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Distinct Stress and Resource Profiles Among At-Risk Adolescents: Implications for Violence and Other Problem Behaviors

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Abstract

This study tests for the presence of subgroups among youth at-risk for school drop-out and whether those groups differ on levels of violence and related problem behaviors. Latent profile analysis was employed with a diverse adolescent sample (N = 849) to identify and describe subgroups based on assessment of stress and coping resources, resulting in four distinct groups: Low Risk, Unprotected, Risk Only, and High Risk. Tests across these groups demonstrated significant heterogeneity in violent behaviors, substance use, and school disengagement. The value of stress and protective resource assessment and tailoring interventions to meet the differing needs of vulnerable youth is discussed.

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Acknowledgments

This research was supported by grants from NINR Grant # R01 NR03550 “Suicide Risk From Adolescence to Young Adulthood,” NCRR Grant TL1 RR 025016, and the National Institute on Mental Health grant 5 T32 MH20010 “Mental Health Prevention Research Training Program”.

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  1. School of Social Work, University at Buffalo, 685 Baldy Hall, Buffalo, NY, 14260, USA

    Patricia Logan-Greene

  2. University of Washington, Seattle, WA, USA

    Paula S. Nurius & Elaine Adams Thompson

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  1. Patricia Logan-Greene
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  2. Paula S. Nurius
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Correspondence to Patricia Logan-Greene.

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Logan-Greene, P., Nurius, P.S. & Thompson, E.A. Distinct Stress and Resource Profiles Among At-Risk Adolescents: Implications for Violence and Other Problem Behaviors. Child Adolesc Soc Work J 29, 373–390 (2012). https://doi.org/10.1007/s10560-012-0269-x

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