Abstract
African American adolescents are a vulnerable population, overrepresented in the juvenile justice system and underserved by mental health providers. Consequently, a disproportionate number of African American youth in the juvenile justice system have diagnosable mental health problems. This study investigates whether, among African American adolescents, the effects of attitude towards deviance, self-efficacy, and exposure to delinquent peers on antisocial behavior are moderated by anxiety sensitivity. A sample of 238 African American adolescents ages 13-19 from 3 public housing developments participated in this study. Results indicated that 40% of the adolescents reported no involvement in antisocial behaviors. Gender, anxiety sensitivity, and attitudes towards deviance were significant correlates of antisocial behavior. Interaction effects indicate that the relative impact of attitudes towards deviance and exposure to delinquent peers on antisocial behaviors is contingent upon adolescents' level of anxiety sensitivity. Implications for practice and future research are discussed.
Original language | English (US) |
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Pages (from-to) | 277-293 |
Number of pages | 17 |
Journal | Journal of health care for the poor and underserved |
Volume | 19 |
Issue number | 1 |
DOIs | |
State | Published - Feb 2008 |
Externally published | Yes |
Keywords
- Adolescents
- African Americans
- Antisocial behavior
- Anxiety sensitivity
- Urban public housing
ASJC Scopus subject areas
- Public Health, Environmental and Occupational Health