{"title":"Reflections on a Career in Prevention Science Focused on the Development, Prevention, and Treatment of Youth Conduct Problems.","authors":"Robert J McMahon","doi":"10.1007/s11121-025-01822-x","DOIUrl":null,"url":null,"abstract":"<p><p>In this article, I begin with a discussion about how the treatment of child conduct problems plays a role in their prevention. I then summarize three broad foci of my research career. Next, I describe those research activities in the broader context of my own life-course development. I first present an autobiographical account of how I became interested in prevention research on children's conduct problems and how these research interests developed at different stages of my career. I then describe several recurring themes that have characterized my career broadly. My hope in adopting this approach is that mid-career and senior researchers will identify with some of the events that facilitated my own development as a prevention scientist. I especially hope that early-career researchers (as well as graduate students and postdoctoral fellows) will see that developing a career path as a prevention scientist is often a nonlinear series of events, some of which are serendipitous, and many of which represent significant \"turning points\" (Rutter, 1996) in one's career and life. I reflect on the bidirectional and iterative nature of much of my research. I also stress the importance of mentorship (both as a mentee and as a mentor) and collaboration in the development and direction of my own research career.</p>","PeriodicalId":48268,"journal":{"name":"Prevention Science","volume":" ","pages":"691-702"},"PeriodicalIF":2.7000,"publicationDate":"2025-05-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":"0","resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":null,"PeriodicalName":"Prevention Science","FirstCategoryId":"3","ListUrlMain":"https://doi.org/10.1007/s11121-025-01822-x","RegionNum":2,"RegionCategory":"医学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":null,"EPubDate":"2025/6/20 0:00:00","PubModel":"Epub","JCR":"Q2","JCRName":"PUBLIC, ENVIRONMENTAL & OCCUPATIONAL HEALTH","Score":null,"Total":0}
引用次数: 0
Abstract
In this article, I begin with a discussion about how the treatment of child conduct problems plays a role in their prevention. I then summarize three broad foci of my research career. Next, I describe those research activities in the broader context of my own life-course development. I first present an autobiographical account of how I became interested in prevention research on children's conduct problems and how these research interests developed at different stages of my career. I then describe several recurring themes that have characterized my career broadly. My hope in adopting this approach is that mid-career and senior researchers will identify with some of the events that facilitated my own development as a prevention scientist. I especially hope that early-career researchers (as well as graduate students and postdoctoral fellows) will see that developing a career path as a prevention scientist is often a nonlinear series of events, some of which are serendipitous, and many of which represent significant "turning points" (Rutter, 1996) in one's career and life. I reflect on the bidirectional and iterative nature of much of my research. I also stress the importance of mentorship (both as a mentee and as a mentor) and collaboration in the development and direction of my own research career.
期刊介绍:
Prevention Science is the official publication of the Society for Prevention Research. The Journal serves as an interdisciplinary forum designed to disseminate new developments in the theory, research and practice of prevention. Prevention sciences encompassing etiology, epidemiology and intervention are represented through peer-reviewed original research articles on a variety of health and social problems, including but not limited to substance abuse, mental health, HIV/AIDS, violence, accidents, teenage pregnancy, suicide, delinquency, STD''s, obesity, diet/nutrition, exercise, and chronic illness. The journal also publishes literature reviews, theoretical articles, meta-analyses, systematic reviews, brief reports, replication studies, and papers concerning new developments in methodology.