Correlates of depressive symptoms among women seeking cancer genetic counseling and risk assessment at a high-risk cancer clinic.

The aims of this study were to (1) assess the level of depression among women seeking cancer genetic counseling and risk assessment and to (2) identify and describe the demographic, health history, and health behavior correlates of clinically significant depression. Participants were 280 women presenting for an intake appointment at a university cancer risk clinic. During intake, participants completed questionnaires assessing demographics, health history, health practices, and depression. Twenty-eight percent of the sample met criteria for at least mild depression. Descriptive statistics indicated that depressed women were more likely to be African American, to have more children, less likely to receive a mammogram, and consumed fewer alcoholic drinks per week than nondepressed women. Given the known associations between depression, health behaviors such as cancer screening, and potential responses to the genetic testing process, assessment of mood disturbance remains an important consideration for genetic counselors.

Does a childhood history of externalizing problems predict smoking during pregnancy?

While the demographic characteristics of women who smoke during pregnancy are well established, less is known about psychiatric characteristics that may differentiate among persistent smokers, spontaneous quitters, and nonsmokers. The purpose of the present study was to test the hypothesis that a history of externalizing problems is related to persistent smoking during pregnancy. Participants included 93 pregnant women (mean age=28 years; 89% non-Hispanic White; 46% persistent smokers; and 16% spontaneous quitters). Externalizing problems, as evidenced by conduct disorder (CD) and attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD), were assessed using diagnostic interviews. History of CD and ADHD varied by smoking status, with persistent smokers most likely to have a history of both disorders and exhibiting the highest levels of symptomatology. In multivariate analyses, a history of CD, but not ADHD symptoms, distinguished women who persisted in smoking during pregnancy from spontaneous quitters. Results suggest that a childhood history of conduct problems is a risk factor for maternal smoking during pregnancy and that psychiatric history is important to consider in developing more targeted cessation interventions.

Beyond modeling: parenting practices, parental smoking history, and adolescent cigarette smoking.

This study explored parental beliefs and behaviors designed to convey an antismoking message across levels of self-reported parent and adolescent smoking behavior. Parental self-efficacy, beliefs about smoking, the family relationship, antismoking messages, reactions to smoking, and household smoking rules were explored. Participants were 345 6th, 8th, and 10th graders (50% female; 93% White) and their parents (86% mothers). Beliefs about smoking, parental efficacy, and rules varied across levels of both parental and adolescent smoking. Parents with a history of smoking and parents of adolescents who had tried smoking were less efficacious, held weaker antismoking beliefs, and less often reported household smoking rules. Overall, examining parental behavior across levels of both parent and youth smoking is important. Similarly, parental efficacy, not previously studied in relation to parenting about smoking, may be important to target in future interventions.