Impact of Physical Abuse and Neglect on the Levels of Depression and Delinquency of Male and Female Black Adolescent Detainees

Scholars have studied juvenile delinquency since the early 1920s, yet this public health issue continues to persist in the United States, impacting minority families and communities at a disproportionate rate. Exposure to child maltreatment has been consistently associated with greater risks for negative emotional outcomes. Using Agnew's General Strain Theory (GST), this exploratory study aimed to gain more understanding about the relationships and varying pathways that occur between exposure to child maltreatment, depression and delinquency in Black male and female detained youth. A secondary analysis of the Project Stop HIV/Alcohol Related Problems (SHARP) data was performed using the IBM's Statistical Program for the Social Sciences (SPSS). Results revealed a significant main effect of gender on levels of reported abuse and neglect. Detained females were found to report higher levels of abuse/neglect and higher levels of depression. Additionally, a significant main effect for gender and race was found on the measured levels of depression and delinquency. Females reported higher levels of depression and lower levels of delinquency, while Black detained youth reported higher levels of delinquency and lower levels of depression. The subtypes of abuse and neglect were found to account for higher levels of depression and delinquency in Black male and female detained youth. Furthermore, higher levels of reported exposure to emotional abuse were found to have the greatest direct effect on negative emotional outcomes of Black male and female detainees, accounting for about 30% variance in levels of depression. The only statistically significant different pathway from the subtypes of abuse and neglect to depression and delinquency was found between physical neglect to delinquent behavior in Black male and female detained youth. Interpretation of the results was guided by extant literature. Study limitations, clinical, research and academic implications and suggestions are discussed.