Youth Substance Use in a Context of Family Homelessness.

OBJECTIVE: This study examines the relationship between family processes and youth substance use debuts among a sample of youth residing in urban family homeless shelters. METHOD: Data regarding shelter experiences, youth and family characteristics, and the use of three substances (i.e., cigarettes, alcohol, and marijuana) were gathered from a sample of youth (11-14 years) and their respective parents residing in an urban family homeless shelter system. Multinomial logistic regression analysis was used to examine the influences on youth substance use. RESULTS: Of the 198 youth included in the statistical analysis, 72% (n=143) reported no substance use debuts, while 18% (n=35) indicated one and 10% (n=20) indicated two to three substance use debuts. Within the final model, greater substance use debut was associated with being older (13-14 vs. 11-12; OR=7.5; 95% CI =1.8-30.9) and stressors exposure (OR=4.8; 95% CI =1.5-14.7). Furthermore, youth of adult caretakers that reported low levels of the three family processes considered were almost four and a half more likely (OR=4.4; 95% CI =1.2-16.5) to have made two to three substance use debuts. CONCLUSIONS: Family processes may be a particularly important intervention target toward reducing the rate of substance use among youth residing in urban family homeless shelters.

It Takes a Village to Deliver and Test Child and Family-Focused Services.

OBJECTIVES: The purpose of this article is to highlight the benefits of collaboration in child focused mental health services research. METHOD: Three unique research projects are described. These projects address the mental health needs of vulnerable, urban, minority children and their families. In each one, service delivery was codesigned, interventions were co-delivered and a team of stakeholders collaboratively tested the impact of each one. RESULTS: The results indicate that the three interventions designed, delivered, and tested are associated with reductions in youth mental health symptoms. CONCLUSION: These interventions are feasible alternatives to traditional individualized outpatient treatment.

Parents of preterm infants two months after discharge from the hospital: are they still at (parental) risk?

It is well-known and documented that the premature birth of an infant and its subsequent hospitalization in the Neonatal Intensive Care Unit (NICU) is a source of considerable stress for parents. However, little is known about the parents' emotional state and functioning during the months following the infant's discharge from the NICU. The present study compares parental stress and perceptions of parental competence among mothers and fathers of preterm infants two months after discharge from the NICU in Israel with those of parents of full-term infants. The findings show that even at this point in time parents of preterm infants still show higher levels of parental stress and lower perceptions of parental competence than do parents of full-term infants. The importance of the findings for the design of intervention and treatment programs is discussed.