The Brown University Child and Adolescent Behavior Letter articles from April 2003

The Brown University Child and Adolescent Behavior Letter archives from April 2003

Researchers' study of twins bolsters `gateway' theory. (Focus on Teens and Substance Use).(causes of hard drug abuse )
April 1, 2003... Many studies have examined the "gateway" theory, that marijuana use at a young age leads to use of harder drugs as a person grows older. While there is a general consensus among studies that those who use marijuana are much more likely to use...

Enhanced D.A.R.E. program more effective for adolescent boys. (Broadening a School-Based Intervention).(Drug Abuse Resistance Education)
April 1, 2003... A Minnesota-based enhanced D.A.R.E. program involving students, parents, teachers and the community, revealed that adolescent boys were less likely to show increases in alcohol and other drug use compared to their peers in a D.A.R.E.-only...

Violence. (Keep Your Eye On).(Abstract)
April 1, 2003... Children exposed to violent media, such as television, are placed at increased risk for the development of aggressive and violent behavior as adults, according to a new study. The study examined longitudinal relations between TV-violence...

Guns. (Keep Your Eye On).(gun violence statistics)(Brief Article)
April 1, 2003... Most of the guns used in school shootings during the 1990s came from the child's home or from friends or relatives, CNN reported recently. According to the report, the CDC said 123 students used 128 guns in school-related homicides and suicides...

ADHD. (Keep Your Eye On).(attention deficit hyperactivity disorder)(pesticides and neurological disorders)(Brief Article)
April 1, 2003... Researchers at the Salk Institute in California have identified a gene that may link certain pesticides and chemical weaponry to neurological disorders, including Gulf War syndrome and ADHD. Using an animal model, researchers found that...

Distress. (Keep Your Eye On).(self blame and low self esteem in depressed children)(Brief Article)
April 1, 2003... Children who suffer emotional distress from depression and anxiety may be more likely to underestimate themselves, Health Behavior News Service reported. Children who experienced emotional distress were more likely to blame themselves for...

National mental health initiative will identify teens at risk.
April 1, 2003... Addressing the issue that only a third of adolescents at risk of mental illness are identified and treated, health and education leaders at Columbia University announced recently a groundbreaking national initiative to offer voluntary mental...

CBT promising for traumatized Latinos. (What's New in Research).(school-based cognitive behavioral therapy)
April 1, 2003... A school-based cognitive behavioral therapy (CBT) intervention is effective in reducing trauma-related depression and post-traumatic disorder (PTSD) symptoms in Latino immigrant children exposed to community violence, new finding show. ...

Study examines predictors of repeat self-harm. (What's New in Research).(parental mental illness and suicidal behavior in children)(Abstract)
April 1, 2003... European researchers recently reported that poor parental mental health and a history of previous attempts were strong predictors of repeat self-harm in children with a previous suicide attempt. For the study, researchers examined the...

Sleep problems linked to inattention, hyperactivity. (What's New in Research).(Abstract)
April 1, 2003... Snoring and other sleep-disordered breathing in children may cause daytime misbehavior that mimics ADHD, according to new research. The findings add to a growing body of evidence linking sleep problems and inattention and hyperactivity. ...

The road to advocacy. (Commentary).(improving child mental health services)
April 1, 2003... I've come full circle. In my youth, with long hair and idealistic certainty, I was very political. Civil rights, the Vietnam War and reshaping society were consuming issues, and political advocacy--however strident--seemed the obvious means to...

Helping our children deal with war.
April 1, 2003... In this time of heightened anxiety over the war with Iraq, our children are experiencing fear and anxiety too. They're seeing news reports and hearing people around them talk about the war and terrorist threats here at home. But unlike adults,...