White American Adolescents Research Articles

Similarities and Differences in the Architecture of Cognitive Vulnerability to Depressive Symptoms in Black and White American Adolescents: A Network Analysis Study.

The hopelessness theory, Beck's cognitive theory, and the response styles theory dominate our understanding and the treatment of depression in adolescents. However, research supporting them is largely based on White individuals. Further, the associations between stressors, cognitive vulnerabilities, and depressive symptoms in Black adolescents are not as one would expect based on the predictions from those theories. Both raise the question of if and to what degree these theories and previous findings can be generalized to Black adolescents. Additionally, without a theoretical basis, clinicians regularly use interventions developed based on one theory to influence vulnerabilities described in another theory. Thus, the purpose of our study was to examine the structure of an integrated cognitive stress-vulnerability model as well as the strengths of associations between stressors, cognitive vulnerabilities, and depressive symptoms in Black and White adolescents. In our study, 295 Black (37% female) and 213 White (49% female) ninth-grade students from a public high school participated. Network analyses demonstrated that the three original cognitive theories of depression can and should be integrated and that each variable we examined is comparably relevant for Black and White adolescents. At the same time, the structure of the two integrated networks differed significantly among Black and White adolescents, exhibiting specific distinctions at four edge levels. Furthermore, the predictability of the network is notably lower for Black adolescents than for White adolescents. Important theoretical and clinical implications can be derived.

Vicarious severe school discipline predicts racial disparities among non-disciplined Black and White American adolescents.

Racial disparities in school discipline may have collateral consequences on the larger non-suspended student population. The present study leveraged two longitudinal datasets with 1201 non-suspended adolescents (48% Black, 52% White; 55% females, 45% males; Mage : 12-13) enrolled in 84 classrooms in an urban mid-Atlantic city of the United States during the 2016-2017 and 2017-2018 academic years. Classmates' minor infraction suspensions predicted greater next year's defiant infractions among non-suspended Black adolescents, and this longitudinal relation was worse for Black youth enrolled in predominantly Black classrooms. For White youth, classmates' minor infraction suspensions predicted greater defiant infractions specifically when they were enrolled in predominantly non-White classrooms. Racial inequities in school discipline may have repercussions that disadvantage all adolescents regardless of race.

Stereotypes in the classroom's air: Classroom racial stereotype endorsement, classroom engagement, and STEM achievement among Black and White American adolescents.

Initiatives promoting diversity, equity, and inclusion in predominantly White contexts, including STEM fields, have primarily relied on approaches to increase the representation of minoritized individuals. However, an increase in the representation of minoritized individuals is only one step of the process, as the present study suggests that explicit beliefs about particular racial groups' abilities also matter. The present article examined whether classroom racial stereotype endorsement about science and math disadvantaged Black American adolescents relative to their White American peers. Across two longitudinal studies with 533 and 1,189 adolescents (N-adolescents=1722; N-classrooms=86; 45% Black American, 55% White American; 51% females; M-age=13-14), classroom pro-White/anti-Black stereotype endorsement in the fall term predicted better science and math achievement scores for White American adolescents and lower science and math achievement scores for Black American adolescents at the end of the academic year. Student- and teacher-reported student engagement in science and math classrooms mediated the longitudinal relations between classroom pro-White/anti-Black stereotype endorsement and students' achievement scores. Results suggest that classrooms may be important conduits for communicating racial stereotypes that create racially hostile STEM learning environments. RESEARCH HIGHLIGHTS: Using a longitudinal sample of 1722 adolescents enrolled in 86 classrooms, thepresent study examined the consequences of classroom racial stereotype endorsement during adolescence. White American adolescents demonstrated favorable achievement scores in science and math when their classmates endorsed traditional, or pro-White/anti-Black, stereotypes. Black American adolescents showed worse achievement scores in science and math when their classmates endorsed pro-White/anti-Black stereotypes. Classroom engagement mediated the longitudinal relations between classroom pro-White/anti-Black stereotype endorsement and achievement scores for both Black and White American adolescents.

Parental Education and Adolescents' Asthma: The Role of Ethnicity.

To study the association between parental education and adolescents' asthma overall and by ethnicity. The current study used data from the Population Assessment of Tobacco and Health (PATH)-Adolescents study. All participants were 12 to 17-year-old non-smokers (n = 8652). The outcome of interest was adolescents' asthma. The predictor of interest was baseline parental education, the covariates were age, sex, and number of parents present at baseline, and the moderator was ethnicity. According to logistic regression analyses, higher parental education was predictive of adolescents' asthma; however, this association was weaker for Latino than non-Latino adolescents (OR 1.771; CI 1.282-2.446). We did not find a significant difference in the effect of parental education on asthma of White and African American adolescents. Our stratified models also showed that higher parental education was associated with lower asthma for non-Latino but not for Latino adolescents. The effect of high parental education on adolescents' asthma prevalence differs between Latino and non-Latino families, with Latino families showing weaker protective effects of parental education on adolescents' asthma. Future research should test the role of exposure to environmental pollutants, neighborhood quality, and prevalence of smoking in social network members as well as other contextual factors at home, in school, and in the neighborhood that may increase prevalence of asthma in Latino adolescents regardless of their parental education. Given that these potential causes are multi-level, potential causes of such disparities should be tested in future multi-level research.

Evaluating Measures of Externalizing Personality Pathology Traits in Black and White American Adolescents in a Program for at-Risk Youths

Adolescent personality assessment measures can aid in the identification of traits that are associated with various types of maladjustment. Externalizing personality pathology traits (e.g., antisocial, borderline, and narcissistic personality disorder features) are particularly relevant for many problematic outcomes, yet measures that assess these traits have not been validated extensively in diverse samples. The present study aimed to examine the properties of measures of externalizing personality pathology traits in a sample of White (n = 184) and Black (n = 99) adolescents participating in a residential program for at-risk youth. The fit of the proposed structure for these measures was tested in the sample as a whole and in each racial group separately. Associations between these measures and the count of disciplinary infractions received while in the program were also tested. Measures were found to have less than optimal fit in this sample, especially among Black adolescents. Suggestions for future research and clinical use of these measures are discussed.

Racial Stereotype Endorsement, Academic Engagement, Mindset, and Performance among Black and White American Adolescents.

The role of racial stereotypes in youth's academic achievement becomes salient during adolescence. Yet, very few studies have investigated whether associations between Black and White American adolescents' stereotype endorsement and their cognitive engagement, mindset beliefs, and performance in math differed by stereotype valence (i.e., positive versus negative) and youth gender. To address these gaps, this 3-year longitudinal study (n = 2546; age range = 11-16; 50% males, 60% White, 40% Black; 57% qualified for free lunch) investigated (a) whether Black and White American adolescents' endorsement of positive and negative racial stereotypes differentially related to their cognitive engagement, ability mindset, and math performance and (b) whether gender moderated these relations. The results revealed that endorsing either negative or positive racial stereotypes (as opposed to those with unbiased beliefs) was linked to lower cognitive engagement and stronger fixed mindsets in math 1 year after, while endorsing negative racial stereotypes was linked to lower math scores. In addition, the intersection of adolescents' race and gender moderated some of the observed effects. The inverse link between negative stereotype endorsement and math cognitive engagement was significant for Black girls but not for Black boys. The positive link between negative stereotype endorsement and fixed math ability mindset was stronger for Black girls than Black boys, whereas the link was stronger for White boys than White girls. These findings shed light on the direction and strength of the links between racial stereotype valence and math outcomes among Black and White youth.

"So, like, it's all a mix of one": Intersecting contexts of adolescents' ethnic-racial socialization.

Cultural-ecological theories posit that ethnic-racial identity (ERI) development is shaped by transactions between contexts of ethnic-racial socialization, yet research considering intersections among multiple contexts is limited. In this study, Black, Latino, White, and Asian American adolescents (N=98; Mage =16.26, SD=1.09; 55.1% female identifying) participated in surveys and focus group discussions (2013-2014) to share insights into ERI development in context. Using consensual qualitative research, results indicated: (a) family ethnic-racial socialization intersects with community-based, peer, media, and school socialization; (b) ethnic-racial socialization occurs outside family through intersections between peer, school, community-based, and media settings; and (c) ethnic-racial socialization is embedded within systems of racial oppression across contexts. Discussion includes implications for future research and interventions supporting youth ERI.

Developmental timing of parent-youth intimacy as a protective factor for adolescent adjustment problems.

Parent-youth intimacy protects adolescents from adjustment problems, including weight concerns, low self-esteem, and depressive symptoms. This study aimed to identify when in development parent-youth intimacy emerges as a protective factor, how this protective effect changes in its strength across adolescence, and whether there are differences in intimacy-adjustment linkages depending on parent and youth gender. The sample was 388 predominately White American adolescents (50.8% female; ages 12-20 years, M = 15.2, SD = 1.63 at Time 1) from 202 families. Time-varying effect models revealed that associations between intimacy and adjustment problems were dynamic and differed by parent and youth gender and across adjustment problems. Father-youth intimacy was associated with fewer weight concerns across most of adolescence for girls and boys, and these effects were strongest in mid- and late adolescence, respectively. Mother-youth intimacy was associated with boys' but not girls' weight concerns, and only in early adolescence. Father-youth intimacy was associated with fewer depressive symptoms for boys and girls across most of adolescence, whereas mother-youth intimacy was associated with fewer depressive symptoms in mid-adolescence. However, the association between intimacy and depressive symptoms was strongest during mid-adolescence for mother- and father-youth intimacy. Finally, father-youth intimacy was associated with higher self-esteem from early through mid-adolescence for boys and girls, whereas mother-youth intimacy was associated with higher self-esteem across most of adolescence for girls and during early and late adolescence for boys. Findings have implications for the timing and targets of family interventions and highlight parents' unique and shared roles in adolescents' adjustment. (PsycInfo Database Record (c) 2021 APA, all rights reserved).

Pathways linking attachment and depressive symptoms for Black and White adolescents: do race and neighborhood racism matter?

ABSTRACT Decades of evidence demonstrate that insecure attachment is associated with increased risk for depressive symptoms. Yet research has focused on predominantly White samples, with little attention to whether developmental pathways vary by social-contextual factors like racial identity and neighborhood racism. This study examines whether longitudinal links between attachment style and depressive symptoms differ for White and Black American adolescents or by exposure to neighborhood racism (N = 171, M age at Time 1 = 14 years). Multigroup measured variable path analyses controlling for gender and household income revealed that attachment avoidance predicted relative increases in depressive symptoms for White adolescents, but not for Black adolescents. Links between attachment style and depressive symptoms did not differ based on exposure to neighborhood racism. Experiences of neighborhood racism were associated with greater attachment avoidance but not anxiety. Results highlight the importance of examining attachment in different socioecological contexts to illuminate the unique pathways characterizing Black youth development.

Ethnic Representation and Willingness to Seek Help as Moderators Between Peer Victimization and Mental Health Outcomes among Latinx Adolescents

Peer victimization, also referred to as bullying victimization, is associated with deleterious mental health outcomes including depression and suicidality. However, most of the bullying literature in the USA is centered around the experiences of non-Latinx White and African American adolescents. To center Latinx experiences, this cross-sectional study includes a sample of Latinx students from 19 Colorado high schools (n = 2554). School-level ethnic peer representation (proportion of Latinx peers) and individual student’s willingness to seek help were examined independently as moderators between bullying victimization and mental health outcomes (depression and suicidality) separately by gender. Results indicated that Latinx youth who experienced peer victimization also reported higher symptoms of depression and suicidality. A greater willingness to seek help was associated with less symptoms of depression and suicidality among young Latinx youth, while school-level ethnic peer representation was only associated with lower symptoms of depression for Latinx adolescent females. Among Latinx youth who were victimized, a greater willingness to seek help was protective for symptoms of depression and suicidality. Results suggest that school-based programs for bullying prevention and mental health promotion need to examine culturally specific protective factors to reduce victimization and promote help-seeking norms among Latinx youth.

External apical root resorption and vectors of orthodontic tooth movement

External apical root resorption is nearly ubiquitous in people treated orthodontically. This study predicted the extent of external apical root resorption by the vector of the incisor movement. Cone-beam computed tomography scans of 93 white American adolescents (45 boys, 48 girls) with a Class I malocclusion who received comprehensive orthodontics were analyzed. Half were treated with 4 first-premolar extractions, and the others were treated without extractions. An x, y, z coordinate system was registered on the maxillae, superimposing on foramina, to quantify vectors of maxillary incisor movements. Multiple linear regression identified significant predictors of resorption for each incisor. Strongly predictive models (R2 = 77%-86%) were obtained. All directions of incisor movement tested (anteroposterior, mediolateral, craniocaudal, torquing) increased the risk of resorption in a dose-response fashion. Intrusion was most damaging. The patient's sex, age, and duration of treatment were not predictive. Root resorption is a very frequent consequence of tooth movement, especially intrusion and torquing, though no direction is harmless, and most corrections occur in combination. Incisor apical resorption was significantly greater in the extraction sample (ca 0.5mm).

Parenting Style and Bullying and Victimization: Comparing Foreign-Born Asian, U.S.-Born Asian, and White American Adolescents

The purpose of the study is to explore whether the association between types of parenting styles and bullying and victimization are similar across White American, U.S.-born Asian, and foreign-born Asian adolescents. Authoritative parenting, which is characterized as being supportive and showing acceptance, is positively related to psychological well-being among White American youth. However, due to different cultural norms in parenting style, Asian parents whose parenting style appears to be controlling and lacking in warmth might differentially affect their children’s behavior and socialization in school. Sample was drawn from the 2009–2010 Health Behavior in School-Aged Children (HBSC) U.S. study. The most recent data were collected in the United States from 2009 to 2010. HBSC consisted of adolescents, aged 11, 13, and 15 years. The sample for the present study includes 1438 adolescents who identified as White American, U.S.-born Asian, or foreign-born Asian. Univariate analyses, bivariate analyses, and multiple linear regression analyses were conducted. The regression analysis was conducted separately for bullying victimization and perpetration across foreign-born Asians, U.S.-born Asians, and White Americans. Among foreign-born Asians, mother’s non-involvement was positively associated with bullying victimization. Among U.S.-born Asians, father’s non-involvement was found to be positively associated with bullying victimization, and authoritarian parenting was positively associated with perpetration. Among White Americans, both authoritative parenting and mother’s non-involvement were positively related to bullying perpetration. This study highlights the importance of understanding the association between types of parenting styles and adolescent bullying and victimization.

Reward Responsiveness in the Adolescent Brain Cognitive Development (ABCD) Study: African Americans' Diminished Returns of Parental Education.

(1) Background: Reward responsiveness (RR) is a risk factor for high-risk behaviors such as aggressive behaviors and early sexual initiation, which are all reported to be higher in African American and low socioeconomic status adolescents. At the same time, parental education is one of the main drivers of reward responsiveness among adolescents. It is still unknown if some of this racial and economic gap is attributed to weaker effects of parental education for African Americans, a pattern also called minorities’ diminished returns (MDRs). (2) Aim: We compared non-Hispanic White and African American adolescents for the effects of parent education on adolescents RR, a psychological and cognitive construct that is closely associated with high-risk behaviors such as the use of drugs, alcohol, and tobacco. (3) Methods: This was a cross-sectional analysis that included 7072 adolescents from the adolescent brain cognitive development (ABCD) study. The independent variable was parent education. The main outcome as adolescents’ RR measured by the behavioral inhibition system (BIS) and behavioral activation system (BAS) measure. (4) Results: In the overall sample, high parent education was associated with lower levels of RR. In the overall sample, we found a statistically significant interaction between race and parent education on adolescents’ RR. The observed statistical interaction term suggested that high parent education is associated with a weaker effect on RR for African American than non-Hispanic White adolescents. In race-stratified models, high parent education was only associated with lower RR for non-Hispanic White but not African American adolescents. (5) Conclusion: Parent education reduces RR for non-Hispanic White but not African American adolescents. To minimize the racial gap in brain development and risk-taking behaviors, we need to address societal barriers that diminish the returns of parent education and resources in African American families. We need public and social policies that target structural and societal barriers, such as the unequal distribution of opportunities and resources. To meet such an aim, we need to reduce the negative effects of social stratification, segregation, racism, and discrimination in the daily lives of African American parents and families. Through an approach like this, African American families and parents can effectively mobilize their resources and utilize their human capital to secure the best possible tangible outcomes for their adolescents.

Testing invariance of ethnic-racial discrimination and identity measures for adolescents across ethnic-racial groups and contexts.

Ethnic-racial discrimination experiences, ethnic-racial identity (ERI) development, and attitudes toward other ethnic-racial group contact all make important contributions to individuals' health and well-being. Absent from the literature is systematic examination of whether these constructs may be measured equivalently for adolescents from different ethnic-racial groups living in different contexts. In 2 large ethno-racially diverse samples of high school students in the Southwestern (N = 2,136) and Midwestern (N = 1,055) United States, the current study tested invariance of 4 widely used measures, including Adolescent Discrimination Distress Index (Fisher, Wallace, & Fenton, 2000), Ethnic Identity Scale-Brief (Douglass & Umaña-Taylor, 2015), Multidimensional Inventory of Black Identity-Teen (Scottham, Sellers, & Nguyên, 2008), and Multigroup Ethnic Identity Measure-Other Group Orientation (Phinney, 1992). Results from multigroup confirmatory factor analyses supported configural and metric but not scalar invariance across Asian, Black, Latinx, Native, and White American adolescents, and across geographic regions for Asian, Black, and White American adolescents. Results demonstrate the utility of these measures to examine whether associations with theoretically related constructs differ across groups and regions, but specific items preclude mean-level group difference tests for certain groups. Supporting convergent validity across ethno-racially diverse adolescents in 2 regions, scores on ethnic-racial discrimination from peers, adults in school, and other adults in society were each positively associated with depressive symptoms; ERI exploration, resolution, affirmation, centrality, and public regard scores were each positively associated with self-esteem; and other group orientation scores were positively associated with ERI achievement. (PsycInfo Database Record (c) 2020 APA, all rights reserved).

Differences in Diet Quality and Snack Intakes Among Non-Hispanic White and Mexican American Adolescents from Different Acculturation Groups.

Mexican American adolescents have an increased risk for obesity compared to non-Hispanic whites (NHWs), especially as their degree of acculturation increases. Snack intakes can impact diet quality and may affect obesity risk, yet little is known about differences in snack intakes among NHW and Mexican American adolescents from different acculturation groups. This study compared diet quality and snack intakes among NHW and Mexican American adolescents from different acculturation groups. This study used cross-sectional data from 3636 Mexican American and NHW adolescents in the 2005-2014 National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey. Acculturation was defined based on generational status and language use. Outcomes were Healthy Eating Index-2015 (HEI-2015) score, daily energy intake from snacks, snack frequency, energy value of snacks, and percent contribution of snacks to total daily energy. Analysis of covariance was used to compare outcomes across groups, after adjustment for sex and income. In the full sample, mean HEI-2015 score was 45 ± 0.4. Non-Hispanic white adolescents had modestly poorer diet quality compared to US-born adolescents with a foreign-born parent and Mexican-born adolescents (P < 0.001). Mean daily snack intake was 583 ± 16kcal. Items in the Snacks and Sweets and Beverages categories contributed more than half of the energy provided by snacks. Non-Hispanic white adolescents had a greater total snack intake compared to all language use at home groups, except equal Spanish and English use. Improving the types of foods consumed as snacks has the potential to partially mitigate differences in snack intakes and diet quality among non-Hispanic white and Mexican American adolescents.

Posteroanterior cephalometric analysis of White-American and Chinese adolescents: a cross-sectional study

ABSTRACT Objective: To characterize ethnic differences between Chinese and White-Americans between 8.5 and 17.5 years of age, with respect to transverse cephalometric characteristics and to establish transverse craniofacial normative values for Chinese adolescents. Methods: Two-hundred fifty-seven and 547 posteroanterior cephalograms were selected from 35 White-Americans and 157 Chinese with individual normal occlusions. Transverse measurements were obtained and compared between ethnicities to guide determination of normative values for Chinese adolescents. Student’s t-test or one-way analysis of variance was used, as appropriate. Results: Chinese girls demonstrated significantly larger measurements than White-American girls at all ages, with the exception of nasal width. Chinese boys exhibited larger measurements than White-American boys at different ages. Chinese boys had larger measurements than girls for most measurements. These data established normative values for Chinese adolescents. Discussion: Ethnic differences existed between Chinese and White-American adolescents with respect to transverse craniofacial measurements. Transverse normative values were established for Chinese adolescents.

Cardiometabolic Dysfunction Among U.S. Adolescents and Area-Level Poverty: Race/Ethnicity-Specific Associations

PurposeTo examine race/ethnicity-specific associations between area-level poverty and cardiometabolic dysfunction among U.S. adolescents. MethodsData were from 10,415 adolescents aged 12–19 in the National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey (1999–2012), linked with census tract data on area-level poverty (the percent population living in poverty, grouped into race/ethnicity-specific quartiles). Cardiometabolic dysfunction was parameterized by summing z-scores of six cardiometabolic biomarkers, grouped into quintiles. Hierarchical ordinal models estimated overall and race/ethnicity specific associations. Posthoc analysis explored associations between area-level poverty and family poverty-to-income ratio. ResultsOverall, compared to adolescents residing in areas with the lowest area-level poverty (i.e., first quartile), residents in third (OR 1.32, 95% CI 1.13, 1.53) and fourth (OR 1.27, 95% CI 1.08, 1.50) quartiles of area-level poverty experienced elevated odds of cardiometabolic dysfunction. Area-level poverty predicted cardiometabolic dysfunction between non-Hispanic white and Mexican American adolescents, but not between non-Hispanic black adolescents. ConclusionsWe found race/ethnicity-specific associations between area-level poverty and cardiometabolic dysfunction among U.S. adolescents, highlighting the moderating effect of race-ethnicity. Among non-Hispanic black adolescents, neither higher area-level nor family-level socioeconomic status is associated with cardiometabolic health, in contrast to non-Hispanic white adolescents. Similar associations among non-Hispanic white and Mexican American groups aligns with evidence of the Hispanic Paradox. Future studies of effect of area-level determinants of cardiometabolic dysfunction may consider race/ethnicity-specific associations.

The Relative Sexual Dimorphism of Human Incisor Crown and Root Dimensions

Teeth are unusual structures in that theirdimensions are sexually dimorphic even though theyform early in life, several years before steroid-mediatedadolescence. These size differences make teeth attractiveas indicators of a specimen’s sex. Alternatively, themagnitude of sexual dimorphism in humans is low, sothere is considerable overlap in sizes between the twosexes. Prior studies suggest that tooth root dimensionsare more dimorphic than crown dimensions, so rootswould be more useful for sex determination. Toexplore this, we measured the four incisor tooth typesfrom standardized periapical radiographs in a sample(n = 148) of living American white adolescents. Rootlengths are somewhat more dimorphic than crownsizes in this sample (ca. 6% vs. 2%), and this translatesinto somewhat higher discriminatory power. Thehindrance, however, is that all crown and root sizesare positively intercorrelated, so there is effectivelyjust one dentition-wide axis of “tooth size” variation.Statistically, at least for these incisor tooth types, thereis no added discriminatory power in the crown sizesonce root dimensions have been accounted for, thoughthe addition of data from other tooth types mightimprove discrimination somewhat.

Trends in typologies of concurrent alcohol, marijuana, and cigarette use among US adolescents: An ecological examination by sex and race/ethnicity

Substance use during adolescence is a public health concern due to associated physical and behavioral health consequences. Such consequences are amplified among concurrent substance users. Although sex and racial/ethnic differences in single-substance use have been observed, the current literature is inconclusive as to whether differences exist in the prevalence of concurrent use. The current study used data from the 2011–2014 National Survey on Drug Use and Health to examine typologies (single and concurrent patterns) of alcohol, marijuana, and cigarette use among current adolescent users age 12–18 by sex and race/ethnicity. Participants were 14,667 White, Hispanic, African American, Asian, and Native American adolescents. The most common typology was alcohol only, followed by concurrent use of alcohol and marijuana. Weighted prevalence estimates indicated that adolescent females were more likely to be current users of alcohol only, whereas male adolescents were more likely to belong to all other typologies. Compared to Whites, racial/ethnic minorities had larger proportions of marijuana only users and were generally less likely than or equally likely to be concurrent users. One exception was for African American adolescents, who were more likely to be alcohol and marijuana users than their White counterparts. Results suggest that concurrent substance use is common among U.S. adolescents, making up over 40% of past-month use, but typologies of use vary by sex and race/ethnicity. Preventive interventions should consider all typologies of use rather than only single substance exposures and address patterns of use that are most pertinent to adolescents based on sex and race/ethnicity.

Internal Political Self-efficacy in Hong Kongese, Asian American, and White American Adolescents

Internal Political Self-efficacy in Hong Kongese, Asian American, and White American Adolescents