Adolescent motor vehicle crashes: the relationship between behavioral factors and self-reported injury.

PURPOSE: To examine the relative importance of demographic and behavioral factors, as well as alcohol use, in motor vehicle crash (MVC)-related injuries in an adolescent sample. METHODS: Data were collected from two samples of adolescents. In Study 1, a total of 1576 9th through 12th graders from three different high schools provided information on risk-taking behavior and injuries experienced during the previous six months. Study 2 involved a more fine-grained analysis of behavioral factors related to MVC-related injuries. A sample of 573 adolescent males from an all-boys parochial high school completed questionnaires assessing risk-taking, attention and behavior problems, alcohol use, driving behavior, and self-reported injury. RESULTS: Rates of self-reported MVC-related injuries for a 6-month period were consistent across the two studies, ranging from 10% in the mixed-gender sample to 16% in the all-male sample. Consistent with previous findings, males reported more frequent MVC-related injuries and higher rates of risk-taking behavior. In Study 1, age and risk-taking behaviors were predictive of injuries while riding or driving in a car. In the all-male sample, risk-taking behavior and conduct problems were significant predictors of MVC-related injuries. CONCLUSIONS: Risk-taking is a consistent predictor of both general and MVC-related injuries. Intervention efforts with adolescents may be targeted at increasing safe driving strategies as well as decreasing risk-taking behaviors.

Adolescent risk taking and self-reported injuries associated with substance use.

OBJECTIVE: To examine the incidence of adolescent substance use at the time of injury and its relation to risk-taking behavior. METHOD: A total of 643 male and 782 female 9th through 12th grade students at three high schools anonymously completed surveys on any injuries that had occurred in the prior 6 months associated with substance use and risk-taking behavior. RESULTS: Males reported a higher incidence of injuries related to alcohol or other drugs than females (17.3% vs. 13%). The 17 year olds reported more injuries related to substance use than 14 or 15 year olds (20.2% vs. 14.4% and 15%, respectively). A logistic regression analysis revealed that the odds of a substance use-related injury increased approximately sixfold when adolescents reported engaging in risk-taking behavior. CONCLUSION: A significant portion of adolescents (approximately 15%) reported injuries associated with substance use. Adolescents who reported a history of risk-taking behaviors were much more likely to report substance use-related injuries.

Relationship between substance use and self-reported injuries among adolescents.

High school students (n = 1983), 14-18 years olds, were surveyed regarding the incidence of injury and substance use at the time of the injury in the prior 6 months. Alcohol or other drugs were reported particularly often for falls, cuts, and gun and assault injuries. Alcohol or other drugs were reported to be involved in a substantial proportion of injuries resulting in medical care, most notably for gunshots (70%), pedestrian injuries (42%) and physical fights (38%).

Risk taking, reported injury, and perception of future injury among adolescents.

Investigated the relationships among self-reported injury, risk taking, and perception of injury risk in a sample of 1,426 adolescents, 14 to 18 years old. Both risk taking and injury were higher in males than females across age groups. Having a friend injured the same way was the strongest predictor of injury, accounting for 28% of the variance. Risk taking accounted for 4% of the variance. Sociodemographic variables-gender, age, and race-accounted for only 1% of the variance. Findings underscore the potential role of pediatric psychologists in both understanding and reducing the incidence of adolescent injury.

Evaluation of a standard protocol for retentive encopresis: a replication.

Replicated the efficacy of a short-term, combined medical and behavioral intervention protocol for retentive encopresis. Fifty-nine children who had failed standard medical management for retentive encopresis and their parents participated in six 1-hour group treatment sessions. Treatment protocol combined the medical management strategies of enema clean out, increasing dietary fiber, and daily toilet sitting with the child behavior management strategies of differential attention, contingency management, and contracting. For the overall sample, the number of soiling incidents decreased 85%, the weekly frequency of independent bowel movements increased 15%, the weekly frequency of parent-prompted bowel movements increased 9%, and daily dietary fiber intake increased 121% pre- to posttreatment. The majority of the sample (86%) stopped soiling by the end of treatment and did not require further treatment. Results are discussed in terms of the comparability with previous findings and the utility of combined medical and psychological treatments for children with encopresis who have failed standard medical approaches.

Cross generation lead ingestion: behavioral and physiological effects in mice.

We examined some developmental and behavioral sequelae of exposing Binghamton Heterogeneous Stock (HET) mice to a 0.5% aqueous lead acetate solution (as the only available fluid source) for either none, one, two, or three generations. Lead exposure, regardless of generation, resulted in decreased body weight and a delay in age of first eye opening relative to controls, but did not delay home nest return latencies. Drinking the lead solution, across two and three successive generations, resulted in a marked and apparently cumulative decrease in pup viability, as well as an increase in dam fatality rates. However, no such cumulative or residual effects were observed on the behavioral activity of those mice who managed to survive. Perhaps a selection effect for lead-tolerant mice occurred in the present study; such an effect could account for the apparent lack of cumulative and residual behavioral effects.