Prevalence of mental health disorders among low-income African American adolescents

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Date

2013

Authors

Byck, Gayle R.
Bolland, John
Dick, Danielle
Ashbeck, Alan W.
Mustanski, Brian S.

Journal Title

Journal ISSN

Volume Title

Publisher

Springer

Abstract

Data on the prevalence of mental health disorders for low-income, urban African American adolescents are scarce. This study presents data about the burden of mental disorders for this understudied population. Mental disorders were assessed using the Diagnostic Interview Schedule for Children (C-DISC), Youth Self-Report (YSR), and Child Behavior Checklist (CBCL) among a sample of adolescents and their caregivers from very impoverished neighborhoods in a Southern city. Based on the C-DISC, 3.8, 5.1 and 7.7 % of adolescents met diagnostic criteria for major depression, post-traumatic stress disorder, and conduct disorder, respectively. There were significant differences among some of the mental health disorders based on adolescent and caregiver characteristics such as sex, school status, caregiver work status, and income level. We found a low prevalence of alcohol, marijuana, and substance abuse and dependence disorders. Information about the prevalence of mental health disorders in specific communities and populations can assist in addressing unmet needs, planning for services and treatment, and reducing health disparities.

Description

Keywords

Adolescent mental health, Depression, Conduct disorder, Post-traumatic stress, Disorder, African American, ILLICIT DRUG-USE, PSYCHIATRIC-DISORDERS, ETHNIC-DIFFERENCES, CONDUCT DISORDER, SUBSTANCE USE, PSYCHOLOGICAL SYMPTOMS, DEPRESSIVE SYMPTOMS, COMMUNITY VIOLENCE, GENDER-DIFFERENCES, MARIJUANA USE, Psychiatry

Citation

Byck, G. R., Bolland, J., Dick, D., Ashbeck, A. W., & Mustanski, B. S. (2013). Prevalence of mental health disorders among low-income African American adolescents. In Social Psychiatry and Psychiatric Epidemiology (Vol. 48, Issue 10, pp. 1555–1567). Springer Science and Business Media LLC. https://doi.org/10.1007/s00127-013-0657-3