Urban youth disruptive behavioral difficulties: Exploring association with parenting and gender

Miriam Schiff, Mary Mc Kernan McKay

Research output: Contribution to journalArticlepeer-review

21 Scopus citations

Abstract

The current study will examine behavioral difficulties among a sample of African American urban youth who were exposed to violence. Possible gender differences in disruptive behavioral difficulties, as well as possible associations between parental practices, family relationships, and youth disruptive behavioral difficulties are examined. A secondary data analysis from baseline data for 125 African American urban mothers and their children collected as part of a large-scale, urban, family-based, HIV prevention research study was analyzed. Findings reveal that externalizing behavioral problems in youth are associated with exposure to violence. Girls displayed significantly higher levels of externalizing behavioral difficulties than boys. Mothers' parenting practices and family relationships were associated with youths' externalizing behavior problems. Implications for interventions to reduce youths' exposure to violence and to develop gender sensitive interventions for youth and supportive interventions for their parents are discussed.

Original languageEnglish
Pages (from-to)517-529
Number of pages13
JournalFamily Process
Volume42
Issue number4
DOIs
StatePublished - Dec 2003
Externally publishedYes

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