Examining Behavioral Variations in Disadvantaged Adolescents: A Cross-Racial Study of African, Latinx, and Asian American Adolescents

Abstract

This study explored racial differences in internalizing and externalizing problems among minority adolescents in impoverished urban communities. The study centered on a sample of 211 participants who were engaged in the 2018 Building Resilience Against Violence Engagement (BRAVE) programs. Their internalizing and externalizing problems were assessed using Youth Self-Report (YSR). The results of a one-way between-subjects Analysis of Variance (ANOVA) uncovered substantial racial disparities, with African American adolescents reporting a higher prevalence of externalizing problems compared to Asian adolescents. Additionally, Latinx adolescents exhibited the highest prevalence of delinquency rate at the p < .05 level. These findings underscore the strong connection between racial groups and youth problems, emphasizing the importance of considering racial factors in the context of service provision for minority adolescents.