Gender Differences in Mental Health Problems and Violence Among Chicago Youth

Abstract

The role of gender is critical when examining how mental health problems affect delinquency over the life course. This study explores gender and developmental pathways to violence for youth participating in the Project on Human Development in Chicago Neighborhoods (PHDCN). Girls having oppositional defiant problems (ODP) were significantly more likely to self-report violence from late childhood through early adolescence; however, only depressive problems mattered for girls during late adolescence. For boys, antisocial personality problems during late adolescence affected violence. Moderating effects of gender were limited to early and late adolescence. Implications regarding gendered solutions when developing strategies targeting youth violence are discussed.