Objective This study tests the association between ACEs during childhood and multi-dimensional well-being in early adulthood for a low-income urban cohort, and whether a preschool preventive intervention moderates this association. Methods Follow-up data were analyzed for 1,202 low-income, minority participants in the Chicago Longitudinal Study, a prospective investigation of the impact of early experiences on life-course well-being. Born in 1979-1980 in high-poverty neighborhoods, individuals retrospectively reported ACEs from birth to adolescence, except in cases of child abuse and neglect. . Results Nearly two-thirds of the study sample experienced one or more ACEs by age 18. After controlling for demographic factors and early intervention status, individuals reporting ACEs were significantly more likely to exhibit poor outcomes than those with no ACEs. Those with four or more ACEs had significantly reduced likelihood of high school graduation (OR = .37; p < .001), increased risk for depression (OR = 3.9; p < .001), health compromising behaviors (OR = 4.5; p < .001), juvenile arrest (OR = 3.1; p < .001) and felony charges (OR = 2.8; p < .001). They were also less likely to hold skilled jobs (OR = .50; p = .001) and to go further in school even for adversity measured by age 5. Conclusions ACEs consistently predicted a diverse set of adult outcomes in a high-risk economically disadvantaged sample. Effective and widely available preventive interventions are needed to counteract the long-term consequences of ACEs.
Bipolar disorder is characterised by impulsivity, and recent research suggests it is important to consider more specific forms of impulsivity. In two student samples, we examined associations of self-reported impulsivity with mania risk (Hypomanic Personality Scale, HPS). We hypothesised that mania risk would relate to impulsivity in the context of opportunities for rewarding activities (Delaying Gratification Inventory, DGI), reward pursuit (Fun-Seeking subscale of the Behavioural Activation Scale, BAS), and when experiencing positive affect (Positive Urgency Measure, PUM). In Study 1 (N = 823), the HPS was uniquely related to Fun-Seeking and PUM scores. Study 2 (N = 482) replicated the correlation of HPS scores with PUM while documenting positive associations between PUM and trait-like responses to positive affect. Findings across both studies stress the importance of considering the role of positive emotion in driving the impulsivity among persons at risk for mania. These findings have implications for refining our understanding of the aetiology of bipolar disorder and for treatment development.
As technologies continue to evolve at exponential rates, online platforms are becoming an increasingly salient social context for adolescents. Adolescents are often early adopters, savvy users, and innovators of technology use. This not only creates new vulnerabilities but also presents new opportunities for positive impactdparticularly, the use of technology to promote healthy learning and adaptation during developmental windows of opportunity. For example, early adolescence appears to represent a developmental inflection point in health trajectories and in technology use in ways that may be strategically targeted for prevention and intervention. The field of adolescent health can capitalize on technology use during developmental windows of opportunity to promote well-being and behavior change in the following ways: (1) through a deeper understanding of the specific ways that developmental changes create new opportunities for motivation and engagement with technologies; (2) by leveraging these insights for more effective use of technology in intervention and prevention efforts; and (3) by combining developmental science-informed targeting with broaderreach technologic approaches to health behavior change at the population level (e.g., leveraging and changing social norms). Collaboration across disciplinesdincluding developmental science, medicine, psychology, public health, and computer sciencedcan create compelling innovations to use digital technology to promote health in adolescents.
The contributions of psychology to the development and evaluation of preschool-to-third-grade prevention programs are analyzed with an emphasis on poverty alleviation through implementation of effective services for a greater number of children. The need to alleviate poverty and increase economic success is high. Early childhood programs have been found to be an effective strategy for promoting educational success and economic well-being, but the availability of high quality programs that are aligned and integrated with schools across the learning continuum is limited. Psychology has made major contributions to knowledge and practice in (a) defining and evaluating educational enrichment and (b) understanding mechanisms of behavioral change. As an empirical illustration of these contributions for enhancing economic well-being, we report new midlife income data in the Child–Parent Centers, a preschool-to-third-grade program that integrates the two major contributions to improve life course outcomes. Based on a well-matched alternative-intervention design with high sample retention (86%; N = 1,329), findings indicate that participation was associated with a 25% increase in average annual income at age 34 years ($22,708 vs. $18,130; p < .01). Graduates were also more likely to be in the top income quartile (≥$27,500; 30.7% vs. 20.2%; p < .01). Most of the main effects were explained by cognitive, school, and family factors, though further corroboration is needed. Implications for strengthening the impacts of early childhood programs as an avenue for increasing well-being and reducing inequality emphasize redressing ecological barriers, improving continuity and alignment with other strategies, and implementing effectiveness elements widely.
Accidents and unintentional injuries account for the greatest number of adolescent deaths, often involving use of alcohol and other substances. This article describes the iterative design and development of Interactive Narrative System for Patient-Individualized Reflective Exploration (INSPIRE), a narrative-centered behavior change environment for adolescents focused on reducing alcohol use. INSPIRE is designed to serve as an extension to clinical preventive care, engaging adolescents in a theoretically grounded intervention for health behavior change by leveraging 3D game engine and interactive narrative technologies. Methods: Adolescents were engaged in all aspects of the iterative, multiyear development process of INSPIRE through over 20 focus groups and iterative pilot testing involving more than 145 adolescents. Qualitative findings from focus groups are reported, as well as quantitative findings from small-scale pilot sessions investigating adolescent engagement with a prototype version of INSPIRE using a combination of questionnaire and interaction trace log data. Results: Adolescents reported that they found INSPIRE to be engaging, believable, and relevant to their lives. The majority of participants indicated that the narrative's protagonist character was like them (84%) and that the narrative featured virtual characters that they could relate to (79%). In the interactive narrative, the goals most frequently chosen by adolescents were "stay in control" (60%) and "do not get in trouble" (55%). Conclusions: With a strong theoretical framework (social-cognitive behavior change theory) and technology advances (narrative-centered learning environments), the field is well positioned to design health behavior change systems that can realize significant impacts on behavior change for adolescent preventive health.
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