Internaliserende problematiek bij jongeren uit multiprobleemgezinnen, en de rol van een ‘Jouw Ingebrachte Mentor’ en sekse.

Abstract

Multi-problem youth have a higher risk of family-relational problems. Because family relations are the primary source of coping with problem situations, stressful live events could lead to more internalizing problems within this population. Multi-problem youth can possibly benefit from a supportive figure outside of the family, for instance a YIM. A YIM is a self-chosen informal mentor. To investigate the role of a YIM in internalizing problems of this vulnerable population, current research focuses on the link between youth-YIM relationship quality and the internalizing problems of multi-problem youth. Moreover, this study has looked at potential gender differences. The participants of this study are multi-problem youth between the ages of 10 and 23 years, who receive ambulatory youth and family care. Only youth who had a YIM on the first measurement of the GRIP-study, participated in this study. The study consisted of 57 multi-problem youth ( = 15.21, 47.4% girls). By conducting an independent samples t-test and a hierarchical multiple regression analysis several results have been found. This study found that the youth-YIM relationship quality did not predict internalizing problems and that there were no gender differences within this link. Moreover, the results of this study found that girls displayed a higher degree of internalizing problems. Future research could investigate gender differences within the expectations of the YIM mentors. With current knowledge internalizing problems of multi-problem girls could be identified in an earlier stage, so future interventions can include the especially vulnerable position of multi-problem girls in displaying internalizing problems.