Stress, Mental Health, and Substance Abuse Problems in a Sample of Diversion Program Youths: An Exploratory Latent Class Analysis Article

Dembo, R, Briones, R, Gulledge, L et al. (2012). Stress, Mental Health, and Substance Abuse Problems in a Sample of Diversion Program Youths: An Exploratory Latent Class Analysis . JOURNAL OF CHILD & ADOLESCENT SUBSTANCE ABUSE, 21(2), 130-155. 10.1080/1067828X.2012.662115

cited authors

  • Dembo, R; Briones, R; Gulledge, L; Karas, L; Winters, KC; Belenko, S; Greenbaum, PE

authors

abstract

  • Reflective of interest in mental health and substance abuse issues among youths involved with the justice system, we performed a latent class analysis on baseline information collected on 100 youths involved in two diversion programs. Results identified two groups of youths: Group 1: a majority of the youths, who had high levels of delinquency, mental health, and substance abuse issues; and Group 2: youths with low levels of these problems. Comparison of these two groups on a variety of psychosocial measures and parent/guardian reports found differences between them that were consistent with their problem group classification. Follow-up analysis confirmed problem behavior that was consistent with the youths' latent class placement. Implications of the findings for research and practice are presented. © 2012 Taylor and Francis Group, LLC.

publication date

  • April 1, 2012

published in

Digital Object Identifier (DOI)

start page

  • 130

end page

  • 155

volume

  • 21

issue

  • 2