Fredrick Butcher

The impact of neighborhood disorganization on neighborhood exposure to violence, trauma symptoms, and social relationships among at-risk youth

Previous research has demonstrated that exposure to violence (ETV) is a serious concern across the north-south socioeconomic divide. While studies have found that social support is a protective factor for youth exposed to violence and trauma, little is known about the impact of trauma symptoms on forming and maintaining social relationships which are key to accessing a vital social resource that fosters resilience in youth experiencing trauma symptomatology. Building on previous models that examine the impact of neighborhoods on exposure to violence and trauma, the current study examines the impact of neighborhood disorganization on ETV among youth and ETVs effects on trauma symptoms and social relationships. Data were collected on 2242 juvenile justice-involved youth with behavioral health issues in 11 urban and rural counties in the Midwestern United States. Using structural equation modeling (SEM), our data demonstrated that living in highly disorganized neighborhoods was associated with higher levels of ETV and that ETV was positively associated with trauma symptoms. Mediational analysis showed that trauma symptoms strongly mediated the effect of ETV on social relationships. Freely estimating structural paths by gender revealed that hypothesized associations between these variables were stronger for females than males. Findings here highlight the need to provide trauma-informed care to help youth to build and maintain social relationships. Identification and treatment of trauma symptoms that is culturally informed is a critical first step in ensuring that identified protective factors in local contexts, such as social relations and social support, have opportunities to minimize the impact of ETV among youth across northern and southern nations.

Diverting Juvenile Justice-Involved Youth With Behavioral Health Issues From Detention Preliminary Findings From Ohio’s Behavioral Health Juvenile Justice (BHJJ) Initiative

Nationally, well over half of juvenile justice-involved youth report behavioral health impairment. Although the juvenile justice system may be the first place a youth is screened for behavioral health problems, the system is often ill-prepared to properly treat these youth. In response to the growing number of youth entering the juvenile justice system with behavioral health issues and the lack of proper care in these facilities, many communities have developed diversion programs as an alternative to detention. The current study investigated Ohio’s Behavioral Health Juvenile Justice (BHJJ) program, a diversion program for juvenile justice-involved youth with behavioral health issues that provides evidence-and community-based behavioral health treatment. Results indicated BHJJ was effective at improving behavioral health outcomes, including general functioning and trauma symptomatology, and reducing future delinquency. Analyses also examined the variables that predicted successful treatment completion and future adjudications. Implications for juvenile justice programming and policy are discussed.

Analysis of the validity scales in the Trauma Symptom Checklist for Children

Objective: Little empirical attention has been paid to the validity scales of the Trauma Symptom Checklist for Children (TSCC). The purpose of this study is to examine the prevalence of cases identified by the validity scales and its analytical impact. Methods: The current study compares regression models using data from two community samples (n = 3,724 and n = 2,245) and two samples of at-risk youth (n = 1,758 and n = 204). Using Chow tests to compare coefficients, we demonstrate the implications of removing cases identified by the TSCC validity scales. Results: The Underresponse (UND) scale identified 8% of the community sample and 20% of the at-risk sample. Chow tests revealed significant group differences based on the UND scale for all TSCC subscales. Conclusion: The present study demonstrates the analytical impact of the TSCC validity scales and provides statistical evidence for the removal of invalid cases.

Responding to the mental health and substance abuse needs of youth in the juvenile justice system: Ohio's Behavioral Health/Juvenile Justice Initiative.

Nearly half a million inmates with mental health issues are housed in our country’s jails and prisons. The majority of juvenile justice-involved (JJI) youth have a history of behavioral health (mental health or substance use) problems. Multiple studies estimate that between 65% to 75% of juvenile justice-involved youth have at least one behavioral health disorder, and 20% to 30% report suffering from a serious behavioral disorder. With so many juveniles with behavioral health issues entering a system that was not designed to provide comprehensive treatment, communities are reevaluating their approach to juvenile justice. This article describes the origins and the results of Ohio’s Behavioral Health Juvenile Justice Initiative (BHJJ), a diversion program for juvenile justice-involved youth with behavioral health issues. The authors also discuss the key components of program success, offer advice to other jurisdictions considering implementing similar programming, and identify ways to take diversion programs to scale. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2016 APA, all rights reserved)

Confirmatory Factor Analysis of the Trauma Symptom Checklist for Children in an At-Risk Sample of Youth

Objective: The Trauma Symptom Checklist for Children (TSCC) is a widely used assessment tool in both community and clinical samples. Although the reliability and validity of the TSCC has been studied extensively, its factor structure has been understudied. Particularly, researchers have conceptualized the TSCC as a summative total scale score without evidence of its psychometric properties. Method: The current study examines the factor structure of the TSCC conceptualized as a total score using second-order confirmatory factor analysis (CFA) in a large sample of juvenile justice involved youth (N = 2,268). Results: Results indicate that a total score does not fit the data. However, an alternative model that included 2 factors that grouped together (a) anxiety, dissociation, and posttraumatic stress with (b) anger and depression fit the data well. Conclusions: Although the findings do not support the use of the TSCC as a total score, a 2-factor solution provides a more parsimonious conceptualization of the TSCC. Implications for both social work practice and research are discussed.

Polyvictimization Across Social Contexts Home, School, and Neighborhood Violence Exposure

Exposure to violence is a widespread problem that affects the mental health of children and adolescents particularly in at-risk populations such as juvenile justice involved youth. While a number of studies have examined the cumulative impact of violence exposure, few studies have examined the importance of social context. The present study examined classifications of youth exposed to violence by contextual location (home, school, and neighborhood) in a sample of 2,124 juvenile justice involved youth. Latent class analysis revealed three classes of youth exposed to violence: (a) low violence exposure, (b) moderate and high home/school violence exposure, and (c) violence exposure in all three social contexts. Furthermore, distal outcomes analysis showed differences in internalizing and externalizing problems based on class membership. Findings from the current study underline the importance of understanding the role of social context in assessing violence exposure in juvenile justice involved youth.

The role of sexual abuse in trauma symptoms, delinquent and suicidal behaviors, and criminal justice outcomes among females in a juvenile justice diversion program

Female juvenile justice–involved (JJI) youth experience more sexual abuse (SA) than their non-JJI counterparts or their male JJI counterparts. This study examines SA’s role among JJI females (N = 1,307) in a behavioral health diversion program. Results indicate that SA increases the risk of psychological trauma, particularly posttraumatic stress and depression. SA also increases the odds of suicidal behavior, running away, and substance use. SA females have the same odds of successfully completing behavioral health diversion and being charged with any offense or misdemeanor after termination as non-SA females. Implications of research and future directions are discussed.

Examining the Concurrent Validity of the Trauma Symptoms Checklist for Children

Objective: The aim of this study is to examine the concurrent validity of the Trauma Symptom Checklist for Children (TSCC) using associated behavioral health diagnoses. Methods: The sample included 2,544 youth participating in a juvenile justice diversion program for youth with behavioral health issues. Youth received a full diagnostic assessment and completed the TSCC. Analyses of variance examined the relationship between TSCC subscale scores and behavioral health diagnoses. Results: The TSCC subscales were often able to differentiate between youth with and without Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders diagnoses of different classes. For example, youth diagnosed with generalized anxiety disorder (GAD) reported significantly higher means on the TSCC Anxiety Scale than did youth without GAD. Conclusions: The TSCC is a popular trauma symptomatology screening tool, and the current study provides support for its concurrent validity with behavioral health diagnoses. The TSCC provides helpful information that can serve to reinforce clinical decisions around diagnoses and treatment planning.

Measuring the Impact of Psychological Trauma Change on Recidivism Among Juvenile Justice–Involved Youth

Population heterogeneity and intra-individual change are often overlooked in recidivism research. This study employs latent transition analysis of psychological trauma from intake into a juvenile justice diversion program until termination, followed by modeling of recidivism. A comparison model of a logistic regression without latent variables is also presented, to answer whether the same results would have been achieved without using latent variable modeling. Results indicate that juvenile justice–involved (JJI) youth are assigned into four psychological trauma classes at intake, and three at termination. Latent status membership predicts 6-month recidivism (p = .03). Those who begin in classes that have Depression, Post-Traumatic Stress, and Anger have higher odds of recidivating than those who demonstrate generally high or low trauma symptoms at intake. The comparison regression model found no significant relationship between the five trauma symptom domains and recidivism. Implications for employing latent variable modeling and person-centered analyses for recidivism research are discussed.