Roles of Stress and Coping in Explaining Gender Differences in Risk for Psychopathology Among African American Urban Adolescents

• NCJ Number: 224007
• Journal: Journal of Early Adolescence Volume: 28 Issue: 3 Dated: August 2008 Pages: 375-404
• Author(s): Ginger Apling Carlson; Kathryn E. Grant
• Date Published: August 2008
• Length: 30 pages
• Publication Format: Article
• Publication Type: Research (Applied/Empirical)
• Language: English
• Country: United States of America

Annotation

Using self-report symptom inventories administered in school classrooms, this study examined relations among gender, psychological symptoms, stress, and coping in a large sample of low-income African-American urban early adolescents.

Abstract

Results of the study highlight similarities and differences between the current low-income, urban, African-American sample and the broader adolescent population regarding relations among gender, psychological symptoms, exposure to stressors, and coping. Similar to the broader population, adolescent girls in the sample reported more psychological symptoms than boys, a gender difference accounted for by girls’ higher rates than boys of internalizing symptoms (particularly withdrawal). Boys in the study reported higher levels of stress than girls. Boys reported higher stress within four categories: controllable events, exposure to violence, major events, and sexual stressors. As hypothesized, a positive relationship between stress and symptoms was found, such that adolescents with low stress had fewer symptoms than adolescents with higher stress exposure. Results suggest that exposure to stressful life experiences poses significant risk for psychopathology for African-American, urban, low-income boys and girls. There is substantial evidence for gender differences in psychological symptoms, stressful life experiences, and coping strategies in the general adolescent population. However, the extent to which these gender differences are true for low-income urban African-American adolescents is less clear. This study was designed to address this gap in literature. Given findings from existing research literature and relevant theory, three hypotheses and research questions were posed in the areas of gender differences in psychological symptoms, gender differences in stress, and gender differences in the relationship between stress and symptoms. Data were collected from 1996 through 2000 with self-report measures administered to adolescents in Chicago public schools. Tables, notes, and references