TY - JOUR
T1 - Psychosocial Problems Among Truant Youths
T2 - A Multi-Group, Exploratory Structural Equation Modeling Analysis
AU - Dembo, Richard
AU - Briones-Robinson, Rhissa
AU - Barrett, Kimberly
AU - Winters, Ken C
AU - Ungaro, Rocio
AU - Karas, Lora
AU - Wareham, Jennifer
AU - Belenko, Steven
PY - 2012/11/1
Y1 - 2012/11/1
N2 - Truant youths represent a critical group needing problem-oriented research and involvement in effective services. The limited number of studies on the psychosocial functioning of truant youths have focused on one or a few problem areas, rather than examining comorbid problem behaviors. The present study addresses the need to examine the interrelationships of multiple domains of psychosocial functioning, including substance involvement, mental health, and delinquency, among truant youths. Exploratory structural equation modeling on baseline data collected on 219 truant youths identified two major factors reflecting psychosocial functioning and found that the factor structure was similar across major sociodemographic subgroups. Further analyses supported the validity of the factor structure. The research and service delivery implications of the findings are discussed.
AB - Truant youths represent a critical group needing problem-oriented research and involvement in effective services. The limited number of studies on the psychosocial functioning of truant youths have focused on one or a few problem areas, rather than examining comorbid problem behaviors. The present study addresses the need to examine the interrelationships of multiple domains of psychosocial functioning, including substance involvement, mental health, and delinquency, among truant youths. Exploratory structural equation modeling on baseline data collected on 219 truant youths identified two major factors reflecting psychosocial functioning and found that the factor structure was similar across major sociodemographic subgroups. Further analyses supported the validity of the factor structure. The research and service delivery implications of the findings are discussed.
KW - delinquency
KW - mental health
KW - psychosocial problems
KW - substance use
KW - truancy
UR - http://www.scopus.com/inward/record.url?scp=84867883245&partnerID=8YFLogxK
UR - http://www.scopus.com/inward/citedby.url?scp=84867883245&partnerID=8YFLogxK
U2 - 10.1080/1067828X.2012.724290
DO - 10.1080/1067828X.2012.724290
M3 - Article
AN - SCOPUS:84867883245
VL - 21
SP - 440
EP - 465
JO - Journal of Child and Adolescent Substance Abuse
JF - Journal of Child and Adolescent Substance Abuse
SN - 1067-828X
IS - 5
ER -