NCJ Number
218632
Journal
Journal of Youth and Adolescence Volume: 36 Issue: 4 Dated: May 2007 Pages: 403-415
Date Published
May 2007
Length
13 pages
Annotation
This study examined differences across racial and ethnic groups regarding academic achievement and problem behaviors, with a focus on Asian Pacific Islander (API) American adolescents.
Abstract
Results indicated that academic performance was a significant predictor for aggressive and nonaggressive delinquent offenses, gang initiation, sexual behaviors, and substance use. However, the relationship between academic performance and problem behaviors did not differ by race/ethnicity. This finding challenges previous research that suggested that academic achievement might be a weak predictor of problem behavior among API American youth because they could have high grades while still exhibiting problem behaviors. This study offered little evidence that API American youth are exhibiting high school achievement while at the same time engaging in problem behaviors. The author suggests that stereotypes were the basis of previous beliefs about API youth. Future research should further examine the finding that GPA may be a stronger predictor of past drinking and having been pregnant among API youth. Data were drawn from Waves 1 and 2 of the National Longitudinal Study of Adolescent Health (Add Health), a school-based study of adolescents in grades 7 through 12 during the 1994-1995. Variables under analysis in this study included student GPA, aggressive offenses, nonaggressive offenses, substance use, demographic and family background information, and self identified race and ethnicity. Data were analyzed using regression analysis to test for associations between student GPA and problem behaviors by race. Tables, figures, references