Semester of Graduation
2023
Degree
Master of Arts (MA)
Department
Psychology
Document Type
Thesis
Abstract
Previous research indicates that youth with conduct problems, who are overrepresented in the juvenile justice system, are at risk for utilizing a disproportionate amount of health services compared to youth without these problems. The present study investigates self-reported antisocial behavior, juvenile justice system processing type, and callous-unemotional (CU) traits as predictors of health service utilization (medical and mental health service use and out-of-home placement) across adolescence in a sample of justice-involved males from the Crossroads Study. A total of 766 participants provided data at ten appointments over a period of seven years. A series of linear multiple regressions were used to determine the associations between the predictor variables, demographic information (age at the baseline appointment, race/ethnicity, and IQ), and cumulative health service utilization. Results show that self-reported antisocial behavior modestly predicted most health service outcomes, justice system processing type predicted medical service utilization, and CU traits predicted mental health service utilization, when controlling for other predictors. These findings are largely consistent with prior research and support the burdens that antisocial behavior, CU traits, and justice system involvement imposed on health care systems.
Date
4-2-2023
Recommended Citation
Speck, Julianne, "Health Service Utilization and Conduct Problems: The Role of Callous-Unemotional Traits and Juvenile Justice System Processing" (2023). LSU Master's Theses. 5723.
https://repository.lsu.edu/gradschool_theses/5723
Committee Chair
Frick, Paul
DOI
10.31390/gradschool_theses.5723