Parent childhood experiences, parenting strategies, and youth health-related outcomes in Hispanic families with unhealthy weight: An intergenerational study.

We aimed to examine whether (a) parents' childhood family mealtime experiences (CFM) (e.g., mealtime communication-based stress) and parents' socio-demographic characteristics (e.g., education level) predict parents' health-related parenting strategies (e.g., discipline), (b) health-related parenting strategies for eating and physical activity predict youth's health-related outcomes (e.g., dietary intake), (c) parenting strategies mediate the relationship between CFM and youth outcomes. A path model was used to examine the above-mentioned relationships. Data were obtained from the baseline assessment of a randomized clinical trial evaluating the efficacy of a family-based intervention to promote quality diet and increase physical activity. Participants were 280 Hispanic youth (52.1 % female, Mage = 13.01 ± 0.83) with unhealthy weight (MBody Mass Index %tile = 94.55 ± 4.15) and their parents (88.2 % female, Mage = 41.87 ± 6.49). Results indicated that childhood mealtime communication-based stress and mealtime structure were positively associated with control. Appearance weight control was positively associated with monitoring, discipline, limit-setting, and reinforcement. Parental mealtime control had positive associations with discipline, control, and limit-setting. Emphasis on mother's weight was positively associated with reinforcement. We also found positive associations between parental monitoring and youth's physical QOL and between parental discipline and fruits and vegetables intake. No mediating effect was found. Findings demonstrated significant effects of parents' childhood experience on parenting strategies, which in turn was associated with the youths' health-related outcomes. These results suggest the intergenerational effects of parent's childhood experience on their youth's health-related outcomes.

Does Binge-Watching eHealth Intervention Content Impact Outcomes?

PURPOSE: Advancements in technology have made it possible to deliver parenting interventions online, known as eHealth interventions. Little is known about the rate at which parents participate in eHealth interventions, characteristics of parents who watch eHealth interventions at an accelerated pace (i.e., binge-watching), and if binge-watching impacts intervention outcomes. METHODS: The sample included 142 Hispanic parents who were randomly assigned to an eHealth family-based intervention and completed 100% of eight online, prerecorded and self-paced video group sessions delivered across 12 weeks. We examined baseline predictors (parent sociodemographic characteristics, report of child's externalizing behaviors, and family functioning) of watching group sessions in two weeks or less (n = 23, 16.2%). Using latent growth curve modeling, we tested the impact of binge-watching on the trajectory of adolescent drug use, condomless sex, and depressive symptoms across 36 months. We also examined the impact of binge-watching on changes in family functioning from baseline to 6 months postbaseline. RESULTS: Parents with high levels of education and of children with attention problems were more likely to binge-watch. Conversely, parents of children with conduct disorder symptoms were less likely to binge-watch. The trajectory of depressive symptoms increased for adolescents with parents who binge-watched the intervention, but the trajectory of condomless sex decreased. There was no impact on drug use. Binge-watching was also associated with decreases in parental monitoring. DISCUSSION: The findings of this study have implications for eHealth interventions; the pace that parents watch eHealth interventions may subsequently impact adolescent outcomes, such as condomless sex and depressive symptoms.

Trajectories of Drug Use and Depressive Symptoms among Latinx Youth and Sexual Minority Youth.

Drug use and depression co-occur and disproportionately affect Latinx sexual minority youth relative to their heterosexual Latinx peers. However, heterogeneity in co-occurring patterns of drug use and depressive symptoms is unknown. The objective of the current study was to identify patterns of drug use and depressive symptom trajectories and examine how these patterns varied between Latinx sexual minority youth and Latinx non-sexual minority youth. Latent class trajectory analysis identified distinct patterns of drug use and depressive symptom trajectories among 231 Latinx adolescents (Latinx sexual minority youth: n = 46, 21.4%; Latinx non-sexual minority youth: n = 169, 78.6%). After identifying class mean trajectories, we examined differences in mean trajectories across groups. A 3-class model was selected as the optimal class trajectory model for both groups, yet classes and trajectories differed. There were differences in initial levels of depression and drug use trajectories between both groups, as well as differences in patterns of drug use trajectories between both groups in two of the three classes. Given the variation in trajectory patterns, there is a need for practitioners to consider the unique needs of both groups to inform the development of preventive interventions for these two populations.