Abstract
African American youth residing in low income urban neighborhoods are at increased risk of experiencing negative life events
in multiple domains, increasing their risk for internalizing and externalizing behaviors. However, little is known about youth’s
differential responses to life event stress, or protective processes and coping strategies for urban African American youth
exposed to adverse life events. Thus, the present study examined whether variability in predominantly low income, urban African
American youth’s responses to life event stress are accounted for by the type of life event experienced or the type of coping
strategies used. Participants were a community sample of 353 urban African American youth (52.8 % girls; age range 8–12 years)
who participated in the Multiple Opportunities to Reach Excellence (MORE) Project. Youth reported about their experiences
with adverse life events, coping strategies, and internalizing and externalizing symptoms. Results indicated that violent
life events were uniquely associated with externalizing behavior, while discrimination and economic stress were uniquely associated
with internalizing behavior. The utility of coping strategies varied by gender, such that avoiding problems was protective
for girls who experienced violent life events, but not for boys. For boys, exposure to violence was significantly positively
associated with externalizing symptoms regardless of the amount of avoiding problems coping used. Findings suggest that interventions
to develop coping strategies may need to be gender-specific as well as tailored for the types of stressors common for low
income urban youth.
in multiple domains, increasing their risk for internalizing and externalizing behaviors. However, little is known about youth’s
differential responses to life event stress, or protective processes and coping strategies for urban African American youth
exposed to adverse life events. Thus, the present study examined whether variability in predominantly low income, urban African
American youth’s responses to life event stress are accounted for by the type of life event experienced or the type of coping
strategies used. Participants were a community sample of 353 urban African American youth (52.8 % girls; age range 8–12 years)
who participated in the Multiple Opportunities to Reach Excellence (MORE) Project. Youth reported about their experiences
with adverse life events, coping strategies, and internalizing and externalizing symptoms. Results indicated that violent
life events were uniquely associated with externalizing behavior, while discrimination and economic stress were uniquely associated
with internalizing behavior. The utility of coping strategies varied by gender, such that avoiding problems was protective
for girls who experienced violent life events, but not for boys. For boys, exposure to violence was significantly positively
associated with externalizing symptoms regardless of the amount of avoiding problems coping used. Findings suggest that interventions
to develop coping strategies may need to be gender-specific as well as tailored for the types of stressors common for low
income urban youth.
- Content Type Journal Article
- Category Original Paper
- Pages 1-10
- DOI 10.1007/s10826-012-9590-4
- Authors
- Yadira M. Sanchez, Department of Psychology, The George Washington University, Washington, DC 20052, USA
- Sharon F. Lambert, Department of Psychology, The George Washington University, Washington, DC 20052, USA
- Michele Cooley-Strickland, NPI, Semel Institute, Center for Culture and Health, University of California, Los Angeles, CA 90024, USA
- Journal Journal of Child and Family Studies
- Online ISSN 1573-2843
- Print ISSN 1062-1024