This past week, FAS researchers traveled to Denver, Colorado to present some recent findings from the Flint Adolescent Study at the American Public Health Association Annual Meeting. The study explored the relationship between adult attachment style, exposure to violence during adolescence and depression during adulthood. Researchers found evidence that was consistent with previous findings supporting the association between exposure to violence …

A  study of middle school students in Warsaw, Poland examined both the risk factors and promotive factors associated with adolescent substance abuse.  The survey questionnaire and items were based on those used for Flint Adolescent Study. Researchers found that Polish adolescents were less likely to use alcohol and cigarettes if they had strong maternal support, while friends’ and non-parental use and acceptance of …

ANN ARBOR—Young African-American women who live in fear of the violence in their neighborhoods are more likely to become obese when they reach their 20s and 30s, new research from the University of Michigan Flint Adolescent Study shows. The community-based study in Flint, Mich., reveals that African-American girls who express fear about their violent surroundings at age 15 experienced a …

Youth living in disadvantaged areas are often exposed to violence daily, both within the home and the community. Growing up in these conditions can lead to feelings of distress, hopelessness and depression. The good news is that positive communication and support from mothers can help youth overcome these negative effects. Our most recent publication from the Flint Adolescent Study, examined these relationships. Specifically, …

ANN ARBOR—Young African-American men who have well-established educational aspirations by the time they are in 9th grade are less likely than their peers to engage in violent behavior at age 22, researchers from the University of Michigan have found. The team also found that exposure to community violence led boys without such aspirations to be more accepting of violent behavior …

ANN ARBOR—African-American youth whose anxiety levels are elevated by the everyday struggles they encounter will overproduce the stress hormone cortisol into adulthood, according to new research from the University of Michigan. Researchers found that anxiety among females and alcohol use among males in their teens predict their cortisol output seven years later. “This paper extends current knowledge by following a …

Alcohol, marijuana, and tobacco use among youth are of particular concern to public health researchers because of its prevalence and long term health effects. However, there has been little research on patterns of substance use as youth get older, leaving many questions unanswered. For example, how do youth go from using just one substance to using more? How do family …