Stress-Related Externalizing Behavior among African American Youth: How Could Policy and Practice Transform Risk into Resilience?

Externalizing behavior among many disadvantaged African American youth may be a response to structurally embedded stressors and inequities within the home, school, and community. Inadequate resources may lead professionals to focus solely on children's behavior, without also addressing underlying affective symptoms, such as depression, and related attitudes, such as low academic investment. Youth assets and resources for resilience fostered by parents, teachers, and community members may protect youth from negative outcomes. We review relevant empirical literature in support of this conceptual model, present qualitative data from our formative work, and outline policies and practices that could be implemented by health professionals, schools, and the juvenile justice system to better address mental health among disadvantaged youth.