Little research has examined the association of DSM-IV-TR (4 ed., text revision, 2000) diagnoses and risk level for sexually abusive behavior in children and adolescents. Many such youth are admitted to treatment facilities for sexually abusive behavior with one or more psychiatric diagnoses. Understanding the association between DSM-IV-TR diagnoses and risk level can allow for improved prevent...

This report presents national estimates of the prevalence of selected health risk behaviors among youth ages 12-21 years, by sex, Hispanic origin, and race for youth of non-Hispanic origin. Topics include: cigarette and other tobacco use, alcohol and other drug use, sexual experience, HIV/AIDS education, runaway and homeless experiences, violence, unintentional injury control, weight control, a...

A longitudinal model that tested mediating pathways between protective family processes and HIV-related behavior was evaluated with 195 African American youth. Three waves of data were collected when the youth were 13, 15, and 19 years old. Evidence of mediation and temporal priority were assessed for three constructs: academic engagement, evaluations of prototypical risk-taking peers, and affi...

The association between young adolescents' psychological profiles and their subsequent adjustment was examined in a sample of 606 adolescents (ages 12-13) drawn from the mother-child data set of the National Longitudinal Survey of Youth. Cluster analysis was used to identify distinct groups of youth based on self-regulation, proneness to risk, self-worth, and perceived academic competence. Five...

Youth suicidal behavior continues to be a significant national problem in need of urgent attention by school personnel. The purpose of this introductory article to the special series is to provide an overview of youth suicidal behavior, including research-based information on demographic data; risk factors and warning signs; and where, when, and how youth suicidal behavior typically occurs. Com...

BACKGROUND Homeless youth are at higher risk for sexually transmitted infections and unwanted pregnancy than non-homeless youth. However, little is known about how they evaluate risk within the context of their sexual relationships. It is important to understand homeless youths' condom use decisions in light of their sexual relationships because condom use decisions are influenced by relationsh...