Peer ambassador stories: formative qualitative research to enhance the reach of PrEP, HIV testing, and behavioral health treatments to LMSM in South Florida.

Existing HIV prevention interventions, such as pre-exposure prophylaxis (PrEP), and behavioral health treatments inadequately reach Latino men who have sex with men (LMSM) in the US. This study involved formative research to inform the content, design, and implementation of a scalable, low resource implementation strategy - peer ambassador stories - stories from peers to normalize using PrEP, HIV testing, and behavioral health treatment. We conducted semi-structured interviews with 20 LMSM to elucidate their content, design, and implementation preferences for peer ambassador stories. Men were asked about story prompts, story contributor characteristics, story platform features, design preferences, and recommendations for enhancing the adoption and use of the peer ambassador technology platform among LMSM. Interviews were transcribed and analyzed via rapid qualitative analysis. Qualitative analyses identified 14 themes within 4 pre-specified domains. Collectively, the themes unified around the central concept that technology-delivered peer ambassador stories require a personalized, relational, culturally relevant touch to be acceptable and appropriate for LMSM. This study suggests that disseminating peer ambassador stories using electronic platforms and audio/video formats may enhance the reach of services and if they are personalized, relational, and culturally relevant. Findings have broad implications for informing other peer-based strategies to mitigate HIV disparities among LMSM.

Exploring the interplay of weight-based teasing and sociodemographic factors in adolescent weight bias internalization.

OBJECTIVE: Research has highlighted the potential adverse effects of weight bias internalization (WBI) on adolescents, but there has been little examination of WBI and sources of weight teasing (family, peers, or both) or across racial/ethnic diversity of adolescents. We aimed to examine the relationship between WBI and sources of weight teasing across sociodemographic characteristics and weight status in a diverse community sample of adolescents. METHODS: Data were collected from a U.S. sample of 1859 adolescents aged 10-17 years (59% female; 43% White, 27% Black or African American, and 25% Latino). An online questionnaire was used to assess participants' experiences of weight teasing from family members, peers, or both, and their weight status, weight-related goals, WBI, and sociodemographic characteristics. RESULTS: Adolescents experiencing weight teasing from both family and peers reported the highest levels of WBI, while those reporting no teasing exhibited the lowest levels. These patterns were observed across sex, race/ethnicity, weight status, and weight goals, and persisted after controlling for depressive symptoms. Notably, family influences played a salient role, with adolescents reporting higher WBI if teased by family only compared to teasing from peers only. Sex and racial differences were also observed in adolescents' experiences with weight-based teasing. CONCLUSION: Our study reveals associations between adolescent weight-based teasing, WBI, and sociodemographic factors. Weight-based teasing, whether from family and peers or from family only, was associated with increased WBI. Interventions targeting weight stigma in youth should not be limited to peer-focused efforts, but should also emphasize supportive family communication.

The 'Paths to everyday life' (PEER) trial - a qualitative study of mechanisms of change from the perspectives of individuals with mental health difficulties participating in peer support groups led by volunteer peers.

BACKGROUND: Worldwide, peers support has been shown to play a crucial role in supporting people with mental illness in their personal recovery process and return to everyday life. Qualitiative studies underpinning the mechanisms of change in peer support has been reviewed. However, the findings are primeraly based on the perspectives of peer support workers employed in mental health services. Thus, qualitiative studies elucidating the mechanisms of change from the recipient perspective in mental health service independent civil society settings are higly needed to further contribute to the evidence of peer support. The 'Paths to every day life' (PEER) is evaluated in a randomized trial and is substantiated by qualitative studies investigating the experiences of PEER from the perspectives of the recipients and the facilitators of peer support. The purpose of this qualitative study underpinned by critical realism was to substantiate the PEER intervention program theory by gaining deeper insight into the change mechanisms and elaborate how, when, and under what circumstances the peer support groups potentially had or did not have an impact on personal recovery from the perspectives of the recipients of peer support. METHODS: Eleven individuals were interviewed at the end of the ten-week group course. The semi-structured realist-inspired interviews were audio recorded and transcribed verbatim. The analysis was guided by reflective thematic analysis and through an abductive framework based on the program theory. Data were coded and analysed in Nvivo software. RESULTS: Four overarching themes were identified that informed and nuanced the program theory: 1) Connectedness as a prerequisite for engagement; 2) A sense of hope by working out new paths to recovery; 3) Seeing new sides of oneself; and 4) Sprout for change. CONCLUSIONS: This study substantiates the program theory and the quantitative results of the PEER trial by elaborating on mechanisms that were felt to be essential for the personal recovery process from the perspectives of the recipients of the group-based peer support. In addition, the study points out that the opportunities to act in everyday life depended on individual context and where the group participants were on their recovery journey. TRIAL REGISTRATION: ClinicalTrials.gov identifier: NCT04639167.

Pathways to adolescent social anxiety: Testing interactions between neural social reward function and perceived social threat in daily life.

Recent theories suggest that for youth highly sensitive to incentives, perceiving more social threat may contribute to social anxiety (SA) symptoms. In 129 girls (ages 11-13) oversampled for shy/fearful temperament, we thus examined how interactions between neural responses to social reward (vs. neutral) cues (measured during anticipation of peer feedback) and perceived social threat in daily peer interactions (measured using ecological momentary assessment) predict SA symptoms two years later. No significant interactions emerged when neural reward function was modeled as a latent factor. Secondary analyses showed that higher perceived social threat was associated with more severe SA symptoms two years later only for girls with higher basolateral amygdala (BLA) activation to social reward cues at baseline. Interaction effects were specific to BLA activation to social reward (not threat) cues, though a main effect of BLA activation to social threat (vs. neutral) cues on SA emerged. Unexpectedly, interactions between social threat and BLA activation to social reward cues also predicted generalized anxiety and depression symptoms two years later, suggesting possible transdiagnostic risk pathways. Perceiving high social threat may be particularly detrimental for youth highly sensitive to reward incentives, potentially due to mediating reward learning processes, though this remains to be tested.

Engaging with peers to integrate community care: Knowledge synthesis and conceptual map.

CONTEXT: Engaging with peers is gaining increasing interest from healthcare systems in numerous countries. Peers are people who offer support by drawing on lived experiences of significant challenges or 'insider' knowledge of communities. Growing evidence suggests that peers can serve as a bridge between underserved communities and care providers across sectors, through their ability to build trust and relationships. Peer support is thus seen as an innovative way to address core issues of formal healthcare, particularly fragmentation of care and health inequalities. The wide body of approaches, goals and models of peer support speaks volumes of such interest. Navigating the various labels used to name peers, however, can be daunting. Similar terms often hide critical differences. OBJECTIVES/BACKGROUND: This article seeks to disentangle the conceptual multiplicity of peer support, presenting a conceptual map based on a 3-year knowledge synthesis project involving peers and programme stakeholders in Canada, and international scientific and grey literature. SYNTHESIS/MAIN RESULTS: The map introduces six key questions to navigate and situate peer support approaches according to peers' roles, pathways and settings of practice, regardless of the terms used to label them. As a tool, it offers a broad overview of the different ways peers contribute to integrating health and community care. DISCUSSION: We conclude by discussing the map's potential and limitations to establish a common language and bridge models, in support of knowledge exchange among practitioners, policymakers and researchers. PATIENT OR PUBLIC CONTRIBUTION: Our team includes one experienced peer support worker. She contributed to the design of the conceptual map and the production of the manuscript. More than 10 peers working across Canada were also involved during research meetings to validate and refine the conceptual map.

Peer influence on eating behaviour in early childhood: A scoping review.

OBJECTIVE: Peers can significantly influence eating behaviours in school-aged children and adolescents. Studies vary in methodology and terminology and report inconsistent age and sex differences. No review has collated evidence within early childhood. This review aims to explore what is currently known about peer influence and eating behaviours in young children and identify knowledge gaps regarding commonly assessed eating behaviours, peer definitions, peer influence assessment methods, and theoretical frameworks. METHODS: A search of electronic databases (Embase, ERIC, Medline, APA PsycInfo, Scopus) was conducted. The review included peer-reviewed, primary research that explored peer influence on eating behaviour in any group context, published between 1980 and 2023, available in English full-text. Participants were aged between two and seven years. Primary and secondary screening were conducted by two authors. Data extraction was conducted by one author with a second author duplicating 25%. RESULTS: Twenty-six of the 3961 unique identified studies met inclusion criteria. Most studies (76%) report peers to influence eating behaviours. Peer influence was a primary aim in 18 studies, of which 17 were experimental, and peer influence emerged as a finding in seven studies. All phenomena of interest varied widely. Eating behaviour concept definitions were inconsistent, with four studies assessing hypothetical eating behaviours. Peers varied by age, familiarity, and in-person versus remote exposures. Six theoretical frameworks were referenced, and eleven studies lacked theoretical underpinning. No studies measured peer influence directly or obtained children's perspectives. CONCLUSIONS: Peers may influence eating behaviours within early childhood. Peer familiarity and age potentially impact peer influence magnitude. Variations in study design and peer definitions make comparisons challenging. Future research should utilise observational designs to explore peer influence on child eating behaviours within naturalistic settings.

'Like fumbling around in the dark': Young people's perceptions and realities of healthy relationships.

Learning to negotiate relationships is a key feature of adolescence, yet insight into young people's perspectives on what constitutes healthy relationships is lacking. In this study, therefore, insights were sought on healthy relationship qualities, common issues encountered, and relevant educational experiences. Semi-structured interviews were undertaken with 18 young people (11 self-identified as female, 5 male, and 2 trans/gender-diverse) aged 14-20 years, residing in Adelaide, South Australia. Relationships with parents, siblings, peers and intimate partners were topics for discussion. Reflexive thematic analysis was utilised to generate codes and themes. The Five Cs of Positive Youth Development were used to aid understanding of findings. Young people's accounts suggested a disjuncture between desired relationship qualities, realities and education on relationships and sexual health. Young people articulated tensions navigating peer norms and societal expectations in relation to dating and sex, including unrealistic representations, gender stereotyping and strong 'sexpectations'. Participants in this study relied more heavily on personal experience and observation than formal education to develop an understanding of healthy relationships. Achieving healthy relationships was generally perceived to be complex and requiring skills or understanding informants were unsure about. Positive Youth Development could provide a framework for meeting the needs expressed by young people, notably by building communication skills, confidence and agency.

Effects of Peer- or Professional-Led Support in Enhancing Adherence to Wearable Monitoring Devices Among Community-Dwelling Older Adults: Systematic Review of Randomized Controlled Trials.

BACKGROUND: Despite the well-documented health benefits associated with wearable monitoring devices (WMDs), adherence among community-dwelling older adults remains low. By providing guidance on the purpose and benefits of using WMDs, facilitating goal-setting aligned with the device's features, promoting comprehension of the health data captured by the device, and assisting in overcoming technological challenges, peers and health care professionals can potentially enhance older adults' adherence to WMDs. However, the effectiveness of such support mechanisms in promoting adherence to WMDs among older adults remains poorly understood. OBJECTIVE: The aims of this systematic review were to examine the effects of peer- or professional-led intervention programs designed to improve adherence to WMDs among community-dwelling older adults and to identify the intervention components that may positively influence the effects of the intervention. METHODS: We conducted a comprehensive search across 7 electronic databases (Cochrane Central Register of Controlled Trials [CENTRAL], PubMed, EMBASE, PsycINFO, British Nursing Index, Web of Science, and CINAHL) to identify articles published between January 1, 2010, and June 26, 2023. We specifically targeted randomized controlled trials that examined the impact of peer- or professional-led interventions on enhancing adherence to WMDs among individuals aged 60 years and older residing in the community. Two independent reviewers extracted data from the included studies and assessed the potential risk of bias in accordance with the Cochrane Risk of Bias tool for randomized trials, version 2. RESULTS: A total of 10,511 studies were identified through the database search. Eventually, we included 3 randomized controlled trials involving 154 community-dwelling older adults. The participants had a mean age of 65 years. Our review revealed that increasing awareness of being monitored and implementing the SystemCHANGE approach, a habit change tool focusing on personal goals and feedback, were effective strategies for enhancing adherence to WMDs among older adults. All of the included studies exhibited a low risk of bias. CONCLUSIONS: By collaboratively designing specific goals related to WMDs with health care professionals, including nurses and physicians, older adults exhibited a higher likelihood of adhering to the prescribed use of WMDs. These goal-setting tools provided a framework for structure and motivation, facilitating the seamless integration of WMDs into their daily routines. Researchers should prioritize interventions that target awareness and goal-setting as effective approaches to enhance adherence to WMDs among older adults, thereby maximizing the realization of associated health benefits.

Unravelling the link between physical activity and peer social connectedness in young people with intellectual disabilities: a systematic review of quantitative studies.

BACKGROUND: There is limited understanding of the context surrounding physical activity (PA) of young people with intellectual disabilities (ID), which has an impact on the development of PA promotion programmes. Peer social connectedness seems to be a vital correlate to focus on, but has not been included in current studies examining the correlates and determinants of PA levels of young people with ID. This study aims to synthesise the evidence on (1) the social constructs researchers have used to conceptualise peer social connectedness in a PA context among young people with ID, (2) the measurement tools that have been used and (3) the relationship between PA and peer social connectedness in young people with ID. METHODS: The review was conducted in accordance with the Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta-Analyses guidelines. Ovid MEDLINE, Ovid Embase, Web of Science, ERIC, CINAHL and PsycINFO were searched from 1 January 1996 up to, and including, July 2023 to identify English-language studies, which examined associations between PA and peer social connectedness in adolescents and young adults (13-24 years) with ID. Study quality was assessed using the Standard Quality Assessment Criteria for Evaluating Primary Research Papers from a Variety of Fields. RESULTS: Thirteen studies met the inclusion criteria and were included in the review. Ten peer social connectedness constructs and 18 measurement instruments were identified. Studies were predominantly focused on Special Olympics participants and unified activity formats. Participation in PA can increase social connectedness, but there is a lack of studies examining whether PA can also be increased by focusing on peer social connectedness in young people with ID. CONCLUSIONS: Results show that peer social connectedness is recognised as relevant to researchers developing and testing PA programmes for young people with ID.

Contextualizing school discipline: Examining the role of general peer and teacher discrimination at the individual- and school-level on individual suspension.

Past research has linked peer and teacher discrimination to risk factors for school discipline, but few studies have examined whether peer and teacher discrimination have a direct impact on school discipline. This study examines the effects of general peer and teacher discrimination at the individual- and school-level on school suspension using nationally representative, secondary data on almost 12,000 youth across 131 schools. Hierarchical logistic regression models indicated that general teacher discrimination at the individual- and school-level-but not general peer discrimination-increased the odds of receiving school suspension. Findings suggest that general discrimination by direct learning instructors and teachers representing the broader school culture can shape student conduct. Reducing school discipline thus falls on teachers, staff, principals, and learners.

Being on top versus not dangling at the bottom: Popularity motivation and aggression in youth.

Whereas research on aggression and status motivation in youth has predominantly looked at a promotion focus (striving for popularity), a prevention focus (wanting to avoid low popularity) could also be an important determinant of aggression, as youth who fear low popularity may use strategic aggression to secure their position. The aim of the current study was to develop reliable measures for both popularity motivations, and examine how both motivations are uniquely and jointly related to aggression. Participants were 1123 Dutch secondary school students (M age = 14.4 years, 48% girls), who completed a 3-item measure of striving for high popularity based on existing questionnaires (Li & Wright, 2014; Ojanen et al., 2005), and a 3-item measure of avoiding low popularity consisting of an adapted version of the high popularity items. Aggressive behavior was measured through peer nominations. Motivations were moderately correlated (r = .51), but did not always co-occur within the same person, as 17% of the sample belonged to a cluster that scored low on striving for popularity, but moderately high on avoiding low popularity. When considered simultaneously, striving for high popularity was not related to any type of aggression, whereas avoiding affiliation with unpopular peers was related to strategic aggression. For physical and verbal aggression, gossiping, excluding and bullying, the association of avoiding low popularity with aggression was strongest when youth also strived for high popularity. Future work should take both popularity motivations into account to better understand, predict and intervene on youth's aggression toward peers.

Associations between externalizing behavior problems and risky sexual behaviors in adolescence: Attachment as a mediator.

INTRODUCTION: Risky sexual behaviors in adolescence are associated with negative health and psychological functioning outcomes. Although the association between behavior problems and risky sexual behaviors is well established, addressing these problems requires understanding the mechanisms that help explain this association. Adolescent attachment, while related to risky sexual behavior, has not been extensively explored as an outcome of childhood externalizing problems. The two objectives of this study were to explore the links between parental and peer attachment and risky sexual behaviors and to examine the mediating effect of attachment on the links between behavior problems and risky sexual behaviors. METHODS: Five hundred and ninety-eight French-Canadian adolescents (46.2% girls), Mage at T1 = 13.23; Mage at T2 = 14.28; Mage at T3 = 17.35) participated in this longitudinal study. RESULTS: The quality of parental attachment at T2 was significantly and negatively associated with risky sexual behaviors 3 years later, at T3. More specifically, a lower quality parental attachment relationship was associated with having nonexclusive partners as well as with inconsistent condom use. Finally, parental attachment (T2) was a significant mediator between behavior problems (T1) and risky sexual behaviors (T3), but only for younger adolescents. CONCLUSIONS: Findings suggest that in addition to behavior problems in adolescence, the quality of parental attachment relationships may help in understanding risky sexual behaviors in adolescence.

A qualitative exploration of harm reduction in practice by street-based peer outreach workers.

BACKGROUND: Despite the widespread use of the phrase "harm reduction" and the proliferation of programs based on its principles during the current opioid epidemic, what it means in practice is not universally agreed upon. Harm reduction strategies have expanded from syringe and needle exchange programs that emerged in the mid-1980s primarily in response to the HIV epidemic, to include medication for opioid use disorder, supervised consumption rooms, naloxone distribution, and drug checking technologies such as fentanyl test strips. Harm reduction can often be in tension with abstinence and recovery models to address substance use, and people who use drugs may also hold competing views of what harm reduction means in practice. Street-based outreach workers are increasingly incorporated into harm reduction programs as part of efforts to engage with people more fully in various stages of drug use and nonuse. METHOD: This paper explores how peer outreach workers, called "members," in a street-based naloxone distribution program define and practice harm reduction. We interviewed 15 members of a street-based harm reduction organization in an urban center characterized by an enduring opioid epidemic. Inductive data analysis explored harm reduction as both a set of principles and a set of practices to understand how frontline providers define and enact them. RESULTS: Analysis revealed that when members talked about their work, they often conceptualized harm reduction as a collection of ways members and others can "save lives" and support people who use drugs. They also framed harm reduction as part of a "path toward recovery." This path was complicated and nonlinear but pursued a common goal of life without drug use and its residual effects. These findings suggest the need to develop harm reduction programs that incorporate both harm reduction and recovery to best meet the needs of people who use drugs and align with the value systems of implementers.

Peer-to-Peer Human Milk Sharing Through Social Media Groups: The Experiences of Women Donors and Recipients in Hong Kong.

AIM: To explore the lived experience of donors and recipients involved in peer-to-peer human milk donation. DESIGN: An exploratory descriptive qualitative study. METHOD: Semi-structured interviews were conducted between November 2022 and April 2023. A total of 50 women consisting of 34 donors and 16 recipients were recruited using purposive sampling from specific social media groups in Hong Kong that focus on breast milk donation and sharing. Data were analysed based on thematic analysis. RESULTS: Five key themes were identified in this study: Motivation; Milk sharing as a social act; Not a Norm; Recommendation to formal milk banks; and Formal donation as the preferred route. CONCLUSION: The findings indicate informal milk sharing is seen as an inferior alternative to formal milk donation systems. The establishment of formal milk banks is viewed as a way to address the shortcomings of informal sharing. IMPLICATIONS FOR THE PROFESSION: The findings have implications for the healthcare field, particularly in improving the experiences of those involved in informal milk sharing. The insights gained from the experiences of informal milk sharers can directly inform and enhance the services provided by formal milk banks. IMPACT: Given the growing prevalence of online informal milk sharing, healthcare professionals should enhance their understanding of this practice. However, the practice has remained understudied, particularly in Asian region. This study brings together the experiences of both milk donors and recipients, providing a comprehensive view on the phenomenon. REPORTING METHOD: The Standards for Reporting Qualitative Research (SRQR). PATIENT OR PUBLIC CONTRIBUTION: No patient or public contribution.

Raising professionalism concerns as a medical student: damned if they do, damned if they don't?

BACKGROUND: Understanding professionalism is an essential component of becoming a doctor in order to ensure the trust of patients and wider society. Integrally linked to the concept of professionalism is the importance of identifying and raising concerns to ensure high quality, safe patient care. It is recognised that medical students are uniquely placed to identify and report concerns given their frequent rotations through multiple clinical placements and their peer relationships and, in so doing, develop and enact their own medical professionalism. Although there is existing literature exploring medical students' willingness to raise concerns about observed professionalism lapses, this has largely been in the context of clinical interactions. Medical students will however undoubtedly encounter concerning behaviours or attitudes in their fellow students, an area that has not specifically been reported upon. This study therefore set out to explore medical students' willingness to report professionalism concerns they encounter both within and away from the clinical setting, particularly focusing on peer-related concerns. METHODS: 10 medical students, in later clinical years of a large UK medical school, volunteered to take part in in-depth semi-structured interviews. Interviews were recorded, transcribed and then analysed thematically to generate themes and subthemes to represent central organising concepts. RESULTS: Three broad themes were generated from the data. Hidden curricular effects including role models, hierarchical structures and the operational systems in place to raise concerns subconsciously influenced students' decisions to raise concerns. Secondly, students offered a range of justifications to defend not taking action, including considering their own vulnerabilities and values alongside demonstrating empathy for perceived mitigating circumstances. The third theme highlighted the complex interplay of influencing factors that students considered when encountering professionalism issues in their peers including wider peer cohort effects and a desire to maintain individual peer-relationships. CONCLUSIONS: Medical students will inevitably encounter situations where the professionalism of others is brought into question. However, despite clear curricular expectations to report such concerns, these findings demonstrate that students undergo a complex decision-making process in determining the threshold for reporting a concern through navigating a range of identified influencing factors. This study highlights the important role medical schools play in helping reduce the inner conflict experienced by medical students when raising concerns and in ensuring they provide supportive processes to empower their students to raise concerns as part their own developing professionalism.

Attachment Problems and Mentalizing Capacity Relate to Parent-Child Informant Discrepancies in Female Adolescents with Borderline Personality Disorder.

Parent-child informant discrepancies on psychopathology provide important knowledge on the parent-child relationship and the child's mental health, but mechanisms underlying parent-child informant discrepancies are largely unknown. Therefore, we investigated the relationship between attachment problems and mentalizing capacity and parent-child informant discrepancies on borderline personality disorder (BPD) severity, internalizing, and externalizing pathology in a clinical sample of 91 adolescent girls with BPD and their parents. Results showed that more attachment problems to parents and peers were related to adolescents reporting more severe BPD than parents. Adolescents who described more internalizing symptoms relative to parents, reported more parental attachment problems, but enhanced peer attachment, suggesting those adolescents who do not feel recognized by their parents might turn to their friends. When parents rated adolescents higher on externalizing behaviors, the adolescent reported more attachment problems to parents and lower mentalizing capacity, indicating that this sub-group of adolescents may reflect less about how their behavior affects others.

Exploring young adults' experiences with food allergy during their teenage years: A practice research study.

INTRODUCTION: Symptoms of anxiety, eating disorders and social isolation are prevalent among teenagers with food allergy compared to peers without. Treatment of teenagers with food allergy focus on preventing anaphylactic reactions, with little attention to promoting social and emotional well-being. The aim of the study was to explore young adults' perspectives on everyday life with food allergy during their teenage years to improve future clinical practice. METHODS: Critical psychological practice research. During a 2-day camp the perspectives of 10 young adults (18-23 years) were explored through participant observation and informal interviews. Three follow up interviews were conducted. A co-researcher group discussed preliminary results, clinical challenges and ways forward. RESULTS: Being together with peers with food allergy was crucial, fostering belonging and normalisation. The shift in responsibility of managing the risk feels overwhelming and stressful during teen age. Self-understanding was influenced when managing food allergy in social contexts, inducing feelings of burden and isolation. Acceptance and understanding from social relations became important for all participants, and they all underlined desire for being viewed as individuals rather than being defined by their allergy. CONCLUSION: Support from other peers with food allergy is crucial for the participants. Transition to independently managing risks introduces uncertainty and social constraints, affecting self-understanding and interactions. Clinicians should prioritise peer support and empower teenagers in managing the risk and psychosocial challenges.

Publication Trends and Surgeon Perceptions: A Comprehensive Analysis of Gender Disparities in Craniofacial Surgery.

In academic craniofacial surgery, gender disparities exist across various metrics including faculty positions, leadership roles, and conference representation. This study benchmarks the academic productivity of craniofacial surgeons in 2022 and surveys their perspectives regarding diversity, equity, and inclusion (DEI).Total, first author, and senior author PubMed publications in 2022 were recorded for 193 craniofacial attendings and fellows. Craniofacial surgeons were also surveyed regarding academic experience, leadership roles, and DEI perceptions.Electronic.26 craniofacial attendings.Total, first author, and senior author publication counts in 2022.Women comprised 27% (n = 53) of the craniofacial surgeon cohort. Men led total publications (81% vs 19%, p < 0.001), senior-author publications (84% vs 16%, p < 0.001), average total publications (6.6 vs 4.0, p = 0.043), and average senior-author publications (3.1 vs 1.5, p = 0.02). Sub-analysis of craniofacial fellows showed a higher proportion of women (65%) with no statistical difference in total or average publication counts. Survey responses (n = 26) included a perceived lack of female representation in academic and leadership roles. Barriers included inadequate support from current leadership, systemic issues, and biases. Recommendations for improvement included mentorship programs, targeted recruitment, and equitable conference speaker selection.Ongoing gender disparities are evident in craniofacial surgery, particularly in academic metrics. However, trends in younger cohorts exhibit more balanced gender representation, publication records, and leadership positions, indicating potential improvements. Further studies are needed to examine these cohorts more comprehensively and longitudinally. Sustained commitment, including mentorship programs and enhanced DEI efforts, is needed to continue this progress.

Invited Review: "I've Just Seen a Face".

I've Just Seen a Face is a new resource produced by author Amy Mendillo and is designed for parents of children with cleft lip and/or palate to help them to navigate the first year of life. In this invited article, Kenny Ardouin provides an overview of the book, and offers perspective on the content contained within, including potential issues for professionals working with cleft to consider. The review ends with recommendations for likely beneficiaries of the book, as well as considerations for additional future versions of the book.

Student's and Classmates' Prosocial Behavior predict Academic Engagement in Middle School.

Students' academic engagement is greatly informed by a classroom's social climate. However, more research is needed regarding how specific peer behavior, especially prosocial behavior, come to shape academic engagement. The present study investigated whether students' perceptions about their classmates' prosocial behavior were associated with their academic engagement (cognitive, behavioral, affective) across the school year. Indirect effects via increases in students' own prosocial behavior were examined. Participants were 905 middle school students from rural, low-income communities in the Midwestern United States (50% girls, 46% boys; Mage = 12.94 years). Students completed self-report surveys in the fall and spring of the 2022-2023 school year. Results revealed that students' perceptions of their classmates' prosocial behavior were positively associated with students' own prosocial behavior. Students' own prosocial behavior was positively associated with all three dimensions of engagement. The positive indirect effect of classmates' prosocial behavior on engagement through students' own prosocial behavior was significant. The findings highlight the importance of classmates' behavior on individuals' academic engagement and offer insights into classroom-based interventions aimed at improving collective behavior.