Risk and Protective Factors for Early Substance Use Initiation: A Longitudinal Study of Mexican‐Origin Youth

Substance use initiation in adolescence is a critical issue, given its association with substance dependency and associated problems in adulthood. However, due to the dearth of fine‐grained longitudinal studies, the factors associated with early initiation are poorly understood, especially in minority youth. The present study examined substance use initiation in a sample of Mexican‐origin youth (n = 674) assessed annually from age 10 to 16. Using discrete‐time survival analyses, we found that initiation escalated rapidly from late childhood to adolescence, and we identified a wide range of factors, from the individual to the cultural level of analysis, that significantly increased or decreased risk for early initiation. These findings have important implications for programs aimed at preventing early substance use by Mexican‐origin youth.     

Personal resources and depression in the transition to adulthood: ethnic comparisons

Based on a representative sample of 1,803 South Florida young adults, we examine the extent to which personal attributes mediate or moderate the ethnicity-depression relationship and condition the effects of social stress on depression. Our sample contains nearly equal proportions of African American, Cuban American, "other" Hispanic, and non-Hispanic white respondents. Findings suggest that there are ethnic variations in four of the five personal resources considered. Additionally, when accounting for ethnic differences in response tendencies and in the confounding of personal resources with depression, there is strong evidence for both direct and stress-buffering effects of personal resources. Although na?ve comparisons of within group findings imply a number of ethnic variations in those effects, few statistically significant differences are observed. It is suggested that ethnic similarities outweigh differences, at least with respect to the mental health significance of the personal resources considered. Overall, the results highlight some of the complexities inherent in making multi-ethnic comparisons.     

Adolescent development and adolescent pregnancy among late age African-American female adolescents

Prematurely constituted families are a problem of considerable magnitude in inner city communities. Research was conducted to compare and contrast a random sample (N36) of pregnant and nonpregnant late age low income African-American adolescent females' perceptions about their transition to adulthood. Findings suggest that adolescent pregnancy, although problematic, may be a solution to developmental concerns for some Black females and serves as a rite of passage to adulthood. Thematic categories of mate selection, opportunity mobility, and care protection represented psychological-attitudinal variables where the two groups differed significantly. Nonpregnant females were more frequently invested in behaviors that reflected social mobility goals than pregnant females.This article is a revised version of a paper presented at the 3rd Statewide Social Work Symposium, The Massachusetts Chapter of the National Association of Social Workers, Marlborough, Mass, 4/22/94.     

Adolescent Generativity: A Longitudinal Study of Two Possible Contexts for Learning Concern for Future Generations

The purpose of the present study was to investigate developmental pathways to Erikson's (1959) construct of generativity, defined as care and concern for the next generation and traditionally viewed as important for midlife adults, in a late adolescent sample. A sample of 198 adolescents was followed three times over a 6‐year period, from ages 17 to 23. Questionnaire measures of generative concern, parenting style, community involvement, and personal adjustment were collected. Adolescents' generative concern was positively related to good adjustment, as has been observed previously among adults. Generative concern at age 23 was predicted by earlier reports of family authoritative parenting, and especially by higher levels of earlier prosocial community involvement among these adolescents. Overall, results suggest that generativity may be a developing element in the domain of prosocial moral concern in later adolescence, and that family and community roots may be important in its establishment.     

Effects of Timing of Adversity on Adolescent and Young Adult Adjustment

Effects of Timing of Adversity on Adolescent and Young Adult Adjustment Abstract Exposure to adversity during childhood and adolescence predicts adjustment across development. Further, adolescent adjustment problems persist into young adulthood. This study examined relations of contextual adversity with concurrent adolescent adjustment and prospective mental health and health outcomes in young adulthood. A longitudinal sample (N = 808) was followed from age 10 through 27. Perceptions of neighborhood in childhood predicted depression, alcohol use disorders, and HIV risk in young adulthood. Further, the timing of adversity was important in determining the type of problem experienced in adulthood. Youth adjustment predicted adult outcomes, and in some cases, mediated the relation between adversity and outcomes. These findings support the importance of adversity in predicting adjustment and elucidate factors that affect outcomes into young adulthood.     

A Qualitative Study of “fa’a’amu” Kinship Care Experiences in Tahiti

“Fa'a'amu” is a type of adoption commonly found in French Polynesia involving open, informal adoption arrangements, in which the child maintains ties to the family of origin. Although the function that child circulation plays in Oceanic societies has been widely documented by anthropologists, the implications of fa'a'amu at the individual level have yet to be examined. To address this gap, an exploratory qualitative study was conducted to 1) examine the lived experiences of adults who were fa'a'amu as children, and 2) identify experiences and characteristics associated with positive psychosocial and mental health outcomes in adulthood. The sample consisted of 22 Tahitian adults, who had been fa'a'amu during childhood. Applying a developmental and attachment lens, we explored how participants experienced relationships with birth and adoptive families, and how being fa'a'amu impacted their sense of well-being, attachment, identity, and belonging. Data was collected through The Adult Attachment Interview and the Fa'a'amu Experience Interview, which were coded using thematic analysis. Factors associated with positive outcomes in adulthood included early age at adoption, sensitive fa'a'amu parents, positive or benign relationships with birth parents, and respect between fa'a'amu and birth families. Factors associated with emotional distress included late age at adoption, abandonment and rejection, exploitative fa'a'amu parents, and conflict between birth and fa'a'amu families.     

Using focus groups to explore the nature of prayer in late life

The purpose of this article is to present results from a series of focus groups that were designed to explore the nature and personal meaning of prayer in late life. Eight focus groups were conducted consisting of 63 adults age 65 and older. Three major themes associated with prayer emerged from the group discussions. First, study participants identified a number of beliefs about how prayer operates, including beliefs about the timing and nature of answers to prayers. Second, some participants felt it was important to distinguish between group and individual prayers. In the process, they discussed several ways in which the nature and impact of group and individual prayers may differ. Third, participants in our focus groups helped clarify what initially appeared to be a rather passive approach to the use of prayer during difficult times.     

Status, role, and resource explanations for age patterns in psychological distress

Using data from the 1996 and 1998 General Social Surveys, we explore the relationships among age, age-linked personal and social qualities, and two measures of psychological distress: depression (1996) and generalized distress (1998). Our study has three aims: (1) to replicate the u-shaped age-distress relationship in two recent U.S. data sets, (2) to confirm and elaborate on the mediators of the parabolic association, and (3) to explore the possible suppressor effects. In 1996, depression decreases from young adulthood into midlife and increases among the oldest-old. Less education, lower control, and widowhood contribute to old-age upturn; however, fewer time demands and greater financial satisfaction suppress the upward curve. Conversely, greater control, less shame, and greater religious attendance contribute to the decline through midlife; however, poorer health in midlife suppress that decline. Age patterns in distress are similar in the 1998 sample. Greater satisfaction with finances and fewer religious doubts contribute to the downward slope; however, declining levels of health suppress that downturn. Less education and retired status contribute to the old-age upturn. In sum, personal and social conditions have opposing influences on the parabolic relationship between age and distress.     

The History and Timing of Depression Onset as Predictors of Young Adult Self‐Esteem

Depression often emerges early in the lifecourse and is consistently shown to be associated with poor self‐esteem. The 3 main objectives of the current study are to (1) evaluate the association between a history major depression and self‐esteem in young adulthood, (2) assess the relationship between timing of depression onset and young adult self‐esteem, and (3) help rule out the alternative interpretation that the relationship between major depression and self‐esteem is due to state dependence bias stemming from recent depressive symptoms and stressful life events. To address these objectives we use data from a 2‐wave panel study based on a community sample of young adults in Miami‐Dade County, Florida (n=1,197). Results indicated that a history of major depression during sensitive periods of social development is associated with negative changes in self‐esteem over a 2‐year period during the transition to young adulthood. Among those with a history of depression, earlier onset was more problematic than later onset for young adult self‐esteem, although the difference disappeared once the level of self‐esteem 2 years prior was controlled. The linkages between the history and timing of depression onset with self‐esteem were observed net of recent depressive symptoms and stressful life events and are thus robust to an alternative interpretation of state dependence. The findings support the argument that major depression, especially if it develops earlier during child‐adolescent development, has negative consequences for one's self‐esteem.     

Age Changes in Prosocial Responding and Moral Reasoning in Adolescence and Early Adulthood

Age changes' measures of prosocial responding and reasoning were examined. Participants' reports of helping, empathy‐related responding, and prosocial moral reasoning were obtained in adolescence (from age 15–16 years) and into adulthood (to age 25–26 years). Perspective taking and approval/interpersonal oriented/stereotypic prosocial moral reasoning increased from adolescence into adulthood, whereas personal distress declined. Helping declined and then increased (a cubic trend). Prosocial moral judgment composite scores (and self‐reflective empathic reasoning) generally increased from late adolescence into the early 20s (age 17–18 to 21–22) but either leveled off or declined slightly thereafter (i.e., showed linear and cubic trends); rudimentary needs‐oriented reasoning showed the reverse pattern of change. The increase in self‐reflective empathic moral reasoning was for females only. Thus, perspective taking and some aspects of prosocial moral reasoning—capacities with a strong sociocognitive basis—showed the clearest increases with age, whereas simple prosocial proclivities (i.e., helping, sympathy) did not increase with age.     

Age at first birth, health, and mortality

The biodevelopmental view sees the readiness and soundness of the organism at the time of first birth as its prime link to health and survival years and decades later. It suggests an optimum age at first birth shortly after puberty. The biosocial view emphasizes social correlates and consequences of age at first birth that may influence health and survival many years later. It suggests that better health and survival come from delaying motherhood as long as possible, perhaps indefinitely. Analyses consistently find patterns more in keeping with the biosocial view in a U.S. national sample of women ages 25 through 95. The fitted curves show high levels of current health problems among women who first gave birth in or shortly after puberty. Problems drop steadily the longer that first birth was delayed, up to about age 34, then rise increasingly steeply, particularly after about age 40. For women currently of the same age, the ratio of health problems expected given first birth under age 18 versus around age 34 equals that from currently being 14 years older. Health problems rise steeply with length of having delayed beyond age 40. Mortality hazard also declines with having delayed first birth well beyond the end of puberty. The ratio of mortality hazard between mothers with teenage versus late first births equals that from a 10-year difference in current age. Comparison to nonmothers of similar age and race/ethnicity shows that the correlation of motherhood with health problems and mortality hazard switches from detrimental to beneficial with delay beyond about age 22.     

House Demolition and Mental Health: Victims and Witnesses

This research examines the immediate effects of losing one's home and witnessing the demolition of others' houses on the mental health of Palestinian adults and children. The loss group consisted of 47 adults whose homes were demolished, the witness group of 24 adults who witnessed the house demolition, and the control group of 33 adults. The groups were compared for their anxiety, depression, and paranoiac symptoms. In addition, 38 children in the loss group, 36 children in the witness group, and 50 children in the control group were compared for their psychological symptoms. The results showed that adults who were exposed to house demolition showed a higher level of anxiety, depression, and paranoiac symptoms than the witness and control groups. The children in the loss group showed a higher level of psychological symptoms than the children in the witness and control groups. The witness group differed from the control group in having more depression among women and more psychological symptoms among children. Women suffered more from anxiety, depression, and paranoiac symptoms than men in the loss and witness groups but not in the control group.     

House demolition and mental health: Victims and witnesses

The research examines the immediate effects of losing one’s home and witnessing the demolition of others houses on the mental health of Palestinian adults and children. The loss group consisted of 47 adults whose homes were demolished, the witness group of 24 adults who witnessed the house demolition, and the control group of 33 adults. The groups were compared for their anxiety, depression, and paranoiac symptoms. In addition, 38 children in the loss group, 36 children in the witness group, and 50 children in the control group were compared for their psychological symptoms. The results showed that adults who were exposed to house demolition showed a higher level of anxiety, depression, and paranoiac symptoms than the witness and control groups. The children in the loss group showed a higher level of psychological symptoms than the children in the witness and control groups. The witness group differed from the control group in having more depression among women and from anxiety, depression, and paranoiac symptoms than men in the loss and witness groups but not in the control group.     

Emerging adulthood among former system youth: The ideal versus the real

Recent research has indicated that emerging adulthood, the late teen years and early twenties, is a distinct developmental period, which occurs gradually and is often filled with exploration, stress, uncertainty and a lack of a distinct role in life. Few studies, however, have examined how emerging adulthood tenets are experienced by young people involved with social service systems. With this in mind, fifty-nine young adults, ages 18 to 25, participated in in-depth interviews regarding their perspectives on transitioning to adulthood and adulthood. Participants were struggling with emotional difficulties, and shared a childhood history, which included a mood disorder diagnosis and utilization of public mental health and social services (e.g., child welfare, juvenile justice, and/or public welfare). The study sought to understand whether or not young adults with mental health and social service histories experience similar (or different) dimensions of mainstream emerging adulthood developmental theory during the late teens and early twenties. Theoretical thematic analysis indicated support not only for the theory of emerging adulthood, but also aspects unique to this sub-population. Implications for practice, policy and research are discussed.     

Being trusted: The perspectives of trusted adults about engaging with young people

Trusted adults outside the home often play an important role in young people's lives, providing motivational, emotional and practical support as young people navigate the social and economic transitions of young adulthood. Their support is developmentally appropriate as they often treat young people as adults, as they are guiding them towards that status. Yet knowledge of trusted adult relationships is largely drawn from the perspectives of young people. How do trusted adults themselves experience the relationship?Drawing on a broader study of young people's social and economic engagement during adolescence to adulthood, this paper explores the perspectives of 23 trusted adults, including those in family/friend, paid professional and community roles. It looks at how trusted adults' accounts of the relationship compare with young people's accounts. It examines some subtleties trusted adults experience in the relationship, related to their perception of their role and the roles of others, the impermanence of the relationship and personal–professional boundaries. It draws policy and practice implications regarding how to support both trusted adults and young people in the relationships they share.     

Indicators of Adolescent Depression and Relationship Progression in Emerging Adulthood

Adolescent depression may be associated with future relationship problems that have long‐term consequences given the developmental importance and health benefits of forming committed unions in emerging adulthood. The authors examined associations between emotional and behavioral indicators of adolescent depression (depressive symptoms, alcohol problems, and suicidal ideation) and romantic relationship and union formation and dissolution in emerging adulthood (n = 14,146) using the National Longitudinal Study of Adolescent Health. Adolescent alcohol problems were associated with more romantic relationships in emerging adulthood. Emerging adults with depressive symptoms or alcohol problems in adolescence were significantly more likely to enter into a cohabiting union, and those with adolescent alcohol problems were less likely to marry. Cohabiting emerging adults with a history of adolescent depressive symptoms were less likely to marry, whereas suicidal ideation was associated with a decreased likelihood of cohabitation dissolution. Implications for future research are discussed.     

Verbal Mistreatment of the Elderly

Elder mistreatment is expected to rise with the aging of the American population. To date, the association between specific forms of mistreatment and decreased quality of life is poorly understood. The aim of the present study was to explore the association between verbal mistreatment among elderly individuals and depression and quality of life. A sample of 142 older adults (40% male) aged 65 or over was enrolled from a large medical practice and academic dental practice, mean (SD) age = 74.88 (6.98) years. Thirty-eight percent of the sample reported verbal mistreatment. Controlling for sociodemographic characteristics and depression, verbal mistreatment was a significant predictor of social functioning (r = –.28, p < .001), mental health (r = –.25, p < .001), and role limitations OR = 3.02, 95% CI [1.34–6.77]. The present findings highlight the prevalence of verbal mistreatment of elderly individuals.     

Helping Out the Kids: Expectations About Parental Support in Young Adulthood

This paper examines the expectations of very young adults (age 18) and their mothers about financial support that parents might provide under a variety of situations common in young adulthood. Using representative data from women and one of their children, we examine differences in expectations between mothers and children and model variation in these expectations. We find that a lower proportion of mothers expect to provide support than their children expect them to, with particularly large gaps between mothers and sons. Further, there are substantial differences in support priorities. Many mothers would support only a married child and others only an unmarried one; similarly, some mothers would support only an unmarried child at home, whereas many others would only support a child away. Although some of these differences reflect differences in resources, most suggest disagreements and confusion about Americans' family values.