Back to Annual Meeting Page		American Public Health Association 133rd Annual Meeting & Exposition December 10-14, 2005 Philadelphia, PA

Abstract #110137

Gabriel N. Stover, MPA, Center for Community Health, UCLA - Neuropsychiatric Institute, 10920 Wilshire BLVD SU. 350, Los Angeles, CA 90024, 310 794 2275, gstover@mednet.ucla.edu, Marguerita Lightfoot, PhD, Department of Psychiatry, University of California, Los Angeles, 10920 Wilshire Blvd., Suite 350, Los Angeles, CA 90024, and Luohua Jiang, MS, Center for Community Health, UCLA-Neuropsychiatric Institute, 10920 Wilshire BLVD SU. 350, Los Angeles, CA 90024.

Background: Mental health indicators can have a significant impact in determining a positive or negative developmental trajectory for at-risk youth. Yet, few studies have examined which indicators may predict delinquency. Methods: A total of 133 students aged 14 - 20 attending alternative education schools (AES) were recruited and assessed at baseline and three months. These students have been unsuccessful in a mainstream school setting and are at risk for or currently involved with the juvenile justice system. Students reported sociodemographic information, mental health symptoms and service usage, delinquency, substance use, probation status, convictions and time served in jail. Linear regression analysis was used to determine mental health factors related to delinquency. Youth self-reported delinquent behaviors in the previous 6 and 12 months. Results: Youth were predominately male (69%), with 45% Latino and 55% African American ethnicity. Over half (57%) had been arrested and almost half (46%) were currently on probation. Sixty percent reported seeing a mental health professional in their lifetime, while 32% reported seeing a professional within the last three months. Significant predictors of delinquency (p<0.01) were anxiety, depression, global stress and PTSD symptoms. Conclusions: These findings underscore the need to address the mental health issues of at-risk youth in order to prevent and limit future delinquent behaviors.

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