Externalizing and internalizing problems in low-income Latino early adolescents: Risk, resource, and protective factors

The current investigation examined the role of cumulative risk, family routines, maternal monitoring, mother-child relationship quality, and youth socioemotional competence in adjustment outcomes of 521 10- to 14-year-old low-income Latino early adolescents. Results showed that, as the number of risk factors increased, levels of externalizing and internalizing problems also increased. Furthermore, findings indicated that socioemotional competence was predictive of fewer externalizing and internalizing problems for females independent of the level of cumulative risk. Maintenance of family routines protected females exposed to elevated levels of cumulative risk from heightened levels of externalizing problems. Despite exposure to multiple risk factors, boys high in socioemotional competence and those boys reporting a good quality mother-son relationship were protected from elevated levels of adjustment problems. Results underscore the importance of examining within-group variability among young Latino adolescents.