This study examined associations of best friend and peer group aggressive characteristics with students’ overt and relational aggression, and whether coolness moderated these associations across the fall and spring of the first year in middle school. Students ( N = 174; 57% females) self-reported best friendship and peer group members, as well as peer-nominated coolness and aggression (overt, relational). Results indicated positive relations of best friend and peer group aggressive characteristics with subsequent aggression, and that coolness moderated these associations. Specifically, non-cool youth had higher levels of subsequent overt and relational aggression with aggressive best friends, but lower levels of later relational aggression when in relationally aggressive peer groups. In contrast, cool youth had lower levels of subsequent relational aggression with relationally aggressive best friends, but higher levels of later relational aggression when in relationally aggressive peer groups. Implications for examining multiple peer contexts and coolness during early adolescence are discussed.
BACKGROUND Conceptualizations of health have expanded to include indicators of adolescents' physical and mental wellness, rather than solely the absence of diseases or disorders. Although extensive research has identified links between mental and physical wellness, few studies have investigated the relationship between health promotion and happiness, particularly in adolescent populations who may be at particular risk for engaging in health‐compromising behaviors, such as alcohol consumption. METHODS This cross‐sectional study examined the relationship between 12 health‐promoting behaviors and subjective well‐being in a sample of 450 high school students from 2 states. Participants reported on their diet, physical activity, sleep hygiene habits, as well as abstinence from tobacco and alcohol products, and completed a multidimensional assessment of subjective well‐being. RESULTS Findings demonstrated that 7 of the 12 health‐promoting behaviors were significantly correlated with adolescents' subjective well‐being. A sizeable portion of the variance in adolescents' subjective well‐being (39.8%) was accounted for by the linear combination of the 12 health‐promoting behaviors of interest. Increased physical activity, sleep hygiene cognitive/emotional factors, and bedtime routine all were identified as unique predictors of subjective well‐being. CONCLUSIONS These findings bring attention to the salience of daily physical activity and sleep hygiene and their associations with adolescents' happiness.
Although 65% of school-based health centers (SBHCs) offer mental health services, at-risk youth are commonly overlooked or do not follow up when referrals are made. Universal screenings may increase identification of those in need of mental health support. We examined the number of youth at three SBHCs referred for mental health consultations. Comparisons were made between provider referrals and those with elevated scores on the Youth Pediatric Symptom Checklist-17 (Y-PSC-17). Of the 585 patients in this study, 37 (6.32%) were referred solely by their Y-PSC-17 score, 36 (6.15%) youth were singularly referred by providers, and 19 (3.25%) were referred by both modalities. Almost three-quarters ( n = 67; 72.8%) of identified youth elected to receive psychotherapeutic services. Approximately half of the youth referred by providers ( n = 19; 52.8%) received individual services, while 36.11% ( n = 13) received group services. Smaller proportions of youth with elevated Y-PSC-17 scores received individual ( n = 7; 18.9%) and group services ( n = 11; 29.7%). Youth referred solely by a medical provider had significantly lower scores than those identified through an elevated Y-PSC-17 score. Findings highlight the necessity of universal screening in pediatric settings in addition to physician referrals to provide a supplemental layer of prevention and early identification of behavioral health concerns. In this study, 40% referrals would have been missed if both modalities were not in place. Educating medical providers on youth mental health concerns may enhance identification of those in need of mental health supports and in turn improve long-term outcomes.
Objective This study examined the feasibility and initial outcome of a time-limited and intensive format of Parent–Child Interaction Therapy (PCIT) for families of young children who have sustained a traumatic brain injury (TBI). Methods The nonrandomized open trial included 15 families with a child aged 2–5 years who had sustained a TBI and displayed clinically elevated levels of externalizing behavior problems. Families received clinic-based PCIT twice per week over an average of 6 weeks, with the exception of two families that received the same intensity and format of PCIT in the home. Results Ten of the 14 families who completed the baseline assessment (71%) completed the intervention and post and follow-up assessments. On average, caregivers completed homework practice on 52% of the days in between sessions. Caregivers reported high acceptability and satisfaction following the intervention, as well as decreases in child externalizing and internalizing behavior problems at the post-assessment and 2-month follow-up. Conclusions Results of this open trial provide preliminary support for the feasibility of a time-limited and intensive format of PCIT for families of young children who have sustained a TBI and have elevated levels of behavior problems. This study highlights a promising intervention approach for improving domains commonly affected by early childhood TBI and preventing the development of more severe and persistent problems.
Purpose: A diagnosis of T1D is often associated with increased youth and parental distress as families learn to manage complex daily diabetes tasks and navigate glycemic fluctuations. This study sought to capture the early experiences of families following initial diagnosis, specifically focusing on its psychosocial impact. Method: Eight children (8-12; M=9.0; SD=1.3), 12 teenagers (13-17; M=14.7; SD=1.9) with T1D and 31 parents of youth ages 3-17 diagnosed with T1D were surveyed two weeks following diagnosis as part of a larger pilot of a prevention intervention to support families during the first-year post diagnosis. Additionally, electronic medical records were reviewed 3 months post diagnosis to evaluate health care utilization and medical outcomes. Results: Two weeks post T1D diagnosis, some parents (38.7%) and youth (18.8%) reported elevated symptoms of depression. Similarly, 36.7% of parents and 12.5% of youth reported elevated symptoms of anxiety. Fewer youth (11.8%) and parents (11.1%) endorsed elevated diabetes distress at two weeks post-diagnosis. At 3 months, mean A1c was 7.5% (SD = 1.4) and mean time in range was 67% (SD = 21.8). No baseline variables were correlated with A1c at 3 months post-diagnosis; however, youth report of family conflict was negatively correlated with time in range (r = -.761; p <.01). At 3 months following diagnosis, nearly all (92.6%) youth were using CGM, while few (7.7%) were using insulin pumps. Discussion: This study examined the experiences of youth and their parents following a T1D diagnosis, along with 3-month post diagnosis clinical outcomes. Many parents experience elevated symptoms of depression and anxiety two weeks following diagnosis. Few baseline variables correlated with clinical outcomes at three months following diagnosis. Future studies should examine family experiences in the first year following diagnosis, as well as interventions that promote positive coping among youth and their parents. Disclosure K.R.Howard: Stock/Shareholder; Abbott, AbbVie Inc. N.W.Smith: None. K.P.Garza: None. J.Weissberg-benchell: Advisory Panel; Beta Bionics, Inc., Research Support; Beta Bionics, Inc. M.Feldman: None. Funding JDRF (2-SRA-2020-985-S-B)
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