Growth patterns of future orientation among maltreated youth: A prospective examination of the emergence of resilience.

Abstract

During adolescence, a positive outlook toward the future (i.e., future orientation) can protect youth from the risks conferred by childhood adversity. Research to date, however, has largely considered future orientation as a static attribute. Developmental systems perspectives suggest that future orientation, when considered across time, will exhibit dynamic trajectories with levels changing in response to the varying balance of risks and resources in youths' environments. Investigating the developmental course and consequences of future orientation is particularly germane to maltreated youth who may benefit from programs that target this protective mechanism. The present study tested hypotheses regarding the developmental course of future orientation, including the association of distinct future orientation trajectories with time-varying risk factors and resources, and the association of continuity and change in future orientation trajectories with young adult psychosocial functioning. Hypotheses were investigated with longitudinal (T1 = 12.22, T2 = 13.52, T3 = 14.79, T4 = 18.54), multireporter data from a nationally representative sample of maltreated youth ( = 1,461). Growth mixture modeling (GMM) identified three classes of growth trajectories in future orientation: and. Time-variant and -invariant risk factors and resources differentiated youths' future orientation trajectories. Youth in the high-persistent and low start/increasing trajectories were more likely to attain young adulthood developmental milestones-including independent living skills, social capital, employment, and higher weekly income. This study documents how an important component of resilient adaptation emerges and promotes positive outcomes among highly vulnerable youth. (PsycINFO Database Record

Socioeconomic hardship and delayed reward discounting: Associations with working memory and emotional reactivity

“…Previous research suggests that smaller delayed rewards present the largest effect size ( Amlung and MacKillop, 2014 , 2011 ; Oshri et al, 2018a , b ) possibly because the small magnitudes are of greatest relevance to a sample of low SES. To examine the ecological validity of the survey task, we tested the SEM models with different magnitudes of DRD separately.…”

“…In the primary analyses, a latent difference score ( Hamaker et al, 2015 ; McArdle and Hamagami, 2001 ; Selig and Preacher, 2009 ; Steyer et al, 1997 ) was used to assess the change in DRD from T3 to T4, consisting of the small, medium, and large magnitude log transformed k values. In addition, previous research suggests that smaller delayed rewards present the largest effect size ( Amlung and MacKillop, 2014 , 2011 ; Oshri et al, 2018a , b ) possibly because the small magnitudes are of greatest relevance to a sample of low SES. Thus, to examine the ecological validity of the survey task, we tested the model using small, medium, and large magnitude k values separately.…”

“…Early life stress associated with SH is correlated with neurobiological and cognitive vulnerabilities that are also associated with more impulsive decision-making ( Hair et al, 2015 ; Luby et al, 2013 ). Youths’ ability to make less impulsive decisions and be more future-oriented is an important asset for their successful transition into responsible adult roles ( Oshri et al, 2018a , b ; Romer et al, 2010 ). More recent research evidence shows a link between stress and delay-reward discounting (DRD; Malesza, 2019 ), a person’s orientation toward smaller immediate rewards rather than larger delayed rewards ( Shamosh et al, 2008 ; Wesley and Bickel, 2014 ).…”

“…This hypothesis is based on neuroimaging findings that activity in emotional processing networks moderated top-down regulation of decision-making ( Ernst and Paulus, 2005 ; Miu et al, 2008 ). Emotionally reactive individuals have been shown to be more prone to use substances because of altered salience of rewards ( Oshri et al, 2018a , b ) and a reduced potential for executive systems, such as WM, to effectively evaluate and weigh long-term versus short-term behavioral outcomes to yield less impulsive choices ( Bechara, 2005 ; Cohen et al, 2016 ; D’Argembeau et al, 2008 ).…”

Bundling the haystack to find the needle: Challenges and opportunities in modeling risk and resilience following early life stress

“…Consistent with a "bedside to bench, and back again" approach, we further turn to clinical observations dating back to Erikson (158) that developmental milestones marking critical periods for affective and cognitive maturation can predict later function. More recently, longitudinal studies in humans have revealed that positive adaptation in the face of adversity (a.k.a., resilience) over the lifespan can be predicted by childhood trajectories of executive function related to future orientation (159). Other examples of specific predictors of later cognitive or emotion-regulation deficits reportedly include failure to meet language development milestones by 24 months (160) and delayed bedwetting cessation after 4 years (161), respectively.…”