Journals
2026 EN
YeshuaKatz Daphna · Shapira Stav · BraunLewensohn Orna
Abstract Mobile technologies have become significant resources for crisis communication and social support in recent years. However, despite empirical evidence pointing to the centrality of these technologies for parenthood in everyday life, it is yet unknown how parents' coping resources play a role in the digital environment. In this study, we examined how parents cope with prolonged political violence online, based on Bronfenbrenner's ecological theory and the three levels of coping it encompasses: personal, family, and community. We employed a photo‐elicitation technique during in‐depth interviews with 21 parents residing in communities near the Israel‐Gaza border, to identify digital coping strategies in WhatsApp groups. The data were collected in January 2023, prior to the outbreak of the October 7th Israel‐Gaza war, and therefore reflect coping processes during a period that alternated between relative calm and episodes of escalation. Theoretically, our findings contribute to expanding the core concepts of coping theories, traditionally studied in offline environments, to the digital realm. Empirically, our analysis revealed that participants developed digital coping methods at two ecological levels: personal and community. At the personal level, our participants used local WhatsApp parent groups (WPGs) to manage stress by exchanging emotional and instrumental support and venting emotions. At the community level, our participants indicated that local WPGs could help address emergencies collectively through the provision of instrumental support, emotional support, relief through humor, and as a platform for venting. Our study, by identifying how they use local digital settings, indicates the ways residents can potentially increase their personal and community resilience.
Journals
2026 EN
Parikh Mihi · Patel Jiya · Park GumRyeong
Abstract This study aims to examine the relationship between outdoor environmental quality, trust in neighbors, and social integration among residents of public rental housing in Seoul, South Korea. It also investigates how neighborly relationships moderate this association. The study uses data from the 2016–2021 Seoul Public Rental Housing Panel Survey (SPRHPS) and applies individual fixed effects models to examine how outdoor environmental quality affects trust in neighbors. It also explores the moderating role of dwelling type characterized by apartment and non‐apartment (e.g., single detached house and multiunit housing). Poor outdoor environmental quality, characterized by low greenery, inadequate amenities, and unsafe conditions, was linked to diminished trust in neighbors. Interestingly, the negative impact of these outdoor conditions on neighborly trust was less pronounced among residents of apartments compared to those living in non‐apartment settings. This trend was also observed in other outcomes, such as attitudes toward social integration. These findings highlight the importance of both physical environmental improvements and fostering social connections in public housing communities to enhance social trust and overall well‐being.
Journals
2026 EN
Jung Euijin · Black Candace · PlacencioCastro Matias
+5 more
Abstract Background Resettled refugee families face elevated mental health risks, compounded by structural and cultural barriers. The Family Strengthening Intervention for Resettlement (FSIR), co‐developed with resettled refugee communities, aims to improve family functioning and child mental health. This study evaluated FSI‐R in Somali Bantu and Bhutanese communities in New England during COVID‐19 using a Hybrid Type II Implementation‐Effectiveness Trial guided by the EPIS framework. Methods Linear mixed modeling assessed changes in family functioning and child mental health. A process evaluation identified implementation barriers and informed adaptations. Activities were registered under Clinical Registry #NCT03796065. Results Bhutanese families receiving FSI‐R showed greater improvements in parental supervision compared to usual care. Process evaluation highlighted that responsiveness to community needs supported successful implementation despite pandemic stressors. Somali Bantu interventionists reported stronger emotional connection with families during in‐person delivery. Conclusions Findings support the utility of hybrid trials in assessing both effectiveness and implementation of preventive interventions with resettling families. Despite contextual disruptions, attention to community needs and delivery flexibility enabled successful implementation. This study underscores the importance of context‐informed strategies to sustain core elements of evidence‐based interventions in dynamic settings.
Journals
2026 EN
Deloia Anna L.
Abstract Sociopolitical development (SPD)—that is, “the process by which individuals acquire the knowledge, analytical skills, emotional faculties, and the capacity for action in political and social systems necessary to interpret and resist oppression” (Watts et al., 2003, p. 185)—allows young people to engage in their communities in ways that promote justice and collective wellbeing. Participation in supportive adult–child relationships is theoretically and empirically linked to SPD. However, additional research is needed to investigate the mechanisms through which these relationships support SPD, especially during the understudied developmental period of middle childhood (ages 7–11). This paper presents a theoretical literature review with the goal of consolidating existing evidence about SPD and the social and relational forces that shape it during middle childhood. It also expands on the theory of SPD by proposing the related concept of sociopolitical socialization (SPS), which describes the kinds of socialization between young people and their relational partners that promote SPD, and by highlighting imagination as a previously implicit component of SPD with particular significance for middle childhood.
Journals
2026 EN
Wu You · Robinson Dalya · Silberberg Mina
Abstract In the United States (US), communities that share the reality of relatively poor health are often on differing sides of a growing political divide. Might community‐based participatory research (CBPR) promote inter‐community understanding and mutual support? We conducted a scoping review of English‐language literature on CBPR in the United States that utilized what we term “purposeful diversity.” By purposeful diversity, we mean studies that intentionally involved partnerships with communities of differing race/ethnicity, socioeconomic status, geographic regions, gender/sexual orientation, religions or age in order to achieve a specific result. Only 41 partnerships (described in 65 papers) met our review criteria. Purposeful diversity in ethnicity/race was most common. Community advisory boards, community co‐investigators, and community membership on steering committees were prevalent forms of community participation. Frequently, reasons for involving diverse partners were not given; those offered most often were the disproportionate burden of poor health on the communities participating. While many partnerships reported benefits of diversity, the only benefit frequently mentioned was success in recruiting diverse participants. Fewer than 40% of partnerships addressed challenges from working with diverse communities; barriers to communication and understanding were the most common. Fewer than 20% of partnerships reported strategies to address these challenges. Even fewer documented results of such strategies or methods they used to explore the influence of community diversity. Despite the focus of CBPR on structural disadvantage and the possibility of structural change, the potential of this approach for addressing inter‐community conflict is virtually unexplored.
Journals
2026 EN
Kassim Adetola A. · Thompson Alexis A. · Malik Punam
ABSTRACT The practical aspects of developing curative treatments for sickle cell disease (SCD) in Africa, such as gene therapy and hematopoietic stem cell transplantation, involve strengthening healthcare infrastructure, training healthcare professionals, establishing regional treatment centers, and creating national SCD programs. The costs associated with gene therapy and stem cell transplants can be prohibitive, especially in low‐ and middle‐income countries. Strategies to address affordability, including local manufacturing, government funding, and partnerships with global health agencies, are essential to ensure equitable access. Establishing ethical and regulatory guidelines while raising awareness among patients and communities is critical. Early diagnosis through newborn screening and adequate clinical care programs are vital for identifying individuals with SCD who could benefit from curative therapies and other interventions. Addressing cultural beliefs and promoting positive attitudes toward SCD and its management is essential. While curative therapies offer hope, hydroxyurea and other disease‐modifying therapies with established clinical benefits are more accessible in many settings. Prioritizing these medications ensures that patients with SCD are medically prepared to receive curative therapies while simultaneously building capacity for advanced treatments, thus creating a pragmatic approach. Lastly, international collaboration and partnerships among researchers, global health agencies, and local organizations are vital for sharing knowledge, resources, and best practices in SCD management.
Journals
2026 EN
Fieder Martin · Huber Susanne
ABSTRACT Objectives Delay discounting reflects individual differences in future orientation and impulsivity and may relate to life‐history strategies. Because delay discounting has a substantial genetic basis, we investigated whether the polygenic score (PGS) for delay discounting is associated with genetic predispositions for key life‐history traits—education, age at first birth, and number of children—and whether these relationships are reflected phenotypically. Methods We used data from the Wisconsin Longitudinal Study, including 2713 men and 2980 women of European ancestry with available genetic data. Linear regressions examined associations between the delay‐discounting PGS and PGSs for educational attainment, age at first birth, and number of children. Parallel models assessed phenotypic associations with years of postsecondary education, age at first birth, and number of children. All models controlled for birth year and the first 10 genomic principal components. Results In both sexes, the delay‐discounting PGS was strongly negatively associated with the PGSs for educational attainment and age at first birth, and positively associated with the PGS for number of children. Phenotypic associations were directionally consistent but substantially smaller: higher delay‐discounting PGSs predicted fewer years of education, earlier first birth, and (marginally) more children. Explained variance ranged from approximately 4%–5% for education to 1%–2% for reproductive traits. Conclusion Genetic and phenotypic associations between delay discounting, education, and reproductive timing align with predictions from fast–slow life‐history theory. These findings suggest that behavioral tendencies related to impulsivity and future orientation share molecular genetic foundations with key life‐history traits while leaving substantial scope for environmental influences.
Journals
2026 EN
Paiva Sabrina Guimarães · Rivara Anna C. · Castro Nóbrega Matheus
+5 more
ABSTRACT Introduction Characterized as relatively isolated communities, many Brazilian quilombos were formed during the period of slavery in Brazil when enslaved persons (most of African descent) ran away or were abandoned by their enslavers. Quilombos in Central Brazil, whose settlement was more recent due to the relative isolation of the region, remain understudied. To address this gap, this study estimated the genetic ancestry of three quilombo communities in Central Brazil. Methods A cross‐sectional study was performed among three Central Brazilian quilombos , Cocalinho ( N = 54) and Pé do Morro ( N = 58) located in the Brazilian state of Tocantins, and Kalunga ( N = 132) located in the state of Goiás. Genetic ancestry was estimated from 61 Ancestry‐informative INDEL biallelic markers collected from blood samples and analyzed using STRUCTURE v 2.3. Statistical analyses were performed using SAS statistical software, v. 9.4. Results The population demonstrated heterogeneous genetic admixture by quilombo . Average African admixture estimates were 36.75%, 29.82%, and 63.17% in Cocalinho (semirural), Pé do Morro (urban), and Kalunga (rural) communities, respectively. Indigenous and European ancestry contributions also varied by quilombo , with participants from the more recently populated quilombos and those living closest to urban areas having higher European and Indigenous genetic ancestry contributions. Conclusions This study demonstrates that quilombos comprise rich population histories shaped by culture, historical events, and sociodemographic and environmental interactions. By unraveling the genetic tapestry of Central Brazil's quilombos , this study contributes to a deeper understanding of Brazil's intricate social and historical landscape.
Journals
2026 EN
Jud Dominik C. · Baettig Valerie · Colby Abigail E.
+7 more
ABSTRACT Objectives Dysregulations of the hypothalamic–pituitary–adrenal (HPA) axis have been linked to adverse health outcomes such as obesity, cardiovascular disease, and diabetes. While research on the HPA axis is growing, few studies have examined whether different types of stressors affect HPA functioning differently, and none have done so in small‐scale subsistence populations. To do so, we measured HPA axis activity and various kinds of stressors among the Tsimane of Bolivia, a population with more traditional lifestyles and stressors including low caloric intake, social conflict, and market integration. Methods Participants were adults from three different Tsimane communities ( n = 129, 57% women). For each participant, urinary cortisol ( n samples = 303), corrected for specific gravity, was measured once at waking and at least once later on the same day to measure the diurnal slope. One hundred and twenty‐five participants completed a questionnaire on culturally relevant psychosocial stressors in the Tsimane such as food insecurity, social conflicts, and economic problems. Multilevel Bayesian multivariate models assessed associations between stressor scores and cortisol levels. Results Diurnal variation in the HPA axis was differentially associated with each type of stressor. Food insecurity was associated with higher morning levels (median r intercept = 0.08, p > 0 = 0.73) and a steeper diurnal slope (median r slope = −0.19, p < 0 = 0.83), while economic problems were associated with lower waking levels and shallower slopes (median r intercept = −0.05; p < 0 = 0.64, median r slope = 0.12, p > 0 = 0.72). Higher morning levels and steeper slopes were also associated with better self‐rated health (median r intercept = 0.06; p < 0 = 0.66, median r slope = −0.10, p > 0 = 0.71). Conclusion While many of these associations had high statistical uncertainty due to wide posterior distributions, the results overall emphasize complex relationships between perceived stressors and diurnal cortisol rhythms among a small‐scale subsistence‐based society. Future work employing longitudinal designs and higher‐resolution sampling will be needed to clarify these trends.
Journals
2026 EN
LópezRey J. M. · D’Angelo del Campo M. D. · Bettera Marcat G.
+7 more
ABSTRACT Objectives Altitude shapes human morphology as highland populations must cope with cold and hypoxic environments. Although Andean highlanders have been proposed to exhibit larger and deeper ribcages, this idea is mainly based on research using disarticulated skeletal elements or non‐South American controls. The objective of this research is to study 3D ribcage configuration of native South American populations considering altitude and worldwide ribcage variation. Methods Ribcages of 37 adult South Americans (17 highlanders, 20 lowlanders) were reconstructed and analyzed using 3D geometric morphometrics. Shape variation was assessed through Procrustes MANOVA and PCA, while centroid size was used to test for size differences. Comparisons were also made with a sample of 92 adult worldwide lowlanders. Results South American highlanders and lowlanders show similar ribcage shapes, both exhibiting a deeper thorax than worldwide lowlanders. No significant differences in absolute ribcage size were detected between South American highlanders and lowlanders. However, a marked sexual dimorphism was observed in both groups, with males having wider and significantly larger ribcages than females. Conclusions The pronounced ribcage depth in native South Americans could represent a population‐specific trait maintained through long‐term interactions, potentially advantageous in high‐altitude settings but neutral in the lowlands. In addition, we propose that South American highlanders have a larger ribcage relative to their smaller body size compared to lowlanders. Finally, the larger and stockier male ribcage morphology in South Americans supports the notion of greater respiratory capacity and metabolic demands in males.