Considerations when Conducting Violence Risk Assessments in Immigrant Youth: The Roles of Acculturation Stress and Criminal Attitudes

Violence risk assessment tools are often criticized, particularly when administered to ethnic minorities for whom the measure was not originally developed, partly because they fail to consider unique contextual and individual factors that could potentially lead to erroneous conclusions and deleterious effects on the individuals, society, and the legal system. This study examined the concurrent validity of a risk assessment tool (i.e., Structured Assessment of Violence Risk in Youth; SAVRY) in relation to self-reported and caregiver-reported conduct problems, such as delinquent behavior (SDQ; Strengths and Difficulties Questionnaire) in a sample of recently immigrated youth in the USA. Additionally, it examined the role of unique individual factors, criminal attitudes, and acculturation stress, while predicting conduct problems through the SAVRY. Results showed significant associations between the SAVRY and the SDQ only when conduct problems were self-reported. Acculturation stress and individual risk factors significantly contributed to the prediction of conduct problems. Finally, the possible effects of the demographic heterogeneity of the sample are discussed, as well as other limitations of the study, which should be considered, particularly in terms of the generalizability of the results. Despite these limitations, this study adds important data to the field and supports the need for modified risk assessments when assessing recently immigrated youth.