Polysubstance use is associated with myriad short- and long-term health outcomes. Although prior research has documented differences in polysubstance use between lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, queer/questioning, and other sexual and gender minoritized (LGBTQ +) youth and their heterosexual/cisgender counterparts, as well as between subgroups…

Objective: The purpose of this study was to examine patterns of concurrent cannabis and other substance use and their differential associations with cannabis-related problems and academic outcomes in college students. Participants: Participants were undergraduate students (N = 263; M age = 19.1 years; 61.2% female) who were eligible if they used…

Tobacco surveillance in the United States is robust but cannot be quickly modified to capture newly identified tobacco products or behaviors. We present an example of a rapidly deployed nonprobability survey using social media recruitment that collected data on rapidly changing tobacco use behaviors. We recruited 15- to 17-year old current vapers…

Attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) is characterized by persistent patterns of inattention, hyperactivity, and impulsiveness. Among US children and adolescents aged 3-17 years, 9.4% have a diagnosis of ADHD. Previous research suggests possible links between parental substance use and ADHD among children. We conducted a systematic…

Background: While observational studies have established a connection between attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD), autism spectrum disorder (ASD), and heightened risk for cardiovascular diseases (CVD), the causal relationships are not well-defined. This study is designed to examine the causality between ASD, ADHD, and CVD risk as well…

Objective: To evaluate the association between health behaviors with mental health among tertiary education students. Methods: Six databases were searched until September 2021 for prospective cohort studies evaluating the association between health behavior(s) (dietary intake, physical activity, sedentary behavior, alcohol intake, sleep, smoking…

Youth vaping is a concern and schools may use many approaches to discipline students caught vaping at school. This study identified the prevalence of school staff seeing vaping in schools and the measures used to discipline students. A state-wide sample of 7,938 staff from 255 middle and high schools reported whether they saw any students vaping…

We investigate the mechanisms by which a student's age relative to classmates (i.e., relative age) influences risky health behaviors among European adolescents. Using a two-stage least squares approach, we show that relatively young students are more prone to engage in risky behaviors. These results hold after controlling for absolute age, country…

Background: School-based substance use prevention is important, yet many educators are not trained in the curriculums. The purpose of this study was to assess changes in educators' knowledge about substances and confidence in delivering drug education before and after participating in educator trainings, as well as overall perceptions of the…

Research has linked pre- and perinatal complications (PPCs) with increased risk for autism spectrum disorder (ASD). However, PPCs are also known risk factors for other mental health disorders. This study explored which PPCs are specific risk factors for ASD, as opposed to other forms of psychopathology, among a large sample of clinically-referred…

Objective: We offer an overview of ADHD research using mouse models of nicotine exposure. Method: Nicotine exposure of C57BL/6 or Swiss Webster mice occurred during prenatal period only or during the prenatal and the preweaning periods. Behavioral, neuroanatomical and neurotransmitter assays were used to investigate neurobiological mechanisms of…

Objectives: More than 2.5 million middle and high school students in the United States reported current use of e-cigarettes in 2022. With continued curiosity and initiation of e-cigarette use among youth, it is critical to explore new and innovative ways to communicate about the dangers of e-cigarettes. The purpose of this study was to determine…

Objective: To compare physical activity (PA), sitting time, and substance use pre-COVID-19 and during COVID-19 pandemic among US college students. Participants: 484 students from a large Western university (20.6 ± 1.4 years, 80.0% female) were recruited. Methods: Self-reported online surveys were completed in June-August 2020. T-tests and…

The Youth Risk Behavior Survey (YRBS) is an epidemiologic surveillance system that was established by the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) to help monitor the prevalence of behaviors that not only influence youth health but also put youth at risk for the most significant health and social problems that can occur during…

Background: The conceptual framework for "School as a Protective Factor" approach was presented in a companion article in this issue of the journal. The current article describes the validation of the "School as a Protective Factor-Brief (SPF-Brief)," a 13-item survey measuring the 3 core constructs and 13 defining…