CHAPTER 5
 DISCUSSION AND RECOMMENDATIONS

 This study has explored individual and socio-cultural variables and their

relationships to mental health functioning in early adolescents. These factors were

conceptualized as strengths or aspects of healthy psychological development. They were

examined for their relationship to adverse mental health symptoms. This chapter explores

the results of the study. Findings related to the mental health functioning of the sample

are presented and then the constructs of ethnic identity and mentoring are detailed

separately. Recommendations are made and future directions for this area of study are

listed. Lastly, the implications for nursing are described.

 Adverse Mental Health Outcomes

 The assessment of levels of adverse mental health outcomes in a multiethnic

sample provides information that in and of itself contributes to the research literature.

There were no significant differences between the ethnic groups with the exception of the

depressed/anxious mood subscale. The European American adolescents scored

significantly lower on this measure than the other three ethnic groups. There are many

factors that may explain this finding. Differences in levels of depressed/anxious

symptoms may be due to socioeconomic factors (Conger, Ge, Elder, Lorenz, & Simons,

1994) or increased stress related to racism and/or discrimination (Guthrie et al., 2002).

However, other studies using this measure have found no significant differences between

ethnic groups or different profiles (Grisso & Barnum, 2000).