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Gender differences in psychiatric disorders at juvenile probation intake
Gail A Wasserman1, Larkin S McReynolds, Susan J Ko
1Center for Promotion of Mental Health in Juvenile Justice, Columbia University/New York State Psychiatric Institute, 1051 Riverside Drive, Unit 78, New York, NY 10032, USA. wassermg@childpsych.columbia.edu
American Journal of Public Health
|December 30, 2004
Summary
Girls in the juvenile justice system show higher rates of anxiety and affective disorders than boys. This is particularly true for girls with violent offenses, indicating a need for targeted mental health support.
Area of Science:
- Forensic psychiatry
- Child and adolescent mental health
- Developmental psychology
Background:
- Youth involved in the justice system often have higher rates of psychiatric disorders.
- Understanding gender-specific patterns of these disorders is crucial for effective intervention.
- Previous research indicates potential gender differences in mental health presentations among justice-involved youth.
Purpose of the Study:
- To identify and analyze gender disparities in psychiatric disorders among youths entering the probation system.
- To investigate the relationship between gender and specific diagnostic clusters in this population.
- To inform targeted mental health strategies for justice-involved adolescents.
Main Methods:
- A cohort of 991 randomly selected youths (200 girls) at probation intake in 8 Texas counties were assessed.
- The Voice Diagnostic Interview Schedule for Children was used to measure psychiatric disorders.
- Logistic regression analyses were employed to predict diagnostic clusters by gender, controlling for demographics and offense characteristics.
Main Results:
- While demographic and offense characteristics explained some variance, significant gender differences in diagnostic profiles were observed.
- Girls exhibited higher rates of anxiety and affective disorders compared to boys (odds ratios = 0.59 and 0.32, respectively).
- Girls with violent offenses were 3 to 5 times more likely to report anxiety disorders than other groups.
Conclusions:
- Among youths with conduct problems, girls face an elevated risk for co-occurring anxiety or affective disorders.
- These findings highlight the importance of gender-informed screening and treatment approaches for justice-involved girls.
- Addressing co-occurring anxiety and affective disorders in this population is critical for improving outcomes.