Amy R. Monn

Substance involvement among youths in child welfare: the role of common and unique risk factors.

This study examines risk factors for substance involvement for youths involved with the child welfare (CW) system. In addition to common risk factors examined in general population studies; this research examines risk factors unique to youths in the CW system, including age at entry into CW and number of out-of-home placements. Participants included 214 youths ages 13 to 18, randomly sampled from youths active to CW in San Diego County, California. Severity of substance involvement was assessed through structured diagnostic interviews determining lifetime substance use, abuse, and dependence. Hierarchical regression analyses including demographics, psychosocial variables, maltreatment history, CW placement variables, and the interaction of age at entry into CW and number of out-of-home placements revealed that both common and CW-specific risk factors were associated with the severity of youth substance involvement. Multiple-placement changes, later entry into the CW system, and multiple-placement changes at an older age are associated with higher risk for more serious substance involvement for youths in CW.

Association Between Mental and Physical Health Problems in High-Risk Adolescents: A Longitudinal Study

PURPOSE This longitudinal study examined the relationship between mental and physical health problems in a sample of high-risk youth served in the public sector. METHODS Participants included youth aged 9-18 years at baseline, randomly sampled from one of five public service sectors in San Diego County, California, and youths may have been active to more than one sector. Diagnoses for mood, anxiety, and disruptive disorders based on structured diagnostic interviews were determined at baseline and data regarding health-related problems were collected 2 years post-baseline. RESULTS Mood and disruptive behavior disorders were related to cumulative health problem incidence, as well as aggregate measures of health problems and severe health problems. In addition mood disorder diagnosis was associated with higher rates of infectious diseases, respiratory problems, and weight problems. Disruptive disorder diagnosis was related to higher rates of risk behavior-related health problems. CONCLUSIONS The present work extends the research on the relationship between mental and physical health problems to adolescents served in the public sector, who are at especially high risk for behavioral and emotional problems. Potential mechanisms by which mental health problems may impact health problems are discussed. We suggest the development of effective interagency cooperation between medical and mental health systems to improve the care of youth with comorbid mental and physical disorders.

Trauma, adversity, and parent-child relationships among young children experiencing homelessness

This study examined experiences of adversity and potentially traumatic life events among 138 young children (56% female) residing with their families in emergency housing. Experiences of these children were examined from a developmental perspective, testing the impact of cumulative adversity on trauma symptoms, other emotional/behavior problems, and executive functioning in relation to the quality of observed parent-child interactions. Cumulative adversity was related to children’s trauma symptoms and total problem scores. Quality of observed parentchild interactions related to fewer child symptoms, congruent with a promotive role. Quality of parent-child interactions also moderated the associations between adversity and both specific trauma symptoms and broad emotional/behavior problems, consistent with an expected protective effect. Parenting quality was generally associated with better child executive functioning, consistent with a promotive rather than a protective effect among homeless children. Findings are discussed in the context of family homelessness, including chronic poverty and acute or ongoing adversity.

Resilience in children and adolescents

Introduction In the sciences concerned with human development, resilience can be defined as the capacity of a dynamic, living system to endure or recover from a major disturbance and continue to develop in healthy ways. Resilience is a broad systems concept that generally refers to the capacity of any dynamic system to adapt or recover from a significant threat to its function or viability. It can be applied to an individual, a family, an organization, or an ecosystem. Interest in resilience emerged independently in the ecological and social sciences around the same time (late 1960s and early 1970s), probably as a result of common roots in general systems theory (Masten & Obradovic, 2008). Judging from ancient tales of young heroes and heroines, people have been intrigued with the idea of overcoming adversity for millennia. The science of resilience in children, however, emerged in the 1960s as investigators, searching for the causes of mental illnesses such as schizophrenia and behavioral problems such as delinquency, began to study children at risk for psychopathology (Luthar, 2006; Masten, 2007, 2011). The rationale behind this approach was to begin research before disorders were evident in order to study their causes and course of development (Garmezy & Streitman, 1974; Watt et al., 1984; Obradovic et al., 2011). When investigators began to study groups of children believed to be at risk, the striking variability in the life course among the individual children became apparent. The diversity in outcomes of children who shared risk factors was impressive, particularly when followed forward in time. Investigators were confronted with the puzzle of numerous young people in “high-risk” groups who were showing positive mental health and development.

Risk, Vulnerability, and Protective Processes of Parental Expressed Emotion for Children's Peer Relationships in Contexts of Parental Violence.

This study examined risk, vulnerability, and protective processes of parental expressed emotion for childrens peer relationships in families living in emergency shelters with high rates of exposure to parental violence (EPV). Parental criticism and negativity were hypothesized to exacerbate the association between EPV and poorer peer relations, whereas parental warmth was expected to buffer this association. Participants included 138 homeless parents (M = 30.77 years, SD = 6.33, range = 20.51–57.32 years; 64% African American, 12% Caucasian, 24% other) and their 4-to 6-year-old children (43.5% male; M = 4.83, SD = .58, range = 4.83–6.92 years; 67% African American, 2% Caucasian, 31% other). Families were assessed during the summer at three urban shelters, with parents completing the Five-Minute Speech Sample (FMSS), later scored for criticism, negativity, and warmth, and interview items about EPV. Teachers were subsequently contacted in the fall about childrens classroom behavior, and they provided ratings of peer relations. Demographic factors, parental internalizing symptoms, and observed parental harshness were examined as covariates. Regression analyses indicated an interaction of EPV and warmth, consistent with a moderating effect of expressed emotion for EPV and peer relations, although no interactions were found for criticism or negativity. Observed harshness also directly predicted worse peer relations. Parental warmth may be protective for positive peer relations among impoverished families with high levels of EPV. The FMSS is discussed as an efficient tool with potential for both basic clinical research and preventative interventions designed to target or assess change in parental expressed emotion.

Intergenerational Continuity of Adverse Childhood Experiences in Homeless Families: Unpacking Exposure to Maltreatment Versus Family Dysfunction.

Despite the expanding research on adverse childhood experiences (ACEs) and corpus of studies on intergenerational maltreatment in high-risk families, studies have not examined intergenerational ACEs more broadly, much less in severely disadvantaged families. This study investigated the intergenerational continuity of ACEs in mothers and young children aged 4 to 6 years living in emergency homeless shelters. It also examined whether unpacking ACEs into categories of exposure to maltreatment versus family dysfunction affected intergenerational continuity patterns or child socioemotional problems in school. Negative parenting, in the form of observed inept coercive discipline with children, and cumulative sociodemographic risk were examined as additional predictors of child ACEs and socioemotional problems. Mothers (N = 95; aged 20–45; 64.2% African American, 3.2% African Native, 11.6% Caucasian, 7.4% biracial/multiracial, and 13.6% other) completed questionnaires on parent and child ACEs and cumulative risk factors. They participated in videotaped parent–child interactions rated for observed coercive discipline, and teachers provided reports of children’s socioemotional problems. Results indicated that higher parental ACEs predicted higher child ACEs, with higher numbers of parental ACEs in either category (maltreatment or family dysfunction) predicting higher levels of child ACEs in both categories. However, child exposure to maltreatment, but not family dysfunction, significantly predicted elevations in children’s socioemotional problems. Findings underscore the role of intergenerational childhood adversity in homeless families and also emphasize that unpacking ACEs in children may illuminate key areas of vulnerability for school adjustment.

Executive function and parenting in the context of homelessness.

There is mounting evidence that maternal executive function (EF) plays a critical role in parenting behavior. However, the majority of the research on this topic has been conducted in low-risk samples. The purpose of the present study was to investigate whether individual differences in maternal EF are associated with parenting behavior in the high-risk, high adversity context of family homelessness. The study included 94 mothers and their children, ages 4 to 6 years, living in emergency homeless shelters. Mothers completed a battery of “hot” and “cool” EF tasks as well as a self-report questionnaire of perceived stress. Parenting measures were based on observed parent–child interactions that were later coded for harsh and positive parenting practices. Results indicated that hot EF in mothers was related to positive parenting. The relation between maternal planning ability, assessed by a cool EF task, and harsh parenting was also significant, but only for mothers reporting higher levels of stress. These findings add to a growing body of research suggesting that the influence of EF and other forms of cognitive control on parenting need to be interpreted within the context of environmental stress and adversity.

Resilience and Mental Health: Resilience in children and adolescents

Introduction In the sciences concerned with human development, resilience can be defined as the capacity of a dynamic, living system to endure or recover from a major disturbance and continue to develop in healthy ways. Resilience is a broad systems concept that generally refers to the capacity of any dynamic system to adapt or recover from a significant threat to its function or viability. It can be applied to an individual, a family, an organization, or an ecosystem. Interest in resilience emerged independently in the ecological and social sciences around the same time (late 1960s and early 1970s), probably as a result of common roots in general systems theory (Masten & Obradovic, 2008). Judging from ancient tales of young heroes and heroines, people have been intrigued with the idea of overcoming adversity for millennia. The science of resilience in children, however, emerged in the 1960s as investigators, searching for the causes of mental illnesses such as schizophrenia and behavioral problems such as delinquency, began to study children at risk for psychopathology (Luthar, 2006; Masten, 2007, 2011). The rationale behind this approach was to begin research before disorders were evident in order to study their causes and course of development (Garmezy & Streitman, 1974; Watt et al., 1984; Obradovic et al., 2011). When investigators began to study groups of children believed to be at risk, the striking variability in the life course among the individual children became apparent. The diversity in outcomes of children who shared risk factors was impressive, particularly when followed forward in time. Investigators were confronted with the puzzle of numerous young people in “high-risk” groups who were showing positive mental health and development.

Resilience in children and adolescents: Responding to challenges across the lifespan

Introduction In the sciences concerned with human development, resilience can be defined as the capacity of a dynamic, living system to endure or recover from a major disturbance and continue to develop in healthy ways. Resilience is a broad systems concept that generally refers to the capacity of any dynamic system to adapt or recover from a significant threat to its function or viability. It can be applied to an individual, a family, an organization, or an ecosystem. Interest in resilience emerged independently in the ecological and social sciences around the same time (late 1960s and early 1970s), probably as a result of common roots in general systems theory (Masten & Obradovic, 2008). Judging from ancient tales of young heroes and heroines, people have been intrigued with the idea of overcoming adversity for millennia. The science of resilience in children, however, emerged in the 1960s as investigators, searching for the causes of mental illnesses such as schizophrenia and behavioral problems such as delinquency, began to study children at risk for psychopathology (Luthar, 2006; Masten, 2007, 2011). The rationale behind this approach was to begin research before disorders were evident in order to study their causes and course of development (Garmezy & Streitman, 1974; Watt et al., 1984; Obradovic et al., 2011). When investigators began to study groups of children believed to be at risk, the striking variability in the life course among the individual children became apparent. The diversity in outcomes of children who shared risk factors was impressive, particularly when followed forward in time. Investigators were confronted with the puzzle of numerous young people in “high-risk” groups who were showing positive mental health and development.

Resilience and Mental Health: Challenges Across the Lifespan

Introduction In the sciences concerned with human development, resilience can be defined as the capacity of a dynamic, living system to endure or recover from a major disturbance and continue to develop in healthy ways. Resilience is a broad systems concept that generally refers to the capacity of any dynamic system to adapt or recover from a significant threat to its function or viability. It can be applied to an individual, a family, an organization, or an ecosystem. Interest in resilience emerged independently in the ecological and social sciences around the same time (late 1960s and early 1970s), probably as a result of common roots in general systems theory (Masten & Obradovic, 2008). Judging from ancient tales of young heroes and heroines, people have been intrigued with the idea of overcoming adversity for millennia. The science of resilience in children, however, emerged in the 1960s as investigators, searching for the causes of mental illnesses such as schizophrenia and behavioral problems such as delinquency, began to study children at risk for psychopathology (Luthar, 2006; Masten, 2007, 2011). The rationale behind this approach was to begin research before disorders were evident in order to study their causes and course of development (Garmezy & Streitman, 1974; Watt et al., 1984; Obradovic et al., 2011). When investigators began to study groups of children believed to be at risk, the striking variability in the life course among the individual children became apparent. The diversity in outcomes of children who shared risk factors was impressive, particularly when followed forward in time. Investigators were confronted with the puzzle of numerous young people in “high-risk” groups who were showing positive mental health and development.