Utilization of the Massachusetts Youth Screening Instrument-2 (MAYSI-2) with a Southern, African American Adolescent Male Population

The Massachusetts Youth Screening Instrument-2 (MAYSI-2) is a widely accepted instrument for screening adolescents in detention facilities for mental health problems. However, African Americans often experience mental illness differently from other racial groups. The purpose of this study is to examine the usefulness of the MAYSI-2 with Southern African American adolescents. Results indicate that the MAYSI-2 factor structure as originally conceived does not accurately represent mental illness as experienced by this group. Instead, findings suggest that African American adolescents do indeed experience mental illness in a way different from youth for whom the MAYSI-2 was designed. Furthermore, the MAYS-2's ability to detect psychotic illness in this group is called into question by these findings.