Background Although depressive symptoms are common postpartum, few studies have followed women beyond 12 months postpartum to investigate changes in the number and severity of these symptoms over time, especially in overweight and obese women. Using two complementary analytical methods, this study aims to identify trajectories of depressive symptoms over two years postpartum among overweight or obese mothers, and assess the demographic, socio-economic , and health covariates for these trajectories. Methods Using longitudinal data from two behavioral intervention studies (KAN-DO and AMP; N = 844), we used latent growth modeling to identify the overall trajectory of depressive symptoms and how it was related to key covariates. Next, we used latent class growth analysis to assess the heterogeneity in the depressive symptom trajectories over time, and thereby, identify subgroups of women with distinct trajectories. Findings The overall trajectory of depressive symptoms over two years postpartum was relatively stable in our sample. However, the presence of three distinct latent class trajectories [stable-low (82.5%), decreasing symptoms (7.3%) and increasing symptoms (10.2%)], identified based on trajectory shape and mean depressive symptom score, supported heterogeneity in depressive symptom trajectories over time. Lower maternal education was related to a higher symptom score, and poorer subjective health status at baseline predicted inclusion in the increasing symptoms trajectory. Conclusions In some overweight or obese mothers postpartum depressive symptoms do not resolve quickly. Practitioners should be aware of this phenomenon and continue to screen for depression for longer periods of time postpartum.

In an effort to validate the use of a Western model of adolescent development with Asian youth, 781 urban and rural Taiwanese high school students (56% female) completed questionnaires about their development. Adolescents were first divided into cultural value orientations (i.e. collectivistic, individualistic, or transitional) and compared geographically. There were statistically significant differences in cultural value orientations only for rural youth. Identity statuses and levels of cognitive autonomy were then compared according to cultural value orientations and gender. Adolescents who self-identified as collectivistic were significantly more likely to self-identify as achieved rather than diffused compared to transitional adolescents. Gender, more than cultural value identifications, significantly differentiated these youth in regard to issues of cognitive autonomy measured in this study (i.e. evaluative thinking, voicing opinions, making decisions, self-assessing, and comparative validation). Taken in whole, these findings support the use of a Western model of adolescent development for Taiwanese youth.

The focus of this study was to understand both parental and peer influence on adolescents’ prosocial and substance use outcomes. Data were drawn from the Flourishing Families Project, which consisted of 500 individuals (Mage at Time 1 = 11.83; 51.6% female; 33% were from single-parent families) who participated at six time points, each approximately 1 year apart. Results suggest that parental warmth (at Time 2) was associated with self-regulation (Time 3), which was then associated with prosocial and deviant peer association (Time 4). Peer association was in turn related to prosocial behaviors and substance use (Time 7). Discussion focused on the role that both parents and peers play on adolescent outcomes and suggests that while peer influence during mid-adolescence is significantly linked with behavioral outcomes in late adolescence, early adolescent experiences of parental warmth also have indirect effects on the outcomes.

Background Little is known about the psychometric properties of alcohol abuse and dependence criteria among recent-onset adolescent drinkers, particularly for those who consume alcohol infrequently. This study evaluated how well DSM-IV alcohol dependence criteria measure an alcohol use disorder (AUD) construct for recent onset adolescent drinkers at different levels of drinking frequency. Method Data were drawn from the National Survey on Drug Use and Health, a nationally representative sample of 9,356 recent-onset adolescent drinkers, aged 12–21, who began drinking within the past year. Multiple group item response theory analysis was conducted to assess the 11 DSM-IV alcohol abuse and dependence criteria. Results Criteria most likely to be endorsed at lower AUD severity included ““withdrawal,” “problems at home, school or work” and “tolerance.” The criteria “drinking larger amounts/longer period of time,” “unsuccessful efforts to cut down” and “continuing to drink despite related health problems” were more likely to be endorsed at higher AUD severity. Two criteria, “tolerance” and “time spent getting, using or recovering from alcohol” showed differential item functioning between drinking frequency groups (< 7 vs. ≥ 7 days in past month), with lower discrimination and severity for more frequent drinkers. DSM-IV criteria were most precise for intermediate levels of AUD severity. Conclusions All but two DSM-IV criteria had consistent psychometric properties across drinking frequency groups. Symptoms were most precise for a narrow, intermediate range of AUD severity. Those assessing AUD in recent onset adolescent drinkers might consider additional symptoms to capture the full AUD continuum.

Self-control is negatively affected by economic strains and serves as a mediator between poverty and risk of regular smoking. Additional research is needed to better understand how economic strains effect the development of self-control.