The Role of Connectedness in the Lives of Youth

1. The Role of Connectedness in the Lives of Youth Robert Wm. Blum, MD, MPH, Ph.D. William H. Gates Sr. Professor and Chair Johns Hopkins University Bloomberg School of Public Health Department of Population and Family Health Sciences

2. Protective Factors in the Lives of Youth: cross-sectional analyses

3. National Longitudinal Study of Adolescent Helath Add Health Findings Parent-teen connectedness and school connectedness were each independently associated with less involvement with every health risk behavior studied.

4. The association between parent connectedness and adolescent health risk behaviors: 9-12th graders (parameter estimates, * = level of significance; **Odds Ratio)

5. School Connectedness and Substance Use Students who feel connected to school are less likely to use substances Frequency of Use: Level of Substance Use (SD Units) Levels of connectedness

6. School Connectedness and Emotional Distress Students who feel connected to school experience less emotional distress Level of Emotional Distress (SD Units) Levels of connectedness

7. School Connectedness and Violent or Deviant Behavior Students who feel connected to school engage In less violent or deviant behavior Level of Violence or Deviant Behavior (SD Units) Levels of connectedness

8. School Connectedness and Pregnancy Students who feel connected to school are less likely to become pregnant Percent ever Pregnant Levels of connectedness

9. Analysis # 2: The Relationship between School Connectedness and Adolescent Health Risk Behaviors: longitudinal analyses

10. Initiated Cigarette Use Predicted Percent of cigarette smoking at time 2 among those who at time 1 did not smoke as a function of Teacher Support Multinomial logit models adjusted for social belonging, race/ethnicity, income, gender, family structure, emotional distress, relationship with parents, hx of peer suicide, hx of family suicide

11. Initiated Getting DrunkPredicted Percent Three Levels of Teacher Support 13.4 11.3 9.5 6.2 4.5 3.2 Multinomial logit models adjusted for social belonging, race/ethnicity, income, gender, family structure, emotional distress, relationship with parents, hx of peer suicide, hx of family suicide

12. Initiated Marijuana Use Predicted Percent at Three Levels of Teacher Support 8.3 6.3 4.7 4.4 3.4 2.6 Multinomial logit models adjusted for social belonging, race/ethnicity, income, gender, family structure, emotional distress, relationship with parents, hx of peer suicide, hx of family suicide

13. Seriously Considered or Attempted SuicidePredicted Percent at Three Levels of Teacher Support 5.5 5.0 4.5 2.2 1.7 1.3 Multinomial logit models adjusted for social belonging, race/ethnicity, income, gender, family structure, emotional distress, relationship with parents, hx of peer suicide, hx of family suicide

14. Initiated Sexual Intercourse Predicted Percent at Three Levels of Teacher Support 12.2 11.0 9.8 Multinomial logit models adjusted for social belonging, race/ethnicity, income, gender, family structure, emotional distress, relationship with parents, hx of peer suicide, hx of family suicide

15. Initiated Violence Predicted Percent at Three Levels of Teacher Support 7.5 6.0 4.7 Multinomial logit models adjusted for social belonging, race/ethnicity, income, gender, family structure, emotional distress, relationship with parents, hx of peer suicide, hx of family suicide

16. Analyses #3: The International Evidence

17. Family factors associated with pregnancy: Ecuador (Guijarro, Blum et al 1999)

18. Positive Family Relations: Brazil (Anteghini, Blum et al 2001)

19. Positive Relationship with Teachers: Caribbean

20. The Protective Role of School Connectedness Among Caribbean Youth * Net of any other protective factors and holding risk factors constant

21. Parent/Family Connectedness as a Moderator of Health Risk Behaviors Among Caribbean Youth