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Children and youth with high behavioral health needs can receive care in a psychiatric residential treatment facility (PRTF). Overutilization of PRTFs is concerning because they are highly restrictive and costly residential care settings. Intensive Alternative Family Treatment (IAFT®) is an intensive therapeutic foster care program combined with service implementation strategies that is designed to reduce risk for entry to PRTF among youth with high behavioral health needs. This article presents findings from a quasi-experimental study examining the effectiveness of IAFT services in such a population of youth. In this study, we balanced treatment and comparison groups by first sampling youth with intensive care needs as indicated by having a prior PRTF spell. We then used propensity score weighting and covariate adjustment to estimate the effectiveness of IAFT in preventing PRTF re-entry. We found that receipt of IAFT was associated with a 24% lower risk of PRTF re-entry compared with youth who exited from a PRTF in the same state but did not receive IAFT. Sensitivity tests yielded mixed results regarding the effect of IAFT. Overall, results suggest that IAFT is an effective treatment approach for reducing risk for PRTF entry among youth with high behavioral health needs. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The work related absences of the military member results in high probabilities for separations in military families. Further analysis indicates the level of family adjustment to separations and the adaptation of these families with more personal and organizational assets.

Abstract: Purpose: Rural communities are currently being impacted by a nationwide epidemic of prescription opioid misuse. Rural adolescent substance users may be at substantial risk for later addiction to these and other drugs. Methods: This study uses Latent Class Analysis to identify subtypes of polysubstance users among a sample of 7,074 rural adolescents. Separate models were estimated for middle‐ and high‐school youth. Predictive validity was estimated using cumulative ordinal logistic regression of the classes on a set of youth and family characteristics. Findings: We identified a 4‐class solution for both middle‐ and high‐school students marked by initiation of an increasing number of substances used at greater frequency. These classes included Substance Nonusers, Primarily Alcohol Users, Initiators‐Low Frequency Users, and Initiators‐Moderate‐to‐High Lifetime Frequency Users. About 6%‐10% of youth reported using prescription drugs at least once, and in the moderate‐to‐high frequency class, middle‐school youth were more likely to use prescription drugs and inhalants compared to high‐school youth in the same class. The 4 classes were associated with race/ethnicity, and in high school with receiving free/reduced price lunch. Conclusion: In general, younger adolescents have lower overall use rates, but within certain classes identified by this analysis, the observed pattern suggests that younger cohorts are turning to prescription drugs and inhalants. These findings support the implementation of universal substance use prevention programs, targeted programs for youth experiencing risk factors associated with substance use, and improved rural substance abuse treatment options. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This article describes the findings from an efficacy trial of a school-based, universal prevention program designed to reduce aggressive behavior of by strengthening emotion regulation and social information-processing (SIP) skills. Three cohorts of third graders (N = 479) participated in this study. The first cohort participated in the Making Choices (MC) program, a second cohort participated in the Making Choices Plus (MC+) program, and a third (lagged) cohort received the standard health education curriculum. Pretest to posttest changes suggest both programs were associated with reduced levels of aggression and improved SIP skills. Gender-moderating effects were observed—boys displayed significant reductions in aggressive behavior and significant increases in positive social goals, whereas girls’ aggressive behaviors and social goals showed no significant changes. [ABSTRACT FROM PUBLISHER]

The academic impact of the transition from elementary to middle school has significant consequences for many early adolescents. This study examines academic growth across the transition, as well as sociodemographic moderators. Rather than defining the transition effect as a decline in student achievement between fifth and sixth grade, these data demonstrate the transition effect as an interruption in students’ growth in achievement during this interval. Results confirm larger interruptions for vulnerable students (e.g., low income, special education) despite closing the gap effect over the third- to eighth-grade interval. [ABSTRACT FROM PUBLISHER]

The relationship between relevance in the curriculum and student engagement has received increased attention in education, particularly for students from low-income families. Seen as an answer to high school drop-out rates, efforts at relevance (e.g., career academies) have proliferated in high schools. However, earlier interventions in the middle grades are needed to prevent school disengagement. In this inquiry, we examine the change in valuing, a dimension of emotional engagement, over the middle grades for all students and for low-income students. We then test the causal effect of career relevant instruction (CRI) on middle school students' school valuing utilizing instrumental variable estimation (IVE) and randomized assignment. Data indicate that CRI in mathematics, science, and social studies promotes higher student valuing of school, and no difference exists between students fromlow-income families and their higher income peers. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The current study filled significant gaps in our knowledge of developmental psychopathology by examining the influence of multilevel risk factors and developmental assets on longitudinal trajectories of internalizing symptoms and self-esteem in an exceptionally culturally diverse sample of rural adolescents. Integrating ecological and social capital theories, we explored if positive microsystem transactions are associated with self-esteem while negative microsystem transactions increase the chances of internalizing problems. Data came from the Rural Adaptation Project, a 5-year longitudinal panel study of more than 4,000 middle school students from 28 public schools in two rural, disadvantaged counties in North Carolina. Three-level hierarchical linear modeling models were estimated to predict internalizing symptoms (e.g., depression, anxiety) and self-esteem. Relative to other students, risk for internalizing problems and low self-esteem was elevated for aggressive adolescents, students who were hassled or bullied at school, and those who were rejected by peers or in conflict with their parents. Internalizing problems were also more common among adolescents from socioeconomically disadvantaged families and neighborhoods, among those in schools with more suspensions, in students who reported being pressured by peers, and in youth who required more teacher support. It is likely that these experiences left adolescents disengaged from developing social capital from ecological microsystems (e.g., family, school, peers). On the positive side, support from parents and friends and optimism about the future were key assets associated with lower internalizing symptoms and higher self-esteem. Self-esteem was also positively related to religious orientation, school satisfaction, and future optimism. These variables show active engagement with ecological microsystems. The implications and limitations were discussed. [ABSTRACT FROM PUBLISHER]

The aim of this study was to examine if family system dynamics (e.g., parent mental health, marriage quality, conflict, and cohesion) that have often been overlooked when studying Latino families play a more important role in predicting adolescent internalizing symptoms than acculturation processes. Data comes from the Latino Acculturation and Health Project, a longitudinal investigation of acculturation in Latino families in North Carolina and Arizona (Smokowski & Bacallao, 2006, 2010). Researchers conducted in-depth, community-based interviews with 258 Latino adolescents and 258 of their parents in metropolitan, small-town, and rural areas. Interviews were conducted at four time points at intervals of approximately 6 months. Parent and adolescent ratings of the adolescent's internalizing symptoms were used as the dependent variable in a longitudinal hierarchical linear model with a rater effects structure. Results showed that parent–adolescent conflict and parent mental health (fear/avoidance of social situations and humiliation sensitivity) were significant predictors of adolescent internalizing symptoms. Acculturation scales were not significant predictors; however, internalizing symptoms decreased with time spent in the United States. Females and adolescents from lower socioeconomic status families reported more internalizing symptoms, while participants who had been in the United States longer reported fewer internalizing symptoms. Implications were discussed. [ABSTRACT FROM PUBLISHER]

Research and theory suggest that students learn more effectively when they perceive course content as relevant to their futures. The current research assessed the impact of CareerStart, a middle grades instructional strategy designed to advance the occupational relevance of what students are being taught in the core subjects—math, science, language arts, and social studies. CareerStart was introduced randomly in 7 of 14 middle schools in a diverse district with 3,295 students followed for 3 years. The analyses examined impact on end-of-grade test scores on math and reading exams. Findings confirm a significant treatment effect for math performance but no effect for reading performance. [ABSTRACT FROM PUBLISHER]

Background: Women with developmental disabilities are much less likely than nondisabled women to receive cervical and breast cancer screening according to clinical guidelines. One barrier to receipt of screenings is a lack of knowledge about preventive screenings. Method: To address this barrier, we used a randomized control trial (n = 175 women) to test Women Be Healthy, an intervention designed to promote cervical and breast cancer screening for women with developmental disabilities. Women assigned to the experimental group participated in weekly health education program for 8 weeks. Women assigned to the control group participated in their regular vocational training or educational activities. Results: Unadjusted findings indicated modest gains for both groups in knowledge related to cervical and breast cancer screening. Regression results indicated statistically significant but modest knowledge gains for the experimental group related to breast cancer screening. Implications: These findings indicate that the Women Be Healthy curriculum is promising but needs to better address cervical cancer. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The school dropout rate in America is too high, especially for low-income students and those from nondominant racial or ethnic groups. For many students, the social-psychological and behavioral disengagement from school that leads to dropping out often begins in middle school. Research on early adolescents confirms that increasing the perceived future career relevance of schooling is associated with higher levels of student engagement. This article describes the value of promoting future career relevance in middle school education and the CareerStart program, which can be implemented in schools to promote this type of learning. CareerStart is a whole school engagement program that responds to current education reform initiatives and supports more comprehensive efforts to promote school- based professional collaborations that benefit at-risk students. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]