nurturing person, was not significantly related to the occurrence of depression. However, that factor remains an important therapeutic focus for a number of depressed students. In addition, the absence of at least a single confidant and certain life events (recent loss of a significant person, changes in living arrangements or academic situation, and financial problems) were identified as specific risk factors for depression. Although depression experienced by students is often serious enough to warrant professional intervention, only a minority seek professional help. The majority of those who do seek help are women; male students are less likely to associate somatic symptoms with emotional problems and are less willing to seek psychiatric help. The four case studies presented illustrate the clinical relevance of these research findings.     

Psychosocial correlates and depression in Vietnamese adolescents

This paper reports findings on depression in a sample of 38 Vietnamese adolescents. Hierarchical regression analysis was conducted to examine the empirical use of psychosocial variables and stressful life event measures in predicting depression. Self-esteem (Esteem) and SLEs scales were entered in blocks and explained for 68 percent of the total variance in depression (CES-D scale). Esteem accounts for 30 percent of the overall variance. The SLE block contributes another 39 percent above and beyond in the prediction of depression. Death, PTSD, and Peer stress scales were significant predictors (p<.01). The mean CES-D depression score was 16.32 (SD=10.95). A cutoff score of 16 was used to classify those adolescents who were depressed from those who were not depressed (Radloff, 1977).