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Non-medical use of prescription drugs and sexual risk behaviors among depressed adolescents
Get PDFNon-medical prescription drug abuse is an issue that has plagued adolescents in the United States over the past decade and more. Also, depression is prevalent among our youth with 31% reporting multiple depressive episodes in the past year. As such, the purpose of this study was to assess the relationship between non-medical use of prescription drugs (NMUPD) and sexual behaviors among depressed high school students. Data was derived from the 2015 Youth Risk Behavior Survey (n=15,624). This national study is conducted every odd year, and is a representative sample of high school students in the United States. Logistic regression was conducted to determine the relationship between NMUPD and sexual behavior among students who self-reported a depressive episode. The results of this study found that those student who reported NMUPD and multiple depressive episodes in the past year were significantly more likely to have initiated sexual intercourse, have had sex with 4 or more sexual partners, to be currently sexually active, and to have used alcohol or other drugs before their last sexual encounter. The results of this study seems to indicate that high school students who are depressed may self-medicate with narcotic drugs that were not prescribed to them. In turn, as a result of impaired judgment of narcotic drugs, they may engage in risky sexual behaviors. This research supports calls by other researchers to address issues related to NMUPD early in adolescence. Additionally, these results may extend further the need to develop positive mental health campaigns to identify prolonged negative mood states among adolescents
Family-centered approach to teen-driving program: program evaluation of parental behavioral outcomes
Get PDFThis article presents the evaluation of parental monitoring and controlling of teen-drivers after attending a family-centered program focused on teen risky-driving behaviors. The program design was guided by the Social-Ecological Model and Health Belief Model. Fifteen parents attending the driving program completed measures of parent control and parent monitoring. Overall, effect sizes at the two-month follow-up indicate the program was moderately effective. There was a statistically significant increase to parental discussions of driving rules. Altogether, this article contributes to the growing literature on the effectiveness of family-centered programs
Quantifying the effect of dietary restriction on lifespans in Saccharomyces cerevisiae
Get PDFDietary restriction (DR) increases lifespan in many organisms. The effect of DR is best studied in the budding yeast Saccharomyces cerevisiae; however, previous studies of the DR effect on yeast lifespan tend to be qualitative. Here, we quantitatively study the effect of DR on lifespan for a selection of gene deletions in a 168-strain set of Saccharomyces cerevisiae. Lifespans of these yeast mutants were measured in YPD with 2% glucose and 0.05% glucose conditions. To quantify the aging process and its influence by DR, we fit yeast lifespan data with a three-parameter network aging model that is informative of the gene network changes during aging. We estimated three parameters – initial mortality rate, initial virtual age, and average gene interactions per essential gene from yeast lifespans. We compared these parameters for mutants that can shorten or extend lifespan under DR conditions. Data-mining approaches using R-based programming software were performed to find statistically significant associations between the network aging parameters and genotype-dependent responses to DR. In both cases of shortening and extending lifespan, the genes which had a major effect upon removal resulted in an increase in average gene interactions under DR conditions. It was also observed that for a majority of genes causing noteworthy changes in lifespan, there existed a directly proportional relationship between shortening or extending lifespan and how that gene positively or negatively influences initial mortality rate as well as initial virtual age. A few exceptional genes to these trends were identified, discussed, and noted as potential subjects of future study
Bullying Among Pregnant Teens: A Pilot Study
Get PDFVictims of bullying are more likely to experience various health outcomes. The relationship between bullying and teen pregnancy is understudied. This pilot study surveyed pregnant adolescents (12-21 years) at a clinic about bullying related behaviors. The survey asked about the frequency of fighting, peer victimization and bullying behaviors in the last 30 days. Participants (n=78) reported fighting by “hitting back” (62.8%) and bullying by “being mean” (45.5%). Participants reported victimization by being made fun of (35.9%), being called names (38.5%) and being picked on (37.2%). Many (n=32) reported a decrease in the behaviors since becoming pregnant; however, some (n=24) indicated no change. This pilot study reveals bullying is common in this group of adolescents and typically occurred before pregnancy
Primary Care Management of Children and Adolescents with ADHD: An Integrated Behavioral Health Solution?
Get PDFAttention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) is a common neurodevelopmental condition that affects children and adolescents. Treatment guidelines of the American Academy of Pediatrics (AAP) recommend that stimulant medication and/or behavioral modification approaches be used in managing this chronic condition. Unfortunately, research suggests that the current standard of medical care consist largely of stimulant medication used in isolation and that behavioral modification treatments are largely inaccessible to families of children and adolescents with ADHD. This stems from the fact that the primary care clinic typically serves as the first point of contact for patients and families with behavioral health concerns, such as ADHD, and the fact that families face barriers when attempting to access behavioral health specialists (i.e., social workers, counselors, psychologists) such as stigma, transportation/location barriers, and reluctance to seek care outside of the “primary care medical home”. Fortunately, a recent systematic review (Shahidullah, Carlson, Haggerty, & Lancaster, 2018) identified models which integrate behavioral health providers into the primary care clinic to provide care in a way that side-steps many of the access barriers that families face when seeking out behavioral health care. These models demonstrate promise in increasing access to evidence-based treatments, such as behavioral modification, for ADHD. This is important as there are numerous limitations to the use of stimulant medication such as side/adverse effects, lack of long-term efficacy studies, and family reluctance to use this treatment. This commentary discusses implications for these integrated behavioral health models in providing a solution to the current standard of primary care management of children and adolescents with ADHD
The role of required volunteerism and service-learning on student perceptions of civic responsibility
Get PDFCivic education has historically been one of the fundamental goals of U.S. higher education. However, the importance placed on teaching civic responsibility in this environment declined during the 20th century. Civic education experienced a resurgence in the 1980s, and service-learning pedagogy and other forms of community-based learning became increasingly popular. As a result, a number of high schools and institutions of higher education have implemented mandatory service programs aimed at encouraging students’ long-term engagement in community and civic activities. However, there is a dearth of research on mandatory service programs and the efficacy of requiring students to participate in community service. This study examined a mandatory service program implemented at a U.S. higher education institution using a longitudinal, mixed methods study of the service-learning and community service experiences of one cohort. Potential relationships were investigated between the number of service hours completed and/or service-learning courses taken and respondents’ scores on a survey. Respondents completed the survey at three different data points during a 4-year enrollment period at the institution. Examined variables included gender, work location and hours, religious affiliation, voting habits, knowledge of the service requirement, prior service, and overall satisfaction with the institution’s service program. Historical focus group data were also mined to explore potential connections between students’ service experiences and views on civic responsibility. This study responded to the need for more longitudinal studies on the outcomes of college student service activities and for more research on mandatory service programs. It also adds to the body of knowledge on service-learning pedagogy and volunteerism. The findings indicated that implementing a graduation service requirement and service-learning curriculum was not effective in altering students’ perceptions of civic responsibility. However, the number of service hours completed and the number of service-learning courses taken in the first year were indicators of future service activities. Additionally, although a specific activity that increased students’ perceptions of civic responsibility was not identified, the cohort’s aggregate score improved over the course of the study. Data from subsequent cohorts should be analyzed, as these findings have policy and programmatic implications for the institution included in this study
Dyadic meta-accuracy and perceived motivational accuracy in academic work groups
Get PDFDyadic-meta accuracy is the ability to know what others think of oneself. Previous research found that group members know who likes them, but not who competes against them. We aimed to conceptually replicate this finding and to explore if students in academic groups can correctly evaluate the academic motivations of their peers, which we termed perceived motivational accuracy. We found strong dyadic meta-accuracy for liking, but not for competitiveness. We also found no significant association between perceived and actual motivations to learn, or between perceived and actual motivations to earn a grade. These results conceptually replicate previous findings of dyadic meta-accuracy and suggest that students do not demonstrate perceived motivational accuracy, potentially explaining one difficulty in reaching collective group understandings
Sky\u27s limit
Get PDFSky’s Limit is about a 5-year-old biracial girl named Sky, growing up during the Civil Rights period. As she reaches the age of understanding, Sky begins to wonder why her mom cannot join her and her dad on their adventures. One day, her dad takes her to the ice cream shop and Sky realizes that no one else looks like her, nor do the other moms look like her mom. She eventually questions her dad about why her mom can never get ice cream with them. Her dad then reaches for her hand and begins to describe the racial tension currently going on in the United States. As the two arrive home, Sky runs into her mom’s arms in tears questioning the actions of the world. Her mom embraces her and explains that the racial tensions will soon die down and they will all be able to get ice cream together. In the end, the “white only” sign is taken down.https://scholar.utc.edu/race-and-childhood/1002/thumbnail.jp
What are slaves?
Get PDFWhat Are Slaves? is about an eight-year-old, biracial boy named Danny who visits a historical antebellum era plantation with his mother. While observing the now present day museum, a picture of slave children working in a field catches Danny’s eye. Curious and having never learned about slaves, Danny inquires to his mother about what the children his age are doing. Danny’s mother gives him an explanation of what slaves are and how they ended up in their situation. Going from one photo exhibit to another, Danny asks his mother for reasons regarding the slaves’ appearance, workload, and education, all of which she patiently explains. After grasping the concept of a slave and realizing that their oppression was all based on the color of skin, Danny becomes upset and mentions that the whole thing seems unfair. His mother replies that keeping slaves is unfair and explains how slavery ended because of people working together to change an unfair problem. She then makes sure Danny knows that unequal treatment towards people of color still exists today, and tells him to always make sure he treats everyone with respect regardless of their skin color.https://scholar.utc.edu/race-and-childhood/1006/thumbnail.jp
Mrs. Venus\u27s class exploring Jim Crow
Get PDFMrs. Venus’s Class Exploring Jim Crow. This story revolves around a classroom on a different planet full of alien children who are learning about American history, specifically the Jim Crow era. The teacher and the students discuss the injustices and oppression experienced by African Americans and other non-white citizens. The next day, American student Jimmy Turner joins them, and he is faced with animosity by some of the alien children in the class. The alien teacher points to the similarities in the children’s prejudice against the human and the prejudice that was prominent during the Jim Crow era.https://scholar.utc.edu/race-and-childhood/1005/thumbnail.jp