Background: Children within historically disadvantaged non-Western South African communities are considered as particularly vulnerable to the development of anxiety problems. Although the need for accessible mental health interventions is evident, this need has remained unmet in a country with extreme socio-economic disparities and a lack of…

Smoking education and prevention campaigns have had marked success in reducing rates of tobacco use among adolescents, however, disparities in use continue to exist. It is critical to assess if adolescents at risk for tobacco use are being exposed to antitobacco campaigns. We used data from Wave 2 of the Population Assessment of Tobacco and Health…

February 14 marked the 1-year anniversary of the school shooting at Marjory Stoneman Douglas High School in Parkland, Florida, and April 20 marks the 20th anniversary of the tragedy at Columbine. Much progress has been made over the last 20 years in the understanding of threat assessment, crisis preparedness, and the importance of increasing…

For the last decade, there has been growing concern regarding the rising rates of youth engagement in self-injury and suicide. The worldwide outbreak of the coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) has elevated these concerns due to increased risk factors pertaining to social, family, economic, and health stressors, in addition to changes to typical…

Guided imagery is a valuable intervention strategy that can benefit children who are at risk for social, academic, and mental health problems. Guided imagery is a technique that employs imagination, emotions, and a spectrum of bodily senses (Naparstek, 1994). This particular technique can be applied in community and academic settings to help…

Parents' health and children's health are closely intertwined--healthier parents have healthier children, and vice versa. Genetics accounts for some of this relationship, but much of it can be traced to environment and behavior, and the environmental and behavioral risk factors for poor health disproportionately affect families living in…

Nonsuicidal self-injury (NSSI) in adolescents is a significant problem that needs to be addressed, and in some cases managed, in school settings. The current feasibility study uses screening questionnaires and follow up-interviews on NSSI in a community sample of adolescents ("N" = 1,052) in Sweden. Both adolescents reporting self-injury…

Background: The HEALTHY primary prevention trial developed an integrated multicomponent intervention program to moderate risk factors for type 2 diabetes in middle schools. The nutrition component aimed to improve the quality of foods and beverages served to students. Changes in the School Breakfast Program (SBP), National School Lunch Program…

Suicide is a serious public health problem that causes immeasurable pain, suffering, and loss to individuals, families, and communities nationwide. Many people may be surprised to learn that suicide was one of the top 10 causes of death in the United States in 2009. And death is only the tip of the iceberg. For every person who dies by suicide,…

"Catalyst" is a publication of the U.S. Department of Education's Higher Education Center for Alcohol and Other Drug Abuse and Violence Prevention. This issue contains the following articles: (1) From Competition To Collaboration College Alcohol Prevention in an Era of Competing Risks; (2) A Public Health Approach to Mental Health…

Up to 25% of adolescent girls experience an episode of major depression, at least twice the rate found with adolescent boys. In addition to reducing the suffering associated with depression, prevention efforts with this high-risk population have the potential to avert short- and long-term functional impairment, reduce the risk of associated mental…

While college campuses are relatively safe environments, the promise of safety and security on campus was shattered by a single gunman on April 16, 2007. Seung-Hui Cho, a senior at Virginia Tech, shot 49 students and faculty, killing 32, before killing himself. The authors are psychologists and directors of university counseling centers; they…

The National Suicide Prevention Lifeline was launched in January 2005. Lifeline, supported by a federal grant from the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration, consists of a network of more than 120 crisis centers located in communities across the country that are committed to suicide prevention. Lifeline's Certification and…

"Data Trends" reports present summaries of research on mental health services for children and adolescents and their families. The article summarized in this "Data Trends" describes child maltreatment prevention programs designed to increase protective factors and decrease risk factors in families who may otherwise succumb to…

Background: This paper describes a portion of a larger evaluation project of a state hepatitis prevention program. Purpose: The study explored the suggestions of key informants related to the delivery of hepatitis services in the state. Methods: Researchers conducted key informant interviews lasting 30 to 45 minutes. Results: Important findings…