Poverty and Mental Health Outcomes in Mexican Adolescents

Abstract

The purpose of this chapter is to analyze the adaptive and resilience processes in adolescents from different marginalizing communities. The theoretical and empirical foundations of the ecological-transactional perspective of adolescent development as a framework for understanding the adaptive processes and resilience in contextual adver- sity is reviewed, with the recognition of risk and protective factors at multiple levels and ecological settings. Under this perspective, the authors provide data supporting the predictive role of stressful life events, coping, and family functioning in adaptive and nonadaptive outcomes in adolescents living in diverse contexts of high-risk communi- ties in Mexico City. These findings may contribute to early intervention programs based on empirical evidence with adolescents and families living in disadvantages communi- ties in schools and in clinical settings. Keywords: