Analyses examined academic achievement data across 3rd through 8th grades (N = 26,474), comparing students identified as homeless or highly mobile (HHM) to other students in the federal free meal program (FM), reduced-price meals (RM), or neither (General). Achievement was lower as a function of rising risk status (General > RM > FM > HHM). Achievement gaps appeared stable or widened between HHM students and lower-risk groups. Math and reading achievement were lower and growth in math was slower in years of HHM identification, suggesting acute consequences of residential instability. Nonetheless, 45% of HHM students scored within or above the average range, suggesting academic resilience. Results underscore the need for research on risk and resilience processes among HHM students to address achievement disparities.

The authors examined the role of executive function (EF) skills as a predictor of kindergarten or first-grade adjustment in 138 children living in shelters for homeless families. During the summer, children completed a battery of six EF tasks and three IQ measures. Teachers later rated children’s school adjustment in five domains of achievement and social conduct. Confirmatory factor analysis supported the construct validity of EF as distinct from the general factor in IQ tests. The differential predictive validity of EF scores for school adjustment was tested by hierarchical regression analysis in relation to IQ. Results supported the hypothesis that EF has unique predictive significance for homeless children. Findings also corroborate the feasibility and validity of EF assessments in community settings and contribute to growing evidence that EF skills are important for school success. Implications are discussed for addressing educational disparities for homeless and highly mobile children.

Success in the domain of work is a salient developmental task of adulthood and a key indicator of adaptive function in the evaluation of health and psychopathology. Yet few studies have examined pathways to work competence, especially with strategies testing for cumulative cascade effects over time. Cascade models spanning 20 years were tested via structural equation modeling, linking work competence in early adulthood to antecedent competence in work and other domains of competence in childhood and emerging adulthood. Data were drawn from the Project Competence longitudinal study of 205 school children followed for 20 years. Relative fit of alternative models was evaluated by the Bayesian information criterion. As hypothesized, the effectiveness of adaptive behavior in earlier age-salient developmental task domains forecasted later work competence, which also showed strong concurrent links to competence in other domains. Results suggest there are numerous pathways by which success or failure in major developmental task domains in childhood and adolescence may influence adaptation in other domains and eventually work competence, both concurrently and cumulatively over time. Cascade effects highlight the potential significance for later work competence of childhood conduct (antisocial vs. rule-abiding behavior) and social competence with peers, in addition to the ongoing role that academic attainment may have for work success. Work competence also showed considerable stability over a 10-year period during early adulthood. Implications and applications for future research and intervention are discussed.

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Results provided evidence of amplifying interactions between risk factors suggestive of cumulative risk processes that were distinct for each disorder; future confirmatory studies should test the interactive hypotheses generated by these analyses. If hypotheses are confirmed, results may allow interventionists to target ultra high-risk subpopulations with more intensive prevention programs that are uniquely tailored for each eating disorder, potentially improving the yield of prevention efforts.

The objective of this study was to characterize the temporal sequencing of symptom emergence for anorexia nervosa (AN), bulimia nervosa (BN), binge eating disorder (BED), and purging disorder (PD), as well as to test whether prodromal symptoms increase risk for future onset of each type of eating disorder and compare the predictive effects to those of established risk factors. Data from four prevention trials that targeted highrisk young women with body image concerns (N = 1,952; M age = 19.7, SD = 5.7) and collected annual diagnostic interview data over 3-year follow-up were combined to address these aims. Regarding behavioral symptoms, compensatory weight control behaviors typically emerged first for AN, BN, and PD, whereas binge eating typically emerged first for BED. Regarding cognitive symptoms, for AN, weight/shape overvaluation typically emerged first, whereas for BN, BED, and PD, overvaluation typically emerged simultaneously with feeling fat and fear of weight gain. Binge eating, compensatory behaviors, weight/shape overvaluation, fear of weight gain, and feeling fat predicted BN, BED, and PD onset, whereas weight/shape overvaluation, fear of weight gain, and lower than expected body mass index predicted AN onset. Predictive effects of prodromal symptoms were similar in magnitude to those of established risk factors: Collectively, prodromal symptoms and risk factors predicted onset of specific eating disorders with 67-83% accuracy. Results suggest that compensatory weight control behaviors and cognitive symptoms are likely to emerge before binge eating in the various eating disorders and that offering indicated prevention programs to youth with prodromal symptoms may be an effective way to prevent eating disorders. General Scientific SummaryCompensatory weight control behaviors, overvaluation of weight/shape, feeling fat, and fear of weight gain typically emerge before binge eating for anorexia nervosa, bulimia nervosa, and purging disorder, but binge eating typically emerges first for binge eating disorder. Prodromal symptoms showed somewhat distinct predictive effects for future onset of specific eating disorders that were similar in magnitude to predictive effects of established risk factors. Findings imply it may be useful to offer indicated prevention programs to youth with prodromal symptoms.

BackgroundEarly life adversity that increases the risk of growth stunting is hypothesized to increase the risk of obesity and, in girls, early onset puberty. This hypothesis was tested in children adopted from orphanages.MethodsPost-institutionalized (PI) youth were compared with youth reared in comparable families (non-adopted; NA) on height, weight, pubertal stage, and fat mass (127 PI, 80 female; 156 NA, 85 female, aged 7–14 years). Anthropometrics at adoption were obtained from first US clinic visits.Results25% of PIs were height stunted (<3rd percentile) at adoption. Years post adoption, PIs had lower BMI-for-age (p = .004); height-for-age (p < .001); and less body fat (p < .001) than NAs, but did not differ by sex. Pubertal status did not differ by group or sex. The anthropometric findings held when the stunted-at-adoption subset was examined; they were also less likely to be in central puberty than other PI youth.ConclusionEarly deprived orphanage care increases the risk of growth stunting but not obesity in children adopted into US families and does not independently contribute to early onset puberty for PI girls. The role of the environment following early adversity may modify the impact of early adverse care.

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