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Predictors of Recidivism among Delinquent Youth: Interrelations among Ethnicity, Gender, Age, Mental Health Problems, and Posttraumatic Stress

Journal of Child & Adolescent Trauma volume 5, pages 145–160 (2012)Cite this article

Abstract

This study investigated the interrelations among mental health problems, posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD), age, ethnicity, gender, and recidivism over a three-year period in a sample of 417 male and 170 female juvenile offenders. At the time of first admission to a juvenile detention center, boys reported higher alcohol/drug use, whereas girls reported greater anger/irritability. Caucasian offenders evidenced higher rates of alcohol/drug use and somatic complaints than African American offenders. Younger age was related to higher levels of anger/irritability and depression/anxiety, although older adolescents with PTSD reported the highest levels of alcohol/drug use, anger/irritability, somatic complaints, and depression/anxiety. Across multiple admissions to detention, alcohol/drug use increased for all youth, whereas somatic complaints decreased for boys only. Younger offenders were more likely to recidivate than older offenders; however, girls and younger African American youth with PTSD were more likely to reoffend than were their peers.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Department of Psychology, Miami University, 90 North Patterson Avenue, Oxford, OH, 45056, USA

    Stephen P. Becker & Rebecca N. Ezechukwu

  2. University of Utah, Salt Lake City, USA

    Patricia K. Kerig

  3. Kyungpook National University, Daegu, South Korea

    Ji-Young Lim

Authors
  1. Stephen P. Becker
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  2. Patricia K. Kerig
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  3. Ji-Young Lim
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  4. Rebecca N. Ezechukwu
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Correspondence to Stephen P. Becker.

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Becker, S.P., Kerig, P.K., Lim, JY. et al. Predictors of Recidivism among Delinquent Youth: Interrelations among Ethnicity, Gender, Age, Mental Health Problems, and Posttraumatic Stress. Journ Child Adol Trauma 5, 145–160 (2012). https://doi.org/10.1080/19361521.2012.671798

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1080/19361521.2012.671798

Keywords

  • trauma
  • PTSD
  • mental health
  • delinquency