Pauline Garcia-Reid

School Engagement among Latino Youth in an Urban Middle School Context: Valuing the Role of Social Support.

The education of many Latino youth residing in urban communities is often hindered by fear of crime and violence occurring in places where they live and attend school. Addressing these concerns, this study tested a path model predicting school engagement that included neighborhood and school environment variables (e.g., neighborhood youth behavior, neighborhood safety, and school safety) and social support variables (e.g., teacher support, friend support, parent support, and neighbor support). A total of 226 Latino youth from an urban middle school in the northeastern United States participated in the study. The hypothesized model was found to fit data from the sample and showed direct effects of teacher support, friend support, and parent support on school engagement. In addition, neighborhood youth behavior and neighborhood safety influenced school engagement indirectly through its effect on social support variables. Implications for school-based interventions are discussed.

Examining Social Capital as a Mechanism for Improving School Engagement Among Low Income Hispanic Girls

Hispanic females are a rapidly growing population and are now considered the largest group of ethnic minority girls in the United States. Yet research to guide their educational needs remains sparse. Addressing this concern, this investigation incorporated a strengths-based approach for examining school engagement among Hispanic middle school girls. A path model predicting school engagement was tested that included a neighborhood environment variable (e.g., neighborhood dangerousness) and variables to assess social capital (e.g., teacher support, friend support, and parent support). The hypothesized model was found to fit data from the sample and showed the positive and direct effects of teacher support, friend support, and parent support on school engagement, and further demonstrated that the perceived absence of neighborhood dangerousness was positively and directly associated with engagement in school. Implications for school-based interventions for Latina youth are discussed.

School Climate and Adolescent Drug Use: Mediating Effects of Violence Victimization in the Urban High School Context

This study tested the mediating effects of violence victimization in the relationship between school climate and adolescent drug use. The hypothesized path model fit data collected from a probability sample of urban high school students (N=586) participating in an evaluation of a violence prevention program funded by the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration. Findings indicated that the lack of enforcement of school rules and the presence of unsafe places in and around the school influenced adolescent drug use directly and indirectly through their effects on violence victimization.Editors’ Strategic Implications: This research confirms the importance of the environment as a contributor to violence victimization. Violence victimization is obviously of concern in its own right, but in addition, these data indicate that it also contributes to adolescent drug use. School administrators should be aware that unsafe places in schools and the failure to enforce school rules may affect such victimization and drug use.

Parent and Teacher Support Among Latino Immigrant Youth: Effects on School Engagement and School Trouble Avoidance

While a significant portion of Latino immigrant youth are failing to meet their academic potential, many others have been able to acquire the resources needed to excel academically. This study examined social capital assets (i.e., parent and teacher supports) for school engagement and trouble avoidance among a sample of recently arrived, non-U.S. born, middle school Latino adolescents (n = 141) residing in a high-poverty community located in the northeastern United States. School outcomes were compared for students who reported different combinations of low and high teacher and parent support. Findings from this study provided evidence of the additive benefit of teacher and parent support on school engagement and trouble avoidance among middle school, Latino immigrant adolescents. Implications for school-based interventions for this underserved population are discussed.

The Protective Effects of Sense of Community, Multigroup Ethnic Identity, and Self-Esteem Against Internalizing Problems Among Dominican Youth: Implications for Social Workers

This study examined the risk and protective factors associated with internalizing problems among Dominican adolescents (N = 500; 58% female) attending high school (grades 9–12) in a Northeastern, high poverty, urban community. Using a path analysis, this study found that depression and anxiety are complex mental health constructs and there are many factors that contribute to their developmental trajectory. Findings revealed that greater disorganization in ones neighborhood, perception of availability of drugs and handguns in ones community, and overall drug use and violent behaviors were linked with depression and anxiety. Conversely, higher levels of sense of community, which was linked to positive multigroup ethnic identity, and higher levels of self-esteem had a protective effect against depression and anxiety. Implications for social workers are discussed.

Violence-related behaviors among Dominican adolescents: examining the influence of alcohol and marijuana use.

ABSTRACT This study identified the predictors of youth violence and violent victimization among a sample of Dominican adolescents (N = 155) attending high school in a northeastern urban community. As part of a broader community-based needs assessment, students participated in an evaluation of a substance abuse prevention program funded by the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration. Correlations, principal components, multiple imputation, and stepwise regression analyses were systematically employed to develop a parsimonious model for predicting violence-related behaviors among Dominican youth. Findings suggest that early onset of alcohol and marijuana use was associated with an increased likelihood of engaging in violence-related behaviors or being the victim of a violent act. In addition, students who reported a lowered sense of safety were more likely to be involved in acts of violence. However, adolescents who reported depressive symptoms were less inclined to become involved in violence-related behaviors. Implications for culturally-tailored violence and substance abuse prevention programming efforts are discussed.

Adolescents’ Perceived Control in the Sociopolitical Domain A Latent Class Analysis

Sociopolitical control (SPC) has been identified as a critical component of empowerment, resilience and civic development among young people. Sociopolitical control has been assessed according to a two dimensional model: (1) leadership competence and (2) policy control. Very little is known, however, about heterogeneity of perceptions of SPC, how this heterogeneity is distributed across subpopulations, and how it may affect relationships between SPC and other variables. This study used a person-centered approach, latent class cluster analysis, to test items on a SPC scale for youth. Participants were high school students (n = 334) in the Northeastern United States. Four distinct groups of participants emerged: those with (1) exceptional SPC, (2) elevated SPC, (3) limited SPC, and (4) diminished policy control. Group differences were observed on a set of relevant variables including perceived school importance, tobacco use, bullying behaviors, and sense of community. Implications are discussed for policy, practice and future research.

The moderating effect of neighborhood sense of community on predictors of substance use among Hispanic urban youth

ABSTRACT Hispanic adolescents represent a disproportionate number of youth living in urban communities. These youth confront significant social problems that increase their likelihood for substance use. However, youth that have a greater neighborhood sense of community are postulated, through empowerment theory, to be less influenced by negative environmental experiences and less inclined to engage in drug and alcohol use. We examine the moderating effect neighborhood SOC has on predictors of substance use among Hispanic (N = 538) urban youth in low- (n = 246) and high-conflict homes (n = 292). Using logistic regression analysis and a plotting technique to examine interaction effects, we explore these relationships and provide recommendations for practice and prevention.

Examining tobacco outlet concentration in New Jersey: does income and ethnicity matter?

This study examined the geographic association between tobacco outlet density and the demographic indicators of median household income and percentage of Hispanic residents in New Jersey. Tobacco outlet density was assessed by examining all tobacco retailers licensed in 2004 in New Jersey, and demographic variables were based on the 2000 United States Census. Results indicated that the percentage of Hispanic residents and median household income were both salient predictors of tobacco outlet density. We also observed that income level moderated the relationship between the percentage of Hispanics residents and tobacco outlet density. Implications for environmentally based tobacco prevention and control initiatives are discussed.

Preventing Substance Abuse and HIV/AIDS among Urban Minority Youth: Evidence from a University-Community Partnership

Purpose: To assess whether evidence-based prevention protocols could positively influence substance abuse and HIV/AIDS knowledge and reduce sexual risk-taking behaviors among urban minority youth. Design: Pretest-posttest design. Setting: Four urban high schools and five summer camp programs located in the North-eastern United States. Subjects: A total of 653 African American and Hispanic/Latino youth, ranging in ages from 13 to 18. Intervention: The intervention for this study incorporated elements from the following evidence-based protocols that have been endorsed by the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) and the Center for Substance Abuse Prevention (CSAP): Be Proud! Be Responsible!; CASASTART!; Focus on Youth; and Street Smart. Sessions were comprised of six, 50-minute modules that incorporated role-plays, discussions, and multimedia formats to actively educate and engage youth in prevention activities. Measures: This study used the National Minority Substance Abuse / HIV Prevention Initiative Cohort 7 Youth Questionnaire., which was developed by CSAP to be used as part of a national cross site evaluation of all Minority AIDS Initiative (MAI) funded programs throughout the United States. Sexual risk behavior served as our outcome variable, with the following ten predictors being assessed for the study: disapproval / alcohol use, school importance, delinquency/crime, disapproval / tobacco use, disapproval / marijuana use, illicit drug use, stress- related alcohol and drug use, HIV/AIDS knowledge, HIV/AIDS testing, and negative peer attitudes. Analysis: Principal components, multiple imputation, and mulitivariate regression analyses were systematically employed to develop a parsimonious model that included ten predictors of sexual risk. Results: Changes in pre and posttest measures revealed that participants who were at heightened risk were also more inclined to get tested for HIV/AIDS after receiving the intervention (95% confidence level). At posttest, an increase in HIV/AIDS knowledge seemed to have a buffering effect against risky sexual behaviors. Additionally, participants who thought of school more favorably were less likely to engage in sexual risk taking behaviors at posttest (95% confidence level). Conclusion: A combination of evidence-based prevention curricula can help transform knowledge into positive behavioral change.