Shawn C. Marsh

Risk and Protective Factors Predictive of Sense of Coherence during Adolescence

This brief report presents a study undertaken to better understand the factors that are related to sense of coherence (SOC) levels among youth. Middle school students (N = 1619) reported on risk and protective factors across ecological domains. Analyses revealed that social support, anger expression, family conflict and neighborhood cohesion were predictors of SOC for both males and females. Community views regarding gang membership was a predictor of SOC only for males, while age was a predictor of SOC only for females. The findings suggest a resiliency and ecological framework may be helpful in understanding SOC in youth.

Youth perspectives on their relationships with staff in juvenile correction settings and perceived likelihood of success on release.

This study explored youth perspectives on their relationships with staff in juvenile correction settings and perceived likelihood of success on release. Surveys were administered to 543 youth committed to select facilities in Alaska, Idaho, Nevada, and Oregon. Youth were asked to nominate a staff they turn to most for help and advice, then report on the qualities of their relationship with that staff. Results indicate that youth have different types of key helping relationships with staff, and that youth forecasts about their future vary across these relationship types.

Predictors of Staff Responses to Problematic Youth Behavior in Detention and Correctional Settings

Abstract Juvenile justice staff working with delinquent youth detained in secure settings in Alaska were surveyed via Web-based instrument. Data collected from staff included demographics, scores on several personality measures, amount and type of training experiences, and responses on a measure developed to assess the severity of consequences assigned to youth for certain problematic behaviors. The relationship between staff position, age, gender, ethnicity, locus of control scores, amount of training, and an index of hypothetical consequence severity was explored by multiple regression. Results indicate that minority staff assigned more punitive responses to problematic youth behavior, and more training experience was predictive of less punitive responses to problematic youth behavior. Follow-up analyses revealed significant differences on the consequence severity index between staff who had or had not completed training in the areas of anger management, family counseling, life skills development, and behavior modification. On average, staff trained in these areas assigned less severe consequences to youth for problematic behaviors as compared with staff not trained in these areas. Results add to the paucity of literature on the rehabilitative orientation of juvenile justice staff, and support the importance of adequate and targeted training in efforts to move institutional staff and the juvenile justice system toward a more positive youth development paradigm.

Exploring models of resiliency by gender in relation to adolescent victimization.

Abstract Conditions associated with peer and criminal victimization experiences of adolescents were explored via measures of risk and protection as reported on by eighth- and tenth-grade students (N = 1,619). Four models of resiliency were tested using cumulative indexes of protection and risk. Furthermore, the relative and cumulative effects of protection and risk on victimization were explored across ecological domains. Results suggest a resiliency framework that considers risk and protection across multiple ecological domains is a useful heuristic for understanding adolescent victimization experiences. Implications for research and practice are presented.

Carrying a Weapon to School: The Influence of Youth Assets at Home and School

ABSTRACT Eighth and tenth grade students (n= 1,619) reported on exposure to risk and protective assets in their day-to-day lives. The relationship between carrying a weapon to school and risk and protective factors in the home and school ecological domains was explored through logistic regression conducted separately by gender. Environmental control in the home, one factor previously unexplored in the context of resiliency to interpersonal violence-related risk behavior, was incorporated into the analysis. Results support previous research that suggests school violence prevention efforts should address both risk and protective factors in multiple ecological domains. Further, results suggest violence prevention efforts should be sensitive to gender differences, and that additional research is necessary to clarify the role of environmental control as a factor influencing youth resiliency to violence.

Personal and Social Characteristics Associated with Perceived Likelihood of Success in Incarcerated Youth

This brief report presents a study undertaken to explore the association between youth perceptions of personal and social characteristics within correctional programs and perceived likelihood of success on release. Surveys were administered to 543 youth committed to select facilities in 4 Western states. Results indicate low levels of anger expression and a strong sense of program belonging were related to more positive future forecasts for both males and females. Further, high relationship quality with an important staff member and strong social support were related to more positive future forecasts, but only for males.