Examining the Effects of Race/Ethnicity, Neighborhood Factors, and Socioeconomic Status on Internalizing Symptoms Among Youth in Residential Care
Session Number
1
Advisor(s)
Dr. Sara Becker, Northwestern University, Feinberg School of Medicine
Discipline
Behavioral and Social Sciences
Start Date
15-4-2026 10:15 AM
End Date
15-4-2026 11:00 AM
Abstract
Adolescents entering residential substance use treatment frequently present with co-occurring internalizing symptoms, including depression and anxiety. Although racial and ethnic disparities in youth mental health have been documented in research, findings are mixed and often fail to account for socioeconomic status (SES) and neighborhood-level factors. Baseline data were drawn from adolescents enrolled in the Parent SMART (Substance Misuse in Adolescents in Residential Treatment) trial (n=150). Internalizing symptoms were assessed using a modified version of the Internal Mental Distress Scale of the Global Appraisal of Individual Needs-Initial. SES was assessed using household income per capita, and neighborhood context was measured using the Ross–Mirowsky Neighborhood Disorder Scale. Multiple linear regression examined minoritized racial/ethnic identity status, SES, neighborhood context, and well-established covariates (biological sex, age) as predictors. Greater perceived neighborhood disorder, older age, and female sex assigned at birth were significantly associated with higher internalizing symptom severity, whereas race/ethnicity and income were not significant predictors. Findings suggest neighborhood disorder may represent an important contextual risk factor among adolescents in residential treatment that should be considered when developing treatment plans for internalizing symptoms. These results highlight the importance of examining broader social environments when studying internalizing symptoms in high-risk youth populations.
Examining the Effects of Race/Ethnicity, Neighborhood Factors, and Socioeconomic Status on Internalizing Symptoms Among Youth in Residential Care
Adolescents entering residential substance use treatment frequently present with co-occurring internalizing symptoms, including depression and anxiety. Although racial and ethnic disparities in youth mental health have been documented in research, findings are mixed and often fail to account for socioeconomic status (SES) and neighborhood-level factors. Baseline data were drawn from adolescents enrolled in the Parent SMART (Substance Misuse in Adolescents in Residential Treatment) trial (n=150). Internalizing symptoms were assessed using a modified version of the Internal Mental Distress Scale of the Global Appraisal of Individual Needs-Initial. SES was assessed using household income per capita, and neighborhood context was measured using the Ross–Mirowsky Neighborhood Disorder Scale. Multiple linear regression examined minoritized racial/ethnic identity status, SES, neighborhood context, and well-established covariates (biological sex, age) as predictors. Greater perceived neighborhood disorder, older age, and female sex assigned at birth were significantly associated with higher internalizing symptom severity, whereas race/ethnicity and income were not significant predictors. Findings suggest neighborhood disorder may represent an important contextual risk factor among adolescents in residential treatment that should be considered when developing treatment plans for internalizing symptoms. These results highlight the importance of examining broader social environments when studying internalizing symptoms in high-risk youth populations.