Daniel Romer – författare

Recent advances in our understanding of the human brain suggest that adolescence is a unique period of development during which both environmental and genetic influences can leave a lasting impression. To advance the goal of integrating brain and prevention science, two areas of research which do not usually communicate with one another, the Annenberg Public Policy Center's Adolescent Risk Communication Institute held a conference with the purpose of producing an integrated volume on this interdisciplinary area. Presenters/chapter contributors were asked to address two questions: What neurodevelopmental processes in children and adolescents could be altered so that mental disorders might be prevented? And what interventions or life experiences might be able to introduce such changes? The book has a 5-part structure: biological and social universals in development; characteristics of brain and behaviour in development; effects of early maltreatment and stress on brain development; effects of stress and other environmental influences during adolescence on brain development; and reversible orders of brain development. The twenty chapters include contributions from some of the most well-known researchers in the area.

Recent advances in our understanding of the human brain suggest that adolescence is a unique period of development during which both environmental and genetic influences can leave a lasting impression. To advance the goal of integrating brain and prevention science, two areas of research which do not usually communicate with one another, the Annenberg Public Policy Center's Adolescent Risk Communication Institute held a conference with the purpose of producing an integrated volume on this interdisciplinary area. Presenters/chapter contributors were asked to address two questions: What neurodevelopmental processes in children and adolescents could be altered so that mental disorders might be prevented? And what interventions or life experiences might be able to introduce such changes? The book has a 5-part structure: biological and social universals in development; characteristics of brain and behaviour in development; effects of early maltreatment and stress on brain development; effects of stress and other environmental influences during adolescence on brain development; and reversible orders of brain development. The twenty chapters include contributions from some of the most well-known researchers in the area.

In The Changing Portrayal of Adolescents in the Media since 1950, leading scholars analyze the emergence of youth culture in music and powerful trends in gender and ethnic-racial representation, sexuality, substance use, violence, and suicide portrayla in the media. This book illuminates the evolution of teen portrayal, the potential consequences of these changes, and the ways policy-makers and parents can respond.

A data-rich analysis of how the four inter-related crises of 2020 -- the COVID-19 pandemic, the economic collapse and K-shaped recovery, the clashes over the legacy of racism and policing, and assaults on the legitimacy of democratic institutions (abetted by conspiracy theories) -- shaped not only the 2020 election, but also the future of our democracy.The 2020 election cycle was one of the most tumultuous in the nation's history. Early in the cycle, a global pandemic hit the US, paralyzing much of the economy and raising a multitude of questions about how people would go about voting. Then, beginning in late spring, a series of police brutality cases set off a nationwide wave of protests and civil disturbances related to racial justice concerns. In the final phase, the president of the United States refused to accept the results and incited his followers to storm the US Capitol. How did all of these momentous events shape voters' opinions? And what impact did they have on the outcome? To answer these questions, Kathleen Hall Jamieson and her collaborators surveyed 9,000 Americans over the course of the year to determine how voters reacted to the events on the ground, the campaigns' attempts at persuasion, and the post-election chaos that followed Biden's victory. Generally, American voters saw the multitude of crises through the lens of their polarized partisan predispositions. But why? Jamieson and her co-authors first stress that America has multiple electorates, and they are exposed to different informational environments. The divergent messages they received shaped not only their vote choice, but also how they made sense of these crises. Interestingly, though, while many voters were locked in place by their partisan priors, a majority of those who ended up voting for either Biden or Trump were unsure of their choice and whether they would actually vote at some point during the year. What led to both the wavering in people's choices and the attitudes they eventually adopted were in large part due to the differing media environments enveloping them: the messages from the campaigns, from their family and friends, as well from those in mass and social media. But this is not a simple story of "echo chambers," where individuals are immersed in only one type of media -- far from it. The distinct media environments in which these electorates experienced the election were in fact complex and varied, and the interaction between these different types of media was key. Indeed, most voters were subject to cross-cutting information pressures and not only one type of partisan source. This book's focus on the ebb and flow of the campaign over time and the centrality of wavering voters makes this an authoritative and essential account of one of the most momentous American elections ever.

A data-rich analysis of how the four inter-related crises of 2020 -- the COVID-19 pandemic, the economic collapse and K-shaped recovery, the clashes over the legacy of racism and policing, and assaults on the legitimacy of democratic institutions (abetted by conspiracy theories) -- shaped not only the 2020 election, but also the future of our democracy.The 2020 election cycle was one of the most tumultuous in the nation's history. Early in the cycle, a global pandemic hit the US, paralyzing much of the economy and raising a multitude of questions about how people would go about voting. Then, beginning in late spring, a series of police brutality cases set off a nationwide wave of protests and civil disturbances related to racial justice concerns. In the final phase, the president of the United States refused to accept the results and incited his followers to storm the US Capitol. How did all of these momentous events shape voters' opinions? And what impact did they have on the outcome? To answer these questions, Kathleen Hall Jamieson and her collaborators surveyed 9,000 Americans over the course of the year to determine how voters reacted to the events on the ground, the campaigns' attempts at persuasion, and the post-election chaos that followed Biden's victory. Generally, American voters saw the multitude of crises through the lens of their polarized partisan predispositions. But why? Jamieson and her co-authors first stress that America has multiple electorates, and they are exposed to different informational environments. The divergent messages they received shaped not only their vote choice, but also how they made sense of these crises. Interestingly, though, while many voters were locked in place by their partisan priors, a majority of those who ended up voting for either Biden or Trump were unsure of their choice and whether they would actually vote at some point during the year. What led to both the wavering in people's choices and the attitudes they eventually adopted were in large part due to the differing media environments enveloping them: the messages from the campaigns, from their family and friends, as well from those in mass and social media. But this is not a simple story of "echo chambers," where individuals are immersed in only one type of media -- far from it. The distinct media environments in which these electorates experienced the election were in fact complex and varied, and the interaction between these different types of media was key. Indeed, most voters were subject to cross-cutting information pressures and not only one type of partisan source. This book's focus on the ebb and flow of the campaign over time and the centrality of wavering voters makes this an authoritative and essential account of one of the most momentous American elections ever.

This is an open access title available under the terms of a Creative Commons Attribution-Non Commercial-No Derivatives 4.0 International license (CC BY-NC-ND 4.0). It is free to read at Oxford Academic and offered as a free PDF download from OUP and select open access locations.Sponsored by the Adolescent Mental Health Initiative of the Annenberg Public Policy Center (APPC) of the University of Pennsylvania and the Annenberg Foundation Trust at Sunnylands Trust, the third edition of Treating and Preventing Adolescent Mental Health Disorders provides a significant update since the second edition in 2017. It addresses the current state of knowledge about the major mental health disorders that emerge during adolescence, including how the COVID-19 pandemic affected adolescent mental health.Here, experts on adolescent anxiety, schizophrenia, substance use disorders, depression and bipolar disorders, eating disorders, and suicidal behavior thoroughly define each disorder, outline and assess available treatments, discuss prevention strategies, and suggest a research agenda based on what we know and don't yet know about these various conditions. The volume also incorporates chapters on gambling, Internet addiction, and positive youth development, which addresses how we can fully prepare young people to be happy and successful throughout their lives.Concluding chapters discuss overarching issues regarding the behavioral and mental health of adolescents, including overcoming the stigma of mental illness and the research, policy, and practice context for the delivery of evidence-based treatments. Integrating the work of eminent scholars in both psychology and psychiatry, this work will be an essential volume for academics and practicing clinicians and will serve as a wake-up call to mental health professionals and policy makers alike about the state of our nation's response to the needs of adolescents with mental disorders.

While it is widely accepted that we are products of our genes and environment, misconceptions about the power of genes to control our destiny continue to dominate our discourse. This volume contains the latest theories and evidence supporting the highly dynamic inter-relation between genes and environments as they influence the development, mental health, and substance use of adolescents. Written by researchers who are leading the way toward this new understanding, this text provides overviews and analysis of this emerging field. The chapters discuss the latest approaches to gene-environment relations, including gene-environment interaction, gene-environment correlation, epigenetics, and environmental regulation of gene expression. The application of these concepts to the prevention of adolescent mental health conditions, such as drug use, conduct disorder, depression, and schizophrenia, is included. Controversies in the implications of these approaches are also discussed.The chapters are written in accessible language and will relevant to anyone interested in the mental health and development of adolescents, including researchers and practitioners in behavioral, social and medical fields. A final chapter by the editors assesses the implications of these new approaches for future mental health research and policy.

Media and the Well-Being of Children and Adolescents brings together many of the field's most important scholars and media professionals to present cutting-edge theory and empirical research on both the benefits and risks to youth development. It examines the role that media play in the every-day lives of young people and their families, and considers both traditional media such as television and movies as well as "new" digital media, such as video games, cell phones, and the Internet.The volume is divided into four parts. Part One provides up-to-date trends on children and adolescents' access to media in the home, as well as the time they spend with television, computers, and the Internet. Part Two presents research that highlights the potentially negative impact of age-inappropriate or excess media use on children's physical, cognitive, social, and emotional well-being. Part Three offers examples of how media enhance children's education, health, and social connections. Part Four explores implications for the creation of high-quality, enriching content that speaks to the needs and interests of young people today.The volume's interdisciplinary perspective acknowledges the many controversies surrounding the effects of media on youth, and offers a balanced view of the challenges and opportunities that media represent for healthy development. The book is intended to be a resource for students and scholars working within education, developmental psychology, public health, and communication. Additionally, it speaks to media professionals who seek to create content that enriches the lives of children and adolescents.

"What an extraordinary volume! This book brings together current research integrating adolescent risk and protection across a wide range of topics and disciplines. It is a major contribution to the field."

— Robert Wm. Blum, MD, MPH, PhD, Professor and Director, Center for Adolescent Health and Development, University of Minnesota

"This book is clearly the best source now available on the topic of adolescent risk taking and its prevention. With chapters written by the very best people in the field, describing the latest thinking and findings, it is an essential guide and resource for prevention researchers and program developers."

— Bruce Simons-Morton, EdD, MPH, Chief, Prevention Research Branch Division of Epidemiology, Statistics, and Prevention Research, National Institute of Child Health and Human Development

 

"This report shines a bright light on the road our nation has taken to improve adolescent health, the approaching fork, and the path most likely to attain our destination."

— Lloyd J. Kolbe, PhD, Director, Division of Adolescent and School Health, U.S. Centers for Disease Control And Prevention

 

"Reducing Adolescent Risk: Toward an Integrated Approach weaves together current research findings with prevailing prevention strategies to shed further light on the developmental pathways leading to a variety of interrelated adolescent risk behaviors. In doing so, the authors skillfully make the case for more integrated policy approaches and for comprehensive programming at the community level that both recognizes the connections between risk behaviors and maximizes young people's positive potential."

— Karen Pittman, Executive Director, The Forum for Youth Investment & President, Impact Strategies, Inc.

Many risk behaviors have common developmental pathways. However, most prevention strategies approach adolescent risk behaviors as individual problems requiring separate solutions. This policy of treating one behavior at a time encourages a fractured approach to adolescent health.

Reducing Adolescent Risk: Toward an Integrated Approach focuses on common influences that result in a number of interrelated risk behaviors in order to design more unified, comprehensive prevention strategies. Edited by Daniel Romer, this book summarizes presentations and discussions held at the Adolescent Risk Communication Institute of the University of Pennsylvania Annenberg Public Policy Center. Concentrating on common causes for varied risk behaviors, a group of leading researchers and intervention specialists from different health traditions synthesize current knowledge about risks to adolescent health in several areas, including drugs and alcohol, tobacco, unprotected sex, suicide and depression, and gambling.

Promoting healthy adolescent development, this innovative volume includes

Results of the National Risk Survey Contributions from experts on adolescent decision making and problem solving Research agendas for programs that reduce multiple risks Potential intervention strategies to reduce more than one risk at a time Major findings from the conference that should be pursued in future research

Primarily intended for graduate students, scholars, and researchers in psychology, sociology, social work, and public health, Reducing Adolescent Risk is also an extraordinary resource for policy makers in government organizations and foundations.