Amid and Among: Support and Self-Efficacy of Black Girls in Juvenile Correctional Facilities

BACKGROUND:

Black girls, relative to other racial/ethnic female groups, bear a higher burden of juvenile justice involvement. Emerging evidence suggests that such involvements are related to trauma histories and post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD). This study investigated the associations between individual, family, and peer factors and their relationship to PTSD among Black girls with juvenile justice involvement.

METHODS:

Participants included 188 Black girls currently residing in a residential correctional facility in Georgia ages 12-17, and the mean age was 15.32 who participated in a larger study examining the efficacy of a sexual risk reduction intervention for Black females in a juvenile detention center. Cross-sectional data were collected from 188 Black girls in detention. Measures assessed were age, self-esteem, future orientation, caregiver support; negative peer norms, polyvictimization, and PTSD symptoms.

RESULTS:

Major regression findings indicated that higher rates of caregiver support, higher negative peer norms, and lower self-esteem rates, and lower future orientation rates were correlated with greater PTSD symptoms.

IMPLICATIONS:

Treatment programs for this population warrant a multi-systemic approach, which includes caregivers, peers and bolstering important constructs such as self-esteem and hopefulness.