[Temperament and character-traits as protective factors among adolescents in juvenile residential facilities].
Although adolescents in juvenile residential facilities are at high risk for mental disorders, not all of these adolescents develop psychiatric symptoms. The aim of our study was to define traits protecting these adolescents. A total of 314 adolescents of 20 juvenile residential facilities were examined using standardized assessment instruments (Child Behavior Checklist (CBCL), Junior Temperament and Character Inventory (JTCI)). Educators of the facilities filled out a sociodemographic questionnaire for each participant. Adolescents were divided into two groups (resilient vs. mental problems) by CBCL-Cut-off-Scores. Analyses were based on these two groups. Resilient youth differed from youth with psychiatric symptoms in temperament- and character-traits (e. g. self-directedness F = 28.4, p < .001, d = 0.64) with small to moderate effect sizes (d = 0.36 to 0.64). Resilient adolescents lived in larger facilities (U = 9080, p = .025). No associations were found between gender and resilience, as well as age at placement in the facility and duration of the stay in the facility and resilience. Significant differences in temperament- and character-traits between resilient adolescents and adolescents with mental problems were identified. Especially character-traits could be a basis for developing strategies for promoting mental health and further resilience factors, as social support.
Andreas
A
Witt
Marc
M
Schmid
Jörg M
JM
Fegert
Paul L
PL
Plener
Lutz
L
Goldbeck
D000293:Adolescent; D000342:Affective Symptoms / Q000523:psychology / Q000628:therapy*; D000367:Age Factors; D002605:Character; D002648:Child; D002669:Child Welfare; D003131:Combined Modality Therapy; D003631:Day Care, Medical; D005196:Family Therapy; D005260:Female; D005500:Follow-Up Studies; D005858:Germany; D006801:Humans; D007389:Internal-External Control; D008297:Male; D001523:Mental Disorders / Q000523:psychology / Q000628:therapy*; D016487:Parenting / Q000523:psychology; D010343:Patient Admission; D010552:Personality Assessment / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D010555:Personality Inventory / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D011594:Psychometrics / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D015203:Reproducibility of Results; D012114:Residential Treatment; D011795:Surveys and Questionnaires; D013694:Temperament; D017749:Total Quality Management; D016896:Treatment Outcome