Henrika McCoy

Examining the Effects of New York Experience Corps ® Program on Young Readers

There are hundreds of tutoring programs that utilize community volunteers being implemented across the country; however, there are few rigorous efforts to evaluate their effectiveness. This article presents findings on reading achievement from an evaluation of the New York City Experience Corps®, a program that uses older volunteers to work with students in public elementary schools. Two hundred and eighty-eight first- and second-grade students participated in a pre-test/post-test two group design with randomization to assess the impact of the program on their reading abilities. Reading was assessed using the Phonological Awareness Literacy Screening (PALS) and Early Childhood Literary Assessment System (ECLAS). Results indicate that Experience Corps is effective at improving reading scores. This study provides evidence that older volunteers can be successfully utilized to tutor young readers.

Using Cognitive Interviewing to Explore Causes for Racial Differences on the MAYSI-2:

Prior research indicated that African American and Caucasian youth respond differently to items on the Massachusetts Youth Screening Instrument–Version 2 (MAYSI-2), a mental health screening tool used nationwide in juvenile justice systems, thus possibly affecting mental health need identification. To explore the cause for the differences, cognitive interviews were conducted with eight African American and eight Caucasian male juvenile detainees, aged 12 to 16 years, from two Midwestern detention facilities. Results indicate differences in how both groups interpreted certain mental health symptoms and the dimension of time. Both groups also similarly misinterpreted and were suspicious of some items. To address these issues, the MAYSI-2 could benefit from further examination and development.

Preparing Social Workers to Identify and Integrate Culturally Affirming Bibliotherapy into Treatment.

Despite gains in redefining America as a ‘salad bowl’ versus a ‘melting pot’, stereotypes about racial and ethnic minorities, including African Americans, remain embedded in the fabric of the United States. By acknowledging the significance of stereotypes, race, and culture on the lives of clients, culturally affirming bibliotherapy is a tool that can empower them, validate their experiences, and promote the development of a positive self‐identity or self‐concept. This paper focuses on its use with African American youth, however, because, race impacts all individuals of African descent, this tool can and should be incorporated into their treatment as well when deemed appropriate.

A Path Analysis of Factors Influencing Racial Differences on the Massachusetts Youth Screening Instrument–Version 2

Thousands of juveniles with mental health disorders enter the juvenile justice system every year. The Massachusetts Youth Screening Instrument−Version 2 (MAYSI-2) is often used to assess them. The disproportionate numbers of African American youth in the juvenile justice system and the large numbers of youth with mental health needs necessitate accurate screening across racial groups, but recent evidence indicates that groups may be interpreting MAYSI-2 items differently. A total of 90 male juvenile detainees participated in a structured interview exploring what factors might mediate race and impact MAYSI-2 scores. Results confirmed which factors influence MAYSI-2 scores for African American participants.

Caution or Warning? A Validity Study of the MAYSI-2 with Juvenile Offenders

Given the high prevalence of mental health and substance use disorders in the juvenile justice system and the emphasis on efficient screening and referrals, the current study sought to further validate the use of the Massachusetts Youth Screening Instrument version 2 (MAYSI-2). Using data from institutionalized delinquents (N=836) committed to the California Youth Authority, finite mixture modeling was employed to identify distinct latent classes based on MAYSI-2 scale scores. Identified classes were then compared across a range of covariates, including prior offenses, official records of misconduct, and multiple measures of mental health and psychological well-being. Findings revealed a three-class, gradient-based structure: low distress (n=380), moderate distress (n=327), and high distress (n=129). Overall, the MAYSI-2 identified juvenile offenders with mental health and substance use issues, but it did not differentiate youths with respect to offending patterns.

Correlates of Somatic Symptoms Among African American Males Transitioning From a Public System of Care

Exploration of somatic symptoms and their correlates among adolescent and young adult African American males are limited in the empirical literature. In the current study, correlates of somatic symptoms among African American males (n = 74) transitioning from a public system of care, namely, foster care, was explored. Potential correlates assessed included indicators of child maltreatment, approach and avoidance coping strategies, as well as the following emotional and behavioral problems: oppositional defiant disorder, conduct disorder, major depressive disorder, and attention-deficit hyperactivity disorder. Results indicated that meeting the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders, 4th edition, diagnostic criteria for conduct disorder was related to increased somatic symptoms. In addition, greater use of seeking social support as a coping strategy was related to fewer somatic symptoms. The findings provide a good foundation for further exploration of individual, situational, and contextual factors that may influence the physiological and psychological stress responses of vulnerable populations of young African American males.

Suicidal Ideation in Juvenile Arrestees Exploring Legal and Temporal Factors

Mental health screening data (Massachusetts Youth Screening Instrument version 2 [MAYSI-2]) and offense history were used to study levels of suicidal ideation in a sample of juvenile arrestees held in a large, urban detention center located in a predominately Hispanic Southwestern U.S. city. We used t-tests and multinomial logistic regression to examine the relationships with particular attention to temporal issues. Results indicated that offense history, the timing of arrests, and demographics did influence levels of suicide ideation. We discuss these findings, strengths and limitations, and directions for future research.

What the MAYSI-2 Can Tell Us About Anger–Irritability and Trauma

The rate of experiencing trauma can be quite high for juvenile offenders and those experiences can lead to feelings of anger and irritability. This study uses Massachusetts Youth Screening Instrument–Version 2 (MAYSI-2) data to examine the relationship between the Traumatic Experiences (TE) and Angry–Irritable (AI) scales for juvenile offenders (N = 1,348) from a Midwest detention center. Chi-square analyses revealed statistically significant relationships between the AI scale and gender, race, and the TE scale. In addition, ordinal logistic regression results showed that as the number of traumatic experiences increased, so did the odds of scoring Caution or Warning on the AI scale. Recommendations are that juvenile justice systems utilize a trauma-informed process throughout the adjudicatory process and there be improved efforts to coordinate services across multiple systems, such as child welfare and special education, where juvenile offenders are often engaged.

Negative Social Contextual Stressors and Somatic Symptoms Among Young Black Males: An Exploratory Study

This study examines whether negative social contextual stressors were associated with somatic symptoms among young Black males (N = 74) after accounting for background and psychological characteristics. Using Cunningham and Spencer’s Black Male Experiences Measure, negative social contextual stressors connoted those experiences connected to the personal attributes, devaluation, and negative imagery of young Black males, such as being followed when entering a store or police or security guards asking them what they are doing when hanging out (e.g., in the park or playground or on the street corner). Results showed that such stressors made a unique and significant contribution to the experience of somatic symptoms. Future research directions and implications for addressing the larger societal perceptions of young Black males are discussed.