title: Perceived parental security profiles in African American adolescents involved in the juvenile justice system.
abstract: Many researchers have shown the importance of parent attachment in childhood and adolescence. The present study extends the attachment literature to African Americans involved in the juvenile justice system (N = 213), and provides an initial inquiry using person-oriented methods. The average age was 16.17 years (SD = 1.44), and the sample was predominantly male (71%). Results of a confirmatory factor analysis of Inventory of Parent and Peer Attachment-Short Form (IPPA-S) scores supported a 3-factor model: (a) Communication, (b) Trust, and (c) Alienation. Model-based clustering was applied to IPPA-S scores, and results pointed to 4 perceived parental security profiles: high security, moderately high security, moderately low security, and low security. In keeping with our hypotheses, IPPA-S profiles were associated with prosocial behaviors, depression, anxiety, and oppositional defiance. Contrary to hypotheses, IPPA-S profiles were not associated with perspective taking, emotional concern, or behaviors characteristic of a conduct disorder. Results also showed that gender, age, family member with whom the participant resides, charge severity, and offense history did not have an effect on IPPA-S clustering. Implications for therapeutic jurisprudence in African Americans involved with the juvenile justice system are provided.
authors.affiliation: Child Guidance Clinic, Superior Court of the District of Columbia.
authors.forename: James R
authors.initials: JR
authors.lastname: Andretta
authors.affiliation: Child Guidance Clinic, Superior Court of the District of Columbia.
authors.forename: Aaron M
authors.initials: AM
authors.lastname: Ramirez
authors.affiliation: Child Guidance Clinic, Superior Court of the District of Columbia.
authors.forename: Michael E
authors.initials: ME
authors.lastname: Barnes
authors.affiliation: Child Guidance Clinic, Superior Court of the District of Columbia.
authors.forename: Terri
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Odom
authors.affiliation: Child Guidance Clinic, Superior Court of the District of Columbia.
authors.forename: Shelia
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Roberson-Adams
authors.affiliation: Child Guidance Clinic, Superior Court of the District of Columbia.
authors.forename: Malcolm H
authors.initials: MH
authors.lastname: Woodland
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D001741:Black or African American / Q000523:psychology*; D016000:Cluster Analysis; D005163:Factor Analysis, Statistical; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007604:Juvenile Delinquency / Q000523:psychology*; D008297:Male; D009769:Object Attachment; D010290:Parents / Q000523:psychology*; D010379:Peer Group; D012938:Social Perception; D011795:Surveys and Questionnaires; D035502:Trust / Q000523:psychology*