title: Emotional/psychological and related problems among truant youths: An exploratory latent class analysis.
abstract: Latent class analysis was conducted on the psychosocial problems experienced by truant youths. Data were obtained from baseline interviews completed on 131 youths and their parents/guardians involved in a NIDA-funded, Brief Intervention Project. Results identified two classes of youths: Class 1(n=94): youths with low levels of delinquency, mental health and substance abuse issues, Class 2(n=37): youths with high levels of these problems. Comparison of these two classes on their urine analysis test results and parent/guardian reports of traumatic events found significant (p<.05) differences between them that were consistent with their problem group classification. Our results have important implications for research and practice.
authors.affiliation: Criminology Department University of South Florida Tampa, FL 33620.
authors.forename: Richard
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Dembo
authors.forename: Rhissa
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Briones-Robinson
authors.forename: Rocio
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Ungaro
authors.forename: Laura
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Gulledge
authors.forename: Lora
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Karas
authors.forename: Ken C
authors.initials: KC
authors.lastname: Winters
authors.forename: Steven
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Belenko
authors.forename: Paul E
authors.initials: PE
authors.lastname: Greenbaum