Sensation seeking is a significant predictor of alcohol-related consequences among high school students. High school seniors report the highest prevalence rates of alcohol use and binge drinking among students in high school. Among high sensation-seeking students, higher rates of Protective Behavioral Strategies (PBS) use are associated with fewer…

Reservation-dwelling American Indian adolescents are at exceedingly high risk for cannabis use. Prevention initiatives to delay the onset and escalation of use are needed. The risk and promotive factors approach to substance use prevention is a well-established framework for identifying the timing and targets for prevention initiatives. This study…

Adolescents with food allergies (FA) face unique challenges, including an increased risk of bullying, yet comprehensive national studies on this intersection are lacking. Our study examines the prevalence and association between FA and bullying among US high-school adolescents, utilizing Youth Risk Behavior Survey (2015-2019) data. Analyzing…

Objective: We examined the relative contribution of parental bipolar disorder (BPD) and psychiatric comorbidities (disruptive behavior disorders [DBD] and anxiety disorders) in predicting psychiatric symptoms and disorders in 2-5-year-old offspring. Methods: Participants were 60 families with a parent with BPD and 78 offspring and 70 comparison…

Literacy acquisition is a complex process with genetic and environmental factors influencing cognitive and neural processes associated with reading. Previous research identified factors that predict word reading fluency (WRF), including phonological awareness (PA), rapid automatized naming (RAN), and speech-in-noise perception (SPIN). Recent…

Background: There is little research comparatively assessing prevalence of pain between older people either with or without intellectual disability. This paper explores health and social factors associated with chronic pain in these two groups. Method: A cross-sectional survey was undertaken in New South Wales and Queensland, Australia. Inclusion…

Over the past 20+ years, researchers have worked toward identifying early behavioral predictors of autism spectrum disorder (ASD) and developing observation-based screeners to supplement existing parent-report methods. This study is a follow-up, 3 to 8 years later, with parents/caregivers of 57 children previously enrolled in a U.S.…

Objective: Food service employment is associated with substance use, risk of substance use disorders and various negative consequences. Previous research has not examined the substance use patterns of students employed in food service positions. Method: During Fall of 2018, 276 undergraduates completed an anonymous online survey regarding current…

Substantial body of empirical evidence supports the Interpersonal Theory of Suicide (IPTS; Joiner, 2005); however, the association between personality vulnerability factors and IPTS constructs had yet to be examined in Asian college students. The present study examined Blatt's (1974) model of personality in relation to Joiner's (2005) IPTS in a…

Research has linked pre- and perinatal complications (PPCs) with increased risk for autism spectrum disorder (ASD). However, PPCs are also known risk factors for other mental health disorders. This study explored which PPCs are specific risk factors for ASD, as opposed to other forms of psychopathology, among a large sample of clinically-referred…

Autistic individuals are at significantly higher risk of suicide than non-autistic individuals, with transition-aged youth at potentially the highest risk. While lower executive function (EF) skills have been significantly associated with suicide risk in other clinical samples, the link between EF and suicidality has not yet been examined for…

Objective: Alcohol consumption patterns during the COVID-19 pandemic have varied notably. Participants: We examined the acute impact of the pandemic on alcohol use disorder (AUD) in a generalizable sample of college students who were surveyed pre-pandemic and re-surveyed in May 2020. Method: Items assessed pre-pandemic included DSM-5 AUD and…

Studies exploring associations between children with Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD) and depression in parents are limited. This study compares healthcare utilization, depression treatment costs, and risk factors, in parents of children with and without ASD. Using a matched case-control, individuals aged 27 to 64 with continuous enrollment from…

We studied the associations between childhood-identified learning disabilities and adult-age mental health and whether adult-age reading and math skills, coping styles, or resilience influenced the associations. The participants were 159 Finnish adults (60.4% males). Of them, 48 (30%) had a reading disability (RD), 22 (14%) had a math disability…

Violence and traumatic stress negatively affect physical health in youth. Incarcerated adolescents have high rates of violence exposure and health problems, however, few studies have examined medical records and violence exposure in this high-risk population. Self-reported violence exposure and symptoms of stress were collected in 115 incarcerated…