Understanding mechanisms of genetic risk for adolescent internalizing and externalizing problems: The mediating role of parenting and personality

Genetic predispositions play an important role in the development of internalizing and externalizing behaviors. Understanding the mechanisms through which genetic risk unfolds to influence these developmental outcomes is critical for developing prevention and intervention efforts, capturing key elements of Irv's research agenda and scientific legacy. In this study, we examined the role of parenting and personality in mediating the effect of genetic risk on adolescents' major depressive disorder and conduct disorder symptoms. Longitudinal data were drawn from a sample of 709 European American adolescents and their mothers from the Collaborative Studies on Genetics of Alcoholism. Results from multivariate path analysis indicated that adolescents' depressive symptoms genome-wide polygenic scores (DS_GPS) predicted lower parental knowledge, which in turn was associated with more subsequent major depressive disorder and conduct disorder symptoms. Adolescents' DS_GPS also had indirect effects on these outcomes via personality, with a mediating effect via agreeableness but not via other dimensions of personality. Findings revealed that the pattern of associations was similar across adolescent gender. Our findings emphasize the important role of evocative gene-environment correlation processes and intermediate phenotypes in the pathways of risk from genetic predispositions to complex adolescent outcomes

A Comparison of Oxygen Fugacities of Strongly Peraluminous Granites across the Archean–Proterozoic Boundary

We constrain the oxygen fugacity (⁠f_(O2)⁠) of strongly peraluminous granites [SPGs; i.e. granites (sensu lato) generated through the partial melting of sediments] across the Archean–Proterozoic boundary, which coincides roughly with the Great Oxygenation Event (GOE), to understand whether secular changes in atmospheric O_2 levels may be imprinted on the f_(O2) of igneous rocks. SPGs were chosen to maximize the potential effects of sediments in their sources on the f_(O2) of the magmas. We studied 28 Archean (2685–2547 Ma) and 31 Meso- to Paleoproterozoic (1885–1420 Ma) geographically distributed samples from North America, spanning two cratons (Superior and Wyoming) and both orogenic and anorogenic Proterozoic provinces (Trans-Hudson Orogen, Wopmay Orogen, and SW USA). We present an analysis of both new and previously published whole-rock major and trace element data and mineral major element chemistry from the samples. All the studied samples are peraluminous high-silica plutonic rocks (all contain >67 wt % SiO_2, and 92% are true granites with >69 wt % SiO_2), and biotite + muscovite ± garnet ± tourmaline ± sillimanite are the primary aluminous minerals in all samples. Whole-rock major element and trace element abundances of all samples are consistent with derivation by partial melting of aluminous sediments. To constrain the f_(O2) of crystallization of the SPGs, we developed an alphaMELTS-based method that takes advantage of the sensitivity of biotite Fe^T/(Fe^T + Mg) ratios to f_(O2)⁠. This method is able to reproduce experimental and empirical data where biotite compositions and whole-rock compositions, pressures and temperatures of crystallization and f_(O2) are known. For the SPGs in this study, alphaMELTS modeling indicates that 68% of Proterozoic samples crystallized at an f_(O2) between NNO –1 and NNO +1·1 (where NNO is nickel–nickel oxide buffer), whereas the remaining Proterozoic samples (32%) and most of the Archean samples (75%) crystallized at ≤NNO –2. The simplest explanation of these results is that the Proterozoic SPGs were derived from metasedimentary source rocks that on average had more oxidized bulk redox states relative to their Archean counterparts. The bulk redox state of the metasedimentary source rocks of SPGs of all ages is defined by the relative abundances of oxidized (e.g. Fe^(3+) and S^(6+)) and reduced (e.g. organic matter) material. The crystallization of both Archean and Proterozoic samples at f_(O2) values of ≤NNO –2 is consistent with them having their f_(O2) buffered by graphite (formed from organic carbon) in their source regions. However, the dominantly low f_(O2) (≤NNO –2) values of the Archean SPGs plausibly reflects the presence of organic material and relatively reduced metasedimentary rocks in their source region prior to the GOE. In contrast, the elevated f_(O2) values of the majority of the Proterozoic SPGs may reflect enhanced sulfate contents or increased Fe^(3+)/Fe^T in sediments after the GOE, which, in terms of the bulk redox state of their metasedimentary source region, would have offset the reducing nature of organic matter present there

DSM-5 criteria for substance use disorders: recommendations and rationale.

Since DSM-IV was published in 1994, its approach to substance use disorders has come under scrutiny. Strengths were identified (notably, reliability and validity of dependence), but concerns have also arisen. The DSM-5 Substance-Related Disorders Work Group considered these issues and recommended revisions for DSM-5. General concerns included whether to retain the division into two main disorders (dependence and abuse), whether substance use disorder criteria should be added or removed, and whether an appropriate substance use disorder severity indicator could be identified. Specific issues included possible addition of withdrawal syndromes for several substances, alignment of nicotine criteria with those for other substances, addition of biomarkers, and inclusion of nonsubstance, behavioral addictions.This article presents the major issues and evidence considered by the work group, which included literature reviews and extensive new data analyses. The work group recommendations for DSM-5 revisions included combining abuse and dependence criteria into a single substance use disorder based on consistent findings from over 200,000 study participants, dropping legal problems and adding craving as criteria, adding cannabis and caffeine withdrawal syndromes, aligning tobacco use disorder criteria with other substance use disorders, and moving gambling disorders to the chapter formerly reserved for substance-related disorders. The proposed changes overcome many problems, while further studies will be needed to address issues for which less data were available

Patterns of Gambling and Substance Use Initiation in African American and White Adolescents and Young Adults

The focus of the current investigation is to examine the temporal relationship of gambling onset and alcohol, tobacco, and cannabis initiation in adolescents and young adults (M age = 20.3 years) by examining the prevalence and pattern of onset for each substance and gambling pairing and the associated risk between gambling and each substance use. Data were drawn from the multiwave Missouri Family Study (n = 1,349) of African American (AA; n = 450) and White families (n = 317) enriched for risk for alcohol use disorder and includes those who were assessed for gambling behaviors and problems: AA (360 males, 390 females) and White (287 males, 312 females). Findings indicated racial differences in the overall prevalence of gambling behaviors and substance use as well as patterns of initiation-particularly within gambling/alcohol and gambling/tobacco for males. Survival models revealed some similarities as well as differences across race and gender groups in associations of gambling with initiation of substances, as well as substances with initiation of gambling. Alcohol use (AA males only) and cannabis use (AA males and White females) elevated the hazards of initiating gambling. In contrast, gambling significantly elevated the hazards of initiation alcohol across 3 of 4 groups and of cannabis use in AA males only. The results highlight some overlapping as well as distinct risk factors for both gambling and substance use initiation in this cohort enriched for vulnerability to alcohol use disorder (AUD). These findings have implications for integrating gambling prevention into existing substance use prevention and intervention efforts-particularly but not exclusively for young AA males

Predictors of subgroups based on maximum drinks per occasion over six years for 833 adolescents and young adults in COGA.

ObjectiveA person's pattern of heavier drinking often changes over time, especially during the early drinking years, and reflects complex relationships among a wide range of characteristics. Optimal understanding of the predictors of drinking during times of change might come from studies of trajectories of alcohol intake rather than cross-sectional evaluations.MethodThe patterns of maximum drinks per occasion were evaluated every 2 years between the average ages of 18 and 24 years for 833 subjects from the Collaborative Study on the Genetics of Alcoholism. Latent class growth analysis identified latent classes for the trajectories of maximum drinks, and then logistic regression analyses highlighted variables that best predicted class membership.ResultsFour latent classes were found, including Class 1 (69%), with about 5 maximum drinks per occasion across time; Class 2 (15%), with about 9 drinks at baseline that increased to 18 across time; Class 3 (10%), who began with a maximum of 18 drinks per occasion but decreased to 9 over time; and Class 4 (6%), with a maximum of about 22 drinks across time. The most consistent predictors of higher drinking classes were female sex, a low baseline level of response to alcohol, externalizing characteristics, prior alcohol and tobacco use, and heavier drinking peers.ConclusionsFour trajectory classes were observed and were best predicted by a combination of items that reflected demography, substance use, level of response and externalizing phenotypes, and baseline environment and attitudes

Leveraging Case Study Research: A Mechanism to Measure Teaching Effectiveness

This article shares findings from a descriptive, multiple case study assessing graduate outcomes 2.5 years after the completion of a teacher education program. Case study was used as an alternative to value-added measures to holistically examine complex attributes of effective teaching. Mixed methods data collection included graduate and supervisor surveys, self and supervisor evaluation of skills and dispositions, interviews, and classroom observations. Results indicated participants effectively applied the knowledge, skills, and dispositions the program was designed to achieve in the areas of Learner and Learning, Content, Instructional Practice, and Professional Responsibility. Three major recommendations emerged: 1) the necessity to develop established proficiency levels for new teachers related to diverse learners, 2) the need for shared responsibility of outcomes and targeted induction support, and 3) support for supervisor evaluation as a viable mechanism for education program accountability of teaching effectiveness of graduates

Towards the characterization and validation of alcohol use disorder subtypes: Integrating consumption and symptom data

BACKGROUND: There is evidence that measures of alcohol consumption, dependence and abuse are valid indicators of qualitatively different subtypes of alcohol involvement yet also fall along a continuum. The present study attempts to resolve the extent to which variations in alcohol involvement reflect a difference in kind versus a difference in degree. METHOD: Data were taken from the 2001–2002 National Epidemiologic Survey of Alcohol and Related Conditions. The sample (51% male; 72% white/non-Hispanic) included respondents reporting past 12-month drinking at both waves (wave 1: n=33644; wave 2: n=25186). We compared factor mixture models (FMMs), a hybrid of common factor analysis (FA) and latent class analysis (LCA), against FA and LCA models using past 12-month alcohol use disorder (AUD) criteria and five indicators of alcohol consumption reflecting frequency and heaviness of drinking. RESULTS: Model comparison revealed that the best-fitting model at wave 1 was a one-factor four-class FMM, with classes primarily varying across dependence and consumption indices. The model was replicated using wave 2 data, and validated against AUD and dependence diagnoses. Class stability from waves 1 to 2 was moderate, with greatest agreement for the infrequent drinking class. Within-class associations in the underlying latent factor also revealed modest agreement over time. CONCLUSIONS: There is evidence that alcohol involvement can be considered both categorical and continuous, with responses reduced to four patterns that quantitatively vary along a single dimension. Nosologists may consider hybrid approaches involving groups that vary in pattern of consumption and dependence symptomatology as well as variation of severity within group