School difficulties and co-occurring health risk factors: substance use, aggression, depression, and suicidal behaviors.
OBJECTIVE
Effective prevention requires understanding vulnerable populations, early signs of health risks, and the impact of social contexts. We tested a model of co-occurring mental health risks among at-risk youth experiencing school difficulties.


METHODS
We analyzed data from a random sample of 336 at-risk youth, grades 9-12, who completed a comprehensive risk/protective factors assessment.


RESULTS
Simultaneously controlling for correlations among health risks, we observed systematic associations among risk factors, with generally consistent patterns for males and females.


CONCLUSIONS
The findings underscore the importance of developing interventions that incorporate contextual influences and of identifying common adaptable strategies for attenuating co-occurring health risks for at-risk youth.
Reconnecting Youth Prevention Research Program, Psychosocial and Community Health, University of Washington, Seattle, WA, USA. elainet@u.washington.edu
Elaine Adams
EA
Thompson
Cynthia D
CD
Connelly
Deborah
D
Thomas-Jones
Leona L
LL
Eggert
D000293:Adolescent; D000374:Aggression / Q000523:psychology; D015897:Comorbidity; D003863:Depression / Q000453:epidemiology*; D005260:Female; D015438:Health Behavior; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D018570:Risk Assessment; D012307:Risk Factors; D012574:Schools / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D012737:Sex Factors; D019966:Substance-Related Disorders / Q000453:epidemiology*; D059020:Suicidal Ideation; D013405:Suicide / Q000523:psychology; D000092864:Suicide Prevention