Mapping Trajectories of Behavioral and Emotional Risk Among Predominately African American Youth Across the Middle School Transition

Abstract

This study used growth curve modeling to map risk by gender across the middle school transition. Participants included 609 (49.5% female) students in grades 4–8 in an urban school serving primarily African American youth from low-income communities. Results indicated that overall risk increased over time and was consistent over the middle school transition. Further analysis indicated risk change was domain and gender specific. For example, across the inattention–hyperactivity and externalizing domains both male and female students showed increased risk; however, risk increased at a faster rate for girls. Despite patterns of increase in risk, boys and girls showed stability in their reports of personal adjustment, a domain associated with resiliency. These results highlight the importance of screening to capture student need over time and the inclusion of strengths-based domains in screening tools.