Adult Years Research Articles

Healthy Weight and Cardiovascular Health Promotion Interventions for Adolescent and Young Adult Males of Color: A Systematic Review.

Cardiovascular disease is the leading cause of mortality in the United States, accounting for one fourth of deaths. Higher rates of obesity put Hispanic and Black men at increased risk. The American Heart Association cites diet quality, physical activity, and body weight as alterations responsive to health promotion intervention. Prevention strategies need to begin in adolescence and the emerging adulthood years to impact cumulative risk factors. A scoping review identified search terms and this was followed by a systematic review of Cumulative Index to Nursing and Allied Health Literature (CINAHL) and PubMed databases for articles published in English from January 1, 2002, through May 11, 2017. This review explores community-based content, delivery, recruitment, or retention strategies used with young men of color aged 15 to 24 years. Of 17 articles describing 16 individual interventions and 1 describing multiple interventions (with samples ranging from 37 to 4,800), 13 reported significant results in one or more domains. No studies specifically targeted the needs of young men and only three had more than 50% male participants. There was a gap in studies that addressed young men in the ages of interest with most interventions reaching participants aged 11 to 19 years. Cultural tailoring was addressed through recruitment setting, interventionist characteristics, community involvement, and theoretical frameworks such as motivational interviewing that allow individual goal setting. Because young men seek access to preventive health services less than young women, it is suggested that interventions that are community based or use push technology (send information directly to the user) be increased.

Change in Overweight from Childhood to Early Adulthood and Risk of Type 2 Diabetes

BackgroundChildhood overweight is associated with an increased risk of type 2 diabetes in adulthood. We investigated whether remission of overweight before early adulthood reduces this risk.MethodsWe conducted a study involving 62,565 Danish men whose weights and heights had been measured at 7 and 13 years of age and in early adulthood (17 to 26 years of age). Overweight was defined in accordance with Centers for Disease Control and Prevention criteria. Data on type 2 diabetes status (at age ≥30 years, 6710 persons) were obtained from a national health registry.ResultsOverweight at 7 years of age (3373 of 62,565 men; 5.4%), 13 years of age (3418 of 62,565; 5.5%), or early adulthood (5108 of 62,565; 8.2%) was positively associated with the risk of type 2 diabetes; associations were stronger at older ages at overweight and at younger ages at diagnosis of type 2 diabetes. Men who had had remission of overweight before the age of 13 years had a risk of having type 2 diabetes diagnosed at 30 to 60 years of age that was similar to that among men who had never been overweight (hazard ratio, 0.96; 95% confidence interval [CI], 0.75 to 1.21). As compared with men who had never been overweight, men who had been overweight at 7 and 13 years of age but not during early adulthood had a higher risk of type 2 diabetes (hazard ratio, 1.47; 95% CI, 1.10 to 1.98), but their risk was lower than that among men with persistent overweight (hazard ratio [persistently overweight vs. never overweight], 4.14; 95% CI, 3.57 to 4.79). An increase in body-mass index between 7 years of age and early adulthood was associated with an increased risk of type 2 diabetes, even among men whose weight had been normal at 7 years of age.ConclusionsChildhood overweight at 7 years of age was associated with increased risks of adult type 2 diabetes only if it continued until puberty or later ages. (Funded by the European Union.)

Abstract MP78: Long-term Antibiotic Use and Risks of All-Cause and Cause-Specific Mortality among Women: Prospective Cohort Study

Introduction: Antibiotic exposure is associated with a long-lasting alteration in gut microbiota, and may be related to subsequent major chronic diseases such as cardiovascular diseases and cancer. No previous prospective cohort study has investigated associations between duration of antibiotic use during adulthood with mortality from major chronic diseases among populations at usual risk. Hypothesis: We investigated whether a longer duration of antibiotic use was associated with elevated risks of all-cause and cause-specific deaths among women. Methods: This study included 37,510 women aged ≥60 y who were initially free of cardiovascular diseases or cancer from the Nurses’ Health Study. The present analysis included women who reported data on antibiotic use on the 2004 questionnaire when the information was first assessed. We calculated hazard ratios (HR) for all-cause mortality, and deaths from cardiovascular disease (ICD-8 [international classification of diseases, eighth revision, ICD-8], codes 390 to 458) and cancer (ICD-8, 140-209) according to total days of antibiotic use per year (none, less than 15 days, 15 days to less than 2 months, or ≥2 months) in late adulthood (age 60 or older). Follow-up time was calculated from the return date of the 2004 questionnaire until the date of death, or end of follow-up (June 30, 2012), whichever occurred first. Results: During 287,474 person-years of follow-up, we documented 2908 deaths from any cause (including 474 cardiovascular deaths and 906 cancer deaths). Longer duration of antibiotic use was significantly associated with higher risk of death from any cause after adjusted for dietary intake, lifestyle factors, hypertension, hypercholesterolemia, diabetes ( P trend <0.0001), other medication use (such as aspirin, statin, H2 blockers, proton pump inhibitors) ( P trend =0.001), and other characteristics ( P trend =0.038). As compared to women who did not use antibiotics, those who used for ≥2 months in late adulthood had significantly increased risks of all-cause mortality (multivariate-adjusted HR 1.27; 95% CI, 1.07, 1.49) and cardiovascular mortality (HR 1.58; 95% CI, 1.02, 2.46), but not cancer mortality (HR=0.86; 95% CI, 0.63, 1.16). The association between long-term antibiotic use in late adulthood and an elevated risk of all-cause death was more evident among women who also used antibiotics in middle adulthood (during age 40-59) ( P trend =0.002) than among those who did not use during this life stage. Conclusions: Long-term duration of antibiotic exposure especially in late adulthood was associated with increased all-cause and cardiovascular mortality in women.

Combining clinical and magnetic resonance imaging markers enhances prediction of 12-year employment status in multiple sclerosis patients

BackgroundMultiple sclerosis (MS) is frequently diagnosed in the most productive years of adulthood and is often associated with worsening employment status. However, reliable predictors of employment status change are lacking. ObjectiveTo identify early clinical and brain magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) markers of employment status worsening in MS patients at 12-year follow-up. MethodsA total of 145 patients with early relapsing-remitting MS from the original Avonex-Steroids-Azathioprine (ASA) study were included in this prospective, longitudinal, observational cohort study. Cox models were conducted to identify MRI and clinical predictors (at baseline and during the first 12 months) of worsening employment status (patients either (1) working full-time or part-time with no limitations due to MS and retaining this status during the course of the study, or (2) patients working full-time or part-time with no limitations due to MS and switching to being unemployed or working part-time due to MS). ResultsIn univariate analysis, brain parenchymal fraction, T1 and T2 lesion volume were the best MRI predictors of worsening employment status over the 12-year follow-up period. MS duration at baseline (hazard ratio (HR) = 1.10, 95% confidence interval (CI) 1.03–1.18; p = 0.040) was the only significant clinical predictor. Having one extra milliliter of T1 lesion volume was associated with a 53% greater risk of worsening employment status (HR = 1.53, 95% CI 1.16–2.02; p = 0.018). A brain parenchymal fraction decrease of 1% increased the risk of worsening employment status by 22% (HR = 0.78, 95% CI 0.65–0.95; p = 0.034). ConclusionBrain atrophy and lesion load were significant predictors of worsening employment status in MS patients. Using a combination of clinical and MRI markers may improve the early prediction of an employment status change over long-term follow-up.

Developmental course of anxiety and depression from adolescence to young adulthood in a prospective Norwegian clinical cohort.

Anxiety and depression are often co-occurring disorders, reflecting both homotypic and heterotypic continuity as possible developmental pathways. The present study aimed to examine homotypic and heterotypic continuities of anxiety and depression across 3years in adolescence and young adulthood. Participants included patients presenting to psychiatric care with diagnoses of anxiety and/or depressive disorders aged 13-18 at T1 (N=717, 44% initial participation rate) and aged 16-21 at T2 (N=549, 80% follow-up participation rate). McNemar's mid-p test and ordinal proportional odds logistic regression analyses were used to assess changes in prevalence within and across diagnostic categories, respectively. More adolescents had an anxiety disorder (+11%), whereas fewer had a depressive disorder (-11%), at T2 compared to T1. Of adolescents with anxiety and/or depression at T1, only 25% recovered or were non-symptomatic 3years after referral to a psychiatric clinic. Homotypic continuity was observed for anxiety disorders in general (OR=2.33), for phobic anxiety disorders (OR=7.45), and for depressive disorders (OR=2.15). For heterotypic continuity, depression predicted later anxiety (OR=1.92), more specifically social anxiety (OR=2.14) and phobic anxiety disorders (OR=1.83). In addition, social anxiety predicted later generalized anxiety disorder (OR=3.11). Heterotypic continuity was thus more common than homotypic continuity. For adolescents presenting with anxiety or depression, treatment should, therefore, target broad internalizing symptom clusters, rather than individual diagnoses. This may contribute to prevent future mental illness, particularly anxiety, in clinical samples.

Dialysis in adults in year 2000 in the Republic of Macedonia.

1,019 adult patients with terminal renal failure were treated with dialysis (D) in the first part of the year 2000 in the Republic of Macedonia. 1,010 patients (99%) were treated with chronic intermittent (maintenance) hemodialysis (HD) while nine patients (1%) were on continuous ambulatory peritoneal dialysis (CAPD). For the children, a special peritoneal dialysis program was developed; 509 patients per million of the population (PMP) were on dialysis. The Republic of Macedonia is, therefore, among those central and eastern European countries with a higher PMP number in the treatment of end-stage renal disease, following Croatia, the Czech Republic and Slovenia. The patients were treated at 18 Centers in a network of HD Centers at a distance of 30-50 km. from their place of residence in order to facilitate their access to treatment and to work. All patients who have had symptoms indicating need for treatment with D were accepted for treatment. The government payed all the expenses of the treatment and the salaries of the staff. 56% were male and 44% were female patients. The youngest patient was aged 9 and the oldest was 82 years old. There has been an increase in the age of the patients on D as well as an increase in their number. In 1993 we had 727 patients being treated with D, and now we have 1,019 with a constant increase in the number of patients with ESRD and a need for D and renal transplantation. Mortality per year at the different Centers ranged from 8-19% in 1999 and the average is 12%. Glomerulonephritis (GN)--both primary and secondary--is the main cause of renal failure (RF) in some Centers up to 45%. Tubulo-interstitial disease follows GN. ADPKD patients constitute 9.4% with a difference among the Centers of 3-29%, and diabetic nephropathy is found in 10%, 5-15% in different Centers. 11-61% of patients have an unknown etiology. 352 patients are on treatment with human recombinant erythropoietin (rhuEPO) - in some Centers up to 60%. The mode of application was subcutaneous and the initial dose is 20 U/kg body weight and the mean maintenance dose of EPO per patient weekly is 4,000 U. The Cimino-Brescia arteriovenous fistula is being applied as a standard vascular access. The survival rate of our patients treated with maintenance HD at 5 years was 58%. CAPD and particularly renal transplantation are to be further developed as alternative methods in treating terminal renal failure.

School-Based Oral Health Promotion: A ThoroughReview

Objectives Schools are considered as important platforms for oral health promotion worldwide. Oral diseases are preventable and any focus on schoolchildren can minimize suffering, reduce inequity, and create productive years of healthy adulthood later on. Hence, we need to explore oral health promotion methods conducted within the school systems in different countries. This is especially required for developing countries with limited resources.Methods The PubMed database was searched for English peer-reviewed articles published from January 2000 to June 2017 with available abstracts, specifically focusing on primary school children aged between 7 and 12 years. “Oral health”, “health promotion” and “school” were used as keywords in our search strategy. Relevant papers were selected and reviewed by two independent readers using predefined exclusion criteria, firstly on the basis of abstracts, secondly by assessing full-text papers.Results From a total of 257 articles, 22 were eligible for analysis. Of all oral health related activities implemented in schools, oral health education was mentioned in most studies (n=15) followed by supervised tooth brushing program in schools with fluoride toothpaste (n=5), administration of fluoride (varnish/gel) (n=3), provision of nutritious food (n=3), multimedia game or campaign (n=3), and tooth examination with screening (n=3).Conclusion Improvement of children’s oral health related to school-based oral health programs is the result of a combination of several interventions. The governments and other policy makers should consider implementing some appropriate health promotion schemes in schools, which take local needs and resources into account

Psychological stress declines rapidly from age 50 in the United States: Yet another well-being paradox

ObjectivesAlthough there is evidence that evaluative subjective well-being (e.g., life satisfaction) shows a U-shaped pattern with highest satisfaction in the youngest and oldest years and lowest in the middle years of adulthood, much less is known about experiential well-being. We explore a negative indicator of experiential well-being (perceived stress), examine its association with age, and explore possible determinants of the age pattern. MethodsUsing Gallup-Healthways survey data of over 1.5 million U.S. respondents, we analyzed a question asking about stress yesterday and demographic determinants of the pattern. To confirm this pattern, data on stress was analyzed from the American Time Use Survey and data on distress was analyzed from the Health and Retirement Survey. ResultsWe show that ratings of daily, perceived stressfulness yield a paradox, with high levels from the 20's through about age 50, followed by a precipitous decline through the 70's. Data from the other two surveys confirmed the age pattern for stress. Regressions with the Gallup-Healthways data statistically controlled several third-variables, yet none substantially altered the pattern. ConclusionWe argue that this new experiential well-being pattern informs us about aging in the US and the “paradox” calls out for explanation.

Vocational interests across 20 years of adulthood: Stability, change, and the role of work experiences

Vocational interests demonstrate high rank-order stability during childhood and adolescence. However, few studies have investigated the development of vocational interests into adulthood. The present study examined rank-order and profile stability, mean-level and correlated change, and individual differences in change in RIASEC scores across 20years of adulthood. In addition, life events were examined as moderators of change. Rank-order stability was strong across vocational interest dimensions. Mean-level changes also occurred, with increases in Realistic interests and decreases in Investigative interests for men, increases in Enterprising interests for women, and decreases in Artistic interests for men and women. Individual differences in change indicated that not everyone changed in the same manner, with occupational experiences, such as job loss, related to greater change.

RADAR study: protocol for an observational cohort study to identify early warning signals on the pathways to alcohol use disorder

IntroductionHarmful alcohol consumption, particularly alcohol use disorder (AUD), is a worldwide health priority, contributing substantially to global morbidity and mortality. The peak age of onset of AUD is 18–24, thus...

Abstract 5311: Weight loss over 10 years of adulthood and subsequent risk of breast cancer: a pooled analysis of 11 cohort studies

Abstract Body fatness is an established risk factor for postmenopausal breast cancer, but it is unknown if this risk associated with excess body weight is reversible. We conducted a pooled analysis of 11 prospective studies in the Pooling Project of Prospective Studies of Diet and Cancer. Each study had adult body weight data at three time points, as well as follow-up for subsequent risk of breast cancer after the third weight measure. Weight change was assessed using reported or measured weight at baseline and two follow-up time points, each generally four to six years apart (over a total of ~10 years). Stable weight for each interval was defined as weight within 2kg of the previous weight. The referent group was women with stable weight (within 2kg) at all three time points across the 10-year period. Among 340,055 women, 10,427 breast cancers were diagnosed during follow-up. Multivariable hazard ratios (HR) and 95% confidence intervals (CI) controlling for baseline body mass index (BMI), baseline physical activity, and postmenopausal hormone (PMH) use at the start of breast cancer follow-up, were estimated using proportional hazards regression on an aggregated dataset from all studies. Women who lost weight and kept the weight off, were at a lower risk of breast cancer than women with stable weight over the 10 years: >2.-4.5kg lost between baseline and the first follow-up body weight measure (n=482 cases): HR=0.92, 95% CI: 0.83-1.03; >4.5-9kg lost (n=283 cases): HR=0.86, 95% CI: 0.76-0.98; >9kg lost (n=95 cases): HR =0.81, 95%CI: 0.65-1.00). Women who initially lost weight (>2kg), but then re-gained it had a similar risk of breast cancer to those with stable weight over the same time period. When results were stratified by baseline age and BMI, there was no association between sustained weight loss and breast cancer among women younger than 50 years, nor those with a normal BMI (18.5-25 kg/m2) before weight loss. Among women who were aged 50 or more years and overweight or obese before the weight loss period, we observed a 21% lower risk of breast cancer for sustained weight loss of ≥4.5kg compared to women with stable weight over the same time period (n=245 cases, HR=0.79, 95% CI: 0.68-0.93). This observed association was driven by women who were not taking PMH (n=156, HR=0.71, 95% CI: 0.58-0.86). In this large, pooled prospective analysis of weight loss and breast cancer risk we found that losing 4.5 kg—and keeping it off—may lower breast cancer risk, particularly for women older than 50 who are overweight or obese. The results may provide motivation for women with elevated BMI to lose weight and potentially reduce their risk of breast cancer. Citation Format: Lauren R. Teras, Alpa V. Patel, Molin Wang, Bette J. Caan, Yu Chen, Avonne E. Connor, A. Heather Eliassen, Susan M. Gapstur, Mia M. Gaudet, Jeanine M. Genkinger, Graham G. Giles, I-Min Lee, Roger Milne, Norie Sawada, Howard D. Sesso, Meir Stampfer, Rulla Tamimi, Cynthia A. Thomson, Shoichiro Tsugane, Kala Visvanathan, Anne Zeleniuch-Jacquotte, Walter C. Willett, Stephanie A. Smith-Warner. Weight loss over 10 years of adulthood and subsequent risk of breast cancer: a pooled analysis of 11 cohort studies [abstract]. In: Proceedings of the American Association for Cancer Research Annual Meeting 2017; 2017 Apr 1-5; Washington, DC. Philadelphia (PA): AACR; Cancer Res 2017;77(13 Suppl):Abstract nr 5311. doi:10.1158/1538-7445.AM2017-5311

The Political Effects of Immigrant Naturalization

Immigration is transforming the societies of Europe and North America. Yet the political implications of these changes remain unclear. In particular, we lack credible evidence on whether, and how, becoming a citizen of the country of residence prompts immigrants to engage with the political system. This paper used panel data from Germany to test theories of citizenship and immigrant politics. I found that naturalization can promote political integration, but that this is more likely if new citizens have the chance to pick up habits of political engagement during the formative years of early adulthood.

The Relation between Childhood Parenting and Emerging Adults’ Experiences of Shame and Guilt

Emerging adulthood (EA) is a pivotal transition period that can be impeded by shame’s global and disabling self-evaluations or supported by guilt’s adaptive self-evaluations. However, little is known about the factors contributing to EAs’ shame and guilt—the present study therefore explores the relation between parenting behaviors and EA shame and guilt (n = 213). Correlations between shame, guilt, and parenting behaviors, and hierarchical regressions found a positive relation between guilt-proneness and positive parenting and between shame-proneness and negative parenting. Results support the view that guilt and shame are two distinct constructs—with adaptive forms of guilt being associated with positive parenting and maladaptive self-evaluations of shame being related to negative parenting behaviors even during the EA years (18–29). The present study suggests that it may be beneficial for therapists to have clients explore how childhood parenting experiences can continue to play a role in their self-evaluations during their emerging adulthood years. In addition, results of the present study support the need for future clinical efforts to develop parent skills training initiatives that encourage parents to understand the consequences of both positive and negative actions and their potential impact on child developmental outcomes. Future studies should also assess whether temperament mediates the relationship between self-conscious emotions and parenting behaviors or if parenting behaviors and temperament each account for unique variance in self-conscious emotions. Developing a more complete understanding of socialization and developmental factors will further facilitate psychologists’ efforts to reduce the harmful impact of shame by replacing it with adaptive guilt.

The interplay between personality and cognitive ability across 12 years in middle and late adulthood: Evidence for reciprocal associations.

Research on relationships between personality and cognitive abilities has so far resulted in inconsistent findings regarding the strength of the associations. Moreover, relationships have rarely been compared longitudinally and bidirectionally between midlife versus late-life cohorts by considering different personality traits as well as multiple cognitive domains over a long-term follow-up period. We hypothesize that the interplay between the "Big Five" personality traits (Neuroticism, Extraversion, Openness to Experience, Agreeableness and Conscientiousness) and cognitive abilities (information processing speed, crystallized intelligence, fluid intelligence) may change from midlife to old age due to age-associated changes in cognitive and personality plasticity. We used data from the German Interdisciplinary Longitudinal Study of Adult Development (ILSE study; n = 1,002). Participants were either born in 1950/52 (midlife sample, n = 502) or in 1930/32 (late-life sample, n = 500) and followed up for up to 12 years. Based on bivariate latent change score regression models (adjusted for gender, education, self-rated and physician-rated health), we observed that, apart from very few exceptions, the intervariable cross-lagged associations between personality traits and cognitive abilities were generally similar between cohorts. Moreover, in case of neuroticism, extraversion, and openness, the effects of cognitive abilities on change in personality were stronger than the reversed effects. Our findings thus suggest that the so far predominant perspective of personality in middle adulthood and late-life as a predictor, rather than as an outcome, of cognitive abilities needs more differentiation and reconsideration. (PsycINFO Database Record

Positive family history of aortic dissection dramatically increases dissection risk in family members

ObjectivesAlthough family members of patients with aortic dissection (AoD) are believed to be at higher risk of AoD, the prognostic value of family history (FH) of aortic dissection (FHAD) in family members of patients with AoD has not been studied rigorously. We seek examine how much a positive FHAD increases the risk of developing new aortic dissection (AoD) among first-degree relatives. MethodsPatients with AoD at our institution were analyzed for information of FHAD. Positive FHAD referred to that AoD occurred in index patient and one or more first-degree relatives. Negative FHAD was defined as the condition in which only one case of AoD (the index patient) occurred in the family. The age at AoD, exposure years in adulthood before AoD, and annual probability of AoD among first-degree relatives were compared between patients with negative and positive FHADs. ResultsFHAD was positive in 32 and negative in 68 among the 100 AoD patients with detailed family history information. Mean age at dissection was 59.9±14.7years. Compared to negative FHAD, patients with positive FHAD dissected at significantly younger age (54.7±16.8 vs 62.4±13.0years, p=0.013), had more AoD events in first-degree relatives (2.3±0.6 vs 1.0±0.0, p<0.001), and shorter exposure years per AoD event (18.3±6.7 vs 43.1±8.5, p<0.001). Annual probability of AoD per first-degree relative was 2.77 times higher in patients with positive than negative FHADs (0.0100±0.0057 vs 0.0036±0.0014, p<0.001). ConclusionsA positive FHAD confers a significantly increased risk of developing aortic dissection on family members, with a higher annual probability of aortic dissection, a shorter duration of “exposure time” before dissection occurs and a lower mean age at time of dissection.

Investigating civic participation developmental trajectories among Canadian youths transitioning into adulthood

ABSTRACTCurrent knowledge of intraindividual longitudinal patterns of civic participation (CP) and their predictors remains limited. As life cycle trends are showing a decline in civic/political involvement during early adulthood years, increased understanding of these aspects could enhance efforts to promote greater and/or sustained CP trajectories among youth transitioning into adulthood. The current study aimed to identify youths CP developmental trajectories from age 18 to 22 and examine their predictors in late adolescence. The four following CP trajectories were identified among 327 Canadian youths (61% Female; 90% Caucasian; 100% French-speaking) through semiparametric modeling: Low with slight decline (56.9%), Moderate sustained (25.1%), High with steep decline (12.5%), and High sustained (5.5%). Youths displaying higher academic performance, civic attitudes, altruistic orientation, prosocial/community-oriented, and academic/vocational activity involvement were more likely to be assigned to higher at baseline and/or sustained CP trajectories. Implementing youths CP promotional programs targeting these attributes may hold promise for addressing issues sustaining CP in youths transitioning into adulthood.

Childhood Medicaid Coverage and Later-Life Health Care Utilization.

Exploiting a discontinuity in childhood Medicaid eligibility based on date of birth, we find that more years of childhood eligibility are associated with fewer hospitalizations in adulthood. For blacks, we find a 7-15% decrease in hospitalizations and a suggestive 2-5% decrease in emergency department visits, but no similar effect for non-blacks. The effects are pronounced for utilization related to chronic illnesses and for patients living in low-income zip codes. Calculations suggest that lower rates of hospitalizations during one year in adulthood for blacks offset between 2 and 4 percent of the initial costs of expanding Medicaid for all children.

The Emerging Adulthood Years: Finding One’s Way in Career and Intimate Love Relationships

ABSTRACTThis study examines career and intimate love pathways in 100 Israeli emerging adults (fifty-four men) who were followed from age twenty-two to twenty-nine. In a semistructured interview at the age of twenty-nine, participants were asked about current work and educational status and changes in recent years. They were also asked to reflect on the meaning of the processes they followed. Following the completion of the career interview, participants were asked to talk about their current romantic status, their past romantic experiences, difficulties in relationships and past separations, and how they coped with these. Analyses of interviews yielded four distinctive career pursuit pathways and four intimate love pathways that varied on the continuum of stability–variability, and were associated with different levels of concurrent well-being. Analysis of the interviews showed that changes that young people make along the way do not necessarily indicate confusion, but might represent their efforts to find their own paths toward settling down. Personality measures, such as self-criticism, dependency and efficacy, measured seven years earlier, predicted pathway affiliation at age twenty-nine. In addition, parental support was found to serve as a protective or risk factor associated with adaptive pursuit of career and intimate love goals. By employing this mixed-method approach, the findings demonstrate the diverse development of career and intimate love pathways during emerging adulthood, and indicate the importance of personality and parental support in the process of development during the transition to adulthood.

Indicators of abdominal size relative to height associated with sex, age, socioeconomic position and ancestry among US adults.

Background/ObjectivesThe supine sagittal abdominal diameter (SAD) and standing waist circumference (WC) describe abdominal size. The SAD/height ratio (SADHtR) or WC/height ratio (WHtR) may better identify cardiometabolic disorders than BMI (weight/height2), but population-based distributions of SADHtR and WHtR are not widely available. Abdominal adiposity may differ by sociodemographic characteristics.Subjects/MethodsAnthropometry, including SAD by sliding-beam caliper, was performed on 9894 non-pregnant adults ≥20 years in the US National Health and Nutrition Examination Surveys of 2011–2014. Applying survey design factors and sampling weights, we estimated nationally representative SADHtR and WHtR distributions by sex, age, educational attainment, and four ancestral groups.ResultsThe median (10th percentile, 90th percentile) for men’s SADHtR was 0.130 (0.103, 0.165) and WHtR 0.569 (0.467, 0.690). For women, median SADHtR was 0.132 (0.102, 0.175) and WHtR 0.586 (0.473, 0.738). Medians for SADHtR and WHtR increased steadily through age 79. The median BMI, however, reached maximum values at ages 40–49 (men) or 60–69 (women) and then declined. Low educational attainment, adjusted for age and ancestry, was associated with elevated SADHtR more strongly than elevated BMI. While non-Hispanic Asians had substantially lower BMI compared to all other ancestral groups (adjusted for sex, age and education), their relative reductions in SADHtR and WHtR, were less marked.ConclusionsThese cross-sectional data are consistent with monotonically increasing abdominal adipose tissue through the years of adulthood but decreasing mass in non-abdominal regions beyond middle age. They suggest also that visceral adipose tissue, estimated by SADHtR, expands differentially in association with low socioeconomic position. Insofar as Asians have lower BMIs than other populations, employing abdominal indicators may attenuate the adiposity differences reported between ancestral groups. Documenting the distribution and sociodemographic features of SADHtR and WHtR supports the clinical and epidemiologic adoption of these adiposity indicators.

SOCIAL IDENTITY IN SECOND LANGUAGE ACQUISITION

Second Language Acquisition (SLA) is the interdisciplinary field of inquirey which investigates people’s capacity to learn a second language (L2) or subsequent languages (L3, L4, etc.) once the first language (L1) has been acquired. Thus, the onset of acquisition occurs at some time during the L2 learner’s late childhood, adolescent, or adulthood years in either naturalistic (informal) or instructed (formal) settings. When the inquiry into SLA began in the late 1960s it drew equally from what was known or theorised in the fields of linguistics, psychology, language teaching and child language acquisition. In the years that ensued, SLA developed ties with the fields of anthropology, education, bilingualism, psycholinguistics and sociology, and since the mid 1990s there has been a significant theoretical shift from what was once a near exclusive concern for psycholinguistics aspects of L2 learning, or ‘language in the mind’, to a focus on the socio-pragmatic aspects of L2 acquisition, or ‘language as situated in social contexts’ (Ellis, 2012). Kata Kunci : Second Language Acquisition, linguistics, psychology, language teaching