A pathway model for emotional distress and implications for therapeutic jurisprudence in African American juvenile court respondents.

OBJECTIVES: The aim of the present study was to propose and examine a pathway to emotional distress in African Americans with juvenile court contact (N = 213; Male = 71%; MAge = 15, SDAge = 1.47). METHOD: The model included direct and indirect effects of parent attachment and empathy, as well as the direct effects of pro-social and aggressive behavior, on emotional distress, CFI = .99, TLI = .95, χ²(1) = 2.60 p = .11, and RMSEA = .09. RESULTS: This model explained 49% of variability of scores for emotional distress. Overall, aggressive behavior had the strongest relationship with emotional distress (ß = .63), followed by parent attachment (ß = -.38). In contrast, empathy (ß = .12) and pro-social behavior (ß = .17) were not related to emotional distress scores. A second model that included males and females simultaneously, without equality constraints, revealed substantive gender differences, CFI = .99, TLI = .91, χ²(2) = 4.63 p = .10, and RMSEA = .11. CONCLUSIONS: Results are discussed in the context of therapeutic jurisprudence, and recommendations are proposed for providers of court-ordered interventions (i.e., therapy and probation supervision). (PsycINFO Database Record

Cross Racial Identity Scale (CRIS) scores and profiles in African American adolescents involved with the juvenile justice system.

In this study, we examined the internal consistency and structural validity of Cross Racial Identity Scale (CRIS) scores in a sample of 477 African American adolescents who had been arrested in a city in the mid-Atlantic. Using cluster analysis, we also identified profiles of CRIS scores and compared adolescents with different profiles on Major Depressive Episode, Manic Episode, Generalized Anxiety Disorder, and Obsessive-Compulsive Disorder scores. Results indicated that CRIS subscale scores were reliable, and the 6-factor structure of the CRIS was supported. Five nigrescence profiles were identified: Miseducation-Pro-Black, Conflicted-Self-Hatred, Multiculturalist, Low Race Salience, and Conflicted-Anti-White. Individuals with Conflicted-Self-Hatred profiles reported significantly and meaningfully higher scores on the 4 syndromes than did their peers, and individuals with the Multiculturalist and Low Race Salience profiles reported the lowest scores. A greater percentage of individuals with Conflicted racial identity profiles had syndrome scores in the clinically significant range. The results of this study demonstrate that some of the nigrescence profiles found in college-age students generalize to adolescents. The implications of the findings for theory, research, and practice are discussed.

Perceived parental security profiles in African American adolescents involved in the juvenile justice system.

Many researchers have shown the importance of parent attachment in childhood and adolescence. The present study extends the attachment literature to African Americans involved in the juvenile justice system (N = 213), and provides an initial inquiry using person-oriented methods. The average age was 16.17 years (SD = 1.44), and the sample was predominantly male (71%). Results of a confirmatory factor analysis of Inventory of Parent and Peer Attachment-Short Form (IPPA-S) scores supported a 3-factor model: (a) Communication, (b) Trust, and (c) Alienation. Model-based clustering was applied to IPPA-S scores, and results pointed to 4 perceived parental security profiles: high security, moderately high security, moderately low security, and low security. In keeping with our hypotheses, IPPA-S profiles were associated with prosocial behaviors, depression, anxiety, and oppositional defiance. Contrary to hypotheses, IPPA-S profiles were not associated with perspective taking, emotional concern, or behaviors characteristic of a conduct disorder. Results also showed that gender, age, family member with whom the participant resides, charge severity, and offense history did not have an effect on IPPA-S clustering. Implications for therapeutic jurisprudence in African Americans involved with the juvenile justice system are provided.