3.3. Multivariable Model
The fit of the structural equation model (
Figure 1) was good [χ
2 =82.126, df = 52,
p = 0.005, χ
2/df = 1.579, CFI = 0.950, RMSEA = 0.029, (90% CI = 0.016, 0.041)].
As depicted in
Table 3 and
Figure 1, among males, we found a significant and positive path from fear of neighborhood violence at age 21 to fear of neighborhood violence at age 22 (β = 0.386,
p < 0.001). We also found a significant and positive path from depressive symptoms at age 23 to depressive symptoms at age 24 (β = 0.507,
p < 0.001). The paths from maternal support at age 21 to maternal support at age 24 (β = 0.701,
p < 0.001) and also from paternal support at age 21 to paternal support at age 24 (β = 0.744,
p < 0.001) were also positive and significant. We also found a significant and positive path from fear of neighborhood violence at age 22 to depressive symptoms at age 24 (β = 0.166,
p = 0.013), suggesting that an increase in fear of neighborhood violence over one year from age 21 to age 22 was associated with the increase in depressive symptoms from age 23 to age 24. In addition, there was a negative and significant path from changes in maternal support at age 24 (compared to maternal support at age 21) to increase in depressive symptoms from age 23 to age 24 (β = −0.176, p = 0.003). This path suggests that above and beyond the effect of changes to fear of neighborhood violence over one year from age 21 to age 22, age, family structure, and parental employment, more maternal support at age 24 was associated with lower depressive symptoms from age 23 to age 24. There was not such an association between paternal support at age 24 and changes in depressive symptoms from age 23 to age 24 (
p > 0.05).
Figure 1.
Summary of path analysis among male African American youth. [χ2 = 82.126, df = 52, p = 0.005, χ2/df = 1.579, root mean squared error of approximation (RMSEA) = 0.029, (90% CI = 0.016, 0.041)]. Paths from covariates and also covariance between exogenous variables are not shown in this model. Numbers are standardized regression coefficients. Significant regression coefficients have been shown in bold.
Figure 1.
Summary of path analysis among male African American youth. [χ2 = 82.126, df = 52, p = 0.005, χ2/df = 1.579, root mean squared error of approximation (RMSEA) = 0.029, (90% CI = 0.016, 0.041)]. Paths from covariates and also covariance between exogenous variables are not shown in this model. Numbers are standardized regression coefficients. Significant regression coefficients have been shown in bold.
As shown in
Table 3 and
Figure 2, among females, significant and positive paths from fear of neighborhood violence at age 21 to fear of neighborhood violence at age 22 (β = 0.361,
p < 0.001), from depressive symptoms at age 23 to depressive symptoms at age 24 (β = 0.528,
p < 0.001), from maternal support at age 21 to maternal support at age 24 (β = 0.672,
p < 0.001), and from paternal support at age 21 to paternal support at age 24 (β = 0.472,
p < 0.001) were found. We also found a significant and negative path from maternal support at age 21 to depressive symptoms at age 23 (β = −0.280,
p < 0.001), but no significant paths from fear of neighborhood violence at age 21 or 22 to depressive symptoms at age 23 or 24 (
p > 0.05). This result suggests that baseline or changes in fear of neighborhood violence between ages 21 and 22 are not associated with baseline or changes in depressive symptoms between ages 23 and 24. The path from changes in maternal support at age 24 (compared to maternal support at age 21) changes in depressive symptoms from ages 23 to 24, above and beyond the effect of changes to fear of neighborhood violence over one year from ages 21 to 22, age, family structure, and parental employment, and more paternal support at age 24 (
p > 0.05) was not significant.
In summary, our study suggested two major gender differences: (1) an increase in perceived fear of neighborhood violence was associated with an increase in depressive symptoms among males but not females; and (2) change in perceived maternal support was predictive of depressive symptoms among males but not females.
Figure 2.
Summary of path analysis among female African American youth. [χ2 = 82.126, df = 52, p = 0.005, χ2 / df = 1.579, RMSEA = 0.029, (90% CI = 0.016, 0.041)]. Paths from covariates and also covariance between exogenous variables are not shown in this model. Numbers are standardized regression coefficients. Significant regression coefficients have been shown in bold.
Figure 2.
Summary of path analysis among female African American youth. [χ2 = 82.126, df = 52, p = 0.005, χ2 / df = 1.579, RMSEA = 0.029, (90% CI = 0.016, 0.041)]. Paths from covariates and also covariance between exogenous variables are not shown in this model. Numbers are standardized regression coefficients. Significant regression coefficients have been shown in bold.
Table 3.
Summary of path coefficients among male and female African American youth.
Table 3.
Summary of path coefficients among male and female African American youth.
| | | | Men | | | Women | |
---|
| | | Standardized B | SE | P | Standardized B | SE | P |
---|
Fear of violence in neighborhood at age 21 | → | Fear of violence in neighborhood at age 22 | 0.386 | 0.068 | <0.001 | 0.361 | 0.062 | <0.001 |
Fear of violence in neighborhood at age 21 | → | Depressive Symptoms at age 23 | 0.016 | 0.072 | 0.836 | 0.062 | 0.07 | 0.321 |
Maternal Support at age 21 | → | Maternal Support at age 24 | 0.701 | 0.052 | <0.001 | 0.672 | 0.05 | <0.001 |
Maternal Support at age 21 | → | Depressive Symptoms at age 23 | −0.09 | 0.051 | 0.286 | −0.28 | 0.044 | <0.001 |
Paternal Support at age 21 | → | Paternal Support at age 24 | 0.744 | 0.061 | <0.001 | 0.472 | 0.069 | <0.001 |
Paternal Support at age 21 | → | Depressive Symptoms at age 23 | −0.036 | 0.048 | 0.699 | −0.098 | 0.043 | 0.167 |
Age | → | Depressive Symptoms at age 23 | 0.007 | 0.062 | 0.921 | 0.044 | 0.07 | 0.447 |
Parent employment | → | Depressive Symptoms at age 23 | −0.184 | 0.083 | 0.008 | −0.048 | 0.09 | 0.424 |
Intact family | → | Depressive Symptoms at age 23 | −0.06 | 0.093 | 0.393 | −0.057 | 0.109 | 0.337 |
Depressive Symptoms at age 23 | → | Depressive Symptoms at age 24 | 0.507 | 0.068 | <0.001 | 0.528 | 0.055 | <0.001 |
Fear of violence in neighborhood at age 21 | → | Depressive Symptoms at age 22 | 0.166 | 0.069 | 0.013 | 0.054 | 0.063 | 0.365 |
Fear of violence in neighborhood at age 22 | → | Depressive Symptoms at age 23 | 0.098 | 0.075 | 0.163 | 0.067 | 0.068 | 0.281 |
Maternal Support at age 24 | → | Depressive Symptoms at age 24 | −0.176 | 0.042 | 0.003 | 0.018 | 0.038 | 0.758 |
Paternal Support at age 24 | → | Depressive Symptoms at age 24 | −0.007 | 0.039 | 0.918 | 0.038 | 0.034 | 0.523 |