title: Childhood trauma and psychiatric disorders as correlates of school dropout in a national sample of young adults.
abstract: The effect of childhood trauma, psychiatric diagnoses, and mental health services on school dropout among U.S.-born and immigrant youth is examined using data from the Collaborative Psychiatric Epidemiology Surveys, a nationally representative probability sample of African Americans, Afro-Caribbeans, Asians, Latinos, and non-Latino Whites, including 2,532 young adults, aged 21-29. The dropout prevalence rate was 16% overall, with variation by childhood trauma, childhood psychiatric diagnosis, race/ethnicity, and nativity. Childhood substance and conduct disorders mediated the relation between trauma and school dropout. Likelihood of dropout was decreased for Asians, and increased for African Americans and Latinos, compared to non-Latino Whites as a function of psychiatric disorders and trauma. Timing of U.S. immigration during adolescence increased risk of dropout.
authors.affiliation: Wellesley Centers for Women, WellesleyCollege, 106 Central St., Cheever House, Wellesley, MA 02481, USA. mporche@wellesley.edu
authors.forename: Michelle V
authors.initials: MV
authors.lastname: Porche
authors.forename: Lisa R
authors.initials: LR
authors.lastname: Fortuna
authors.forename: Julia
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Lin
authors.forename: Margarita
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Alegria
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D001008:Anxiety Disorders / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000208:ethnology / Q000523:psychology; D002648:Child; D019955:Conduct Disorder / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000208:ethnology / Q000523:psychology; D003866:Depressive Disorder / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000208:ethnology / Q000523:psychology; D054242:Emigrants and Immigrants / Q000523:psychology; D005006:Ethnicity / Q000523:psychology; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007389:Internal-External Control; D008016:Life Change Events; D008297:Male; D001523:Mental Disorders / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000208:ethnology / Q000523:psychology*; D008605:Mental Health Services; D012307:Risk Factors; D013223:Statistics as Topic; D013313:Stress Disorders, Post-Traumatic / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000208:ethnology / Q000523:psychology; D013332:Student Dropouts / Q000523:psychology*; D019966:Substance-Related Disorders / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000208:ethnology / Q000523:psychology; D014481:United States; D055815:Young Adult