Introduction: The effects of adverse childhood experiences (ACEs) have been long studied in various populations, but there has been limited research on how differential ACEs can lead to more uncommon outcomes in unique and high-risk populations, such as youth who have engaged in sexually abusive behaviors. These youth experience ACEs at higher rates and with greater comorbidity than those who have engaged in nonsexual crimes or without justice-system involvement. ACEs are associated with increased suicidal ideation and attempts, though little research has examined how different types of ACEs (i.e., direct maltreatment vs. indirect maltreatment/household dysfunction) may lead to differential outcomes. In the current study, I analyze relationships between experiences of direct abuse (i.e., physical abuse, sexual abuse, emotional abuse) and indirect abuse/household dysfunction (i.e., neglect, parental absence, caregiver substance misuse, caregiver mental illness, witnessing interpersonal violence) on suicidality outcomes in high-risk youth. I hypothesize that indirect maltreatment/household dysfunction will influence the relationships between adverse experiences and suicidality outcomes beyond the influence of direct maltreatment. Methods: Data were collected from archival records of male youth (n = 290) who had previously engaged in sexually abusive behaviors and received treatment from a private, nonprofit residential and outpatient treatment facility in Tennessee. Hierarchical linear and logistic regressions will be used to determine relationships between adverse experiences and various suicidality outcomes (e.g., presence of suicidal ideation or attempts, age at first suicidal ideation), first with direct maltreatment experiences and then indirect maltreatment/household dysfunction experiences. Results & discussion: Results will be discussed, along with implications for enhancing prevention and clinical intervention strategies for managing suicidality among high-risk youth.

Adverse Childhood Experiences (ACEs) exhibit a strong influence on later functioning in adolescence and adulthood, including impacts on physical and mental health, as well as behavioral and risk-related outcomes. Youth who have engaged in sexually abusive behaviors experience ACEs and negative outcomes at significantly elevated rates. The current study evaluates the relationship between ACEs and the youth’s own behavior and onset and length out-of-home placements, including family- or home-based, residential, and correctional placements. Data for this study consisted of archival records that were collected from a nonprofit inpatient treatment facility for adolescents who had engaged in sexually abusive behavior. The sample included 290 males and 5 females between the ages of 10 and 17 years of age (M = 14.8, SD = 1.56). Descriptive frequencies, correlational analyses, and linear regression analyses were performed to examine hypothesized relationships. Differing predictors emerged for initial onset and length of out-of-home placement types, with ACEs as stronger predictors of family-based placements, and the youths’ own aggressive and problematic sexual behaviors more predictive of onset and length of residential and correctional placements. Implications for prevention and treatment are discussed.

Justice-involved youth have been shown to have higher rates of mental health concerns and trauma exposure than youth in the general population (e.g., Wood et al., 2002). An increased understanding of these mental health concerns is crucial as incarcerated youth already have worse long-term health outcomes (Barnert et al., 2017). However, while the mental health needs in terms of specific mental health diagnoses of justice-involved youth are well-documented (e.g., Teplin et al., 2002), there is a lack of research on the mental health services that are provided to justice-involved youth in institutional settings. Further, there is no known research on youth perceptions of the mental health services they received while incarcerated, which could be used to inform future research and practice to improve services. Thus, this study aimed to fill this gap by examining through a mixed-methods approach how justice-involved youth perceive the mental health care they received while incarcerated, as well as by exploring themes of areas of improvement that youth indicate as recommendations for better mental health support in youth justice institutional settings. Two-hundred and one (201) individuals who were formerly incarcerated as youth (age 24 or younger) participated in this study. Overall, participants indicated slightly greater than average satisfaction with the mental health care they received. Kruskal-Wallis tests were used to examine differences in satisfaction between groups. Significant differences in satisfaction among facility types that youth were incarcerated in and among racial groups were found. There were no significant differences based on gender or ethnicity. Multiple regression analyses were performed to examine the relationship between Type-T (risk-taking/thrill-seeking) personality and satisfaction of mental health services while incarcerated, while controlling for covariates (gender, race, ethnicity, facility type, mental health diagnoses, and mental health services). Type-T was not found to be a significant predictor of satisfaction. Some mental health diagnoses (e.g., post-traumatic stress disorder, autism spectrum disorder, schizophrenia/psychotic disorder, substance use disorder), some racial groups (e.g., Arab American/Middle Eastern compared to White), and some facility types (e.g., juvenile detention compared to prisons) were found to be significant predictors of satisfaction. Thematic analysis was also performed on qualitative information obtained from both the surveys and interviews. Themes identified for positive aspects of mental health care experiences include Impact of Services, Relationships, Access, Service Quality, and No Positives. Themes identified for negative aspects of mental health care experiences include Access, Service Quality, Lack of Comfort, Ineffectiveness, Low Social Support, Physical Environment, All Negative, and No Negatives. Themes identified for recommendations include Access, Service Quality, Physical Setting and Environment, and Social Support. Results from this study have the potential to be used to inform experimental evaluations of changes to mental health services for incarcerated youth based on the strengths, identified needs, and recommendations of current mental health care from this study. Such studies could be aimed at improving services for incarcerated youth and developing best practices for mental health services for this population. / Psychological Studies in Education

The purpose of this study was to assess practitioners’ views of service needs for juveniles involved with the justice system. In the United States, every year there are thousands of youth committed to detention institutions for delinquent acts. As a result, children as young as nine years of age up until adulthood have a difficult time integrating back into the community. In many instances, youth who have been involved with the justice system have a greater likelihood of recidivism due to their inability to adapt to their environment. Further, when youth enter the system, many times they are not receiving the adequate services necessary to decrease recidivism and in turn are faced with multiple encounters with the justice system and with untreated concerns and additional needs. This study used a qualitative design, conducting face to face interviews with ten justice involved youth practitioners. Participants were asked to explore areas such as, service utilization, recidivism rates, effectiveness of treatment, and barriers to service utilization. The results identified mental health and substance abuse treatment services as the most important needs of justice involved youth. Themes that emerged as important factors to the utilization of treatment services were meaningful relationships, parental support, and mentorship. This study found inadequacies with the process of assessing needs and services within the juvenile justice system. The results suggest a need for better treatment services and competent practitioners to reduce the likelihood of recidivism.