Behavioural problems of adolescents in secure residential youth care: Gender differences and risk factors

Adolescents in secure residential care mostly suffer from serious behavioural problems, often accompanied by trauma and adverse family circumstances. This paper presents findings of a comparison problems risk factors 255 boys girls (aged 12 to 18 years) the Netherlands their association with problems. A cross-sectional design standardized questionnaires were used measure individual familial factors. By using independent-sample t tests, severity these was compared, structural equation modelling (SEM), associations between investigated. The study show that post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) symptoms, maladaptive emotion regulation, impaired perceived competence internalizing more severe than boys. Boys experienced externalizing girls. Maladaptive PTSD parenting related results indicate treatment for should address regulation extra attention is warranted.