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The present article proposes an extension of the concept of adverse childhood experiences (ACEs) to apply to crisis migration – where youth and families are fleeing armed conflicts, natural disasters, community violence, government repression, and other large-scale emergencies. We propose that adverse events occurring prior to, during, and following migration can be classified as crisis-migration-related ACEs, and that the developmental logic underlying ACEs can be extended to the new class of crisis-migration-related ACEs. Specifically, greater numbers, severity, and chronicity of crisis-migration-related ACEs would be expected to predict greater impairments in mental and physical health, poorer interpersonal relationships, and less job stability later on. We propose a research agenda centered around definitional clarity, rigorous measurement development, prospective longitudinal studies to establish predictive validity, and collaborations among researchers, practitioners, and policymakers.

In September 2017, Hurricane Maria devastated Puerto Rico. Houses were destroyed, millions of people lost power and access to clean water, and many roads were flooded and blocked. In the years following the storm, hundreds of thousands of people have left Puerto Rico and settled on the U.S. mainland. The purpose of this study is to examine the impact of disaster trauma among Puerto Rican adults who moved to the U.S. mainland after Hurricane Maria.Participants were 319 adult Puerto Rican Hurricane Maria survivors on the U.S. mainland. Women comprised 71.2% of the sample. Data were collected between August 2020 and October 2021. Participants completed Spanish-language measures of hurricane-related trauma, perceived ethnic discrimination and negative context of reception on the U.S. mainland, language stress, depressive symptoms, anxiety, optimism, life satisfaction, and problem drinking.We estimated a structural equation model where hurricane trauma predicted cultural stress, which in turn predicted internalizing symptoms, optimism, and life satisfaction. Internalizing symptoms, optimism, and life satisfaction were specified as predictors of problem drinking. Results indicated that hurricane trauma predicted cultural stress. Cultural stress predicted internalizing symptoms, optimism, and life satisfaction. Internalizing symptoms predicted problem drinking. Hurricane trauma indirectly predicted internalizing symptoms through cultural stress and indirectly predicted problem drinking through cultural stress and internalizing symptoms.Traumatic experiences from the storm may predispose Puerto Rican Hurricane Maria survivors to perceive cultural stress on the U.S. mainland. In turn, cultural stressors may be associated with internalizing symptoms and alcohol problems. (PsycInfo Database Record (c) 2022 APA, all rights reserved).

On September 20, 2017, Hurricane Maria made landfall in Puerto Rico as a Category 4 hurricane with sustained winds of 155 miles per hour and torrential rains that ravaged the United States territory. In the midst of the crisis, several hundred thousand Maria survivors boarded humanitarian flights and cruise ships, seeking refuge on the United States mainland. More than three years later, tens of thousands of post-Maria migrants remain on the mainland as long-term emigres. In this article, we lay the theoretical/conceptual groundwork for researchers and practitioners interested in understanding the experiences of post-Maria migrants. Specifically, we aim to assist readers in thinking deeply about: [1] why many Puerto Ricans relocated, [2] the experiences of post-Maria migrants en movimiento, and [3] how such experiences shape their lives, behavior, and well-being. In understanding the experiences of post-Maria migrants, several theories/constructs emerge as especially salient. These include "push and pull" models, cultural stress theory and its transnational variants, the concept of crisis migration, and models of cumulative risk. We provide a succinct overview of each of these theories/constructs and describe the broad perspectives that serve as a foundational or orienting paradigm for our work (i.e., the life course perspective, the strengths perspective, and an ecodevelopmental framework). Finally, we provide illustrations of how these theories/concepts apply to emerging data from the Adelante Boricua study, an ongoing research project with post-Maria migrant youth and their parents, supported by funding from the National Institute on Minority Health and Health Disparities.

BACKGROUND. Since 2015, more than 4 million Venezuelans have fled their once prosperous nation, prompting an ever-intensifying refugee crisis. Recent research with Venezuelan parents suggests that many are exposed to elevated migration-related stress, experience behavioral health problems, and express profound concern for their children’s post-migration wellbeing. We examine the relationships between stress, family functioning, and substance use risk with a cultural stress theoretical lens. METHODS. Survey data were collected between November 2018 and June 2019 from 402 recently-arrived Venezuelan immigrant youth ages 10-17. Outcomes include perceived discrimination, negative context of reception, family support/communication, and substance use intentions and normative beliefs. Structural equation modeling was used to examine the relationships between variables. RESULTS. Structural equation modeling results indicated that negative context of reception was associated with permissive substance use norms (via family communication; B = 0.070, p < .01) and intentions to use (via family support; B = 0.051, p < .01). Discrimination was not mediated by family functioning, rather it exerted a direct effect on substance use norms (β = 0.20, p < .01) and intentions (β = 0.33, p < .001). DISCUSSION. We see clear evidence that negative context of reception and discrimination are related to substance use risk, both directly (in the case of discrimination) and indirectly (in the case of negative context of reception). Given the manifold stressors faced by Venezuelan immigrants both prior to migration and in the process of resettling in the US, it is critical that practitioners and policymakers support this rapidly-growing population.

Since 2015, the Venezuelan diaspora has poured forth from the Venezuelan sending context into an array of (mostly) middle-income receiving countries and into the United States (US) as well. For many Venezuelan migrants, post-migration reception has been mixed, and multiple studies suggest that mental health is an important challenge with discrimination and negative context reception contributing to mental health burden in terms of depression, anxiety, and posttraumatic stress. Cross-national research points to important sociodemographic differences between Venezuelan migrants resettled in South American contexts and in the US, and suggests that-on average-migration-related cultural stress is lower and mental health outcomes are better among those resettling in South Florida and elsewhere in the US.

On September 20, 2017, Hurricane Maria made landfall in Puerto Rico as a Category 4 hurricane with sustained winds of 155 miles per hour and torrential rains that ravaged the United States territory. In the midst of the crisis, several hundred thousand Maria survivors boarded humanitarian flights and cruise ships, seeking refuge on the United States mainland. More than three years later, tens of thousands of post-Maria migrants remain on the mainland as long-term emigres. In this article, we lay the theoretical/conceptual groundwork for researchers and practitioners interested in understanding the experiences of post-Maria migrants. Specifically, we aim to assist readers in thinking deeply about: [1] why many Puerto Ricans relocated, [2] the experiences of post-Maria migrants en movimiento, and [3] how such experiences shape their lives, behavior, and well-being. In understanding the experiences of post-Maria migrants, several theories/constructs emerge as especially salient. These include “push and pull” models, cultural stress theory and its transnational variants, the concept of crisis migration, and models of cumulative risk. We provide a succinct overview of each of these theories/constructs and describe the broad perspectives that serve as a foundational or orienting paradigm for our work (i.e., the life course perspective, the strengths perspective, and an ecodevelopmental framework). Finally, we provide illustrations of how these theories/concepts apply to emerging data from the Adelante Boricua study, an ongoing research project with post-Maria migrant youth and their parents, supported by funding from the National Institute on Minority Health and Health Disparities.

Crisis migration refers to displacement of large numbers of individuals and families from their home countries due to wars, dictatorial governments, and other critical hazards (e.g., hurricanes). Although crisis migration can adversely influence direct and indirect effects on the mental health of adults and their children collectively as families, there is a deficiency in theory that addresses family level processes in this crisis migration context. We propose the Family Crisis Migration Stress Framework, which consolidates what is known about the multiple factors affecting mental health outcomes of crisis migrants into one cohesive model. In our article, we synthesize relevant theories and models of disaster, migration, and family resilience in order to create a framework in which to organize the complex processes that occur within families as a result of migration and that affect the mental health of children. We include examples from various national settings to illustrate the tenets of our framework. Future policy and intervention for crisis migrant should focus on the family as a unit, instead of parents and children as individual entities.

BACKGROUND: In recent years, more than 5 million Venezuelans have left their once prosperous country, with several hundred thousand settling in the United States (US). At present, our understanding of the health risk behavior profiles of Venezuelan émigré youth, and their links with cultural stress, remains limited. OBJECTIVES: Drawing from a sample of recently-immigrated Venezuelan youth in the US, we aim to identify subtypes of youth according to their involvement in health risk behaviors (i.e., substance use, sexual risk behavior, violence) and assess the associations between class membership and key constructs related to cultural stress theory (i.e., negative context of reception, family communication/support). METHOD: Latent profile analysis and multinomial regression were performed using data from a community-based convenience sample of 402 recently-arrived Venezuelan immigrant youth (ages 10–17; 56% male). RESULTS: We identified five subtype classes: (1) “Abstainer” (36%), (2) “Alcohol Only” (24%), (3) “Alcohol/Tobacco” (24%), (4) “Aggression” (8%), and (5) “Multidimensional Risk” (8%). Compared to Class #1, youth in Classes #3 and #5 reported significantly higher levels of negative context of reception and lower levels of family functioning while controlling for demographic factors. Youth in Class #5 reported the lowest levels of family economic hardship and the longest duration in the US. CONCLUSION: It is vital that we support both Venezuelan youth who abstain from risk behavior and, at the same time, develop and implement programs that target the needs of those who are at elevated risk for serious consequences related to substance use, sexual risk behavior, and violence.

Objectives: CVS, the largest US pharmacy chain, discontinued selling tobacco products in 2014; meanwhile, Family Dollar and Dollar General, the two largest dollar store chains, began selling tobacco in 2012 and 2013, respectively. The purpose of this study is to evaluate the differential change in tobacco retailer density (TRD) by rurality throughout 12 Southeastern US states. Methods: Tobacco retailer density was calculated for CVS and dollar store locations and combined to represent retailer density change before and after policy changes. Bivariate analyses were conducted to compare the corporate-initiated changes in county-level retailer density across rurality categories. Results: Findings suggest a statistically significant difference (p

Purpose While there exists much literature devoted to identifying risk and protective factors for violence, Hispanic research in this area is still in its infancy. Methods The current study provides the most comprehensive study to date on this topic by utilizing data from 1138 Puerto Rican youth who were participants in the Bronx, NY sample of the Boricua Youth Study (BYS). Results Relying on a myriad of descriptive and multivariate analyses examining the nature and role of 8 risk factors and 9 protective factors distributed across 6 risk/protective factor domains, the results suggest that cumulative risk factors significantly increase a Hispanic youth's odds of violence participation whereas cumulative protective factors offset this risk to some degree by decreasing the odds of violence participation. These results largely hold across different developmental age groups (ages 5–9 and ages 10–13) and over time (Waves 1, 2, and 3). Conclusions These findings have theoretical and policy implications for violence prevention among Hispanic youth.

Knowledge about offenders and knowledge about victims has traditionally been undertaken without formal consideration of the overlap among the two. A small but growing research agenda has examined the extent of this overlap. At the same time, there has been a minimal amount of research regarding offending and victimization among minority youth, and this is most apparent with respect to Hispanics, who have been increasing in population in the United States.This study explores the joint, longitudinal overlap between offending and victimization among a sample of Puerto Rican youth from the Bronx, New York.Results indicate: (1) an overlap between offending and victimization that persists over time, (2) a considerable overlap in the number, type, direction, and magnitude of the effect of individual, familial, peer, and contextual factors on both offending and victimization, (3) some of the factors related to offending were only relevant at baseline and not for the growth in offending but that several factors were associated with the growth in victimization, and (4) various risk factors could not explain much of the overlap between offending and victimization.Theoretical, policy, and future research directions are addressed.

UNLABELLED: ABSTRACT. OBJECTIVE: American Indians (AIs) suffer from significant alcohol-related health disparities, and increased risk begins early. This study examined the reliability and validity of measures to be used in a preventive intervention trial. Reliability and validity across racial/ethnic subgroups are crucial to evaluate intervention effectiveness and promote culturally appropriate evidence-based practice. METHOD: To assess reliability and validity, we used three baseline surveys of high school students participating in a preventive intervention trial within the jurisdictional service area of the Cherokee Nation in northeastern Oklahoma. The 15-minute alcohol risk survey included 16 multi-item scales and one composite score measuring key proximal, primary, and moderating variables. Forty-four percent of the students indicated that they were AI (of whom 82% were Cherokee), including 23% who reported being AI only (n = 435) and 18% both AI and White (n = 352). Forty-seven percent reported being White only (n = 901). RESULTS: Scales were adequately reliable for the full sample and across race/ethnicity defined by AI, AI/White, and White subgroups. Among the full sample, all scales had acceptable internal consistency, with minor variation across race/ethnicity. All scales had extensive to exemplary test-retest reliability and showed minimal variation across race/ethnicity. The eight proximal and two primary outcome scales were each significantly associated with the frequency of alcohol use during the past month in both the cross-sectional and the longitudinal models, providing support for both criterion validity and predictive validity. For most scales, interpretation of the strength of association and statistical significance did not differ between the racial/ethnic subgroups. CONCLUSIONS: The results support the reliability and validity of scales of a brief questionnaire measuring risk and protective factors for alcohol use among AI adolescents, primarily members of the Cherokee Nation. (J. Stud. Alcohol Drugs, 76, 133-142, 2015). Language: en

Compared to non-Hispanic whites, Hispanic adolescents in the U.S. report higher rates of several mental, emotional, and behavioral problems such as substance use, sexual risk behaviors, and internalizing and externalizing problems. There is evidence of common pathways in the development of mental, emotional, and behavioral problems with certain subgroups of Hispanic adolescents being at greater risk. In the present article, we report analysis of baseline data for 959 Hispanic adolescents who participated in one of two randomized controlled trials evaluating a family-based preventive intervention. Utilizing latent class analysis, we identified subgroups of Hispanic adolescents based on socio-ecological risk and protective factors (e.g., parent–adolescent communication, parental involvement in school). Three distinct socio-ecological risk subgroups (high, medium, and low risk) were identified and exhibited significant differences from each other across a majority of socio-ecological risk and protective factors. Adolescents in higher socio-ecological risk subgroups reported greater mental, emotional, and behavioral problems across all outcomes. Individual comparisons revealed significant differences between the low socio-ecological risk group and both the medium and high socio-ecological risk group in lifetime alcohol use, smoking, and sex, as well as internalizing and externalizing problems. Implications for intervention include focusing on specific risk subgroups and targeting shared risk and protective factors rather than specific mental, emotional, and behavioral outcomes.

Objectives. To investigate the effects of precursor chemical regulation aimed at reducing cocaine production on cocaine-related maternal and newborn hospital stays in the United States. Methods. We analyzed monthly counts of maternal and neonatal stays from January 2002 through December 2013 by using a quasi-experimental interrupted time series design. We estimated the preregulation linear trend, postregulation change in linear trend, and abrupt change in level. Results. The number of monthly cocaine-related maternal and neonatal stays decreased by 221 and 128 stays, respectively, following the cocaine precursor regulation change. We also observed a further decline in per-month maternal and neonatal stays of 18 and 8 stays, respectively. Conclusions. A supply-side disruption in the United States cocaine market was associated with reduced hospital stays for 2 vulnerable populations: pregnant women and newborns. Results support findings that federal precursor regulation can positively reduce cocaine availability in the United States.

Florida, the epicenter of the recent prescription drug epidemic in the United States, maintains a statewide drug mortality surveillance system. We evaluated yearly profiles, demographic characteristics, and correlation between drug trends to understand the factors influencing drug-induced mortality.All drug-related deaths reported to the Florida Medical Examiners Commission during 2001-2012 were included (n=92,596). A death was considered "drug-related" if at least one drug was identified in the decedent. Depending on its contribution to death, a drug could be listed as a causative agent or merely present, but not both.Rate of drug-caused deaths was 8.0 per 100,000 population in 2001, increasing to 17.0 in 2010 and then decreasing to 13.9 in 2012. Benzodiazepines had the highest mortality rate in 2010, although10% were solely due these drugs. Opioid-caused mortality rate also peaked in 2010 and started to decline (-28%) in 2010-2012. The heroin-caused mortality rates were negatively correlated with opioids and benzodiazepines (ρ's ≥ -0.670; P≤0.034). Ethanol- and cocaine-mortality rates stabilized to 3.0-3.1 and 2.8-3.0 per 100,000 over 2009-2012, respectively. Amphetamines, zolpidem, and inhalants-caused deaths were on the rise with rates of ≤0.6 per 100,000.Overall declines in benzodiazepine- and opioid-caused deaths in 2011-2012 may have been related to Florida's attempts to regulate prescription drug abuse. This period, however, was also marked by a rise in heroin-caused mortality, which may reflect growing use of heroin as an alternative. Increases in amphetamines, zolpidem, and inhalants-induced mortality are an additional public health concern.

We describe the annual prevalence of sexual abuse among community-dwelling older adults in the United States. We also describe factors associated with experiencing sexual abuse. We used data from 24,343 older adults from the 2005 Behavioral Risk Factor Surveillance System pooled across 18 states. We estimated prevalence of sexual abuse, bivariate distributions, and odds ratio associations across demographic, health, and contextual factors. Our results show that 0.9% of older adults reported experiencing sexual abuse in the previous year. This represents approximately 90,289 community-dwelling older adults. We also report on factors associated with experiencing recent sexual abuse. There was a significant gender by binge drinking interaction, with a stronger association among women. There is a need for health promotion efforts targeted specifically toward older adults, encouraging them to seek services, if possible, after exposure to sexual abuse.

This study examines changes in smoking during pregnancy, tobacco retailer density, and tobacco sales policies by CVS and dollar stores in 6 southeastern states.

Purpose The influence of partner context (e.g., drinking alcohol in the 2 hours prior to sex, ≥3 years age discordant, met in public) on adolescent boys' and girls' condom use is unclear. Among an urban cohort of primarily (86%) minority 17–18-year-olds who reported having sex (n = 1,469), we assessed the association between condom use and partner characteristics for the most recent sexual experience. Methods We used logistic regression to examine the odds of condom use by measured partner familiarity (casual or unexpected) and context characteristics. Analyses were stratified by gender. Results Adolescent boys and girls were twice as likely to use condoms with partners they considered casual or unexpected. Adjusting for partner familiarity risk, adolescent boys' tended to decrease condom use with risky context partners. Adjusting for partner familiarity risk, adolescent girls were half as likely to use condoms with partners drinking alcohol 2 hours prior to sex [Odds Ratio (OR) = .6, 95% Confidence Interval (CI) = .4–.9]; ≥3 years age discordant (OR = .5, 95% CI = .3–.8); or met in public places (OR = .6, 95% CI = .4–.8). Conclusions Regardless of partner familiarity risk, adolescent boys and girls faced barriers to condom use with risky context partners. Increased understanding of adolescents' perceptions of and control over partner risk and condom use with risky context partners is needed. Interventions aimed at decreasing adolescent sexually transmitted infections should include strategies for adolescents to choose less risky context partners and negotiate condoms with risky context partners.

Purpose To understand the etiology of violence among ethnically diverse men using a nationally representative and longitudinal sample of youth. Methods Participants included 4,322 adolescent men observed from ages 13 to 32 years from the National Longitudinal Study of Adolescent Health (Add Health). We estimated trajectories of violence and used multinomial regression procedures to evaluate multiple domains of risk and protective factors for violence. Results We identified three profiles of violence (nonviolent, desistors, and escalators). There were no substantial differences in the patterns of violent behavior across race or ethnicity; however, the prevalence of violence differed by racial or ethnic group. After accounting for violent behavior at Wave I, we identified peer marijuana use (odds ratio [OR] = 1.20), alcohol use (OR = 1.50), group fighting (OR = 2.23), and Wave I violence (OR = 4.34) as risk factors for desistance, whereas only Wave I violence predicted escalation (OR = 2.27). Conclusions We identified three trajectories of serious violence, including a late-onset group; however, few risk and protective factors were associated with membership in this group. Risk and protective factors for violence before age 13 years should be targeted for prevention.

This research examines gender and racial/ethnic differences in substance use trajectories during early adolescence among American Indian and non-Native adolescents.Substance use trajectories were evaluated among 684 adolescents (50% female, 51% American Indian) across five assessments over 9th and 10th grades. Youth were drawn from six rural towns within the Cherokee Nation, a nonreservation tribal jurisdiction that includes a high proportion of American Indians embedded within a predominantly White population. Past-month substance use was based on self-report and was dichotomized into "used" versus "did not use," with the exception of alcohol, which was trichotomized into "none," "1 or 2 days," or "3-30 days."Using growth mixture modeling with full-information maximum-likelihood estimation, we determined that between two and three different trajectory classes best described the data for each substance. Males had a higher probability compared with females of following a trajectory of chewing tobacco use (20% vs. 6%, respectively) and using multiple substances (24% vs. 19%, respectively). Females had a higher probability compared with males of following a trajectory of prescription drug misuse (11% vs. 6%, respectively). Individuals who followed trajectories of alcohol use or heavy drinking were also more likely to follow trajectories of other substance use.Identifying gender and racial/ethnic differences in patterns of substance use at this stage of development will inform gender-sensitive and ethnically sensitive prevention programs targeting specific substance use. These results will be particularly informative given the lack of evidence regarding trajectories of substance initiation within largely American Indian populations.

Purpose To increase understanding of the association between sexual partner meeting venue types (school, through friends or family, organized groups, public places, or on the street) and sexual risk taking among urban youths. Methods Data were from 17- to 18-year-old youths who reported having had sex (n = 1,656) by the time they participated in the 2008–2009 follow-up of a multicomponent alcohol preventive intervention, Project Northland Chicago. We used logistic regression to assess the association between partner meeting venue and sexual risk taking. Results Approximately 20% of Chicago adolescents met their most recent sex partner on the street or in public places. Adolescents who met their partner in a public place, rather than in school, were more likely to report having ≥3 years age-discordant partner (women: odds ratio [OR] = 7.7, 95% confidence interval [CI] = 3.3–17.7; men: OR=2.7, 95% CI=1.1–6.6], alcohol use before sex (women: OR=3.4, 95% CI=1.8–6.5; men: OR=2.4, 95% CI=1.3–4.4), casual partner (women: OR=not significant; men: OR=2.4, 95% CI=1.3–4.5), anal sex (women: OR=not significant; men: OR=2.4, 95% CI=1.2–4.9), and unprotected sex (women: OR=1.7, 95% CI=1.0–2.7; men: OR=1.9, 95% CI=1.1–3.4). Meeting partners on the street was associated with increased probability of alcohol use before sex (women: OR=2.2, 95% CI=1.1–4.3; men: OR=2.1, 95% CI=1.0–4.6), age-discordant partnerships among women (OR = 14.2, 95% CI=6.4–31.4), and casual sex partners among men (OR = 2.5, 95% CI=1.4–4.8). Conclusions Targeting sexual risk taking with partners selected from public places or the street may improve adolescent HIV preventive interventions.

Longitudinal offending research has grown substantially in the last two decades. Despite this increased scholarly attention, longitudinal investigations of the effects of offending on physical health have not kept pace. Acknowledging the intersections of criminology, criminal justice, and public health, this study examines the relationship between violent offending and chronic diseases among a nationally representative longitudinal sample of young adults. Results suggest that variation across offender typologies (i.e. adolescence-limited, adult-onset, and consistent violence during youth and young adulthood) significantly predicts experiencing chronic disease in early adulthood, with the risk being the most pronounced among those individuals, who demonstrate violence continuity. Study limitations and policy implications are discussed.

The purpose of this article is to evaluate the victim–offender overlap among a nationally representative sample of Native American adolescents and young adults. Data for this study were obtained from 338 Native American youth who participated in the National Longitudinal Study of Adolescent Health (Add Health) Waves I-IV. Group-based trajectory modeling was used to estimate trajectories of violence and victimization separately. Bivariate tests were used to assess the overlap between victimization and violent trajectory groups. Multinomial regression procedures were used to assess the predictors of victimization, offending, and the overlap category of both victimization and offending. Three trajectory groups were found for violence (nonviolent, escalators, and desistors) and victimization (nonvictim, decreasing victimization, and increasing victimization). We found substantial evidence of an overlap between victimization and offending among Native Americans, as 27.5% of the sample reported both victimization and offending. Those in the overlap group had greater number of risk factors present at baseline. These results suggest that the victim–offender overlap is present in Native American adolescents. Explanations and implications are discussed.

To estimate trajectories of violence using a longitudinal sample of adolescents, considering the effects of multiple domains of influences as differentiators between profiles of violent behavior. A nationally representative sample of 9,421 adolescents ages 15–26. Trajectories were estimated, and multinomial regression procedures were used to evaluate factors predicting membership in high-violence trajectory groups. Mediation analyses were conducted to evaluate the mediated effect of distal influences on violence. Three groups of violence trajectories were identified: (a) nonviolent (73.1%); (b) escalators (14.6%); and (c) desistors (12.3%). Peer alcohol use predicted both escalation and desistance; however, these effects were mediated through individual-level variables. Aside from baseline violence, no other risk factor predicted membership in the “escalator” group. The lack of significance in predicting escalation highlights the need for further study on the etiology of late onset violence. Implications for violence prevention are discussed.

Intimate partner violence is a significant public health problem, as these behaviors have been associated with a number of negative health outcomes including illicit drug use, physical injury, chronic pain, sexually transmitted diseases, depression, and posttraumatic stress disorder. The current study examined the association between marijuana use and intimate partner violence using a longitudinal survey of adolescents and young adults ages 15 to 26 years. Data were obtained from 9,421 adolescents in the National Longitudinal Study of Adolescent Health (Add Health) Waves 1 through 4 (1995-2008). Marijuana use was measured in the past year at each wave and participants were categorized as “users” or “nonusers.” Partner violence was constructed using six items (three pertaining to victimization and three concerning perpetration) from Wave 4 (2007-2008). Using these six items, participants were categorized as “victims only,” “perpetrators only,” or “victims and perpetrators.” Survey multinomial regression was used to examine the relationship between marijuana use and intimate partner violence. Consistent use of marijuana during adolescence was most predictive of intimate partner violence ( OR = 2.08, p < .001). Consistent marijuana use ( OR = 1.85, p < .05) was related to an increased risk of intimate partner violence perpetration. Adolescent marijuana use, particularly consistent use throughout adolescence, is associated with perpetration or both perpetration of and victimization by intimate partner violence in early adulthood. These findings have implications for intimate partner violence prevention efforts, as marijuana use should be considered as a target of early intimate partner violence intervention and treatment programming.

Objective: The purpose of this study is (a) to evaluate the predictors of serious physical violence among Hispanics using a longitudinal, nationally representative sample of adolescents, and (b) to evaluate the effects of multiple levels of influence (generational differences, individual-level characteristics, and contextual variables) on serious violence during adolescence. Method: Data were derived from 4,786 Hispanic adolescents surveyed for the National Longitudinal Study of Adolescent Health (Add Health). Survey logistic regression procedures were used to examine the independent effect of generation, including multilevel risk and protective factors, on serious physical violence. Results: 3rd generation U.S.-born adolescents were 75% more likely to be violent 1 year later ( OR = 1.75; p < .05), independent of various risk and protective factors contextual effects (parental involvement, parental alcohol use, neighborhood safety), demographics (age, gender), individual-level risk and protective factors (alcohol use, marijuana use), and baseline violence. Conclusions: Generational differences exist in serious physical violence, and 3rd generation and beyond adolescents are at greater risk of violent behavior. Violence prevention strategies should focus on the retention of family bonds and cultural values of the host country in prevention programming, and generational status should be taken into account to reduce participation in violence among Hispanic youth.

Youth with alcohol or marijuana dependence or disorders (substance use disorders [SUDs]) are at increased risk of acquiring sexually transmitted diseases (STDs). Sexual partner characteristics may explain the relationship between SUD and STD.Clinical criteria for SUD, clinical STD diagnosis, and sexual partner characteristics were assessed among 15- to 24-year-old STD clinic attendees between 1999 and 2002 (n = 412). We used exact logistic regression and path analysis to examine the mediation effect of sexual partner characteristics (age discordance, incarceration, STD diagnosis, other partners, perceived alcohol problem, perceived marijuana problem, and a calculated composite measure) on the relationship between SUD and STD, adjusting for important demographics and condom use.We found evidence of mediation by partner characteristics on the relationship between SUD and STD. For the logistic regression analysis, adding the partner characteristic composite reduced the strength of the association between SUD and STD from a statistically significant odds ratio of 1.7 (95% confidence interval = 1.0-2.7) to a statistically nonsignificant odds ratio of 1.5 (95% confidence interval = 0.9-2.5). In the path analysis, adding the partner characteristic composite reduced the significant direct effect of SUD on STD (β = 0.5, P = 0.04) to statistically nonsignificant effect (β = 0.1, P = 0.2). We estimated that 31% of the total effect of SUD on STD was attributable to the indirect path through the composite partner characteristic measure.Even when controlling for demographics and condom use, partner characteristics partially explained the association between SUD and STD.

Purpose: Knowledge about offenders and knowledge about victims has traditionally been undertaken without formal consideration of the overlap among the two. A small but growing research agenda has examined the extent of this overlap. At the same time, there has been a minimal amount of research regarding offending and victimization among minority youth, and this is most apparent with respect to Hispanics, who have been increasing in population in the United States. Materials & Methods: This study explores the joint, longitudinal overlap between offending and victimization among a sample of Puerto Rican youth from the Bronx, New York. Results: Results indicate: (1) an overlap between offending and victimization that persists over time, (2) a considerable overlap in the number, type, direction, and magnitude of the effect of individual, familial, peer, and contextual factors on both offending and victimization, (3) some of the factors related to offending were only relevant at baseline and not for the growth in offending but that several factors were associated with the growth in victimization, and (4) various risk factors could not explain much of the overlap between offending and victimization. Conclusions: Theoretical, policy, and future research directions are addressed. (C) 2010 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

A growing body of literature has recently emerged examining sex-specific pathways of offending. Yet, despite significant gains, this area of research is still rather underexplored. With a particular focus on the role of delinquent peers, this current study investigates the sex similarities/differences in offending trajectories among a large sample of urban Chicago male and female youth (n=3,038) from 6th through 8th grade (e.g., ages 12-14). The results suggest that the pathways of offending appear to be more similar than different across sex, and that associating with delinquent peers is significantly related to baseline delinquency. Furthermore, delinquent peers significantly distinguished the moderate and high-rate trajectory groups from the non-delinquents for both males and females, yet once estimated in a more fully specified model, the role of delinquent peers appeared to be indirect (operating through its effect on baseline delinquency). Study limitations and implications for theory and policy are also discussed.

Several studies have examined the factors associated with juvenile delinquency, but this literature remains limited largely because it has not moved beyond traditional factors generally and because of the lack of research conducted on minority—especially Hispanic—youth. This study seeks to overcome these two limitations by using data from a longitudinal study of 2,491 Hispanic (Puerto Rican) youth ages 5-13 (48.5 percent female) socialized in two different cultural contexts, Bronx, New York and San Juan, Puerto Rico, in an effort to examine the relationship between parental suicidality and offspring delinquency. Results indicate that while traditional risk/protective factors and parental mental health issues relate to delinquency in expected ways, youths whose parents attempted suicide engaged in more frequent and varied delinquency over time. Implications for theory and future research are addressed.

Objective. We evaluated the effects of tax increases on alcoholic beverages in 1983 and 2002 on alcohol-related disease mortality in Alaska. Methods. We used a quasi-experimental design with quarterly measures of mortality from 1976 though 2004, and we included other states for comparison. Our statistical approach combined an autoregressive integrated moving average model with structural parameters in interrupted time-series models. Results. We observed statistically significant reductions in the numbers and rates of deaths caused by alcohol-related disease beginning immediately after the 1983 and 2002 alcohol tax increases in Alaska. In terms of effect size, the reductions were –29% (Cohen's d = –0.57) and –11% (Cohen's d = –0.52) for the 2 tax increases. Statistical tests of temporary-effect models versus long-term-effect models showed little dissipation of the effect over time. Conclusions. Increases in alcohol excise tax rates were associated with immediate and sustained reductions in alcohol-related disease mortality in Alaska. Reductions in mortality occurred after 2 tax increases almost 20 years apart. Taxing alcoholic beverages is an effective public health strategy for reducing the burden of alcohol-related disease.

This study identified heterogeneous classes of alcohol-related neighborhood characteristics to which multi-ethnic, early adolescents in urban communities are exposed. The sample comprised 4,215 youth from 42 community areas in Chicago, Illinois who completed surveys at the beginning of 6th grade (2002). Neighborhood measures included: (1) mean number of alcohol outlets per 1,000 population per community area; (2) alcohol purchase attempt rate by pseudo-underage youth; (3) average number of alcohol advertisements within 1,500 feet of each school per community; and (4) a Census 2000-based deprivation index. Parents and community leaders provided data on perceived neighborhood problems and parental prevention actions, and neighborhood strength and preventive action by communities, law enforcement, and community organizations, respectively. Multilevel latent class analysis identified the number and characteristics of heterogeneous latent neighborhood classes in which these youth are exposed. Five classes best described the heterogeneity among the sample: (1) Low social capital/low exposure/high access to alcohol (19.8%), (2) Low social capital/low exposure/low access to alcohol (24.5%), (3) Moderate social capital/low exposure/high access to alcohol (30.0%), (4) Moderate social capital/moderate exposure/low access to alcohol (20.1%), and (5) High social capital/moderate exposure/high access to alcohol (5.6%). The racial/ethnic distribution among the classes varied considerably. Results suggest there is substantive heterogeneity among this seemingly homogeneous urban population. Further, they highlight the socioeconomic disadvantage of these inner-city communities and the resource disparity across the racial/ethnic groups. Understanding the nuances among communities may lend to development of more efficacious preventive interventions and policy initiatives, inform theory, and help prioritize limited resources.

The purpose of this article is to provide an overview of the state of drug abuse research among Hispanic adolescents in the areas of prevalence, etiology, prevention, and treatment from a cultural perspective. Cultural and acculturation-related processes are central to the understanding of the epidemiology, etiology, prevention, and treatment of drug use among Hispanic adolescents. Culture is also embedded within each of the efficacious interventions for Hispanic adolescents, suggesting that integrating Hispanic cultural symbols and values is an important element in preventing and treating drug use and related problem behaviors in this population. The recommendations presented in this article, along with existing work in the fields of epidemiology, risk protection, prevention, and treatment, will help to reduce the health disparities in drug use and related problem behaviors in this vulnerable and rapidly growing segment of the U.S. population.

Aims The purpose of the present study was to examine the effects of parental provision of alcohol and home alcohol accessibility on the trajectories of young adolescent alcohol use and intentions. Design Data were part of a longitudinal study of alcohol use among multi-ethnic urban young adolescents who were assigned randomly to the control group of a prevention trial. Setting Data were collected from a cohort of youth, and their parents, who attended public schools in Chicago, Illinois (2002-2005). Participants The sample comprised the 1388 students, and their parents, who had been assigned randomly to the control group and were present and completed surveys at baseline, in the beginning of 6th grade (age 12). The sample was primarily low-income, and African American and Hispanic. Measurements Students completed self-report questionnaires when in the 6th, 7th and 8th grades (age 12-14 years; response rates 91-96%). Parents of the 6th grade students also completed questionnaires (70% response rate). Findings Student report, at age 12, of parental provision of alcohol and home alcohol availability, and parental report of providing alcohol to their child and the accessibility of alcohol in the home, were associated with significant increases in the trajectories of young adolescent alcohol use and intentions from ages 12-14 years. Student report of receiving alcohol from their parent or taking it from home during their last drinking occasion were the most robust predictors of increases in alcohol use and intentions over time. Conclusions Results indicate that it is risky for parents to allow children to drink during early adolescence. When these findings are considered together with the risks associated with early onset of alcohol use, it is clear that parents can play an important role in prevention. Language: en

Introduction We examined effects of state statutory changes in DUI fine or jail penalties for firsttime offenders from 1976 to 2002. Methods A quasi-experimental time-series design was used ( n = 324 monthly observations). Four outcome measures of drivers involved in alcohol-related fatal crashes are: single-vehicle nighttime, low BAC (0.01–0.07 g/dl), medium BAC (0.08–0.14 g/dl), high BAC (≥0.15 g/dl). All analyses of BAC outcomes included multiple imputation procedures for cases with missing data. Comparison series of non-alcohol-related crashes were included to efficiently control for effects of other factors. Statistical models include state-specific Box-Jenkins ARIMA models, and pooled general linear mixed models. Results Twenty-six states implemented mandatory minimum fine policies and 18 states implemented mandatory minimum jail penalties. Estimated effects varied widely from state to state. Using variance weighted meta-analysis methods to aggregate results across states, mandatory fine policies are associated with an average reduction in fatal crash involvement by drivers with BAC ≥ 0.08 g/dl of 8% (averaging 13 per state per year). Mandatory minimum jail policies are associated with a decline in single-vehicle nighttime fatal crash involvement of 6% (averaging 5 per state per year), and a decline in low-BAC cases of 9% (averaging 3 per state per year). No significant effects were observed for the other outcome measures. Conclusions The overall pattern of results suggests a possible effect of mandatory fine policies in some states, but little effect of mandatory jail policies.

OBJECTIVES: Examine sources of alcohol over time in a large, ethnically diverse adolescent population from a poor, urban environment. METHODS: Surveys were administered at four time points (6th-8th grades) assessing demographic characteristics, past year alcohol use and sources of alcohol to youth in Chicago, Illinois 2002-2005. Growth curve analysis was used to examine alcohol access trends among all alcohol using youth and consistent alcohol users. Interactions by race and gender were tested. RESULTS: Social sources of alcohol were the most prevalent source over time. Parents were the primary source of alcohol, but their prominence significantly decreased over time. Taking alcohol from home, and getting alcohol from other adults, individuals under age 21, and commercial sources significantly increased as sources of alcohol over time. Males were significantly more likely than females to get alcohol from commercial sources and friends' parents. CONCLUSIONS: Greater attention for reducing social access to alcohol, particularly among parents, is needed for alcohol prevention efforts prior to and during middle school. Language: en

Background: Alcohol abuse and violence are key contributors to leading causes of death among youth. Yet, the relationship between violence and alcohol use is complex and the developmental impact of this association merits further investigation. The current study used prospective data from the National Longitudinal Study of Adolescent Health (Add Health) to investigate how violence and alcohol use coexist in adolescence and how this coexistence predicts alcohol abuse and violence in adulthood. Methods: The sample consisted of 9421 adolescents ranging from ages 11-32. The effects of alcohol use and violence on alcohol abuse and violent behavior were modeled by means of survey logistic regression. Racial/ethnic differences were tested using Chi-squared analyses. Results: Independently, alcohol and violence during adolescence were not significantly associated with violent behavior among young adults (Wave IV). Racial/ethnic differences emerged in the relationship between alcohol use and violence, and the overlap between the two in predicting alcohol abuse in adulthood. Among Whites and Blacks, violence and alcohol during adolescence were also associated with alcohol abuse among young adults (Whites: OR=2.59; Blacks: OR=4.23). Alcohol use and violence was not associated with increased alcohol abuse among Hispanics. Results indicate that coexistent alcohol use and violence pose a risk for alcohol abuse in adulthood, beyond the independent effects of alcohol and violence. Combining both alcohol and violence prevention in adolescent populations may prevent the abuse of alcohol and participation in violence in adulthood.

The current study examined the relationship between alcohol and violence using a longitudinal survey of adolescents ages 11—26. Data were derived from 10,828 adolescents in the National Longitudinal Study of Adolescent Health (Add Health) Waves I-III. Survey logistic regression was used to examine the relationship between alcohol use and violence. Even after adjustment for baseline, consistent alcohol use predicted violence in young adulthood (OR = 1.41; 95% CI [1.03, 1.91]); however, violence was not predictive of problematic alcohol use. Overall, consistent alcohol use appears to be a predictor of serious physical violence, whereas physical violence does not predict problematic alcohol use.

This article reviews cultural and methodological considerations when developing effective preventive interventions among Latino families. A prevention approach guides the discussion of five key issues in prevention science, including (a) the role of risk and protective factors, (b) fidelity and adaptation strategies, (c) program effectiveness, (d) methodological consideration, and (e) bridging prevention research and practice. An annotated bibliography complements our discussion of conceptual and methodological considerations and prevention and intervention practices when working with Latinos. Key Words: families, Latino, prevention, research and practice, resources. Latinos/Hispanics are the fastest growing ethnically underrepresented population. Projections suggest that by the year 2050, Latinos will constitute nearly a quarter of the U.S. population (U.S. Census Bureau, 2000, 2004). The growth rate of the Latino population is almost four times higher than the total U.S. population (U.S. Census Bureau, 2003) and the number of Latinos rose from 22.4 million in 1990 to 35.3 million in 2000, representing an increase of 58% in a decade. Between 2003 and 2004, Hispanics accounted for about one half of the national population growth of 2.9 million (U.S. Census Bureau, 2005). Demographic trends also indicate that the Hispanic population is younger than the nonHispanic White population (U.S. Census Bureau, 2003) and that Latinos are disproportionally affected by poverty, discrimination, stress, and limited access to health care services (Amaro & Cortes, 2003; Quinn, 2000; Ramirez & de la Cruz, 2002). Evidence from prevention science can inform researchers and practitioners by guiding the development, implementation, and evaluation of culturally relevant programs and policies targeting the reduction of mental health, behavioral, and psychiatric disorders among Latinos. A prevention approach is based on the notion that it is important to reduce (or eliminate) risk factors and increase (or promote) protective factors. Social ecology theory (Bronfenbrenner, 1977; Bronfenbrenner & Morris, 1997) further grounds a prevention emphasis and is often recognized as a contemporary approach to study development and problem behavior among youth and families (Small & Memmo, 2004). It assumes that risk and protective factors have the potential to shape individual development by enriching or impoverishing settings in which individuals live (i.e., family, peer group, school, community, culture). In the next section, implications of key issues in prevention science are discussed as applied to the study of Latino individuals, families, and communities. An Appendix follows our discussion of these issues, comprising an annotated bibliography of methodological and programmatic resources for a wide range of family and health professionals. Key Issues in Prevention Research With Latinos Prevention research becomes increasingly important as knowledge is built to address and understand individual and family development among a rapidly growing Latino population. In order to successfully respond to the needs of Latino families, key prevention science issues include (a) investigation of the role of culturally relevant risk and protective factors, (b) examination of fidelity and adaptation strategies used to adapt programs targeting the Latino population, (c) evaluation of the generalizability of prevention and intervention effects between ethnic groups and within Latino subgroups, (d) use of methodologically centered approaches to maximize the adequacy and validity of research findings, and (e) strategies to build a bridge between prevention scientists and practitioners addressing the needs of the Latino population. Risk and Protective Factors Evidence suggests that the most effective prevention programs are those tailored to the most salient risk and protective factors for a particular group. …

This study was conducted to test the validity of a measure that has potential to bridge research on the addictive liability of drugs and on individuals' liability to addiction, which to date have evolved in largely parallel arenas. The length of time between onset of abuse and dependence (LOTAD) has evolved from recent findings on transitions through levels of addiction; it was hypothesized that shorter LOTAD is indicative of greater addictive liability. Hypotheses were based on animal studies and human studies. Retrospective data from the DSM-IV Substance Use Disorders Work Group were reanalyzed using configural frequency analysis, survival curves, bivariate Kendall's tau associations, and linear regression. The sample consisted of participants recruited from community and clinical settings. The measure was the Composite International Diagnostic Interview-Substance Abuse Module (CIDI-SAM). The shortest LOTADs were observed for disorders related to use of cocaine and opiates, followed by cannabis and then alcohol regardless of the subsample that was analyzed. As hypothesized, females and early initiators of drug use had shorter LOTADs compared to men and other initiators of drug use; no consistent differences in LOTAD were observed between African-Americans and Caucasians. None of the LOTAD variance associated with differences between drugs could be accounted for by gender, early use of the drug, or ethnicity. Specific areas of research where LOTAD might be useful as well as how LOTAD might be improved are discussed.

Understanding the processes of acculturation in ethnic minority populations is one of the central tasks of crosscultural research. Addressing challenges of theory, methods, and application in acculturation research requires ongoing advancements in methods and theoretical and model development. The current study was designed to explain a person-centered approach to investigating acculturation and biculturalism and to illustrate this method with a sample of 315 Hispanic youth. Pattern analyses of the Hispanicism and Americanism scores from the Bicultural Involvement Scale yielded four distinct acculturation types, including one characterized by moderate scores on both scales. Relations between acculturation types and indicators of individual, family, and peer adaptation were tested. Results indicated that bicultural youth tended to show the most adaptive pattern of functioning across multiple sociocultural domains. Assimilated youth did not show as strongly negative a pattern as has been reported elsewhere. Implications and benefits of a person-centered approach are discussed. © 2005 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. J Comm Psychol 33: 157–174, 2005.

A letter to the editor is presented in response to the article "Opioid overdose deaths and Florida's crackdown on pill mills," by A. Kennedy-Hendricks, M. Richey, E. E. McGinty and colleagues in a 2016 issue.

El apoyo social es una interacción humana en la que recursos sociales, emocionales, instrumentales y recreacionales son intercambiados. Este fenómeno social está asociado al estrés, la depresión y a los problemas de salud mental. Este estudio instrumental presenta el desarrollo y evaluación de un Cuestionario de Apoyo Social (CAS) como parte de un estudio más amplio que pretende desarrollar instrumentos psicosociales válidos y confiables en el contexto puertorriqueño. El CAS fue diseñado para evaluar la necesidad de apoyo emocional, interpersonal y material. También la satisfacción con el apoyo recibido fue evaluado. Cuatrocientos sesenta y cuatro estudiantes puertorriqueños de la Universidad de Puerto Rico participaron en este estudio. Los resultados demostraron una consistencia interna de 0,68 para los siete reactivos de necesidad y de 0,89 para los dos reactivos de satisfacción con el apoyo recibido. Las dimensiones principales de la escala fueron analizadas utilizando un análisis confirmatorio de factores (CFA, por sus siglas en inglés). Varios modelos fueron diseñados basados en el CFA y comparados. Los datos apoyaron un modelo de tres factores con siete reactivos a escala de necesidad de apoyo social. El aspecto multidimensional del constructo de apoyo social (necesidad emocional, interpersonal, instrumental) fue apoyado por los datos. El uso de esta escala breve para evaluar apoyo social es discutido.

To understand the mortality patterns among drug users and potential risk factors, we evaluated drug-related deaths reported to the Florida Medical Examiners Commission from 2001 to 2013, by substances, demographics, and manner of death. The annual drug-related fatalities increased by 57% from 2001 to 2013 (total n = 100,882); 51.8% were accidental, 7.9% homicide, 18.6% natural, and 19.6% suicide. The different manners of death exhibited distinct demographic profiles and drug composition. The gender gap was more prominent in homicide. Age ≥55 years was more closely associated with natural death and suicide. Age