Exploring the impact of racial and ethnic differences in the emotional and behavioral responses of maltreated youth: Implications for culturally competent services

The purpose of this study was to explore the moderating influence of race/ethnicity on the relationship between child maltreatment and internalizing symptoms (e.g., affective and somatic problems) and externalizing behavior (e.g., rule breaking behavior and aggression) among African-American and Caucasian children aged 7 to 12 years old. Using a longitudinal comparison group design and a sample of 190 youth of which 36% had substantiated cases of child maltreatment, results of a structural equation modeling revealed that race/ethnicity did not have a conditioning influence on the link between internalizing and externalizing behavior among maltreated youth. However, African-American youth's internalizing symptoms and externalizing behavior was consistently significantly higher than their Caucasian counterparts.These findings provide evidence for racial/ethnic differences in the pathways between being child maltreatment and maladaptive thoughts, feelings, and behaviors. Thus, adapting evidence-based strategies that target cultural specific internalizing behaviors and externalizing behaviors among maltreated youth may significantly reduce the risk of short and long-term maladaptive behavior.