This study estimates the causal effects of six corrective actions for children's problem behaviors, comparing four types of longitudinal analyses that correct for pre-existing differences in a cohort of 1,464 4- and 5-year-olds from Canadian National Longitudinal Survey of Children and Youth (NLSCY) data. Analyses of residualized gain scores found apparently detrimental effects of all corrective actions by parents and professionals on subsequent antisocial behavior and hyperactivity. In contrast, analyses of simple gain scores found only apparently beneficial effects. Temporally reversed analyses yielded the same pattern of results, consistent with selection biases and regression artifacts, not with unidirectional causal effects. The findings were similar for corrective actions by professionals (e.g., Ritalin, psychotherapy) and by parents (physical and nonphysical punishment, scolding/yelling, “hostile-ineffective” parenting). Longitudinal analyses should check for similar artifacts by implementing temporally-reversed analyses and by determining whether causally relevant coefficients would replicate without artifacts biased in their favor.
A robust literature suggests religiosity protects against substance use by youth. Less clear is how religiosity influences substance use. This study uses across-sectional design with a sample of 1,815 Venezuelan youth to examine whether associations with deviant peers or the perceived risk of harm from using drugs mediates the effect of religiosity on both the likelihood of using, and the extent of use of alcohol, cigarettes, and illicit drugs during the past 12 months. Perceived risk mediated the likelihood of using cigarettes and illicit drugs and the extent of alcohol use. It also mediated the unexpected tendency for religiosity to be associated with a greater extent of illicit drug use among users. Deviant peer affiliations mediated the extent of alcohol use and the likelihood of cigarette use. Implications for prevention interventions are presented.
This study compared predictors of parental modeling of healthful eating for preschool children with BMI < 50th versus BMI = 75th percentile, because this difference is linked to a six fold increase in later overweight. Participants were 131 3‐ to 4‐year‐old children with BMI measured in fall and spring. 53% had average BMI =75th percentile and 24% had average BMI < 50th percentile. Three parental styles ‐ authoritarian, authoritative, permissive ‐ and four feeding practices ‐ model, discourage, plan, external focus ‐‐ were measured. For children with BMI = 75th percentile, regression analyses showed parenting practices did not but feeding practices did predict modeling of healthful eating (R2 = .15, p=.016). For children with BMI < 50th percentile, regression analyses showed parental styles, particularly authoritative, predicted parental modeling of healthful eating behavior (R2 = .45, p =. 001) but feeding practices did not. Findings suggest nutrition educators working with families of heavier children could teach parental feeding practices to increase modeling. But, additional research should first investigate whether the authoritative practices of parents of normal weight children would enhance the healthful eating of heavier children. Funding: USDA‐CREES Number OKL0 2605.
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