58 in-depth semistructured interviews with 14-19 year old gang members of six area gangs

1. Early childhood trauma among adolescent gang members Katherine Quinn, MA1, Meridith Mueller, MPH, and Julia Dickson-Gomez, PhD2 1 Institute for Health and Society, Medical College of Wisconsin, Milwaukee, WI; 2 Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Medicine, Center for AIDS Intervention Research, Medical College of Wisconsin, Milwaukee, WI BACKGROUND RESULTS • Stressors associated with chronic poverty contribute to “social morbidities” including adolescent substance use, HIV, teen pregnancy, and delinquent behaviors (Harper, 1999) • In turn, these morbidities are associated with delinquency (i.e., gang membership) and participation in violent behaviors • As youth social stressors increase, risk factors accumulate, and the probability of gang affiliation increases (McDaniel, 2012) • Gangs offer tangible and perceived benefits including a sense of belonging, status, power, identity, financial support, and protection • Gang membership  additional exposure to violence & maladaptive coping mechanisms (Harper, 1999; Opland, 1995) such as engaging in drug and alcohol use and sexual risk behaviors (Harper, 1999; Walker-Barnes, 2004). • Objective: Explore the role of adverse childhood events in the lives of adolescent gang members METHODS & ANALYSIS • 58 in-depth semistructured interviews with 14-19 year old gang members of six area gangs • Two larger ‘corporate’ gangs; four local community or neighborhood gangs • Participants were recruited through direct sampling methods with outreach from research staff or via referral of contacts by study participants • Received waiver of parental consent for minors • Incentives: $30 per interview; $10 for referral of additional eligible gang member (maximum of 2 referrals) • Interview topics: history of gang involvement (including when and why they joined the gang, initiation practices, and current gang activities), current drug and alcohol use, sexual practices and relationships, and family history • Interviews were audio recorded, transcribed verbatim, and coded and analyzed for key themes and patterns using MAXQDA qualitative analysis software • Codebook created collaboratively & codes were refined throughout • Interviews were analyzed using a constant comparative method Methods Analysis CONCLUSION • The motivation for joining gangs is a response to adverse childhood events including abuse, abandonment, parental substance use, and significant financial hardship • Gang members are rarely perceived as victims or in need of mental health services and treatment & are often treated without regard to adverse childhood events, trauma, or mental health • There are a lack appropriate mental health services and trauma informed care for gang members; services and treatment should target children experiencing multiple life stressors to potentially decrease gang involvement This research was funded by the National Institute on Drug Abuse (R01DA027299). For more information please contact: Julia Dickson-Gomez, PhD: jdickson@mcw.edu, 414-955-7700