Schools' Neighborhoods and Characteristics: Implications for Standardized Academic Achievement in Passaic, NJ's Elementary, Middle and High Schools.

Schools in urban neighborhoods receive less funding, have less programming, and have poorer infrastructure. Such disparities may impede academic outcomes among youth. This study used publicly available data to examine the association between school characteristics and surrounding neighborhood environment on educational outcomes across three academic years among 132 schools in Passaic County, New Jersey. Further, we assessed how schools' socioeconomic status could buffer the effects of a school's neighborhood disadvantage on academic outcomes. Results supported compound deprivation theory highlighting that lower-performing schools were located in lower-resourced neighborhoods. Further, school characteristics and neighborhood resource deprivation were associated with lower math, English, and science academic performance. Additionally, we found that associations between neighborhood resources and math and science academic outcomes were strongest in schools with greater economic support. We provide implications for research and practice by identifying multi-faceted approaches to challenge educational disparities addressing school and neighborhood-level disadvantages to improve educational outcomes for youth.

Effects of Brief Interventions on Internalizing Symptoms and Substance Use in Youth: A Systematic Review.

Internalizing problems (e.g., depression, anxiety) and substance use are common among young people and often co-occur. However, youths face myriad barriers to access needed treatment, and existing evidence-based interventions tend to focus on internalizing problems or substance use, rather than both simultaneously. Brief interventions that target both problems may, therefore, be an efficient and accessible resource for alleviating youth difficulties; however, this possibility has been insufficiently evaluated. This systematic review evaluated the intervention characteristics and quality of six studies spanning 2015 to 2019 that examined intervention effects on internalizing and substance use outcomes. Based on independent calculations and author reports (respectively), 3-4 interventions significantly reduced youth internalizing symptoms; 3-5 reduced youth substance use; and 2-3 reduced symptoms in both domains. All six interventions identified substance use as a primary target. Four interventions were administered by interventionists to youths in inpatient, outpatient, primary care, or school settings. The remaining two studies delivered content through voicemail messages or an online design. Interventions ranged from ~ 15 to 240 min. Results highlight the sparsity and heterogeneity of youth-focused brief interventions that have evaluated program effects on both internalizing problems and substance use outcomes, suggesting a clear need for integrated supports that are also designed for accessibility. Future investigations of brief youth-focused interventions should assess program effects on both internalizing and substance use outcomes; examine mechanisms driving the varied efficacy of identified interventions; and create, refine, and test interventions with potential to address co-occurring internalizing problems and substance use in young people.

Alcohol Use Cravings as a Mediator Between Associated Risk Factors on Increased Alcohol Use among Youth Adults in New York During the COVID-19 Pandemic.

The sudden increase in alcohol use in the young adult population during the COVID-19 pandemic may be partially explained by social isolation and stress due to restricted stay-at-home orders. The goal of this study was to assess specific psychological factors (e.g., anxiety, depressive symptoms, sleep disturbances, and alcohol cravings) and COVID-19 diagnoses and their association with increased alcohol use and misuse during the COVID-19 pandemic among New York residents 18-35 years of age. Survey data were collected via Qualtrics between July 2020-October 2020. Path analyses tests were employed to test alcohol use cravings as a mediator. Among the total sample (N=575), mean age was 27.94±4.12; a majority were White non-Hispanic (66%), female (55%) and had completed a 4-year college or university degree (n = 249; 43.5%). Results revealed that alcohol use cravings was a significant mediator between sleep disturbances, having a COVID-19 diagnoses, and having mental health symptoms on increased alcohol use. Our findings underscore the importance of providing alcohol use prevention and treatment resources in this unprecedented COVID-19 era. Policymakers, public health professionals, and clinicians have a significant role in curbing the COVID-19-induced substance use epidemic.