Transcript Slide 1

Problem Behavior Typologies and
Change Across Adolescence
Suzanne Perkins-Hart and Stephen C. Peck
University of Michigan
Background Research
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Moffit and Caspi (2001) distinguish between
anti-social behavior which develops in early
childhood and is life-course persistent and
what they term ‘adolescent-limited’ antisocial behaviors.
Loeber and Stouthamer-Loeber (1998) have
delineated three different pathways for the
development of problem behaviors and
delinquency.
Jessor (Jessor, Donovan, & Costa, 1991;
Donovan et al., 1988) argues that such
behaviors as delinquency, substance use and
sexual behaviors cluster together within
individuals.
Research Questions
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Do students exhibit differing typologies of
problem behavior profiles?
Do demographic factors distinguish group
membership?
What patterns of stability and change in
problem behavior profiles develop across
adolescence?
What intraindividual stability and change in
profile membership develops across time?
Method
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Subjects (n =1482) were drawn from the Maryland
Study of Adolescent Development in Context (MADIC).
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Problem behaviors were assessed using indicators of
risky behavior, delinquent behavior (e.g. vandalism and
theft), substance use, aggressive behaviors and school
problems at 7th, 8th and 11th grade.
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66.1% African-American
48.9% female
Problem Behaviors were converted to a semi-absolute scale (0
= None, 1 = Mild, 2 = Moderate, 3 = Severe).
The problem behavior variables were aggregated into one of
six categories based on context and type of behavior.
Ten typologies of problem behavior exhibition were
derived using the Sleipner cluster analysis program at
7th, 8th and 11th grade.
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Stability and Change was assessed between time points.
Measures
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20 Problem Behaviors were used to differentiate
different typologies of problem behavior status at
each wave.
Alcohol Behavior
Marijuana Behavior
Cigarette Behavior
Drugs to School Behavior
Class Skipping Behavior
School Skipping Behavior
Cheating Behavior
Risk Behavior
Hitting Behavior
Lying Behavior
Pill Taking Behavior
Crack Behavior
Cocaine Behavior
Heroin Behavior
Sent to Office Behavior
Suspended Behavior
Stealing Behavior
Gang Behavior
Damage Property Behavior
Stealing Car Behavior
Measures
TABLE 1
Descriptive Statistics from MADIC Wave 1
Variable
N
Mean
Problem Alcohol Behavior
1031 .17
Problem Marijuana Behavior 781
.04
Problem Cigarette Behavior
1220 .09
Problem Drugs to School
1220 .08
Behavior
Problem Class Skipping
1230 .20
Behavior
Problem School Skipping
1205 .11
Behavior
Problem Cheating Behavior
1230 .42
Problem Risk Behavior
1230 .70
Problem Hitting Behavior
1230 .75
Problem Lying Behavior
1230 .46
sd
.56
.34
.43
.44
.57
Variable
Problem Pill Behavior
Problem Crack Behavior
Problem Cocaine Behavior
Problem Heroin Behavior
Problem Sent Office
Behavior
.40 Problem Suspended or
Expelled Behavior
.73 Problem Stealing Behavior
1.08 Problem Gang Behavior
1.11 Problem Damage Behavior
.92 Problem Stealing Car
Behavior
N
Mean sd
1230 .10
.51
1225 .02
.23
1224 .02
.26
1225 .01
.21
1230
.64
.91
1205
.11
.40
1230
1230
1218
1219
.34
.45
.32
.09
.74
.94
.70
.48
Note: Problems were on a 0 to 3 semi-absolute scale (0 = no problems in the domain, 3 = severe problems in the domain).
Statistical Analysis
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Ward’s Method (with squared Euclidian
distance) was used to perform cluster
analysis on the 6 problem behavior categories
to identify subgroups.
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Clusters were validated using parent reports of
mental health functioning.
Tukey’s Honestly Significant Differences
(HSD) comparison was used to determine
mean difference between groups on
demographic measures.
Crosstabulations of 7th to 8th grade and 8th to
11th grade were performed to assess stability
and change between groups over time.
7th Grade Problem Behavior Clusters
3
Cigartte, Alcohol
and Marijuana Use
Hard Drug Use
2.5
School Authority
2
School Discipline
Minor Deliqunecy
1.5
Serious Deliqunecy
1
0.5
0
Mutiple
Problems
MP w/o Hard
Drug
Hard Drug
Use
Major
Delinquency
Serious
Delinquency
Minor Del &
Sch Dis
Minor Del &
Sch Auth
Minor
Delinquency
School
Authority
No Problems
7th Grade Cluster Demographics
African American
Age 11-12
Parent High School
Parent High
Occupation
MP w/o
Hard Drug
Delinquent
Minor Del &
Sch Dis
Minor
Delinquency
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Female
No Problems
100%
90%
80%
70%
60%
50%
40%
30%
20%
10%
0%
Income < $25,000
Intact family
A significant relation exists between cluster membership and gender, Χ2
=117.524; df=9; p=.000, race, Χ2 = 74.514; df=9; p=.000, age , F (9,
1213) = 4.485, p = .000, highest education , F (9, 1214) = 4.339, p =
.000, highest occupation , F (9, 1163) = 2.265, p = .016, income, Χ2 =
22.918, p = .006 and intact family status, F (6, 1067) = 6.251, p =
.000.
Parent Perceptions of Youth - 7th Grade
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Minor Del & Sch Auth
Minor Del & Sch Dis
Serious Delinquency
Anger
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Minor Delinquency
Depression
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School Authority
Distracted
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No Problems
Antisocial
0.5
0.4
0.3
0.2
0.1
0
-0.1
-0.2
-0.3
Delinquent
Hard Drug Use
MP w/o Hard Drug
Mutiple Problems
Antisocial Behavior - Multiple Problems and MP without Drugs were higher than
other groups (Tukey’s HSD = < .05).
Distracted Behavior – School Authority, Minor Delinquency and School Authority
Multiple Problems and MP without Drugs were higher than other groups (Tukey’s
HSD = < .05).
Depression – Hard Drug Use, Multiple Problems and MP without Drugs were
higher than other groups (Tukey’s HSD = < .05).
Anger – Minor Delinquency and School Discipline, Multiple Problems, MP without
Drugs and Hard Drugs were higher than other groups (Tukey’s HSD = < .05).
Results of Cluster Validation
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Groups differed on a number of demographic
variables.
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Girls were overrepresented in No Problems, Minor Delinquency
and Hard Drug Use but underrepresented in School Authority,
Minor Delinquency and School Authority, Delinquent, Multiple
Problems and MP without Drug Use.
African Americans were underrepresented in No Problems,
Minor Delinquency, Hard Drug and Multiple Problems Groups
but overrepresented in School Authority, Minor Delinquency and
school Authority, Serious Delinquency and MP without Drugs.
Groups differed on parent perception of mental health.
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Multiple problems groups were seen by parents as being
significantly more antisocial, distracted, depressed and
angry.
School problems groups were seen by parents as being
significantly more distracted.
Hard drug users were seen as significantly more depressed.
8th Grade Problem Behavior Clusters
3
Cigartte, Alcohol
and Marijuana Use
Hard Drug Use
2.5
School Authority
School Discipline
2
Minor Deliqunecy
1.5
Serious Deliqunecy
1
0.5
0
Mutiple
Problems
MP w/o Hard
Drug
Hard Drug Use
Major
Delinquency
Delinquency &
School
Minor Del &
Sch Dis
Minor Del
School
Discipline
School
Authority
No Problems
11th Grade Problem Behavior Clusters
3
Cigartte, Alcohol
and Marijuana Use
Hard Drug Use
2.5
School Authority
2
School Discipline
Minor Deliqunecy
1.5
Serious Deliqunecy
1
0.5
0
Mutiple
Problems
Drug Use &
Del
Drug Use &
Sch
Major
Delinquency
Delinquency
& School
School
Problems
Cig, Alc &
Marijuana
Minor Del
School
Discipline
No Problems
Table 1: Counts and Adjusted Residuals for Movement
from Seventh to Eighth Grade
Multiple
Problems
Major
Delinquency
Delinquency &
School
Minor
Delinquency &
School Discipline
Minor
Delinquency
150
175
136
90
84
101
30
76
30
17
8
9
356
-1.8
5.5
1.2
-1.7
-3.1
-4.1
No Problems
38
16
13
8
13
8
183
5.3
-1.6
-1.1
-1.1
1.5
-1.4
School Authority
18
28
33
17
7
16
187
-.8
.5
3.5
1.2
-1.2
.5
Minor Delinquency
10
6
16
5
2
13
Minor Delinquency
.1
-1.9
2.7
-.4
1.3
2.8
89
& School Authority
3
5
3
10
4
4
Minor Delinquency
57
-1.2
-.7
-1.0
3.9
.8
.2
& School Discipline
15
15
8
3
7
10
1.0
.2
-1.0
-1.7
.5
.8
Serious Delinquency 114
10
13
14
13
8
10
120
-.9
-.7
.7
2.0
.7
.5
Major Delinquency
1
5
3
1
2
1
38
-1.2
-1.5
.3
-.3
-.9
.1
-1.0
Hard Drug Use
4
11
2
4
5
13
16
Multiple Problems
116 -3.5
.1
-3.5
-2.1
-.7
3.6
3.5
W/O Drugs
0
2
1
3
6
4
6
66
-3.5
-1.6
-2.4
-1.0
1.5
.8
1.3
Multiple Problems
Total
1326 203
138
167
127
85
68
93
Note: Cells shaded in purple represent stability while cells shaded in green represent change.
Multiple
Problems w/o
Drugs
216
107
8.7
29
.5
25
-1.4
8
-1.9
1
-2.8
15
-.7
11
-2.1
Hard Drug
Use
N
School Discipline
Seventh Grade
Problem Behavior
Groups
School Authority
No Problems
Eighth Grade Problem Behavior Groups
37
4
-1.6
5
.7
3
-.7
1
-.7
2
.9
6
2.5
2
-.4
3
2.7
1
-.8
1
-.1
28
93
6
-4.2
5
-1.9
6
-2.0
8
1.2
7
2.3
6
-.3
9
.7
4
1.3
21
6.5
7
2.3
79
55
3
-3.4
3
-1.5
7
-.2
3
-.2
2
.1
4
-.1
6
.8
5
3.4
4
.1
11
6.9
48
Total
1137
290
138
160
72
41
89
96
28
81
41
1036
Table 2: Counts and Adjusted Residuals for Movement
from Eighth to Eleventh Grade
Major
Delinquency
Drug Use &
School
Drug Use &
Delinquency
Multiple
Problems
97
6
-3.0
18
1.7
18
1.7
7
-1.0
6
-.1
8
1.0
10
1.8
2
-.4
10
1.6
5
.8
79
75
3
-2.5
3
-1.9
3
-1.9
5
-1.4
4
.1
1
-1.4
1
-1.4
2
.4
15
6.1
8
4.2
48
School
Problems
Delinquency
& School
Cig, Alcohol
& Marijuana
38
3
-1.1
0
-2.2
0
-2.2
1
-1.3
3
.8
3
.9
4
1.6
1
.2
5
2.3
4
2.8
25
N
School
Discipline
350
108
150
69
54
57
55
99
14
27
4
3
8
6
216
7.0
-1.4
.2
-2.0
-1.8
-.8
-1.2
No Problems
46
9
18
7
5
8
4
150
1.9
-.9
.5
.5
.3
.7
-1.4
School Authority
54
25
20
4
2
6
4
175
1.3
3.0
-.2
-1.4
-1.7
-.8
-1.4
School Discipline
28
11
23
6
3
13
6
136 -1.7
-.1
2.1
.2
-.7
3.1
.2
Minor Delinquency
13
8
11
8
1
4
8
Minor Delinquency
90
-2.7
.3
.3
2.5
-1.1
.0
2.5
& School Discipline
22
7
5
5
3
5
2
Delinquency &
84
.2
.1
-1.6
1.0
.3
.8
-.7
School
9
6
11
4
5
2
7
101 -3.5
-.4
.5
.3
1.6
-1.0
2.1
Major Delinquency
3
3
6
1
4
3
2
37
-2.6
.0
1.0
-.4
2.8
1.2
.5
Hard Drug Use
13
7
2
5
7
0
3
Multiple Problems
93
-2.7
.2
-2.9
.7
2.7
-2.1
-.3
W/O Drugs
5
3
5
2
2
1
3
55
-2.9
-.6
-.4
-1.
.3
-.9
.7
Multiple Problems
Total
1137 292
93
128
46
35
50
45
Note: Cells shaded in purple represent stability while cells shaded in green represent change.
Eighth Grade
Problem Behavior
Groups
Minor
Delinquency
No Problems
Eleventh Grade Problem Behavior Groups
Total
1053
173
107
136
103
66
61
63
27
67
38
841
Results of Stability and Change Across Time
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Stability existed between the waves.
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Minor and no problems groups were highly stable
between 7th and 8th grade.
Minor and no problems groups were highly stable
between 8th and 11th grade.
Multiple problems groups were also highly stable
between 7th and 8th grade.
Change in problem behavior exhibition existed
between the waves.
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Between 7th and 8th grade there was significant
change between the different delinquency groups.
There was greater change within the moderate and
high problem behavior groups between 8th and 11th
grade.
Conclusions
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Adolescents can be differentiated based on
the types of problem behaviors in which they
participate.
These problem behavior typologies are
validated by parent report of youth mental
health.
These differences are meaningful in describing
types of adolescents which should inform
intervention and prevention.
There is stability in many of the problem
behavior types with the greatest stability in no
to minor problem behaviors and high levels of
problem behaviors.
Selected Works Cited
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Donovan, J. E., Jessor, R., & Costa, F. M. (1988). Syndrome of problem
behavior in adolescence: A replication. Journal of Consulting & Clinical
Psychology, 56(5), US American Psychological Assn; 1988, 1762-1765.
Jessor, R. (1993). Successful adolescent development among youth in
high-risk settings. American Psychologist: Special Issue: Adolescence,
48(2), US American Psychological Assn; 1993, 1117-1126.
Jessor, R., Donovan, J. E., & Costa, F. M. (1991). Beyond adolescence:
Problem behavior and young adult development. New York, NY, US:
Cambridge University Press.
Jessor, R., Van Den Bos, J., Vanderryn, J., Costa, F. M., & et al. (1995).
Protective factors in adolescent problem behavior: Moderator effects
and developmental change. Developmental Psychology, 31(6), US
American Psychological Assn; 1995, 1923-1933.
Moffitt, T. E., & Caspi, A. (2001). Childhood predictors differentiate lifecourse persistent and adolescence-limited antisocial pathways among
males and females. Development & Psychopathology: Special Issue:,
13(2), US Cambridge University; 2001, 2355-2375.
Roeser, R. W., & Eccles, J. S. (1998). Adolescents' perceptions of middle
school: Relation to longitudinal changes in academic and psychological
adjustment. Journal of Research on Adolescence, 8(1), 123-158.
Acknowledgements
This research is supported in part by NICHD Grant #R01 HD33437
awarded to Jacquelynne S. Eccles and Arnold J. Sameroff and in part
by a grant from W. T. Grant awarded to Jacquelynne S. Eccles. The
original data collection was supported by funding from the MacArthur
Research Network on Successful Adolescent Development in High Risk
Settings, chaired by Richard Jessor.
We gratefully acknowledge the contributions of the following
people to this project (listed alphabetically): Elaine Belansky, Celina
Chatman, Diane Early, Jacque Eccles, Kari Fraser, Katie Jodl, Ariel Kalil,
Linda Kuhn, Karen Macarthy, Oksana Malanchuk, Steve Peck, Rob
Roeser, Arnold Sameroff, Sherri Steele, Cynthia Winston, and Carol
Wong.
For more information about this study or to print a copy
of the paper go to: http://www.rcgd.isr.umich.edu/garp