A Different Type of Economic Fragility: Wealth and Adolescent Problem Behavior

项目摘要 该提案通过考虑财富被忽视的作用来解决青少年中持续存在的心理健康危机 和财富剥夺在驱动青少年问题行为中的作用。关于经济劣势和行为劣势的文献 健康对导致问题行为的经济环境采取了短视的观点，几乎只关注 收入，而忽略财富（家庭资产减去债务）。财富分配比收入分配更不平等， 大约三分之一的儿童家庭的财富被剥夺。这项研究将是第一个纵向研究， 观察财富、收入和青少年发展的不同家庭群体。在社会经济和种族上 不同样本的青年（年龄13-15岁; N = 750）和他们的照顾者，这项调查有三个目的。首先它会 重复测量（9个观察嵌套在个人）家庭财富从全面的来源，并获得更多的 准确了解不同社会经济地位、种族和民族群体的财富不平等和净资产贫困。 其次，本研究将探讨财富与家庭收入和收入波动的关系，以及这些因素与问题的关系。 行为。考虑到最近财富差距的增长远远超过收入差距，我们认为 考虑财富水平和贫困与青少年问题行为的关系。第三，它将测试多个路径 财富与青少年问题行为之间的关系。这些包括：1）时间和金钱的投资，2） 照顾者和青少年的压力，3）照顾者和青少年对未来的期望，以及4）感知和 社会阶级的表现。经过集体审查，该提案提供了新的知识，并与NICHD建立了联系。 通过提供丰富的描述性信息，说明家庭财富如何塑造青少年的问题行为， 以及这些经历如何与家庭经济状况的其他方面相互作用， 发展该项目对四种发展途径的有力分析对于预防和 旨在减少问题行为和促进儿童心理社会功能的干预努力， 贫困家庭中的青少年。

Project Summary The proposal addresses the ongoing mental health crisis among adolescents by considering the overlooked role of wealth and wealth deprivation in driving adolescent problem behaviors. The literature on economic disadvantage and behavioral health has taken a myopic view of the economic circumstances that drive problem behaviors, focusing nearly exclusively on income, while ignoring wealth (household assets minus debts). Wealth is distributed more unequally than is income with roughly one-third of child households experience wealth deprivation. This study will be the first longitudinal study of a diverse cohort of families that observes wealth, income, and adolescent development. With a socioeconomically and racially diverse sample of youth (ages 13-15 years; N = 750) and their caregivers, this investigation has three aims. First it will repeatedly measure (9 observations nested within individuals) family wealth from comprehensive sources and gain a more accurate understanding of wealth inequality and net worth poverty over time across different SES, racial, and ethnic groups. Second, it will probe how wealth interfaces with family income and income volatility and how these factors relate to problem behaviors. Considering that the recent growth in wealth disparities has far outpaced income disparities, we believe it critical to consider how wealth levels and deprivation relate to youth problem behaviors. Third, it will test multiple pathways through which wealth may relate to adolescent problem behaviors. These include: 1) investments of time and money, 2) caregiver and adolescent stress, 3) caregiver and adolescent expectations for the future, and 4) perceptions and manifestations of social class. Examined collectively, the proposal contributes new knowledge and connects to NICHD priorities by providing rich descriptive information as to how adolescents’ problem behaviors are shaped by family wealth and how such experiences interface with other dimensions of family economic circumstances to contribute to adolescent development. The project’s robust analysis of four developmental pathways will be crucial for informing prevention and intervention efforts aimed at reducing problem behaviors and promoting children’s psychosocial functioning among adolescents in families experiencing wealth deprivation.