Screening Incarcerated Juveniles Using the MAYSI-2

Area of Science:

• Forensic Psychology
• Child and Adolescent Psychiatry
• Public Health

Background:

• High prevalence of mental health disorders in incarcerated juveniles is a significant concern.
• Accurate screening tools are essential for juvenile justice personnel to identify youth needing mental health services.

Purpose of the Study:

• Examine the utility of the Massachusetts Youth Screening Instrument, Version 2 (MAYSI-2) for identifying mental health concerns in incarcerated juveniles.
• Determine the rates of identified mental health needs within this population.
• Compare findings with other studies utilizing the MAYSI-2.

Main Methods:

• Utilized the Massachusetts Youth Screening Instrument, Version 2 (MAYSI-2) on a large sample of N = 4,009 incarcerated juveniles.
• Compared mean subscale scores with normative samples and recent studies.
• Conducted a multivariate analysis of variance (MANOVA) to assess ethnic group differences.

Main Results:

• The study population exhibited a high occurrence of mental health symptoms.
• Significant variability was observed in the severity of these symptoms.
• MANOVA revealed significant differences in mental health problems across various ethnic groups.

Conclusions:

• The MAYSI-2 is a valuable instrument for screening mental health needs in incarcerated youth.
• Incarcerated juveniles present with a high burden of mental health symptoms, necessitating targeted interventions.
• Ethnic disparities in mental health issues warrant further investigation within the juvenile justice system.