Examining risk and protective predictors of substance use among low-income Native Hawaiian and Pacific Islander adolescents.

Substance use (SU) among adolescents is a critical public health concern that increases the risk for negative outcomes. Although Asian American (AA) adolescents tend to report low rates of SU, Native Hawaiian and Pacific Islander (NH/PI) adolescents often report significantly higher rates of use. Yet, NH/PI youth are seldom studied as a separate group. Consequently, little is known about the factors involved in SU among NH/PI adolescents and how to prevent it. This prospective study investigated the effect of ecological risk and protective factors at the individual, family, and school levels on SU for NH/PI adolescents. This prospective study utilized longitudinal data from 120 NH/PI adolescents who were7 part of an SU prevention program. Information was collected at two time points-Time 1 and Time 2 (32 weeks later)-and included adolescents' SU behaviors and individual, family, and school factors. The parents of these adolescents also provided data; all information was self-report. Positive academic attitudes at Time 1 were negatively associated with alcohol and other drug (e.g., marijuana) use at Time 2. Specifically, NH/PI adolescents who had more positive attitudes toward their school, peers, and teachers reported less alcohol and other SU. Prevention efforts may be most effective for NH/PI adolescents if addressed within the school context. This may include programs implemented in schools, utilizing teachers as role models, and/or promoting prosocial peer relationships to support positive behaviors. Additional implications are discussed. (PsycInfo Database Record (c) 2022 APA, all rights reserved).

O papel do polimorfismo funcional VNTR da região promotora do gene MAOA nos transtornos psiquiátricos / The role of the VNTR functional polymorphism of the promoter region of the MAOA gene on psychiatric disorders

INTRODUÇÃO: Muitos estudos têm investigado a associação do polimorfismo VNTR (número variável de repetições em série) localizado na região promotora do gene da enzima monoamina oxidase A (MAOA) com alterações no comportamento humano e em diversos transtornos psiquiátricos. OBJETIVO: O objetivo do presente trabalho foi revisar a literatura sobre a participação desse polimorfismo funcional na modulação do comportamento humano para o desenvolvimento dos transtornos psiquiátricos. MÉTODO: A pesquisa foi realizada na literatura em inglês, de janeiro de 1998 a junho de 2009, disponível no Medline, Embase, Web of Science e na base de dados PsycInfo, utilizando os seguintes termos: "MAOA e comportamento humano" e "MAOA e psiquiatria". RESULTADOS: Foram encontrados 3.873 estudos. Desses, 109 foram selecionados e incluídos na revisão. Encontrou-se associação de alelos de baixa atividade do VNTR com transtorno de personalidade antissocial, transtorno de conduta, transtorno de déficit de atenção e hiperatividade, jogo patológico e dependência de substâncias. Alelos da alta atividade da MAOA foram associados a depressão, ansiedade, neuroticismo e anorexia nervosa. Não se encontrou associação entre polimorfismos da MAOA e esquizofrenia e transtorno bipolar. CONCLUSÃO: Os principais achados dão suporte ao papel do polimorfismo VNTR da região promotora do gene da MAOA em alguns transtornos psiquiátricos, apesar das divergências encontradas devidas às dificuldades metodológicas de estudos em genética. De modo geral, os estudos associam os alelos de baixa atividade da MAOA com comportamentos impulsivos e agressivos ("comportamentos hiperativos"), enquanto os alelos de alta atividade do gene são mais associados a "comportamentos hipoativos".

INTRODUCTION: A functional variable number of tandem repeats (VNTR) polymorphism of the promoter region of the monoamine oxidase A (MAOA) gene has been described and many studies have investigated the association of this polymorphism with human behaviors, as well as with several psychiatric disorders. OBJECTIVE: This study aimed to review the literature on the role of the VNTR functional polymorphism of the promoter region of the MAOA gene on the modulation of human behavior for the development of psychiatric disorders. METHOD: Searches on the Medline, Embase, Web of Science and PsycInfo databases were performed including works from January 1998 to June 2009. The words used were: "MAOA and human behavior" and "MAOA and psychiatry". RESULTS: Several studies were found (N = 3,873). After the selection process, 109 papers were included in the review. There was found an association of MAOA low activity alleles with antisocial personality disorder, conduct disorder, ADHD, pathological gambling, and substance abuse. High activity alleles were associated with neuroticism, anorexia nervosa and depression and anxiety disorders. There was no association between the MAOA polymorphisms and bipolar disorder and schizophrenia. DISCUSSION: The main findings, summarized in this paper, support a role of MAOA VNTR polymorphism in some psychiatric disorders although some divergences were found due to methodological difficulties in genetic studies. In general, the studies associated the low activity alleles with impulsivity and aggressive behavior ("hyperactive behaviors"), and the high activity alleles of the gene with "hypoactive behaviors", such as depression and anxiety, which demonstrates a modulation of the MAOA enzyme in "hyperactive" and "hypoactive" disorders.