Law and Human Behavior, Vol 46(6), Dec 2022, 415-428; doi:10.1037/lhb0000502
Objective: Despite increasing depression and suicide rates in justice-system-involved youth, little is known about depressogenic risk factors in this population. Therefore, we explored how levels of and changes in hopelessness and perceptions of procedural justice predicted depressive and suicidal outcomes in justice-system-involved youth. Hypotheses: We hypothesized that higher levels and increasing trajectories of hopelessness, as well as of perceived injustice, would predict depressive symptoms and suicidal ideation across adolescence and emerging adulthood. We also expected that procedural injustice would explain the relation between hopelessness and these outcomes. Finally, we hypothesized that gender and race/ethnicity would moderate the influence of hopelessness and perceived injustice. Method: Data for the present study were collected as part of the Pathways to Desistance study. In total, 1,354 adolescents (Mage = 16.04 years; 86.4% male; 41.4% non-Hispanic Black, 33.5% Hispanic, 20.2% non-Hispanic White) convicted of serious offenses participated. For the present study, participants answered questions on measures of procedural justice, hopelessness, depression, and suicidal ideation across 11 time points over 7 years. Results: Using latent growth curve modeling, we found partial support for our hypotheses. Specifically, baseline levels of hopelessness predicted depression levels and increases in depression during adolescence (ps p p = .01). With regard to suicidal ideation, levels of and changes in hopelessness in emerging adulthood predicted corresponding suicidal ideation outcomes (ps ≤ .01). Meanwhile, we found only marginal support for our mediation model (p = .05). Collectively, results did not vary across gender or race/ethnicity. Conclusions: Hopelessness and perceived injustice are unique predictors of depression for juvenile-justice-system-involved youth. Preventive interventions targeting both hopelessness and procedural justice could help attenuate elevated depression rates in this population. (PsycInfo Database Record (c) 2022 APA, all rights reserved)