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ObjectivesTo test whether childhood maltreatment was a predictor of (1) having low educational qualifications and (2) not being in education, employment, or training among young adults in the United Kingdom today.MethodsParticipants were from the Environmental Risk (E-Risk) Longitudinal Twin Study, a nationally representative UK cohort of 2232 twins born in 1994 to 1995. Mothers reported on child maltreatment when participants were aged 5, 7, 10, and 12 years. Participants were interviewed about their vocational status at age 18 years.ResultsThe unadjusted odds of having low educational qualifications or of not being in education, employment, or training at age 18 years were more than 2 times greater for young people with a childhood history of maltreatment versus those without. These associations were reduced after adjustments for individual and family characteristics. Youths who reported having a supportive adult in their lives had better education outcomes than did youths who had less support.ConclusionsCloser collaboration between the child welfare and education systems is warranted to improve vocational outcomes for maltreated youths.

RationaleHarsh, abusive and rejecting behavior by parents toward their adolescents is associated with increased risk of many developmental problems for youth.ObjectiveIn the present study we address behaviors of co-parents that might help disrupt the hypothesized health risk of harsh parenting.MethodData come from a community study of 451 early adolescents followed into adulthood. During early adolescence, observers rated both parents separately on harshness towards the adolescent. Adolescents reported on their physical health at multiple assessments from age 12 through age 20, and on parental warmth.ResultsHarsh parenting predicted declines in adolescent self-reported physical health and increases in adolescent body mass index (BMI). Although the health risk associated with harshness from one parent was buffered by warmth from the other parent, warmth from the second parent augmented the association between harshness from the first parent and change over time in adolescent BMI.ConclusionAs appropriate, preventive interventions should include a focus on spousal or partner behaviors in their educational or treatment programs. Additional research is needed on the association between self-reported physical health and BMI in adolescence.

Disturbance events are increasing at a global scale, with cascading impacts to ecosystems and residents therein that include fragmentation and altered vegetation structure and composition. Such changes may disproportionately impact small mammal movements, risk perception, and community dynamics as smaller species perceive such changes at finer spatial scales. We examined movement response to burn severity, vegetation structure, and composition in Mexican woodrats (Neotoma mexicana), a common but understudied small mammal species. The study was conducted on Mt. Graham in southeastern Arizona, United States, following a fire that burned over 19,400 ha. We measured path tortuosity of woodrats translocated over patches of different burn severity. Tortuosity can indicate microhabitat selection, foraging behavior, and perceived predation risk—features affecting population-level processes that changes in community composition alone cannot fully demonstrate. We captured woodrats, released them 50 m away from their midden, and used fluorescent powder to track woodrat movement paths through areas of low–severe burn severity. We analyzed features of the resulting powder trails including straightness, average step length, fractal dimension, and squared displacement. We also compared used versus expected vegetation structure and composition along movement paths across burn severities. Analyses indicated shorter step length with increased bare ground, as well as higher squared displacement in areas with more logs. Vegetation analyses likewise showed that logs were heavily used in low-burned areas, whereas dense vegetation was avoided in highly burned areas. Burn severity alone did not have a direct effect on movement parameters, rather its influence on vegetative composition and structure appears to be most important. Selection for logs and avoidance of dense vegetation may be attributed to auditory concealment and ease of travel. With projected increases in wildfire extent and severity, this work represents an understudied approach to understanding these disturbances and their effects on ecological communities. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

PurposeHarsh, abusive, and rejecting behavior by parents toward their children is associated with increased risk for many developmental problems for youth. Earlier research also shows that children raised by harsh parents are more likely to treat their own children harshly. The present study evaluated nurturing and supportive behaviors of spouses or cohabiting romantic partners hypothesized to strengthen co-parent relationships and help break this intergenerational cycle of harsh parenting.MethodsData come from the Family Transitions Project, a 22-year, 3-generation study of a cohort of over 500 early adolescents (G2) grown to adulthood. During adolescence, observers rated G1 (parent of G2) harsh parenting to G2. Several years later, observers rated G2 harsh parenting toward their oldest child (G3). In addition, G2's romantic partner (spouse or cohabiting partner) was rated by observers on a range of behaviors expected to affect G2 harsh parenting.ResultsRomantic partner warmth and positive communication with G2 were associated with less G2 harsh parenting toward G3 (a compensatory or main effect) and when these partner behaviors were high, there was no evidence of intergenerational continuity from G1 to G2 harsh parenting (a moderating or protective effect). G1 harsh parenting slightly decreased the likelihood that G2 would select a supportive spouse or romantic partner (evidence of cumulative continuity).ConclusionsRomantic partner warmth and positive communication appear to disrupt continuity in harsh and abusive parenting. As appropriate, preventive interventions designed to reduce risk for child maltreatment should include a focus on spousal or partner behaviors in their educational or treatment programs.