Faculty Collaboration Database

Polytraumatization, Mental Health, and Delinquency Among Adolescent Gang Members. J Trauma Stress 2019 Dec;32(6):890-898

Date

12/05/2019

Pubmed ID

31800141

Pubmed Central ID

PMC6938535

DOI

10.1002/jts.22473

Scopus ID

2-s2.0-85076212706 (requires institutional sign-in at Scopus site)   11 Citations

Abstract

Adolescent gang members are at high risk for polytraumatization (i.e., experiencing two or more types of trauma), which may contribute to behavioral problems, such as delinquency or drug distribution, and mental health symptoms, such as posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD) and depression. The present study examined the associations between polytraumatization and these behavioral and mental health outcomes. We hypothesized that increased polytraumatization would lead to increased (b) mental health symptoms, (b) delinquency, and (c) drug distribution. Participants included 441 adolescent gang members (57.8% male; age range: 14-19 years) from a midsized city in the Midwestern United States. A path model was used to test hypotheses. A total of 88.0% of participants experienced polytraumatization, such as physical and sexual assault, involvement in accidents, or witnessing a death or injury. Polytraumatization was uniquely and positively associated with depressive and PTSD symptoms, delinquency, and drug distribution, βs = .25-.50, ps < .001, explaining an additional 5.9%-22.5% of the variance in these outcomes beyond covariates. Untreated traumatic exposure among adolescent gang members may subsequently lead to poor behavioral and mental health outcomes. These results may inform prevention and intervention efforts focused on mental health and social justice among a high-risk adolescent population.

Author List

Nydegger LA, Quinn K, Walsh JL, Pacella-LaBarbara ML, Dickson-Gomez J

Authors

Julia Dickson-Gomez PhD Professor in the Institute for Health and Equity department at Medical College of Wisconsin
Katherine Quinn PhD Associate Professor in the Psychiatry and Behavioral Medicine department at Medical College of Wisconsin
Jennifer L. Walsh PhD Associate Professor in the Psychiatry and Behavioral Medicine department at Medical College of Wisconsin

MESH terms used to index this publication - Major topics in bold

Adolescent
Depression
Drug Trafficking
Exposure to Violence
Female
Humans
Juvenile Delinquency
Male
Midwestern United States
Peer Group
Single-Parent Family
Stress Disorders, Post-Traumatic
Substance-Related Disorders
Young Adult