Session: Longitudinal Evaluation of Risk and Protective Factors in at-Risk Youth and Adolescent Development (Society for Social Work and Research 21st Annual Conference - Ensure Healthy Development for all Youth)

Background/Purpose:  Healthy development can be challenging in the face of early maltreatment and other biologic and environmental risks.  Utilizing the framework of developmental psychopathology, research suggests that given similar levels of risk, youth will display varying levels of resilience and behavioral adjustment.  Understanding the key factors that promote healthy development can help social work practitioners more strategically guide early intervention for at-risk youth.  The purpose of this symposium is to explore factors associated with resilient adjustment in the context of maltreatment, early behavioral problems, and intervention programming using three longitudinal dataset.      

Methods:  In the first paper, latent class trajectories were estimated using cohort sequential latent growth mixture modeling (CS-GMM) in a sample of 1,766 youth who participated in the National Survey of Child and Adolescent Well-Being (NSCAW).  The extent and type of protective factors that promoted resilience in development of academic competence in maltreated children up to 10 years old was explored.  Using a longitudinal birth cohort study of high risk poly-drug exposed adolescents, ages 12-17 years, cross-lagged structural equation modeling (SEM) was conducted in the second study to examine the longitudinal associations between individual developmental assets and problem behaviors.  Gender differences were explored using multi-group SEM. The third paper examined the impact of an Ohio Behavioral Health Juvenile Justice intervention program for youth (n=2,325) on behavioral outcomes.  It also examined effects of prior maltreatment and exposure to domestic violence on successful intervention using multivariate analysis.

Results:  The first paper identified two academically resilient groups (high stable; low but increasing over time) and 3 non-resilient groups (low stable; high but decreasing over time; S-shape) after experiencing child maltreatment. Caregiver warmth and responsiveness were associated with the two academically resilient groups, as was being female, white and having a caregiver with a high school degree; preschool physical abuse and neglect in infancy were associated with increased risk of being in the low stable group versus the high stable group.  Key findings for the second paper indicate gender differences in cross-lagged effects with problem behaviors at age 12 associated with decreased individual assets at age 15 in girls but not boys. Boys, however, with more individual assets at age 12, had more problem behaviors at age 15.  Girls also had more stability in individual assets between ages 15 and 17 years compared to boys.  Among the juvenile justice-involved youth diverted to behavioral treatment, 67% completed treatment successfully.  Intervention was associated with fewer behavioral symptoms and substance use. Youth who were physically or sexually abused, or those who witnessed domestic violence, were equally likely to complete treatment successfully and refrain from future delinquency as youth who had no abuse history.

Conclusions:  Findings suggest varying degree of resiliency and adaptation among at-risk youth who have experienced negative early environments.  Intervention programs should consider gender differences in developmental pathways, and support early parental responsivity and diversion for juvenile offenders to promote healthy youth and adolescent development in at-risk groups.