Background: Peer victimization is common among youth and associated with substance use. Yet, few studies have examined these associations longitudinally or the psychological processes whereby peer victimization leads to substance use. The current study examined whether peer victimization in early adolescence is associated with alcohol, marijuana, and tobacco use in mid- to late adolescence, as well as the role of depressive symptoms in these associations. Methods: Longitudinal data were collected between 2004 and 2011 from 4297 youth in Birmingham, Alabama; Houston, Texas; and Los Angeles County, California. Data were analyzed by using structural equation modeling. Results: The hypothesized model fit the data well (Root Mean Square Error of Approximation [RMSEA] = 0.02; Comparative Fit Index [CFI] = 0.95). More frequent experiences of peer victimization in the fifth grade were associated with greater depressive symptoms in the seventh grade (B[SE] = 0.03[0.01]; P < .001), which, in turn, were associated with a greater likelihood of alcohol use (B[SE] = 0.03[0.01]; P = .003), marijuana use (B[SE] = 0.05[0.01]; P < .001), and tobacco use (B[SE] = 0.05[0.01]; P < .001) in the tenth grade. Moreover, fifthgrade peer victimization was indirectly associated with tenth-grade substance use via the mediator of seventh-grade depressive symptoms, including alcohol use (B[SE] = 0.01[0.01]; P = .006), marijuana use (B[SE] = 0.01[0.01]; P < .001), and tobacco use (B[SE] = 0.02[0.01]; P < .001). Conclusions: Youth who experienced more frequent peer victimization in the fifth grade were more likely to use substances in the tenth grade, showing that experiences of peer victimization in early adolescence may have a lasting impact by affecting substance use behaviors during mid- to late adolescence. Interventions are needed to reduce peer victimization among youth and to support youth who have experienced victimization.
In light of recent research highlighting the potential effects of children's behavior on mothers' mental health, the current study examined 679 mothers and their adolescent children from a community-based sample to determine the effects of youth psychopathology on maternal depression and levels of child-related stress in mothers' lives. It was hypothesized that the number of past clinical diagnoses in 15-year-old adolescents would predict the presence of maternal depression at youth age 15 and 5 years later, as well as more episodes of maternal depression during the follow-up period. Furthermore, it was hypothesized that increased levels of child-related stress in mothers' lives would mediate these relationships. Regression analyses indicated that past youth diagnoses do confer risk for the presence of current and future maternal depression, as well as more episodes of maternal depression, and mediation analyses revealed that child-related acute and chronic stress were mediators of the relationship between youth diagnoses and the presence of maternal depression at follow-up. Findings suggest that increased levels of child-related objective stress in mothers' lives are one mechanism by which children's psychopathology affects mothers' future risk for depression.
Background: There has been very little prospective research on rape perpetration among men. This paper describes the incidence and risk factors for new rape and attempted rape events among young South African men in an HIV prevention trial. Methods: We followed 1,147 men aged 15-26 years who enrolled into a cluster randomised controlled trial to evaluate the HIV prevention behavioural intervention Stepping Stones. Incidence rate ratios for factors associated with incident rape were derived from Poisson models. Results: The young men reported 217 incident rapes (completed or attempted) of a girl or woman over 1,914 person years of follow up, yielding a rape incidence of 11.2 per 100 person years. Overall 24.9% of men had previously raped at baseline, and 18.9% did so during the follow up. Among the latter, 61.3% raped for the first time, and 38.7% re-offended. Multivariable Poisson modelling showed a higher incidence of rape perpetration among men who had ever used drugs (IRR 1.86 95%CI 1.39, 2.49), had eight or more lifetime partners (IRR 1.48 95% CI 1.09, 2.01), had been physically violent toward a female partner (IRR 1.50 95%CI 1.11, 2.03) and had disclosed rape perpetration at baseline (IRR 1.45 95%CI 1.07, 1.97). A lower incidence was found among those with greater resistance to peer pressure (IRR 0.85 95%CI 0.74, 0.97). Conclusions: The findings highlight the importance of male gender socialisation and addressing delinquent youth sub-cultures in rape prevention. Prevention requires change in hegemonic masculinity, with its emphasis on gender hierarchy, exaggerated performance of heterosexuality and control of women. Interventions are needed to address male socialisation with delinquent peers, by reducing exposure to childhood trauma and strengthening opportunities for gainful employment (in work or recreation).
by
Laura A Meis;
Shirley M Glynn;
Michele R Spoont;
Shannon M Kehle-Forbes;
David Nelson;
Carl E Isenhart;
Afsoon Eftekhari;
Princess E Ackland;
Erin B Linden;
Robert J Orazem;
Andrea Cutting;
Emily Hagel M Campbell;
Millie Astin;
Katherine E Porter;
Erin Smith;
Christopher D Chuick;
Kristen E Lamp;
Tessa C Vuper;
Taylor A Oakley;
Lila B Khan;
Sally K Keckeisen;
Melissa A Polusny
Background: Posttraumatic stress disorder occurs in as many as one in five combat veterans and is associated with a host of negative, long-term consequences to the individual, their families, and society at large. Trauma-focused treatments, such as Prolonged Exposure, result in clinically significant symptom relief for many. Adherence to these treatments (i.e., session attendance and homework compliance) is vital to ensuring recovery but can be challenging for patients. Engaging families in veterans’ treatment could prove to be an effective strategy for promoting treatment adherence while also addressing long-standing calls for better family inclusion in treatment for posttraumatic stress disorder. This paper describes the methods of a pragmatic randomized controlled trial designed to evaluate if family inclusion in Prolonged Exposure can improve treatment adherence. Methods: One hundred fifty-six veterans, with clinically significant symptoms of posttraumatic stress disorder, will be randomized to receive either standard Prolonged Exposure or Prolonged Exposure enhanced through family inclusion (Family-Supported Prolonged Exposure) across three different VA facilities. Our primary outcomes are session attendance and homework compliance. Secondary outcomes include posttraumatic stress disorder symptom severity, depression, quality of life, and relationship functioning. The study includes a concurrent process evaluation to identify potential implementation facilitators and barriers to family involvement in Prolonged Exposure within VA. Discussion: While the importance of family involvement in posttraumatic stress disorder treatment is non-controversial, there is no evidence base supporting best practices on how to integrate families into PE or any other individually focused trauma-focused treatments for posttraumatic stress disorder. This study is an important step in addressing this gap, contributing to the literature for both retention and family involvement in trauma-focused treatments. Trial registration: ClinicalTrials.govNCT03256227. Registered on August 21, 2017.
by
Athena Sherman;
Andrea N. Cimino;
Monique Balthazar;
Kalisha Bonds;
Desiree D. Burns;
Angie Denisse Otiniano Verissimo;
Jacquelyn C. Campbell;
Kiyomi Tsuyuki;
Jamila K. Stockman
Background. Black Americans face significant discrimination, associated with mental health disorder, which may be exacerbated among sexually victimized people. Social support may buffer that relationship.
Methods. Cross-sectional data from a retrospective cohort study were analyzed to examine if discrimination and sexual victimization overlap to exacerbate symptoms of depression and post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) and to determine the extent to which social support moderated that association among Black women living in Baltimore, Maryland [138 non-abused (no physical/sexual victimization) and 98 abused (sexually victimized) since age 18].
Results. Symptoms of depression and PTSD were independently associated with discrimination. Multilinear regression showed social support from friends moderated the association between discrimination and depressive symptoms among sexually abused participants only.
Conclusion. Discrimination may exacerbate symptoms of depression and PTSD more for sexually victimized Black women, but sources of informal social support may attenuate adverse effects of discrimination on depressive symptoms among members of that group.
Maternal emotion dysregulation (ED) plays a crucial role in the development of psychopathology in children. The current study aimed to investigate parenting stress as a mediator of the relationship between maternal emotion dysregulation and child startle potentiation, with child sex as a moderator. Mothers were interviewed to obtain self-report of maternal ED and parenting stress and child's dark-enhanced startle (DES) response was measured using electromyographic recordings of the eye-blink muscle during the delivery of acoustic probes. We found that maternal ED was positively correlated with both her parenting stress and her child's DES. A bootstrap analysis yielded a full mediation of the association between ED and child DES via parenting stress. Child sex was not a significant moderator of these relationships. These results suggest that maternal ED has important consequences for the intergenerational transmission of risk and also highlight the interaction of behavioral and biological mechanisms of risk.
The purpose of this mini-review is to provide the latest information on reproductive health, and how the increasing incidence of advanced maternal age is impacting conception and pregnancy planning. Reproductive health education in the primary care setting is usually geared towards contraception but it is also necessary to counsel young women about their fertility health. A literature search using PUBMED was conducted and articles that studied fertility preservation and advanced maternal age were selected for review.
In most countries, once a female child turns eighteen, they are usually transitioned from the care of a Pediatrician to an adult primary care provider who specializes in women’s health such as a Family Physician, General Practitioner, Internist or more commonly, a Gynecologist.
It is not uncommon for the healthcare provider to have discussions about reproductive health - sexuality, contraception, sexually transmitted infection and gynecological cancer prevention but there is no guideline as to when to discuss fertility plans with women as part of their wellness visit.
Introduction: Many women today are choosing to delay childbearing for various reasons.
Unfortunately, many women are also unaware that they might encounter fertility problems when they are finally ready to start a family. This knowledge gap needs to be closed by primary care providers who are at that forefront of guiding their patients on preventative health issues and should also include a dialogue on reproductive health. The primary care providers need to educate young women not only on sexual health, sexually transmitted infection prevention, cancer prevention and contraception but also discuss fertility health, the risks associated with advanced maternal age and discuss current fertility options available such as oocyte or ovarian tissue cryopreservation.
Background: The incidence of advanced maternal age, defined as a woman aged 35 or older before her first conception, is increasing as women are electing to go further in their education, become entrepreneurs, travel the world or climb the corporate ladder. What this implies is that women are marrying later and delaying childbearing. In many cases, the woman may be in her 30s before she has the first discussion with her physician about fertility. By 35, her fertility has already started to decline and by age 40, the chances for a healthy woman to get pregnant naturally is only 5% per cycle.
Many women are unaware of the statistics that are working against them. Pregnancies that occur in older women increase the risk of maternal and perinatal adverse outcomes.
Primary care providers can help their patients by educating them at a younger age so that they can understand the reproductive changes that occur with aging and how it might impact their fertility.
Aim: Primary care providers can help their female patients understand their fertility health at an earlier age so that women can make informed decisions about childbearing and make plans for the most optimal outcomes when they are ready to start a family.
Conclusion: Initiating early fertility counseling in female patients in their 20s can help women make informed decisions about future reproductive options
Relatively few researchers have investigated early antecedents of adult functional limitations in developing countries. In this study, we assessed associations between childhood conditions and adult lower-body functional limitations (LBFL) as well as the potential mediating role of adult socioeconomic status, smoking, body mass index, and chronic diseases or symptoms. Based on data from the Mexican Health and Aging Study (MHAS) of individuals born prior to 1951 and contacted in 2001 and 2003, we found that childhood nutritional deprivation, serious health problems, and family background predict adult LBFL in Mexico. Adjustment for the potential mediators in adulthood attenuates these associations only to a modest degree.
The white-throated sparrow (Zonotrichia albicollis) represents a powerful model in behavioral neuroendocrinology because it occurs in two plumage morphs that differ with respect to steroid-dependent social behaviors. Birds of the white-striped (WS) morph engage in more territorial aggression than do birds of the tan-striped (TS) morph, and the TS birds engage in more parenting behavior. This behavioral polymorphism is caused by a chromosomal inversion that has captured many genes, including estrogen receptor alpha (ERα). In this study, we tested the hypothesis that morph differences in aggression might be explained by differential sensitivity to estradiol (E2). We administered E2 non-invasively to non-breeding white-throated sparrows and quantified aggression toward a conspecific 10 min later. E2 administration rapidly increased aggression in WS birds but not TS birds, consistent with our hypothesis that differential sensitivity to E2 may at least partially explain morph differences in aggression. To query the site of E2 action in the brain, we administered E2 and quantified Egr-1 expression in brain regions in which expression of ERα is known to differ between the morphs. E2 treatment decreased Egr-1 immunoreactivity in nucleus taeniae of the amygdala, but this effect did not depend on morph. Overall, our results support a role for differential effects of E2 on aggression in the two morphs, but more research will be needed to determine the neuroanatomical site of action.
This study aims to improve self-reported attachment anxiety and avoidance through an online relationship-building paradigm. Seventy-seven undergraduate participants completed an online attachment-focused paradigm in which they developed a relationship with a virtual partner, and fifty participants successfully completed a second laboratory-based phase of the study. During the online phase, all participants completed the Experiences in Close Relationships―Revised questionnaire (ECR-R), the experimental group engaged in an interactive relationship-formation story with a virtual partner designed to enhance secure attachment, and control participants engaged in the program without guidance. Participants then visited the laboratory, were asked to recall the online interaction, and again completed the ECR-R. Overall, participants exhibited a significant decrease in their attachment anxiety, but not avoidance; however, change in attachment security did not differ based on study group. Change in the experimental condition was attributed to the secure focus of the guided interaction with the virtual partner. Change in the control condition, on the other hand, was attributed to general relationship practice and behavioral principles of operant conditioning. These results provide preliminary evidence for the effect of a virtual practice relationship on attitudes towards real-life attachments to significant others.