Risk factors for Problem Behaviors of Asian Youth

描述(申请人提供)：近年来，美国的亚裔美国家庭迅速增长，但对亚裔美国青年的心理健康状况知之甚少。为数不多的关于亚洲青年的研究呈现出一幅模糊的图景。一些研究表明，这些年轻人不成比例地从事问题行为，如街头帮派成员和暴力，而另一些则表现出健康的适应和适应。这种混杂的情况可能是方法上不充分的研究的结果，例如使用不具代表性的样本。然而，有可能美国的亚裔青年的发展结果实际上是双峰分布的，既有显著的成功，也有显著的失败。此外，我们不知道亚裔美国青年的心理健康和行为结果的风险因素是否与其他种族相同，或者是否有一些亚洲家庭独有的因素。例如，一部新兴文学强调，与种族/族裔和文化有关的因素，如文化适应、族裔认同和种族歧视经历，对亚洲青年来说是突出的，应该得到更多的关注。这些因素对青年结局的影响在最近的文献中已经被假设，但很少有实证数据和理论来解释这些因素影响的机制。我们对这些重要问题缺乏了解，需要改进对亚裔美国青年的研究。这项拟议的研究将使候选人开始为填补有关亚裔美国青年心理健康和行为方面的知识空白做出贡献。 利用在职业发展经验中获得的知识和技能，提出了以下指导性研究活动，以回答经验性问题，并进一步发展独立研究技能。首先，使用国家青少年健康纵向研究(ADD Health)的现有数据，将比较亚裔、拉丁裔、欧洲裔和非洲裔美国青少年的问题结果的患病率、水平和发展轨迹。这些比较也将在亚裔美国青年的亚群中进行。其次，利用ADD Health和跨文化家庭项目(CCF)现有的纵向数据，将调查所有群体中普遍存在的风险和保护因素以及这些群体特有的风险和保护因素与青年结果之间的关系。最后，将收集新的数据，以提炼和发展未来研究的文化适应措施。从这项研究和候选人未来的研究中产生的知识可以导致制定文化上合适的、因此更有效的干预策略，以减少问题行为并提高亚裔美国青年和亚裔群体的复原力。

DESCRIPTION (provided by applicant): The United States has seen a rapid growth in Asian American families in recent years, but little is known about the mental health of Asian American youth. The few studies of Asian youth present an unclear picture. Some studies suggest that these youths are disproportionately engaged in problem behaviors, such as street gang membership and violence, while others demonstrate healthy adaptation and adjustment. This mixed picture could be the result of methodologically inadequate studies such as the use of non-representative samples. It is possible, however, that there actually is a bimodal distribution of developmental outcomes for Asian youth in US, with both notable success and failure. In addition, we do not know if the risk factors for the mental health and behavioral outcomes of Asian American youth are the same as those for other ethnic groups or whether there are some factors that are unique to Asian families. For example, an emerging literature emphasizes that the factors related to race/ethnicity and culture, like cultural adaptation, ethnic identity and experience of racial discrimination, are salient to Asian youth and deserve greater attention. The effects of these factors on youth outcomes have been postulated in recent literature, but there is little empirical data and theory that explain the mechanisms affected by these factors. Our lack of understanding of these important issues calls for improved research on Asian American youth. This proposed study will allow the candidate to begin contributing to fill these gaps in the knowledge about the mental health and behaviors of Asian American youth. Using the knowledge and skills acquired in the career development experiences, the following mentored research activities are proposed both to answer empirical questions and to further develop independent research skills. First, using existing data from the National Longitudinal Study of Adolescent Health (Add Health), the prevalence, levels, and developmental trajectories of problem outcomes will be compared among adolescents who are Asian-, Latin-, European- and African Americans. The comparisons will also be made among subgroups of Asian American youth. Secondly, using existing longitudinal data from both Add Health and the Cross-Cultural Families Project (CCF), the relationships between risk and protective factors, both general in all groups and those specific to these groups, and youth outcomes will be investigated. Last, new data will be collected to refine and develop measures of cultural adaptation for future studies. Knowledge generated from this study and future studies by the candidate can lead to the development of culturally appropriate, thus more effective, interventive strategies that reduce problem behaviors and enhance resiliency among Asian American youth and subgroups.