Laura M. Gulledge

Truancy Intervention Programs: Challenges and Innovations to Implementation

School truancy, particularly in primary and secondary schools, represents a serious issue deserving attention in communities across the nation. Most often treated as a management and disciplinary problem, serious attention to the underlying causes of truancy is usually given after the youths’ absence from school becomes frequent or chronic. Truant youth are at considerable risk of continuing their troubled behavior in school, experiencing psychosocial difficulties, and entering the juvenile justice system. Unfortunately, with few exceptions, truancy has not received significant attention by criminologists. This article addresses three questions: (a) What kinds of truancy programs exist in the United States? (b) What evidence do we have regarding their effectiveness? (c) What system and programmatic issues present obstacles to implementing successful truancy programs and need to be considered in establishing effective programs? Finally, we discuss efforts that are underway in Hillsborough County, Florida, in implementing an effective continuum of service for truant youth and their families.

Delinquent Behavior Across Adolescence: Investigating the Shifting Salience of Key Criminological Predictors

This study examines the impact of changes in the influence of several individual-level constructs (e.g., risk-seeking, family, peers, attitudes) on involvement in substance use and delinquent behavior during mid to late adolescence. Data were drawn from the longitudinal evaluation of the Gang Resistance, Education, and Training (G.R.E.A.T.) program. The final pooled time series samples used in the analyses were n = 2,515 in the delinquency model (original sample: n = 847) and n = 2,250 in the substance use model (original sample: n = 849). Fixed effects negative binomial modeling indicated that: (1) changes in risk-seeking, parental and peer influences, and attitudes are significantly related to the frequency of self-reported delinquency and substance use and (2) similar risk factors, drawn from multiple domains, influence the likelihood of greater involvement in both delinquency and substance use during mid to late adolescence. Findings highlight the importance of considering a variety of dynamic processes during adolescence and their potential changing influence on deviant behaviors.

Mental Health, Substance Use, and Delinquency Among Truant Youth in a Brief Intervention Project A Longitudinal Study

The relationship between substance use, mental health disorders, and delinquency among youth is well documented. What has received far less attention from researchers is the relationship between these issues among truant youth, in spite of studies that document truants are a population at risk for negative outcomes. This study bridges this gap by (a) examining psychosocial functioning and delinquency among truants and (b) assessing the efficacy of a brief intervention (BI) in reducing delinquent behavior over time. To meet these objectives, data were collected from 183 truant youth enrolled in an ongoing National Institute on Drug Abuse (NIDA)–funded BI project. Informed by a developmental damage perspective, a structural equation model was formulated and estimated. Interim results provide overall support for the model and suggest that the BI may be a promising, innovative intervention for truant youth. Service delivery implications and directions for future analyses are discussed.

Emotional/psychological and related problems among truant youths: An exploratory latent class analysis

Latent class analysis was conducted on the psychosocial problems experienced by truant youths. Data were obtained from baseline interviews completed on 131 youths and their parents/guardians involved in a NIDA-funded, Brief Intervention Project. Results identified two classes of youths: Class 1(n=9) - youths with low levels of delinquency, mental health and substance abuse issues; and Class 2(n=37) - youths with high levels of these problems. Comparison of these two classes on their urine analysis test results and parent/guardian reports of traumatic events found significant (p<.05) differences between them that were consistent with their problem group classification. Our results have important implications for research and practice.

Enrolling and Engaging High-Risk Youths and Families in Community-Based, Brief Intervention Services.

Increasing interest has been shown in brief interventions for troubled persons, including those with substance abuse problems. Most of the published literature on this topic has focused on adults, and on the efficacy of these interventions. Few of these studies have examined the critical issues of enrollment and engagement in brief intervention services. The present article seeks to address the shortcomings in the current literature by reporting on our experiences implementing National Institute on Drug Abuse (NIDA)-funded brief intervention projects involving truant and diversion program youths.

Stress, Mental Health, and Substance Abuse Problems in a Sample of Diversion Program Youths: An Exploratory Latent Class Analysis

Reflective of interest in mental health and substance abuse issues among youths involved with the justice system, we performed a latent class analysis on baseline information collected on 100 youths involved in two diversion programs. Results identified two groups of youths: Group 1: a majority of the youths, who had high levels of delinquency, mental health, and substance abuse issues; and Group 2: youths with low levels of these problems. Comparison of these two groups on a variety of psychosocial measures and parent/guardian reports found differences between them that were consistent with their problem group classification. Follow-up analysis confirmed problem behavior that was consistent with the youths’ latent class placement. Implications of the findings for research and practice are presented.

Problem Profiles of at-Risk Youth in two Service Programs A Multigroup Exploratory Latent Class Analysis

Baseline data collected in two brief intervention projects (BI-Court and Truancy Project) were used to assess similarities and differences in subgroups of at-risk youth. Classifications of these subgroups were based on their psychosocial characteristics (e.g., substance use). Multigroup latent class analysis identified two BI-Court subgroups of youth and three truant subgroups. These classes can be viewed as differing along two dimensions, substance use involvement and emotional and behavioral issues. Equality tests of means across the latent classes for BI-Court and Truancy Project youths found significant differences that were consistent with their problem group classification. These findings highlight the importance of quality assessments and allocating appropriate services on the basis of problem profiles of at-risk youth.

Brief Intervention for Truant Youth Sexual Risk Behavior and Alcohol Use: A Parallel Process Growth Model Analysis.

Truant youths frequently experience family problems, emotional/psychological issues, substance misuse, and delinquency. They are likely engaging in alcohol use and sexual risk behavior at a higher rate than the general youth population. Early intervention services would benefit them, their families, and society. We present interim findings from an ongoing, National Institute on Drug Abuse-funded, experimental, brief intervention (BI) study involving truant youths and their parent/guardians. Baseline, 3-, 6-, and 12-month follow-up data were analyzed to determine whether alcohol use and sexual risk behaviors were longitudinally related, to examine the effects of the BI on alcohol use and sexual risk behaviors, to identify subgroups of youths involved in alcohol use and sexual risk behaviors, and to assess the impact of the BI on these subgroups. Results indicated alcohol use and sexual risk were longitudinally related. Limited treatment effects were observed for alcohol use. Implications for future research and service delivery are considered.

GENDER DIFFERENCES IN AGE OF ONSET FOR DELINQUENCY:RISK FACTORS AND CONSEQUENCES

ABSTRACT The age of onset of delinquency has long been viewed as a key indicator for further delinquency and criminality. However, studies on the risk factors for early onset of delinquency, age of onset, and the consequences of early onset have focused predominantly on males. The purpose of this study was to explore gender differences and similarities in risk factors for onset of drug use and frequency of arrest. It was hypothesized that 1) female early onset occurs at similar age from that of male early onset, 2) risk factors predictive of early onset will differ across genders, and 3) early onset in females will be predictive of frequency of subsequent arrests. OLS, logistic, and negative binomial regression analyses were used to evaluate these hypotheses regarding age of onset of delinquency, risk factors for onset, and frequency of arrest. Consistent with hypotheses, the presence of a distinct female group with early onset, although relatively small, does exist in these data. Differential predictors of early onset across gender are also presented. However, inconsistent with expectations, early onset was not a predictor of frequency of arrests among females. Implications of these findings for life-course studies of females are discussed.