Adolescent Family Factors Promoting Healthy Adult Functioning: A Longitudinal Community Study.

BACKGROUND: Although long-held wisdom and current research suggests that accepting and supportive family relationships may positively influence adult psychosocial functioning, few studies have prospectively investigated these associations. This study examined whether positive family factors during adolescence are associated with healthy adult functioning. METHOD: The 353 participants were part of a single-age cohort whose psychosocial development has been prospectively traced.

Long-term impact of family arguments and physical violence on adult functioning at age 30 years: findings from the simmons longitudinal study.

Objective: To prospectively examine the extent to which an increase in family arguments by age 15 years and the occurrence of family physical violence by age 18 years are related to deficits in key domains of adult functioning at age 30 years.

Method: The 346 participants were part of a single-age cohort from a predominately white working-class community whose psychosocial development has been traced since age 5 years. Family arguments and violence were assessed through self-reports during adolescence.

Change in prevalence of psychiatric disorders from ages 21 to 30 in a community sample.

The authors examined change and demonstrated variation in the prevalence of psychiatric disorders from ages 21 to 30 in a prospective community study (n = 352) using generalized estimating equations and investigated effects of past and recent psychiatric disorder on emerging adult functioning (at age 30). Results revealed significant declines in 12-month prevalence of phobia and substance use disorders from ages 21 to 30 but not in depression or posttraumatic stress disorder. Males were at significantly higher risk for lifetime substance use disorders; females were at higher risk for lifetime depression, phobia, and PTSD.

Major depression in the transition to adulthood: the impact of active and past depression on young adult functioning.

This study examined the association between active and past major depression and deficits in young adult functioning using data from a longitudinal community study (N = 354). Three groups were compared: (1) participants with a 1-year diagnosis of major depression at age 26 (active group); (2) those who experienced major depression during the transition to adulthood, ages 18-25, but did not have active depression at age 26 (past group); and (3) individuals not meeting diagnostic criteria for depression during the transition period. Results highlight serious deficits in psychosocial functioning at age 26 linked to both active and past depression.

Childhood and adolescent predictors of major depression in the transition to adulthood.

Objective: The identification of predictors of major depression in the transition to adulthood has direct application to prevention and intervention efforts designed to forestall depression in this high-risk period. The current study identified childhood and adolescent familial and behavioral-emotional factors predicting depression during this critical developmental stage.

Method: The 354 participants were part of a single-age cohort from a predominately Caucasian working-class community whose psychosocial development has been traced prospectively since age 5.

Child and adolescent predictors for eating disorders in a community population of young adult women.

Objective: This study investigated early predictors for developing eating disorders by young adulthood in a community sample of women participating in a 22-year longitudinal study.

Method: Twenty-one women were identified at age 27 with lifetime full or partial eating disorders. These women were compared with 47 women with no history of eating disorders on predictive factors from three broad domains.

Behavioral and emotional functioning in children of adolescent mothers.

This study compared children of mothers in three age groups--15-17, 18-19, and 20-24 years--at the birth of their first child. Outcome measures were ratings of psychological functioning obtained at three time periods from multiple sources. Results, controlling for family structure and maternal education, indicate that children of adolescent mothers were generally not different from children of mothers in their early twenties with respect to behavioral and emotional functioning.

Clinical assessments and maternal judgments: concurrent and predictive relationships.

Mothers and clinicians, both of whom play key roles in securing mental health services for children, have been found to differ in their ratings of children's adjustment. While this finding is confirmed by the present study, ratings made by social workers based on a structured interview with mothers prior to their children's kindergarten entry indicate a number of significant relationships with measures of children's school and behavioral adjustment four years later.

Gender differences in learning and adjustment problems in school: results of a longitudinal study.

Results of a community study suggest that boys entering school had more problems with aggression and information processing than did girls. Later differences in learning and adjustment largely reflected the high proportion of boys among children receiving psychological services. Girls who received psychological services were less likely than boys to get special education help.