Racial/ethnic differences in internalizing and externalizing symptoms in adolescents

J Abnorm Child Psychol. 2007 Oct;35(5):801-16. doi: 10.1007/s10802-007-9128-1. Epub 2007 May 17.

Abstract

The prevalence of most adult psychiatric disorders varies across racial/ethnic groups and has important implications for prevention and intervention efforts. Research on racial/ethnic differences in the prevalence of internalizing and externalizing symptoms and disorders in adolescents has been less consistent or generally lacking. The current study examined the prevalence of these symptom groups in a large sample of sixth, seventh, and eighth graders in which the three major racial/ethnic groups in the U.S. (White, Black, and Hispanic/Latino) were well-represented. Hispanic females reported experiencing higher levels of depression, anxiety, and reputational aggression than other groups. Black males reported the highest levels of overtly aggressive behavior and also reported higher levels of physiologic anxiety and disordered eating than males from other racial/ethnic groups. Hispanic females also exhibited higher levels of comorbidity than other racial/ethnic groups.

Publication types

  • Comparative Study
  • Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't

MeSH terms

  • Adolescent
  • Affective Symptoms / ethnology*
  • Aggression / psychology
  • Analysis of Variance
  • Anxiety Disorders / ethnology
  • Anxiety Disorders / psychology
  • Black or African American / psychology
  • Black or African American / statistics & numerical data
  • Child
  • Comorbidity
  • Connecticut / epidemiology
  • Cross-Cultural Comparison*
  • Depressive Disorder / ethnology
  • Depressive Disorder / psychology
  • Feeding and Eating Disorders / ethnology
  • Feeding and Eating Disorders / psychology
  • Female
  • Hispanic or Latino / psychology
  • Hispanic or Latino / statistics & numerical data
  • Humans
  • Male
  • Mental Disorders / ethnology*
  • Mental Disorders / psychology*
  • Prevalence
  • Social Behavior Disorders / ethnology
  • Social Behavior Disorders / psychology
  • White People / psychology
  • White People / statistics & numerical data