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Loss Due to Death and its Association with Mental Disorders in Juvenile Detainees
Julie Laken Harnisher1, Karen Abram1, Jason Washburn1
1Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences, Health Disparities and Public Policy Program, Northwestern University Feinberg School of Medicine, 710 North Lake Shore Dr., Suite 900, Chicago, IL 60611 ( healthdisparities@northwestern.edu ).
Abstract:
This study investigated the prevalence of loss due to death and its association with mental disorders in a random sample of 898 newly detained adolescents in Chicago, Illinois. Nearly 90% of youth experienced the loss of an important person; most had also experienced a "high-risk" loss (e.g., loss due to violence, sudden loss). Minority youth were at particular risk. Youth with any loss or multiple losses were more likely to have mood disorders and ADHD/behavioral disorders, respectively, than youth who had no such losses. Interventions focusing on modifiable protective factors following loss may increase positive outcomes in this vulnerable population.
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