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This Bulletin analyzes the prevalence and overlap of substance-related behaviors among youth, with comparisons by age group, gender, and race/ethnicity. It uses data from the first two waves of the 1997 National Longitudinal Survey of Youth (NLSY97)-self-reports gathered in 1997 and 1998 from a nationally representative sample of youth ages 12-17. The data are from questions asking about drinking alco hol during the previous 30 days, using marijuana during the previous 30 days, and ever selling or helping to sell marijua na (pot, grass), hashish (hash) or other hard drugs such as heroin, cocaine, or LSD.

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Washington state requires school districts to file court petitions on students with excessive unexcused absences resulting in thousands of youth becoming involved in the court system. Once in the system, decisions are made about the level of risk each youth has for maladaptive behaviors. The Washington Assessment of the Risks and Needs of Students was created to assist youth service providers, courts, and schools to identify an adolescent’s needs for social, emotional, or educational intervention. However, the profile-based decisions advocated for by test developers lack empirical justification. This study employed latent profile analysis to examine risk and needs profiles of adolescents based on the Washington Assessment of the Risks and Needs of Students assessment. Profiles were developed to aid understanding of behaviors associated with school truancy, and examined across outcome variables (e.g., suspensions, arrests) to evaluate evidence in support of predictive claims. Results suggest distinct profiles that differ on important outcomes.

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