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Ethnic Variation of Self-reported Psychopathology Among Incarcerated Youth

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Abstract

Research on ethnic minority populations has shown them to be undertreated, underdiagnosed and perceived as more psychopathological in comparison to the Caucasian population. This study aimed to assess ethnic variation of self-perceived psychopathology in a population of incarcerated youths. The Youth Self-Report (YSR) was completed by 5964 incarcerated adolescents (95% male; mean age = 16.5) in the California Youth Authority (CYA) system. Overall, ethnic minorities (African-Americans and Hispanics) self-report lower levels of psychiatric problems than Caucasians. These differences were more pronounced in males than females. Further research is needed to better ascertain the reasons for these differences.

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Acknowledgments

The authors wish to thank Mónica M. Pacheco and Elizabeth Cauffman for their input into the research for this paper. This research was supported by grants from The California Wellness Foundation–Violence Prevention Initiative and the National Institute of Justice to Dr. Steiner. The authors would also like to thank our collaborators from the California Youth Authority for their valuable help and contributions.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Division of Child & Adolescent Psychiatry, Stanford University School of Medicine, Stanford, CA, USA

    Niranjan S. Karnik M.D., Ph.D. & Hans Steiner Dr. med. univ.

  2. Department of Anthropology, History & Social Medicine, School of Medicine, University of California, San Fransisco, USA

    Niranjan S. Karnik M.D., Ph.D.

  3. clinical practice, Alameda, CA, USA

    Pamela A. Jones M.D.

  4. New York State Psychiatric Institute, Columbia University, New York, NY, USA

    Amy E. Campanaro M.A.

  5. Department of Research, California Youth Authority, Sacramento, CA, USA

    Rudy Haapanen Ph.D.

  6. Center for Psychiatry & the Law, Stanford University School of Medicine, Stanford, USA

    Hans Steiner Dr. med. univ.

  7. Division of Child & Adolescent Psychiatry, Stanford University School of Medicine, 401 Quarry Road, Stanford, CA, 94305, USA

    Niranjan S. Karnik M.D., Ph.D.

Authors
  1. Niranjan S. Karnik M.D., Ph.D.
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  2. Pamela A. Jones M.D.
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  3. Amy E. Campanaro M.A.
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  4. Rudy Haapanen Ph.D.
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  5. Hans Steiner Dr. med. univ.
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Corresponding author

Correspondence to Niranjan S. Karnik M.D., Ph.D..

Additional information

Niranjan S. Karnik is affiliated with Division of Child & Adolescent Psychiatry, Stanford University School of Medicine and Department of Anthropology, History & Social Medicine, School of Medicine, University of California San Francisco

Pamela A. Jones is in clinical practice in Alameda, CA

Rudy Haapanen is affiliated with Department of Research, California Youth Authority, Sacramento, CA

Amy E. Campanaro is affiliated with New York State Psychiatric Institute/Columbia University, New York, NY

Dr. med. univ. Hans Steiner is affiliated with Division of Child & Adolescent Psychiatry, Stanford University School of Medicine and Center for Psychiatry & the Law, Stanford University School of Medicine, Stanford, CA

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Karnik, N.S., Jones, P.A., Campanaro, A.E. et al. Ethnic Variation of Self-reported Psychopathology Among Incarcerated Youth. Community Ment Health J 42, 477–486 (2006). https://doi.org/10.1007/s10597-006-9056-5

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s10597-006-9056-5

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