An exploration of risk factors in a community sample of low socioeconomic status youth in South Africa

Youth in low socioeconomic status communities experience multiple risks which disrupts their emotional, cognitive, and psychological development. In South Africa, there is a tacit acceptance of risk constructs as researched globally. This study examines risk occurrence with the aim of identifying and examining the uniqueness of risks in a community sample of youth. Data were collected from youth and their maternal caregivers through interviews and standardized instruments. Youth from grade 7 and grade 10, 9 to 18 years (M = 13.11; SD = 1.54) were recruited. Sixty-five percent were female. Thirty-five frequent risk factors were identified using a z-test for proportion of means. Five risk factors, namely, low household income, race, English not being the primary home language of the parent, low maternal self-esteem, and low dyadic satisfaction, emerged as significant risks. Other risk factors (e.g., single-parent household), which feature prominently in international studies, did not emerge as significantly present. While risk occurrence in our sample shares commonalities with international trends, our study further highlights how risk is underscored and shaped by South Africa’s socioeconomic and political history. We argue that traditional concepts, like family, race, and language require conceptual review when undertaking research and developing policies and interventions that are relevant to South African communities.