ABSTRACT
This chapter concentrates on the interaction between developmental and environmental factors that can place children at greater risk for psychopathology or those that can serve to buffer the child from harm. It focuses on four minority youth groups: African Americans, Latino/Hispanic Americans, Asian Americans/Pacific Islanders and Native American Indians. Children living in conditions of low socioeconomic status (SES) are at greater risk for negative outcomes compared to peers who are not of low SES status. It provides information relevant to minority youth in four areas: background and demographics; family and parenting practices; types and prevalence of mental health issues; and implications for treatment and intervention. Several individual risks have been identified, including gender, perinatal complications, developmental delays, chronic physical handicaps, difficult or resistant temperament and low birth weight. Low SES encountered at an early age is a strong predictor of delinquency in adolescence.
