Negative Life Events and Substance Use Moderate Cognitive Behavioral Adolescent Depression Prevention Intervention

Abstract. Investigate factors that amplify or mitigate the effects of an indicated cognitive behavioral (CB) depression prevention program for adolescents with elevated depressive symptoms. Using data from a randomized trial (Registration No. NCT00183417; n ¼ 173) in which adolescents (M age ¼ 15.5, SD ¼ 1.2) were assigned to a brief cognitive behavioral prevention program or an educational brochure control condition, we tested whether elevated motivation to reduce depression and initial depressive symptom severity amplified intervention effects and whether negative life events, social support deficits, and substance use attenuated intervention effects. Hierarchical linear modeling (HLM) indicated differential intervention effects for two of the five examined variables: negative life events and substance use. For adolescents at low and medium levels of substance use or negative life events, the CB intervention produced declines in depressive symptoms relative to controls. However, at high levels of substance use or negative life events, the CB intervention did not significantly reduce depressive symptoms in comparison to controls. Results imply that high-risk adolescents with either high rates of major life stress or initial substance use may require specialized depression prevention efforts

A pilot randomized trial of a cognitive reappraisal obesity prevention program

Evaluate a selective obesity prevention program promoting use of cognitive reappraisals to reduce reward region response and increase inhibitory region response to high-fat/high-sugar foods and reduce intake of fat and sugar to prevent blunted reward region response to intake of such foods

The Effectiveness of School-wide Positive Behavior Interventions and Supports for Reducing Racially Inequitable Disciplinary Exclusions in Middle Schools

We merged data on the extent to which middle schools implemented school-wide positive behavior interventions and supports (SWPBIS) with data on disciplinary exclusions occurring in those schools across a period of 3 years. We conducted descriptive and multivariate analyses of variance to examine if (a) SWPBIS can be implemented with fidelity in middle school settings, (b) SWPBIS implementation is associated with reductions in disciplinary inequity, and (c) changes in disciplinary inequity vary with the proportion of students from low socio-economic and non-White backgrounds. Analysis of intervention fidelity data indicated that schools implemented the core features of SWPBIS based on training and support provided. Based on descriptive outcomes SWPBIS implementation was associated with (a) overall lower rates of ISS, the least severe form of disciplinary exclusion; (b) overall high rates of truancy, especially for AI/AN and Hispanic students; (c) some reductions in disciplinary exclusions for Hispanic and AI/AN students, but few for African-American students; and (4) few increases in the durations of disciplinary exclusions. School-level demographic factors did not appear to impact racial/ethnic inequity in schools implementing SWPBIS. Based on our findings we suggest a number of recommendations, including focused research on integrating behavioral science and critical race theory, training SWPBIS implementers in disaggregating discipline data by student race/ethnicity and interpreting data patterns, increasing meaningful integration of non-White parents into SWPBIS implementation practices, and holding implementers accountable for promoting culturally responsive systems and practices

The Effectiveness of School-wide Positive Behavior Interventions and Supports for Reducing Racially Inequitable Disciplinary Exclusions in Middle Schools

We merged data on the extent to which middle schools implemented school-wide positive behavior interventions and supports (SWPBIS) with data on disciplinary exclusions occurring in those schools across a period of 3 years. We conducted descriptive and multivariate analyses of variance to examine if (a) SWPBIS can be implemented with fidelity in middle school settings, (b) SWPBIS implementation is associated with reductions in disciplinary inequity, and (c) changes in disciplinary inequity vary with the proportion of students from low socio-economic and non-White backgrounds. Analysis of intervention fidelity data indicated that schools implemented the core features of SWPBIS based on training and support provided. Based on descriptive outcomes SWPBIS implementation was associated with (a) overall lower rates of ISS, the least severe form of disciplinary exclusion; (b) overall high rates of truancy, especially for AI/AN and Hispanic students; (c) some reductions in disciplinary exclusions for Hispanic and AI/AN students, but few for African-American students; and (4) few increases in the durations of disciplinary exclusions. School-level demographic factors did not appear to impact racial/ethnic inequity in schools implementing SWPBIS. Based on our findings we suggest a number of recommendations, including focused research on integrating behavioral science and critical race theory, training SWPBIS implementers in disaggregating discipline data by student race/ethnicity and interpreting data patterns, increasing meaningful integration of non-White parents into SWPBIS implementation practices, and holding implementers accountable for promoting culturally responsive systems and practices

Preliminary Efficacy of Online Traumatic Brain Injury Professional Development for Educators: An Exploratory Randomized Clinical Trial

Objective: To examine the efficacy of an online traumatic brain injury (TBI) professional development intervention, In the Classroom After Concussion: Best Practices for Student Success. Design: A randomized controlled trial with a sample of 100 general educators, who were randomly assigned to the In the Classroom Web site (treatment group) or the LEARNet Web site (control group). Participants completed the pretest, accessed the In the Classroom or LEARNet site and the posttest and completed follow-up assessments 60 days after posttest. Measures: (1) Knowledge of effective strategies for working with students with TBI; (2) knowledge application; (3) self-efficacy in handling situations presented in text and video scenarios, and (4) a standardized self-efficacy measure. Results: On the posttest assessment, In the Classroom educators showed significantly greater gains in knowledge (P \u3c .0001, d = 1.36 [large effect]), TBI knowledge application (P = .0261, d = 0.46), and general self-efficacy (P = .0106, d = 0.39) than the LEARNet controls. In the Classroom educators maintained significant gains in knowledge (P = .001, d = 0.82) and general self-efficacy (P = .018, d = 0.38) but not in TBI knowledge application (P = .921, d = 0.02). Conclusion: Given the prevalence of TBI, it is important to develop evidence-based, cost-effective approaches to knowledge transfer and exchange in TBI professional development. In the Classroom is one such approach

Internalizing and externalizing psychopathology as predictors of cannabis use disorder onset during adolescence and early adulthood

Risk-related liabilities associated with the development of cannabis use disorders (CUDs) during adolescence and early adulthood are thought to be established well before the emergence of the index episode. In this study, internalizing and externalizing psychopathology from earlier developmental periods were evaluated as risk factors for CUDs during adolescence and early adulthood. Participants (N = 816) completed four diagnostic assessments between the ages 16 and 30, during which current and past CUDs were assessed as well as a full range of psychiatric disorders associated with internalizing and externalizing psychopathology domains. In unadjusted and adjusted time-to-event analyses, externalizing but not internalizing psychopathology from proximal developmental periods predicted subsequent CUD onset. A large proportion of adolescent and early adult cases, however, did not manifest any externalizing or internalizing psychopathology during developmental periods prior to CUD onset. Findings are consistent with the emerging view that externalizing disorders from proximal developmental periods are robust risk factors for CUDs. Although the identification of externalizing liabilities may aid in the identification of individuals at risk for embarking on developmental pathways that culminate in CUDs, such liabilities are an incomplete indication of overall risk