Kevin A. Yoder

Early adolescent sexual activity: a developmental study.

This developmental study uses event history analysis to investigate the effects of established predictors of early coitus on a sample of 457 rural European American adolescents who experienced sexual intercourse for the first time in the 8th 9th or 10th grade. Analyses were run for separate variables to isolate change in individual predictors across time when controlling only for the effects of family structure pubertal development and gender. The significant main effects for early intercourse and interactions with gender and grade level were then entered into a final model to assess the relative strength of each predictor when controlling for other significant factors. Results indicate a significant decrease in the effect of mother monitoring by the 10th grade. Depressed affect increased the likelihood of early intercourse among young women but not young men. Results for the full model suggest that when controlling for all other influences the primary predictors of early intercourse were age opportunity (being in steady relationship) sexually permissive attitudes association with delinquent peers and alcohol use.

A risk-amplification model of victimization and depressive symptoms among runaway and homeless adolescents

This report is an examination of a theoretical model of risk amplification within a sample of 255 homeless and runaway adolescents. The young people were interviewed on the streets and in shelters in urban centers of four Midwestern states. Separate models were examined for males (n = 102) and females (n = 153). Results indicated that street experiences such as affiliation with deviant peers, deviant subsistence strategies, risky sexual behaviors, and drug and/or alcohol use amplified the effects of early family abuse on victimization and depressive symptoms for young women. These street adaptations significantly increased the likelihood of serious victimization over and above the effects of early family history for both young men and women. Similarly, street behaviors and experiences increased the likelihood of depressive symptoms for young women over the effects of early family abuse, but not for young men. The risk-amplification model from the life course theoretical perspective is discussed as an example of the cumulative continuity of maladaptive behaviors.

Deviant Behavior and Victimization Among Homeless and Runaway Adolescents

This study used a high-risk population of runaway and homeless adolescents to investigate the effects of a history of caretaker abuse and deviant subsistence strategies on victimization among adolescents. Based on a multisite sample of 974 homeless and runaway adolescents, logistic regression models were used first to examine factors predicting involvement in sexual and nonsexual deviant subsistence strategies and then to investigate the effects of deviant subsistence strategies on physical and sexual victimization when adolescents were on the streets. Results indicated that when controlling for all other factors, including histories of physical and sexual maltreatment in families of origin, street behaviors, sexual orientation, and informal support systems, engaging in nonsexual deviant subsistence strategies increased the likelihood of physical victimization more than two times. Engaging in sexual deviant subsistence strategies increased the likelihood of sexual victimization almost four times. The results are interpreted in terms of life course developmental theory and lifestyle exposure theories.

Suicidal Ideation Among American Indian Youths

This study examined correlates of suicidal ideation among 212 American Indian youth who lived on or near three reservations in the upper Midwestern United States. The youths were, on average, 12 years old, and 9.5% reported current thoughts about killing themselves. Females were over 2 times more likely than males to think about suicide. Multivariate logistic regression results indicated that gender, enculturation, negative life events, perceived discrimination, self-esteem, and drug use were related to the likelihood of thinking about suicide. Drug use was the strongest correlate of suicidal ideation, and both enculturation and perceived discrimination emerged as important culturally specific variables. It was suggested that suicide prevention programs should draw on the strengths of American Indian culture.

Suicidal Behavior Among Homeless and Runaway Adolescents

The present study considered risk factors associated with suicidal ideation and the likelihood of a suicide attempt in a sample of 297 homeless and runaway youth from four Midwestern states. It was hypothesized that sociodemographic characteristics, family factors, suicide exposure, street factors, externalizing behavior, and internalizing behavior would be related to suicidal ideation and to the likelihood of a suicide attempt. It was also hypothesized that suicidal ideation would mediate the relationship between the other predictor variables and the likelihood of a suicide attempt. Over half the sample (53.9%) endorsed some level of suicidal ideation, and over one quarter (26.3%) attempted suicide in the year prior to the interview. Univariate and multivariate results indicated that sexual abuse by a family member, knowing a friend who attempted suicide, drug abuse, and internalization were highly related to suicidal ideation. In the absence of suicidal ideation, sexual abuse, sexual victimization while on their own, and internalization were highly related to the likelihood of a suicide attempt. Finally, the hypothesized mediating effect was found for both sexual abuse and internalization.

Event History Analysis of Antecedents to Running Away from Home and Being on the Street

Event history analysis was used to study the correlates of running away from home for the first time and spending time directly on the street (sleeping outside or in an abandoned building) for the first time in a sample of 602 homeless and runaway adolescents from four Midwestern states. The results indicated that age, neglect by an adult caretaker, and sexual abuse by an adult caretaker were associated with the likelihood of running away from home for the first time. Moreover, age at first run and the amount of time that elapsed since first running away from home were associated with the likelihood of spending time directly on the street for the first time. Finally, although males and White youths were no more likely than females and non-White youths, respectively, to run away initially, males and White youths were more likely than females and non-White youths, respectively, to spend time directly on the street.

Youths living away from families in the US mental health system

This study examines the clinical characteristics of youths who lived away from families at the time of admission to specialty mental health services, and investigates the association between type of nonfamily living situation and admission to residential versus outpatient programs. Of 3995 youths sampled from 1598 mental health programs in the United States, 14% lived away from their own families, either in foster care, group care settings, or correctional settings, or were emancipated. As a group, youths living away from families were more seriously emotionally disturbed and more likely to receive treatment in residential care programs. Youths who lived in foster care were more likely to be admitted to outpatient programs, while youths who lived in group care settings or correctional settings were more likely to be admitted to residential care programs, controlling on demographic and clinical characteristics. Targeting resources to enhance the availability and therapeutic capacity of foster care may facilitate community living, and decrease time spent in institutional settings.

A Dimensional Model of Psychopathology among Homeless Adolescents: Suicidality, Internalizing, and Externalizing Disorders.

The present study examined associations among dimensions of suicidality and psychopathology in a sample of 428 homeless adolescents (56.3% female). Confirmatory factor analysis results provided support for a three-factor model in which suicidality (measured with lifetime suicidal ideation and suicide attempts), internalizing disorders (assessed with lifetime diagnoses of major depressive episode and post-traumatic stress disorder), and externalizing disorders (indicated by lifetime diagnoses of conduct disorder, alcohol abuse, and drug abuse) were positively intercorrelated. The findings illustrate the utility of a dimensional approach that integrates suicidality and psychopathology into one model.

The influence of running away on the risk of female sexual assault in the subsequent year.

This study explores the sexual risk trajectories of female youths and sheds light on the long-term effects of running away. It evaluates whether running away increases the risk of sexual assault in the following year, which is after runaways return home. The sample consists of 5,387 heterosexual females between the ages of 11 and 18 years from the Longitudinal Study of Adolescent Health. Nearly one quarter (23%) of runaways report a previous sexual assault in contrast to 5% of nonrunaways. In a logistic regression model, childhood neglect increases the risk of sexual assault between Waves 1 and 2 by nearly two times. Poor mental health is statistically significant. Alcohol use doubles the odds of sexual assault. The risk of sexual assault is approximately three-fold for girls with a history of sexual onset and sexual touching in a romantic relationship. Running away increases the risk by nearly two and a half times. There is evidence that alcohol use and sexual onset partially mediates the relationship between running away and sexual assault.

Arrests Among Homeless and Runaway Youths: The Effects of Race and Gender

ABSTRACT This study examined the contributions of race and gender to the likelihood of a first post-run arrest for a more serious and less serious offense in a sample of homeless and runaway youths from four Midwestern states. Event history analysis was used to test the hypothesis that race and gender would interact so that the likelihood of a first post-run arrest for a more serious and less serious offense would be highest for non-white males and non-white females, respectively. Potentially confounding factors—deviant subsistence strategies, substance use, gang involvement and membership, prior arrests, age, prior physical abuse, age on own, and spending time on the street—were controlled in the analyses. The hypotheses regarding the interaction of race and gender were not supported by the data. Non-whites were more likely than whites, and males were more likely than females, to be arrested for a more serious offense, and white females were more likely than non-white females to be arrested for a less serious offense.