Adverse childhood experiences (ACEs), such as childhood maltreatment and household dysfunction, have been linked to adolescent substance use. As a result, there exists a pressing need for trauma-informed, substance use preventive intervention for adolescents with a history of ACEs. The primary aim of this qualitative study is to increase our…

The Voices of Youth Count initiative's systematic evidence review is the most comprehensive synthesis of evaluation evidence on programs and practices related to youth homelessness to date. This document is one in a series of seven topical evidence summaries derived from the longer evidence review brief. Herein, evaluations of family interventions…

Substance abuse in adolescents has been recognized as a public health problem at the national and global levels. Adolescents are at risk for experimenting with substances. School nurses in secondary schools are well positioned to screen and counsel students on substance use. In this project, school nurses' self-efficacy levels increased in using…

Exposure to violence can lead to a dramatic increase in the likelihood of the development of a substance use disorder (SUD). Given the overlap between the two, substance use for survivors of violence, then, can be a coping mechanism to manage the traumatic effects of abuse and persistent use can evolve into a diagnosable SUD. This study was…

The purpose of this feasibility project is to implement and evaluate the effect of a trauma-informed modification on an evidence-based classroom intervention model to promote effective trauma-informed classroom management and coping skills with potential reduction of educator stress and burnout. Trauma is the most-common psychological health…

LGBTQ+ youth are at elevated risk for suicidality, substance use, and other mental health concerns. Evidence-based psychotherapeutic interventions are often the first line treatment for mental health concerns. However, there is limited research examining the effectiveness of such interventions among LGBTQ+ adolescents. This systematic review…

Background: Childhood adversity is linked to a number of adult health and psychosocial outcomes; however, it is not clear how to best assess and model childhood adversity reported by adolescents with known maltreatment exposure. Objective: This study sought to identify an empirically-supported measurement model of childhood adversity for…

The Voices of Youth Count initiative's systematic evidence review is the most comprehensive synthesis of evaluation evidence on programs and practices related to youth homelessness to date. Herein, evaluations of outreach interventions for youth experiencing homelessness are summarized. Outreach is a set of activities in which service providers…

A consequence of a growing incarceration rate is that an increasing number of children face having an incarcerated household member, a known contributor to diverse lifelong behavioral health risks such as substance use and mental health impairment. Few studies have explored how household incarceration uniquely contributes to these subsequent…

This brief, prepared as part of Morrison Institute for Public Policy's Spotlight on Arizona's Kids project, outlines evidence-based services that help reduce or prevent child abuse and neglect, including home visiting, parent education, domestic violence services, and substance abuse treatment.

The purpose of the current study was to explore whether selfcompassion predicted psychological distress over and above childhood maltreatment and attachment orientation in high-risk youths. Fifty-one youths (31 males, 20 females) aged 17 to 24, recruited from a community non-profit organization in St. John's, Newfoundland and Labrador, Canada,…

Objective: To determine the prevalence, remission, and treatment associated with DSM-5 substance use disorders (SUDs) among young adults based on college attendance. Participants: The population-based sample included 2,057 young adults aged 19-23 in college/school and 1,213 not currently attending college/school who participated from April 2012…

Significant numbers of college students experience negative consequences due to their misuse of alcohol and other drugs. For far too many, some of these effects are ruinous of their lives, and for well more than a thousand each year, life ending. This article first provides an overview of the scope of this problem. It then covers both assessment…

Adverse childhood experiences (ACEs) are associated with health-risk behaviors in general samples of adults and adolescents. The current study examined the association between ACEs and these behaviors among a high-risk sample of early adolescents. Five hundred fifteen 9- to 11-year-old children placed in foster care due to maltreatment were…

Childhood exposure to traumatic experiences and subsequent psychological symptoms increase the risk for lifelong behavioral and mental health problems, including depression diagnoses, reduced adaptive coping strategies, substance abuse, and early death, with negative impacts on children's social development and academic achievement.…