Trauma and mental health among justice-involved youth: A narrative review of protective factors and intervention approaches

Abstract

This review synthesizes contemporary evidence on trauma exposure and mental health outcomes among justice-involved youth, with a particular focus on protective factors and intervention approaches. This narrative review synthesized peer-reviewed literature published between 2015 and 2025. Relevant studies were identified through searches of PubMed, Scopus, Web of Science, and PsycINFO databases using keywords related to justice-involved youth, trauma, adverse childhood experiences, mental health, protective factors, and trauma-informed care. Review-level and meta-analytic findings indicate that justice-involved youth experience disproportionately high levels of adverse childhood experiences (ACEs) and trauma exposure, which are strongly associated with post-traumatic stress symptoms, depression, anxiety, substance use problems, and increased risk of recidivism. The literature further demonstrates bidirectional pathways among trauma exposure, mental health problems, and continued justice involvement, underscoring the need for trauma-informed and developmentally responsive systems of care. Protective factors at the individual, family, school, and community levels, such as resilience, emotion regulation, supportive caregiving, school connectedness, and mentoring, buffer the negative effects of trauma and reduce behavioral risk. Evidence-based psychosocial interventions, particularly trauma-informed cognitive-behavioral and family-based approaches, show promise for improving mental health outcomes and reducing reoffending, although implementation remains constrained by resource limitations, workforce instability, and interagency fragmentation. Methodological gaps, including reliance on cross-sectional designs and limited evidence from non-Western contexts, highlight priorities for future research. Overall, these results support trauma-informed, public health oriented reforms within juvenile justice systems to promote mental health, well-being, and long-term reintegration among justice-involved youth.