Research Spotlights September 2016

Improved infant health could impact population-level patterns of social inequality

Improved infant health could impact population-level patterns of social inequality

Social inequalities in infant health are a highly prioritized population health issue in our country. Rates of adverse birth outcomes, such as low birthweight (<2,500 g), are consistently higher among poor and unmarried ...


 

The Genetics of Success: Life-course sociogenomic analysis of genetic discoveries for educational attainment

The genetics of success: Life-course sociogenomic analysis of genetic discoveries for educational attainment

Large-scale data mining of more than one hundred thousand human genomes recently discovered genetic variants related to differences in educational attainment. We followed-up results from that data mining study to uncover ...


 

'I want to be better than you.' Experiences of intergenerational child maltreatment prevention among teen mothers in and beyond foster care

"I want to be better than you." Experiences of intergenerational child maltreatment prevention among teen mothers in and beyond foster care

Prevention of child abuse and neglect is an ongoing public health need that disproportionately affects children born to very young parents ...


 

keepin’ it REAL: Designing interventions that change behavior…and lives

keepin’ it REAL: Designing interventions that change behavior…and lives

Event Date: September 29, 2016. Presenter: Michael Hecht, Ph.D. ...


 

NIH awards more than $150 million for research on environmental influences on child health

NIH awards more than $150 million for research on environmental influences on child health

The NIH today announced $157 million in awards in fiscal year 2016 to launch a seven-year initiative called Environmental influences on Child Health Outcomes (ECHO) ...


 

A data mining approach for examining predictors of physical activity among older urban adults

A data mining approach for examining predictors of physical activity among older urban adults

Only two out of ten older adults meet the national guidelines for physical activity in the United States. Little is known about interrelationships of many socio-ecological factors to improve physical activity behavior ...


 

Mindfulness and stress in older and young adults

Mindfulness and stress in older and young adults

By Ruchika Shaurya Prakash, Ph.D. It is well known now that stress negatively impacts both physical and mental health. Across species, higher levels of stress are ...


 

Learning the ABCD: A landmark study of adolescent brain and cognitive development

Learning the ABCD: A landmark study of adolescent brain and cognitive develop

By William Riley, Ph.D., Office of Behavioral and Social Sciences Research Director. Far too many times as a teenager, after displaying a clear lack of judgment, my parents would ask, “What were you thinking?” I suspect that this is a common question of many ...


 

Understanding the cross-national disparity in depression: A comparison of China and Russia

Understanding the cross-national disparity in depression: A comparison of China and Russia

Why people report better mental health in some countries than in others? In the early 2000s, the World Health Organization (WHO) conducted the World Mental Health Survey in 14 countries and found that the prevalence of mental disorders varies ...


 

Getting closer to the truthful self-report: A Construal Level Theory based survey method

Getting closer to the truthful self-report: A construal level theory based survey method

Self-report is the most commonly used method to collect data in behavioral research, but its reliability and validity have always been hotly debated. Obtaining reliable and valid data on behavioral questions ...