Health PsychologyPub Date : 2025-06-01Epub Date: 2024-12-16DOI: 10.1037/hea0001453
Noemi Lorbeer, Ralf Schwarzer, Jan Keller, Sally Di Maio, Antonia Domke, Gabriele Armbrecht, Hendrikje Börst, Peter Martus, Wolfgang Ertel, Aleksandra Luszczynska, Nina Knoll
{"title":"Volitional processes in changing physical activity: A randomized controlled trial with individuals with knee osteoarthritis.","authors":"Noemi Lorbeer, Ralf Schwarzer, Jan Keller, Sally Di Maio, Antonia Domke, Gabriele Armbrecht, Hendrikje Börst, Peter Martus, Wolfgang Ertel, Aleksandra Luszczynska, Nina Knoll","doi":"10.1037/hea0001453","DOIUrl":"10.1037/hea0001453","url":null,"abstract":"<p><strong>Objective: </strong>A health action process approach (HAPA)-based intervention was designed to support moderate-to-vigorous physical activity (MVPA) in individuals with osteoarthritis of the knee (OAK). In secondary analyses of the randomized controlled trial \"preventing the impairment of primary osteoarthritis by high-impact long-term physical exercise regimen-psychological adherence program,\" we examined long-term effects of the intervention on HAPA determinants and MVPA, and explored the former as mediators of change.</p><p><strong>Method: </strong><i>N</i> = 241 individuals with OAK (63% women, aged 44-80 years) were randomly assigned to the 12-month intervention condition (IC) or active control condition (CC). Between 2016 and 2020, self-reported HAPA determinants (action and coping planning, maintenance and recovery self-efficacy, action control) and collaborative planning were assessed at 0, 6, 12, 18, and 24 months, accelerometer-assessed MVPA at 0, 12, and 24 months. Multilevel and manifest path models were fit.</p><p><strong>Results: </strong>Compared to the CC, action planning was higher in the IC at 6, 12, and 24 months. Maintenance and recovery self-efficacy were stable in the IC but decreased in the CC. MVPA decreased in both conditions. More action planning in the IC at 12 months was related to higher MVPA at 24 months, but, as in all other models, the indirect effect was nonsignificant.</p><p><strong>Conclusions: </strong>The intervention partly stabilized or enhanced HAPA determinants but did not increase MVPA in a Western, highly-educated sample with OAK. Future work might use blended-care approaches enriched by mobile applications for continuous MVPA support. (PsycInfo Database Record (c) 2025 APA, all rights reserved).</p>","PeriodicalId":55066,"journal":{"name":"Health Psychology","volume":" ","pages":"597-607"},"PeriodicalIF":3.2,"publicationDate":"2025-06-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"142831004","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":2,"RegionCategory":"心理学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
Health PsychologyPub Date : 2025-06-01Epub Date: 2024-11-25DOI: 10.1037/hea0001442
Laura D Scherer, Carmen L Lewis, Joseph N Cappella, Jolyn Hersch, Kirsten McCaffery, Channing Tate, Heather L Smyth, Bridget Mosley, Brad Morse, Marilyn M Schapira
{"title":"Skeptical reactions to breast cancer screening benefits and harms: Antecedents, consequences, and implications for screening communication.","authors":"Laura D Scherer, Carmen L Lewis, Joseph N Cappella, Jolyn Hersch, Kirsten McCaffery, Channing Tate, Heather L Smyth, Bridget Mosley, Brad Morse, Marilyn M Schapira","doi":"10.1037/hea0001442","DOIUrl":"10.1037/hea0001442","url":null,"abstract":"<p><strong>Objective: </strong>When people receive information about the benefits and harms of mammography screening, they do not always accept it at face value and instead express skepticism. The purpose of this research was to identify the psychological drivers of this skepticism. Two theory-driven hypotheses were considered: One hypothesis proposes that skeptical reactions reflect a psychological defense against information that is emotionally aversive. Another proposes that skeptical reactions reflect a normative probabilistic inference that information that conflicts with prior beliefs is unlikely to be true. This work also identified the potential consequences of skepticism for people's screening preferences.</p><p><strong>Method: </strong>A nationally representative sample of female participants ages 39-49 received information about the benefits and harms of mammography screening. Skepticism toward information about screening benefits and harms was measured, as well as hypothesis-relevant predictors of that skepticism. Participants' preferred age to have regular mammograms was also assessed.</p><p><strong>Results: </strong>The results did not support the hypothesis that skepticism reflects an emotional defense. Instead, skepticism was associated with experiencing the information as conflicting with beliefs and past screening messages. Expressing more skepticism toward screening harms was associated with preferring to start screening at a younger age.</p><p><strong>Conclusions: </strong>These data suggest that people express skepticism toward mammography evidence not because it is aversive information, but instead because it conflicts with other things they believe and have been told. Consistent, coordinated messages from health experts about mammography evidence may therefore help to reduce skepticism, and help promote an informed patient population. (PsycInfo Database Record (c) 2025 APA, all rights reserved).</p>","PeriodicalId":55066,"journal":{"name":"Health Psychology","volume":" ","pages":"608-619"},"PeriodicalIF":3.1,"publicationDate":"2025-06-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC12061567/pdf/","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"142717868","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":2,"RegionCategory":"心理学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"OA","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
Health PsychologyPub Date : 2025-06-01Epub Date: 2024-12-16DOI: 10.1037/hea0001438
Login S George, Biren Saraiya, Supriya Mohile, Emily Muha, Saba Sarwar, Paul R Duberstein
{"title":"Obliged to fight? Patient moral processes in the face of poor prognosis cancer.","authors":"Login S George, Biren Saraiya, Supriya Mohile, Emily Muha, Saba Sarwar, Paul R Duberstein","doi":"10.1037/hea0001438","DOIUrl":"10.1037/hea0001438","url":null,"abstract":"<p><strong>Objective: </strong>Theoretical work suggests that moral psychological processes-those pertaining to the interests or welfare of others-are a key driver of overtreatment at the end of life. We examined patient moral processes and their associations with distress and treatment decision-making.</p><p><strong>Method: </strong>During structured interviews with 116 patients with advanced cancer and a poor prognosis, Likert scale items were used to operationalize (a) moral emotions: feeling shame and guilt about cancer getting worse, (b) moral motives for cancer treatment: perceiving an obligation to family for continuing potentially nonbeneficial treatments, and (c) moral performance: putting up the appearance of feeling better than how one is really feeling (5-point response scale, <i>not at all to a great deal</i>). Several distress and end-of-life decision-making variables were also assessed.</p><p><strong>Results: </strong>Most patients reported moral motives for cancer treatments and engaging in moral performance (35%-88% responded \"a little\" or higher for each of the 10 items). The mean moral motives score was associated with a higher likelihood of choosing life-extending care over comfort care (<i>t</i> = -3.16, <i>p</i> = .002) and a lower likelihood of having an advance care planning discussion (<i>t</i> = 3.19, <i>p</i> = .002). Moral performance was associated with worse distress regarding prognosis (<i>r</i><sub>s</sub> = .32, <i>p</i> = .001), worse psychological symptoms (<i>r</i><sub>s</sub> = -.26, <i>p</i> = .004), and less peaceful acceptance of cancer (<i>r</i><sub>s</sub> = -.25, <i>p</i> = .006).</p><p><strong>Conclusions: </strong>For patients with advanced cancer, moral processes are prevalent and influential on how they behave and make treatment decisions. Attention must be paid to how these moral processes can result in more intensive treatments than warranted. (PsycInfo Database Record (c) 2025 APA, all rights reserved).</p>","PeriodicalId":55066,"journal":{"name":"Health Psychology","volume":" ","pages":"587-596"},"PeriodicalIF":3.2,"publicationDate":"2025-06-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC12239148/pdf/","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"142830973","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":2,"RegionCategory":"心理学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"OA","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
Brittany Lancaster, Elana Goldenberg, Anna S Trofimoff, Yuchen Dai, Bethany Forseth, Rebecca Swinburne Romine, Kandace Fleming, Ann Davis
{"title":"Mental health outcomes of a pediatric-focused obesity randomized control trial in rural communities.","authors":"Brittany Lancaster, Elana Goldenberg, Anna S Trofimoff, Yuchen Dai, Bethany Forseth, Rebecca Swinburne Romine, Kandace Fleming, Ann Davis","doi":"10.1037/hea0001518","DOIUrl":"10.1037/hea0001518","url":null,"abstract":"<p><strong>Objective: </strong>This study explores the impact of iAmHealthy, a rurally focused pediatric obesity intervention, on mental health outcomes and examines how baseline mental health affects body mass index (BMI) outcomes for child-parent dyads in rural communities.</p><p><strong>Method: </strong>Eighteen schools were randomly assigned to iAmHealthy or the Newsletter Control group. iAmHealthy consists of health coaching and group sessions via televideo. Child and parent height and weight, child depression, child quality of life, and parent distress were assessed at baseline, posttreatment (8 months), and follow-up (20 months) from October 2017 to December 2021. Multilevel modeling assessed treatment effects on mental health and baseline mental health on change in BMI outcomes.</p><p><strong>Results: </strong>In total, 148 dyads were randomized to iAmHealthy (<i>n</i> = 64) or control (<i>n</i> = 84). Dyads broadly reported minimal parent distress, child depressive symptoms, and high child quality of life. While there was no treatment group by time interactions, the iAmHealthy group had significant decreases in child depression at posttreatment and follow-up and significant decreases in parent distress at follow-up. Control participants had no significant changes in child depression, quality of life, or parent distress at any time point. Significant interactions between treatment group and baseline mental health predicted child body mass index z score/parent BMI change.</p><p><strong>Conclusions: </strong>Parents experiencing baseline distress particularly benefited from the support of iAmHealthy, but unsustained effects at follow-up suggest that long-term support may be beneficial to these families. Future studies examining populations with heightened mental health challenges may provide deeper insights into how pediatric obesity interventions affect mental well-being within families from rural communities. (PsycInfo Database Record (c) 2025 APA, all rights reserved).</p>","PeriodicalId":55066,"journal":{"name":"Health Psychology","volume":" ","pages":""},"PeriodicalIF":3.2,"publicationDate":"2025-05-29","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC12354086/pdf/","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"144183337","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":2,"RegionCategory":"心理学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"OA","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
Julia S Nakamura, Koichiro Shiba, Baoyi Shi, Rachel S Leong, Tyler J VanderWeele, Eric S Kim
{"title":"How is volunteering associated with reduced mortality? A mediator-wide approach.","authors":"Julia S Nakamura, Koichiro Shiba, Baoyi Shi, Rachel S Leong, Tyler J VanderWeele, Eric S Kim","doi":"10.1037/hea0001429","DOIUrl":"10.1037/hea0001429","url":null,"abstract":"<p><strong>Objective: </strong>Volunteering has been repeatedly associated with reduced mortality in older adults, yet research examining the mechanisms explaining this association remains limited. We evaluated potentially modifiable mediators, and combinations of mediators, that may underlie the volunteering-mortality association.</p><p><strong>Method: </strong>We used prospective data from 9,962 participants in the Health and Retirement Study (2006-2018), a national, diverse, and longitudinal cohort of U.S. adults aged >50. We evaluated associations between volunteering at baseline (2008/2010), mediators at Wave 2 (2010/2012), and mortality between Waves 3 and 4 (2010-2016 for Cohort A, 2012-2018 for Cohort B).</p><p><strong>Results: </strong>After adjusting for demographic confounders and mediators in the prebaseline wave (2006/2008), we observed evidence of mediation for those who volunteered ≥100 hr/year (vs. 0 hr/year) through combined physical health factors (proportion mediated [PM] = 49.56%, p = .004) and social factors (PM = 90.76%, p = .017) as well as through increased contact with friends (PM = 25.34%, p = .015) and helping friends/neighbors/relatives (PM = 25.12%, p = .018). However, there was less evidence of mediation through other proposed mediators.</p><p><strong>Conclusions: </strong>With further research, these results inform basic science, interventions, and policies by identifying potential mechanisms, which might become modifiable features of the volunteering experience, to promote longevity in our rapidly aging population. (PsycInfo Database Record (c) 2025 APA, all rights reserved).</p>","PeriodicalId":55066,"journal":{"name":"Health Psychology","volume":"44 5","pages":"518-527"},"PeriodicalIF":3.1,"publicationDate":"2025-05-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"144057447","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":2,"RegionCategory":"心理学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
{"title":"Support, strain, and health in older adulthood: A latent profile transition analysis.","authors":"Reout Arbel, Dikla Segel-Karpas","doi":"10.1037/hea0001458","DOIUrl":"10.1037/hea0001458","url":null,"abstract":"<p><strong>Objective: </strong>The study aimed to identify latent subgroups of older adults based on experiences of support and strain in past and present relationships, their stability across years, and their links to health.</p><p><strong>Method: </strong>We used three waves of the Health and Retirement Study (2006, 2010, and 2014) with a sample of older adults (N = 3,233). Individuals self-reported on support and strain from spouses, children, family members, and friends and on the quality of childhood relationships with parents. Health outcomes were perceived health, depression, and health biomarkers.</p><p><strong>Results: </strong>Latent profile analysis resulted in three profiles in each wave: \"high support low strain\" (~82%) reflects high support and low strain across the board; \"low support high strain-nuclear family\" (~9%) reflects low support and high strain from spouses and children; \"mixed support high strain\" (~9%) reflects high strain across the board, with average support from spouses and friends and low support from children and family members. Latent transition analysis indicated within-person stability for the \"high support low strain\" profile across waves, and some lability for the two smaller profiles. Individuals in the \"high support low strain\" profile reported the best perceived health and lowest depression across waves. Differences between the profiles in health biomarkers were weak. Better childhood relationships with parents were associated with better perceived health and lower depression, but not for those in the \"high support low strain\" profile.</p><p><strong>Conclusions: </strong>Subjective well-being, but less consistently health biomarkers, is a function of configured experience of support and strain across various relationship contexts. (PsycInfo Database Record (c) 2025 APA, all rights reserved).</p>","PeriodicalId":55066,"journal":{"name":"Health Psychology","volume":"44 5","pages":"413-425"},"PeriodicalIF":3.2,"publicationDate":"2025-05-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"144050963","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":2,"RegionCategory":"心理学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
Farah Qureshi, Krista Woodward, Laura D Kubzansky, Julia K Boehm
{"title":"Childhood prosocial behavior and body mass index: Longitudinal findings in the Millennium Cohort Study.","authors":"Farah Qureshi, Krista Woodward, Laura D Kubzansky, Julia K Boehm","doi":"10.1037/hea0001463","DOIUrl":"10.1037/hea0001463","url":null,"abstract":"<p><strong>Objective: </strong>Childhood obesity affects millions worldwide but is challenging to treat. Prosocial or helping behavior may help mitigate childhood obesity. We investigated whether prosocial behavior at ages 5-11 was associated with body mass index (BMI) and reduced obesity risk through age 17.</p><p><strong>Method: </strong>Data were from 8,894 participants in the Millennium Cohort Study. Parents reported children's prosocial behavior using the Strengths and Difficulties Questionnaire at ages 5, 7, and 11. BMI scores (kg/m2) were calculated from children's height and weight at ages 5, 7, 11, 14, and 17, which were then standardized by sex (M = 0, SD = 1) to examine BMI patterns in relation to the sample mean. Obesity risk was defined by established cut points from the International Obesity Task Force. Linear mixed models evaluated associations between age 5, 7, or 11 prosocial behavior and BMI Z scores (BMIz) through age 17, adjusted for relevant covariates, including baseline BMI. Associations with obesity risk were also examined at each follow-up assessment using logistic regression.</p><p><strong>Results: </strong>Obesity prevalence doubled from 5% to 10% between ages 5 and 17 years old. Prosocial behaviors at age 5 were not substantively associated with BMIz profiles or obesity risk. Similarly, associations between prosocial behavior at other developmental stages (ages 7 and 11, respectively) were largely unrelated to both subsequent BMIz patterns and obesity risk.</p><p><strong>Conclusions: </strong>Associations between childhood prosocial behaviors and BMIz through age 17 were mostly null. No relationships were observed with obesity or with prosocial behaviors assessed later in childhood or adolescence. (PsycInfo Database Record (c) 2025 APA, all rights reserved).</p>","PeriodicalId":55066,"journal":{"name":"Health Psychology","volume":"44 5","pages":"528-536"},"PeriodicalIF":3.1,"publicationDate":"2025-05-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"144060377","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":2,"RegionCategory":"心理学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
Elissa J Hamlat, Stefanie E Mayer, Barbara Laraia, Terrie E Moffitt, Agus Surachman, Ethan G Dutcher, Joshua Zhang, Ake T Lu, Tony T Yang, Meital Mashash, George M Slavich, Elissa S Epel
{"title":"Maternal childhood adversity accelerates epigenetic aging of children.","authors":"Elissa J Hamlat, Stefanie E Mayer, Barbara Laraia, Terrie E Moffitt, Agus Surachman, Ethan G Dutcher, Joshua Zhang, Ake T Lu, Tony T Yang, Meital Mashash, George M Slavich, Elissa S Epel","doi":"10.1037/hea0001427","DOIUrl":"10.1037/hea0001427","url":null,"abstract":"<p><strong>Objective: </strong>Although early adversity is strongly related to lifelong health disparities, it is unclear how adversity might confer risk across generations. To investigate, we tested the hypothesis that mothers' childhood adversity was associated with their epigenetic aging and that of their children and examined whether associations differed for Black and White mothers.</p><p><strong>Method: </strong>Dyads (N = 215) of mothers (52% White, 48% Black, Mage = 39.2, SD = 1.1) and children (N = 215, 55% female, Mage = 8.3, SD = 4.0, range 2-17) provided saliva samples to assay the Horvath clock and pace of aging calculated from the epigenome epigenetic aging measures. Linear regressions were used to estimate the associations of maternal early adversity measures with the outcomes of maternal and child Horvath clock epigenetic age, as moderated by race.</p><p><strong>Results: </strong>For Black, but not White mothers, any abuse before age 13, b = 0.81, p = .007, physical abuse before age 18, b = 1.69, p = .001, and sexual abuse before age 18, b = 1.17, p = .02, were associated with significantly greater Horvath age acceleration in their children. In contrast, there was no relation between maternal childhood adversity and mothers' epigenetic aging, and no significant findings for the pace of aging calculated from the epigenome.</p><p><strong>Conclusions: </strong>Maternal childhood adversity appears to have a greater effect on the epigenetic aging of the children of Black mothers. The effects of systemic racism on Black Americans may interact with maternal childhood adversity to confer additional risk for Black children. (PsycInfo Database Record (c) 2025 APA, all rights reserved).</p>","PeriodicalId":55066,"journal":{"name":"Health Psychology","volume":"44 5","pages":"479-488"},"PeriodicalIF":3.1,"publicationDate":"2025-05-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC12001744/pdf/","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"144044168","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":2,"RegionCategory":"心理学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"OA","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
{"title":"Social connection or loneliness? How we frame the issue may significantly impact public policy.","authors":"Julianne Holt-Lunstad","doi":"10.1037/hea0001433","DOIUrl":"10.1037/hea0001433","url":null,"abstract":"<p><p>Increasing public concerns about loneliness have led to a surge in scientific research, advocacy, and governmental attention. National strategies are being considered, legislation is introduced, and some countries have even appointed political positions dedicated to addressing loneliness. The evidence points to several markers of degree of social connection, all independently predicting health. Loneliness is among these predictors of health outcomes but not the strongest. Thus, the evidence does not support prioritizing an overly narrow approach to public health policy, national measurement, clinical assessments, or solutions. Taking a more holistic multifactorial approach to framing this public health issue by prioritizing social connection may increase the likelihood of success of public health approaches. (PsycInfo Database Record (c) 2025 APA, all rights reserved).</p>","PeriodicalId":55066,"journal":{"name":"Health Psychology","volume":"44 5","pages":"560-562"},"PeriodicalIF":3.1,"publicationDate":"2025-05-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"144027101","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":2,"RegionCategory":"心理学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
LillyBelle K Deer, Deborah Han, Mackenzie Maher, Samantha R Scott, Kenia M Rivera, Emily M Melnick, Nathalie Dieujuste, Jenalee R Doom
{"title":"Positive childhood experiences and adult cardiovascular health.","authors":"LillyBelle K Deer, Deborah Han, Mackenzie Maher, Samantha R Scott, Kenia M Rivera, Emily M Melnick, Nathalie Dieujuste, Jenalee R Doom","doi":"10.1037/hea0001428","DOIUrl":"10.1037/hea0001428","url":null,"abstract":"<p><strong>Objective: </strong>To test whether positive childhood experiences (PCEs) assessed prospectively in adolescence predict ideal cardiovascular health in adulthood, even after controlling for experiences of childhood maltreatment. We also tested whether PCEs would moderate the association between childhood maltreatment and adult cardiovascular health and whether sex moderated the association between PCEs and cardiovascular health.</p><p><strong>Method: </strong>Data originated from the National Longitudinal Study of Adolescent to Adult Health (Add Health), a nationally representative longitudinal study in the United States (n = 2,916). Using data from the Wave 1 adolescent assessment (Mage = 15.70 years, 1994-1995), a 12-item index of cumulative self-reported PCEs (e.g., stable caregiver, adult mentor, one good friend, enjoyed school, good neighbors) was created. Childhood maltreatment experiences were self-reported at Wave 3 (Mage = 22.06 years, 2001-2002) and Wave 4 (Mage = 28.53 years, 2008). An ideal cardiovascular health score was calculated in Wave 5 (Mage = 37.47 years, 2016-2018) using the American Heart Association's Life's Essential 8 cardiovascular health index.</p><p><strong>Results: </strong>Greater PCEs predicted more ideal cardiovascular health (β = .13, p < .001), and greater childhood maltreatment predicted less ideal cardiovascular health in adulthood (β = -.12, p < .001). PCEs did not moderate the association between childhood maltreatment and adult cardiovascular health. Sex moderated the association between PCEs and adult cardiovascular health (β = .09, p = .042), such that the association was stronger for female (β = .20, p < .001) than male (β = .08, p = .073).</p><p><strong>Conclusion: </strong>The finding that PCEs prospectively predict more ideal cardiovascular health in adulthood beyond the effect of childhood maltreatment suggests that promoting PCEs should be tested as part of interventions to prevent adult cardiovascular disease. (PsycInfo Database Record (c) 2025 APA, all rights reserved).</p>","PeriodicalId":55066,"journal":{"name":"Health Psychology","volume":"44 5","pages":"489-497"},"PeriodicalIF":3.1,"publicationDate":"2025-05-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC12001735/pdf/","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"144056212","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":2,"RegionCategory":"心理学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"OA","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}