(PS6-26) Social Connectedness and Delinquent Behavior Among Latinx Adolescents: A Multi-dimensional Exploration of Social Support

Social connectedness with different facets of one’s social support network (e.g., family, school, and neighborhood) can play a powerful role in youth mental health outcomes (Ewell-Foster et al., 2017). Previous studies have highlighted that school connectedness is associated with fewer symptoms across both internalizing and externalizing problems (Bacikova-Sleskova et al., 2024). However, limited research has explored the relationship between social connectedness and delinquent behaviors with a specific focus on Latinx adolescents (Raymond-Flesch et al., 2021). Additionally, social supports endorsed by Latinx adolescents are likely to differ from those endorsed by youth of other ethnicities as a function of a number of cultural factors (Sánchez et al., 2014). It is therefore important to investigate how strain versus support in a youth’s local communities  may foster or buffer against delinquent behavior (Simpson, 2010). The current study therefore aimed to examine the role of social connectedness across family, school, and neighborhood on delinquent behaviors in a sample of Latinx adolescents (N = 817, M = 15.48). Data from the 2017 sixth wave of the Future of Families and Child Wellbeing Study (FFCWS), a longitudinal panel study, was used. The study measured 8 items for family and 4 items for school connectedness on a 4-point Likert scale. Neighborhood connectedness was measured from 2 items using the Neighborhood Collective Efficacy Scale and 6 items on the Adolescent Extracurricular and Community Involvement Scale. Teen depression was assessed using the Center for Epidemiologic Studies Depression Scale (CES-D). Delinquency was evaluated with 13 teen self-report items and 11 peer-report items adapted from the National Longitudinal Study of Adolescent Health. Linear regression analyses covaried for youth sex and levels of depressive symptoms. Higher levels of neighborhood efficacy predicted lower peer-reported (β = -.053, p = .003) and self-reported delinquent behaviors (β = .087, p = .011), over and above the effects of depressive symptoms and sex. Likewise family connectedness predicted lower peer-reported (β = -.028, p = .005) and self-reported delinquent behaviors (β = .076, p = .031). School connectedness predicted fewer peer-reported delinquent behaviors (β = -.037, p = .025), but showed no association with self-reported delinquent behaviors, over and above depressive symptoms and sex. Interestingly, greater extracurricular involvement was associated with greater peer-reported delinquent behaviors (β = .030, p = .028), but showed no significant associations with self-reported delinquent behaviors after controlling for depression and sex. The study's findings suggest that community-based programs can enhance social support for Latinx adolescents to address delinquency effectively. By focusing on culturally relevant interventions and providing access to mentorship and positive role models, these programs can foster positive decision-making, ultimately reducing delinquent behaviors.