Francis Vergunst

• Vergunst, Francis (2026). The causality problem in climate anxiety research. World Psychiatry. ISSN 1723-8617. 25(2), p. 334–335. doi: 10.1002/wps.70069. Full text in Research Archive
• Geisler, Benjamin P; Vergunst, Francis & Ghosh, Arnab K (2026). Preparing for the cardiovascular risks of tropical storms amplified by climate change. European Heart Journal. ISSN 0195-668X. doi: 10.1093/eurheartj/ehag211. Full text in Research Archive
• Cuartas, Jorge; Narea, Marigen; Ahun, Marilyn & Vergunst, Francis (2026). Prenatal and Early Childhood Ambient Heat Exposure and Developmental Outcomes: A Systematic Review. Clinical Child and Family Psychology Review. ISSN 1096-4037. doi: 10.1007/s10567-026-00569-3. Full text in Research Archive
• Martínez, Pablo; Chadi, Nicholas; Castellanos-Ryan, Natalie; Vergunst, Francis; Dorais, Marc & Séguin, Jean R. [Show all 13 contributors for this article] (2025). Health Service Use Among Young Adults With a History of Adolescent Cannabis Use. JAMA Network Open. 8(10). doi: 10.1001/jamanetworkopen.2025.39977. Full text in Research Archive Show summary

  Importance Adolescent cannabis use is a substantial public health concern given its associations with adverse mental and physical health outcomes. Understanding how distinct use patterns are associated with medical care utilization in young adulthood is critical for prevention. Objective To examine the association between patterns of adolescent cannabis use and medical care utilization for mental and physical health conditions in young adulthood. Design, Setting, and Participants This population-based birth cohort study linked to population-wide administrative medical care databases was conducted in the Province of Québec, Canada. Participants included individuals recruited for the Québec Longitudinal Study of Child Development, followed up from birth (1997-1998) to 23 years of age (2021). Data were analyzed November 2023 to February 2025. Exposure Self-reported past 12-month cannabis use at ages 12, 13, 15, and 17 years. Main Outcomes and Measures Medical care utilization for any mental disorder (including common mental disorders and substance-related disorders), suicide-related behaviors, and any physical health condition (including respiratory diseases, injuries and poisoning, and other physical diseases) between ages 18 and 23 years. Analyses were adjusted for 32 individual, family, and community-level confounders measured from birth to younger than 12 years of age using overlap weights. Results Data for 1591 individuals (818 female [51.4%]; mean [SD] age at first exposure assessment, 12.1 [0.3] years) were analyzed. Three distinct adolescent cannabis use patterns were identified via group-based trajectory modeling: nonuse (948 [59.6%]), late-onset use (318 [20.0%], initiating after age 15 years), and early-onset and frequent use (325 [20.4%], initiating before age 15 years). In fully adjusted analyses, individuals with early-onset and frequent use had significantly higher odds of medical care utilization for any mental disorder (odds ratio [OR], 1.51 [95% CI, 1.10-2.08]), common mental disorders (OR, 1.57 [95% CI, 1.12-2.21]), any physical health condition (OR, 1.86 [95% CI, 1.30-2.67]), injuries and poisoning (OR, 1.41 [1.05-1.89]), and other physical diseases (OR, 1.47 [95% CI, 1.08-1.98]), compared with individuals with no use. Individuals with late-onset use did not differ significantly from those with nonuse for mental health outcomes (OR, 1.13 [95% CI, 0.80-1.58]) but had higher odds of medical care utilization for any physical health condition (OR, 1.63 [95% CI, 1.16-2.28]). Conclusions and Relevance Findings of this birth cohort study indicated that early-onset and frequent cannabis use was associated with greater medical care utilization for both mental and physical health conditions in young adulthood. These findings support the relevance of delaying initiation and reducing intensity of cannabis use during adolescence.

• Vergunst, Francis; Orri, Massimiliano; Forte, Alberto & Geoffroy, Marie-Claude (2025). Links between climate change and suicidal behavior risks. Nature Medicine. ISSN 1078-8956. 31, p. 1391–1393. doi: 10.1038/s41591-025-03528-7. Full text in Research Archive Show summary

  Climate change is a major worldwide challenge. Every region on Earth is affected and extreme weather events such as heatwaves, wildfires, storms, floods and droughts are becoming more severe, unpredictable and long-lasting1. These changes are affecting population health and wellbeing across the world, particularly among low- and middle-income countries (LMICs), in which vulnerabilities are most pronounced. Meanwhile, over 720,000 people die by suicide worldwide each year2, with 77% of these deaths occurring in LMICs, highlighting the intersection between emerging climate hazards and the global suicide burden. The aim of this Comment is to describe the empirically documented associations between climate-related hazards and the spectrum of suicidal behaviors, from suicidal ideation to self-harm and suicide mortality (hereafter ‘suicidal behaviors’), and then to develop a conceptual model of the putative pathways and processes that connect climate-related hazards to suicidal behavior risks.

• Sciola, Anthony; Acland, Erinn; Philippe, Frederick L.; Loose, Tianna; Orri, Massimiliano & Vergunst, Francis [Show all 12 contributors for this article] (2025). Bidirectional Associations Between Civic Engagement, Depressive Symptoms, and Suicidality in Youth: A Population‐Based Study. Journal of Adolescence. ISSN 0140-1971. 97(8), p. 2159–2171. doi: 10.1002/jad.70029. Full text in Research Archive Show summary

  Introduction Civic engagement is common in youth, yet its longitudinal association with mental health remains understudied. This study aims to document bidirectional associations between civic engagement, depressive symptoms, and suicidality at 20 and 23. Methods We included 1451 participants born in 1997/98 from the Québec Longitudinal Study of Child Development in Canada. At 20 and 23, youth self-reported their engagement in five types of civic activities, namely political engagement, volunteering, activism, charitable actions, community involvement, depressive symptoms, and suicidality. Cross-lagged path models adjusted for sex and parental socioeconomic status were used to test associations between civic engagement and mental health outcomes. Results Concurrently, individuals who engaged in political engagement and activism were more likely to experience increases in depressive symptoms and suicidality at 20, while those who engaged in volunteering tended to report fewer depressive symptoms. At 23, political engagement remained positively associated with depressive symptoms. Longitudinal analyses revealed that individuals who engaged in activism at 20 were more likely to experience increases in depressive symptoms over time (β = 0.17) and those who participated in charitable actions (β = −0.14) and volunteering (β = −0.11) at 20 tended to report fewer depressive symptoms at 23, though these associations were not independent. Mental health at 20 was not associated to later civic engagement. Conclusions Types of civic engagement were differentially associated with later depressive symptoms, but not suicidality. Further research is needed to clarify the mechanisms underlying these associations, including the potential role of engagement frequencies, motivations, and contextual factors.

• Cuatrás, Jorge & Vergunst, Francis (2025). Nurturing care as a critical buffer against climate change impacts on child development. PLOS Global Public Health. 5(4). doi: 10.1371/journal.pgph.0004441. Full text in Research Archive Show summary

  We examine empirical and conceptual considerations related to the role of nurturing care for protecting human capital formation in the context of climate change. Climate change is a pressing global challenge. Heatwaves, wildfires, storms, and floods are becoming more frequent and severe, and their direct impact and aftermath can have long-lasting negative effects on employment, education, healthcare, and access to essential services. Children are particularly vulnerable to these harms due to their developmental immaturity and limited capacity to mitigate and avoid risks [1,2]. Consequently, parents and other adult primary caregivers – such as grandparents, relatives, and foster parents (hereafter “caregivers”) – provide the primary buffer between climate hazards and adverse developmental outcomes. They do this through nurturing care, defined as the provision of stable environments that promote children’s health and nutrition, safety and security, opportunities for learning, and emotionally supportive relationships [3]. Despite the central role of nurturing care for children’s life outcomes, it rarely appears in climate change research and policy discourse.

• Bolanis, Despina; Vergunst, Francis; Mavoa, Suzanne; Schmelefske, Emma; Khoury, Bassam & Turecki, Gustavo [Show all 8 contributors for this article] (2024). Association between greenspace exposure and suicide-related outcomes across the lifespan: A systematic review. Science of the Total Environment. ISSN 0048-9697. 906. doi: 10.1016/j.scitotenv.2023.167451. Full text in Research Archive Show summary

  A growing number of studies have linked greenspace exposure to suicide, but findings are inconsistent. We conducted a systematic review on the associations between greenspace exposure and suicide-related outcomes (namely, suicide mortality, self-harm, and suicidal ideation) up until January 6, 2023. We used the Mixed Methods Appraisal Tool (or MMAT) to assess the quality of the included studies. In total, 23 studies met our inclusion criteria, consisting of 14 ecological, four cross-sectional, three longitudinal, and two experimental studies. Most studies were published in 2022 and conducted in Europe (n = 10), Asia (n = 7), and North America (n = 5), with one worldwide analysis. Various indicators were used to assess greenspace exposure including objective measures (e.g., level of surrounding greenness, quantity, structural features, tree canopy coverage), and greenspace use (e.g., duration and frequency). Suicide mortality was the most studied outcome (n = 14). Quality assessment showed that most (87 %) of the included observational studies used representative samples. Protective associations of exposure to greenspace were reported for suicide mortality (9/14 or 64 %), self-harm (n = 3/5 or 60 %) and suicidal ideation (n = 4/6 or 67 %), with nine or 36 % studies reporting no association. Most of the included studies adjusted for key covariates such as age, sex, and socioeconomic status at various aggregate levels (e.g., household, city). For greenspace exposure and suicide mortality, studies stratified by sex (n = 10) showed larger protective associations for females (n = 7) than for males (n = 4). However, the included studies showed high heterogeneity in terms of exposure indicators and greenspace definitions. Experimental studies and studies using youth samples were rare. While more research is warranted, preliminary findings suggest protective associations between greenspace exposure and suicide-related outcomes.

• Commisso, Melissa; Geoffroy, Marie-Claude; Temcheff, Caroline; Scardera, Sara; Vergunst, Francis & Côté, Sylvana M. [Show all 9 contributors for this article] (2024). Association of childhood externalizing, internalizing, comorbid problems with criminal convictions by early adulthood. Journal of Psychiatric Research. ISSN 0022-3956. 172, p. 9–15. doi: 10.1016/j.jpsychires.2024.01.039. Full text in Research Archive Show summary

  Childhood externalizing problems have been linked with adult criminality. However, little is known about criminal outcomes among children with comorbid externalizing and internalizing problems. We examined the associations between profiles of behavioral problems during childhood (i.e., externalizing, internalizing, and comorbid) and criminality by early adulthood. Participants were N = 3017 children from the population-based Quebec Longitudinal Study of Kindergarten Children followed up from age 6–25. Multitrajectory modeling of teacher-rated externalizing and internalizing problems from age 6–12 years identified four distinct profiles: no/low, externalizing, internalizing, and comorbid problems. Juvenile (age 13–17) and adult (age 18–25) criminal convictions were extracted from official records. Compared to children in the no/low profile, those in the externalizing and comorbid profiles were at higher risk of having a criminal conviction, while no association was found for children in the internalizing profile. Children with comorbid externalizing and internalizing problems were most at risk of having a criminal conviction by adulthood, with a significantly higher risk when compared to children with externalizing or internalizing problems only. Similar results were found when violent and non-violent crimes were investigated separately. Specific interventions targeting early comorbid behavioral problems could reduce long-term criminality.

• Vergunst, Francis; Prentice, Caitlin Mccombs; Orri, Massimiliano; Berry, Helen L.; Paquin, Vincent & Vitaro, Frank [Show all 9 contributors for this article] (2024). Association of youth climate change worry with present and past mental health symptoms: a longitudinal population-based study. Climatic Change. ISSN 0165-0009. 177(10). doi: 10.1007/s10584-024-03807-1. Full text in Research Archive Show summary

  Young people are worried about climate change but the association with current and past mental health symptoms is rarely examined in longitudinal population-based samples. Drawing on a population-based birth cohort from the Canadian province of Quebec (n = 1325), this study used a cross-over design to (1) test the association between climate change worry at age 23-years and concurrent mental health symptoms assessed on standardised instruments, and (2) test the association between adolescent (15 and 17 years) symptoms of anxiety, depression, inattention-hyperactivity, and aggression-opposition and climate worry at age 23-years. Participant sex, cognitive ability, socioeconomic status, and parental mental health were adjusted for. Descriptive statistics showed that most participants were worried about climate change: 190 (14.3%) were extremely worried, 383 (28.9%) were very worried, 553 (41.7%) were somewhat worried, and 199 (15.0%) were not at all worried. In analysis 1, worry about climate change was associated with significantly higher concurrent anxiety, depression, and self-harm symptoms, even after adjustment for adolescent symptoms. In analysis 2, anxious adolescents were significantly more likely to be extremely worried about climate change six years later (RRR = 1.51, 95%CI = 1.10–2.07), while aggressive-oppositional adolescents were significantly less likely to be somewhat worried (RRR = 0.79, 95%CI = 0.63–0.0.99), very worried (RRR = 0.61, 95%CI = 0.48–0.78), or extremely worried (RRR = 0.51, 95%CI = 0.37–0.72). Taken together, participants who were worried about climate change had more concurrent mental health symptoms but were also more likely to have prior symptoms. Adolescents with higher anxiety were more likely to worry about climate change in early adulthood, while those with higher aggression-opposition were less likely to worry. Future studies should track climate worry longitudinally alongside symptoms using prospective follow-up studies.

• Prentice, Caitlin Mccombs; Vergunst, Francis; Minor, Kelton & Berry, Helen L. (2024). Education outcomes in the era of global climate change. Nature Climate Change. ISSN 1758-678X. p. 1–11. doi: 10.1038/s41558-024-01945-z. Full text in Research Archive
• Vergunst, Francis; Williamson, Rachel; Massazza, Alessandro Alessandro; Berry, Helen L. & Olff, Miranda (2024). A dual-continuum framework to evaluate climate change impacts on mental health. Nature Mental Health. 2(11), p. 1318–1326. doi: 10.1038/s44220-024-00326-x. Full text in Research Archive Show summary

  Climate change is driving a suite of stressors that could increase the global mental health burden. In this Perspective we consider three mental health frameworks to evaluate this burden. The pathogenic framework focuses on symptom management in the presence or absence of mental disorders. The salutogenic framework emphasizes factors related to psychological wellbeing such as personal strengths, resilience and socio-environmental resources. The third approach—the dual-continuum or ‘complete state’ framework—considers mental disorders and psychological wellbeing simultaneously. Drawing on the cross-disciplinary literature, we find that the dual-continuum framework is a practical and empirically valid approach to evaluate climate-related impacts on mental health. This is because mental disorders and reduced wellbeing, though related, are conceptually and empirically distinct, and encompass different climate-related antecedents and psychosocial endpoints. Both are necessary to evaluate the full burden of climate change.

• Bégin, Vincent; Vergunst, Francis; Haeck, Catherine; Vitaro, Frank; Tremblay, Richard E. & Côté, Sylvana M. [Show all 7 contributors for this article] (2024). Childhood behavior problems and adverse economic outcomes: a 30-year population-based study of intergenerational income mobility. Journal of Child Psychology and Psychiatry. ISSN 0021-9630. doi: 10.1111/jcpp.13992. Full text in Research Archive Show summary

  Background The objectives of this study were to (a) assess the associations between early behavioral problems and intergenerational income mobility (i.e., the degree to which income status is transmitted from one generation to the next), (b) verify whether these associations are moderated by child sex, and (c) explore indirect effects of early behavioral problems on income mobility via high school graduation. Methods Data were drawn from the Quebec Longitudinal Study of Kindergarten Children (n = 3,020; 49.17% girls). Participants were followed from age 6 to 37 years. Measures included parents' and teachers' ratings of behavioral problems at age 6 years as well as participants' (ages 30–35 years) and their parents' (when participants were aged 10–19 years) income data obtained from tax return records. Regression models were used to predict upward and downward mobility (i.e., increased or decreased income status from one generation to the next) from attention-deficit/hyperactivity problems, conduct/opposition problems, depression/anxiety problems, prosociality, and the quality of children's relationship with their caregiver. Two-way interaction effects between behavioral problems and child sex were examined and indirect effect models including high school graduation as a mediator of these associations were conducted. Results Despite their higher educational attainment, females had lower incomes and experienced lower upward (but higher downward) income mobility than males. For both females and males, higher levels of attention-deficit/hyperactivity and conduct/opposition problems were associated with decreased odds of upward mobility, whereas higher levels of attention-deficit/hyperactivity were associated with increased odds of downward mobility. Attention-deficit/hyperactivity problems, conduct/opposition problems as well as low prosociality were associated with lower educational attainment (no high school diploma), which in turn was associated with increased odds of downward mobility. Conclusions Results highlight the importance of providing intensive support to children with early behavioral problems as a means of improving educational attainment and intergenerational income mobility.

• Vanzella-Yang, Adam; Vergunst, Francis; Domond, Pascale; Vitaro, Frank; Tremblay, Richard E. & Begin, Vincent [Show all 7 contributors for this article] (2023). Childhood behavioral problems are associated with the intergenerational transmission of low education: a 16-year population-based study. European Child and Adolescent Psychiatry. ISSN 1018-8827. doi: 10.1007/s00787-023-02193-w. Full text in Research Archive
• Bouchard, Samantha; Langevin, Rachel; Vergunst, Francis; Commisso, Melissa; Domond, Pascale & Hébert, Martine [Show all 12 contributors for this article] (2023). Child Sexual Abuse and Employment Earnings in Adulthood: A Prospective Canadian Cohort Study. American Journal of Preventive Medicine. ISSN 0749-3797. 65(1), p. 83–91. doi: 10.1016/j.amepre.2023.01.040. Full text in Research Archive Show summary

  Introduction Child sexual abuse remains a worldwide concern with devastating consequences on an individual's life. This longitudinal study investigates the associations between child sexual abuse (official reports versus retrospective self-reports) and subgroups by perpetrator identity (intrafamilial and extrafamilial), severity (penetration/attempted penetration, fondling/touching, noncontact), and chronicity (single, multiple episodes) and employment earnings in adulthood in a cohort followed for over 30 years. Methods The Quebec Longitudinal Study of Kindergarten Children database was linked to child protection services (official reports of sexual abuse) and to Canadian government tax returns (earned income). The sample included 3,020 individuals in Quebec French-language school kindergartens in 1986/1988, followed until 2017, and assessed with retrospective self-reports at age 22 years. Tobit regressions were used for associations with earnings (ages 33–37 years), adjusting for sex and family socioeconomic characteristics in 2021–2022. Results Individuals who experienced child sexual abuse had lower annual earnings. Those with retrospective self-reported sexual abuse (n=340) earned $4,031 (95% CI= –7,134, –931) less annually at ages 33–37 years than nonabused individuals (n=1,320), with pronounced differences for those with official reports (n=20), earning $16,042 (95% CI= –27,465, –4,618) less. Individuals self-reporting intrafamilial sexual abuse earned $4,696 (95% CI= –9,316, –75) less than those who experienced extrafamilial sexual abuse, whereas those self-reporting penetration/attempted penetration earned $6,188 (95% CI= –12,248, –129) less than those who experienced noncontact sexual abuse. Conclusions Earnings gaps were highest for severest child sexual abuse (official reports, intrafamilial, penetrative). Future studies should investigate the underlying mechanisms. Improving support for victims of child sexual abuse could yield socioeconomic returns.

• Domond, Pascale; Orri, Massimilliano; Vergunst, Francis; Bouchard, Samatha; Findlay, Leanne & Kohen, Dafna [Show all 11 contributors for this article] (2023). Childhood Abuse, Intimate Partner Violence in Young Adulthood, and Welfare Receipt by Midlife. Pediatrics. ISSN 0031-4005. 151(3). doi: 10.1542/peds.2022-057379. Full text in Research Archive
• Pocuca, Nina; Chadi, Nicholas; Vergunst, Francis; Parent, Sophie; Côté, Sylvana M. & Boivin, Michelle [Show all 9 contributors for this article] (2023). Prospective polysubstance use profiles among adolescents with early-onset cannabis use, and their association with cannabis outcomes in emerging adulthood. International Journal of Mental Health and Addiction. ISSN 1557-1874. doi: 10.1007/s11469-022-01005-7. Full text in Research Archive Show summary

  Background: Research is yet to elucidate adolescent polysubstance use profiles among youth with early-onset cannabis use (CU; ≤15 years). The present study aimed to fill this gap in the literature and determine whether CU outcomes in early adulthood are best explained by early-onset CU per se, or by its resulting polysubstance use profiles. Methods: Participants were N = 794 youth (56% females) from the Québec Longitudinal Study of Child Development, who reported lifetime CU by age 21. Participants were stratified into early-onset (n = 349), later adolescent-onset (16–18 years; n = 359), and adult-onset (≥19 years; n = 86) CU groups. Self-reported substance use was collected from the early-onset CU group at age 15 and 17, while CU frequency and problem CU were assessed for all participants at age 21. Results: Repeated measures latent profile analyses revealed four polysubstance use profiles among youth in the early-onset CU group: (1) light (54%); (2) escalating (13%); (3) frequent (without cigarettes; 14%); (4) frequent (with cigarettes; 19%). Only youth in the early-onset CU group who followed an escalating or frequent (with cigarettes) adolescent polysubstance use profile had consistently greater CU frequency and problem CU at 21 years, compared to youth in the later adolescent-onset (16–18 years), or adult-onset (≥19 years) CU groups (β range = 0.13 to.40; Cohen’s f2 range = 0.02 to 0.12). Conclusions: Youth with early-onset CU are not a single homogenous group, but rather follow unique polysubstance use profiles that are differentially associated with risk for future problem CU.

• Vergunst, Francis; Commisso, Mel; Geoffroy, Marie-Claude; Temcheff, Caroline; Poirier, Martine & Park, Jungwee [Show all 10 contributors for this article] (2023). Association of Childhood Externalizing, Internalizing, and Comorbid Symptoms With Long-term Economic and Social Outcomes. JAMA Network Open. 6(1). doi: 10.1001/jamanetworkopen.2022.49568. Full text in Research Archive Show summary

  Importance Little is known about the long-term economic and social outcomes for children with longitudinally assessed comorbid externalizing and internalizing symptoms, especially compared with children with externalizing symptoms or internalizing symptoms only. Objective To examine the association between childhood trajectories of externalizing, internalizing, and comorbid symptoms and long-term economic and social outcomes. Design, Setting, and Participants A 32-year prospective cohort study linked with administrative data was conducted in school-aged participants aged 6 to 12 years in the Québec Longitudinal Study of Kindergarten Children (N = 3017) followed up from 1985 to 2017. Data analysis was conducted between August 1, 2021, and March 31, 2022. Exposures Teacher-rated behavioral symptoms were used to categorize children from age 6 to 12 years into developmental profiles using group-based trajectory modeling. Main Outcomes and Measures Multivariable regression models were used to test the association between childhood symptom profile group and adult employment earnings, welfare receipt, intimate partnership status, and having children living in the household. Participant sex, IQ, and socioeconomic background were adjusted for. Results Of 3017 participants in this sample, 1594 (52.8%) were male and 1423 (47.2%) were female. Per confidentiality rules established by Statistics Canada, income variables were rounded to base 100 and count variables were rounded to base 10; the mean (SD) age was 37 (0.29) years at follow-up. Four symptom profiles were identified: no/low (n = 1369 [45.4%]), high externalizing (882 [29.2%]), high internalizing (354 [11.7%]), and comorbid (412 [13.7%]) symptoms. Compared with the no/low symptom profile, participants in the high externalizing–only profile earned $5904 (95% CI, −$7988 to −$3821) less per year and had 2.0 (95% CI, 1.58-2.53) times higher incidence of welfare receipt, while participants in the high internalizing group earned $8473 (95% CI, −$11 228 to −$5717) less per year, had a 2.07 (95% CI, 1.51-2.83) higher incidence of welfare receipt, and had a lower incidence of intimate partnership (incident rate ratio [IRR], 0.89; 95% CI, 0.80-0.99). Participants in the comorbid profile fared especially poorly: they earned $15 031 (95% CI, −$18 030 to −$12 031) less per year, had a 3.79 (95% CI, 2.75-5.23) times higher incidence of annual welfare receipt, and were less likely to have an intimate partner (IRR, 0.71; 95% CI, 0.63-0.79) and children living in the household (IRR, 0.86; 95% CI, 0.80-0.92). Estimated lost earnings over a 40-year working career were $140 515 for the high externalizing, $201 657 for the high internalizing, and $357 737 for the comorbid profiles. Conclusions and Relevance In this cohort study, children exhibiting sustained childhood high externalizing, high internalizing, or comorbid symptoms were at increased risk of poor economic and social outcomes into middle age. These findings suggest that children exhibiting comorbid problems were especially vulnerable and that early detection and support are indicated.

• Zheng, Yao; Li, Jiayi & Vergunst, Francis (2023). Drinking behaviors of Chinese adolescents over the past three decades: A systematic review and meta-analysis. Preventive Medicine. ISSN 0091-7435. 173. doi: 10.1016/j.ypmed.2023.107558. Full text in Research Archive
• Bolanis, Despina; Orri, Massimiliano; Vergunst, Francis; Bouchard, Samantha; Robitaille, Éric & Philippe, Frederick [Show all 12 contributors for this article] (2023). Increased urban greenspace in childhood associated with lower inattention deficit among adolescents. Social Psychiatry and Psychiatric Epidemiology. ISSN 0933-7954. doi: 10.1007/s00127-023-02575-0. Full text in Research Archive
• Vergunst, Francis; Vitaro, Frank; Brendgen, Mara; Larose, Marie-Pier; Girard, Alain & Tremblay, Richard E. [Show all 7 contributors for this article] (2023). Mechanisms and pathways linking kindergarten behavior problems with mid-life employment earnings for males from low-income neighborhoods. Child Development. ISSN 0009-3920. 95(1), p. 208–222. doi: 10.1111/cdev.13967. Full text in Research Archive Show summary

  Abstract Childhood behavior problems are associated with reduced labor market participation and lower earnings in adulthood, but little is known about the pathways and mechanisms that explain these associations. Drawing on a 33‐year prospective birth cohort of White males from low‐income backgrounds ( n  = 1040), we conducted a path analysis linking participants' teacher‐rated behavior problems at age 6 years—that is, inattention, hyperactivity, aggression‐opposition, and low prosociality—to employment earnings at age 35–39 years obtained from tax records. We examined three psychosocial mediators at age 11–12 years (academic, behavioral, social) and two mediators at age 25 years (non‐high school graduation, criminal convictions). Our findings support the notion that multiple psychosocial pathways—especially low education attainment—link kindergarten behavior problems to lower employment earnings decades later.

• Vergunst, Francis; Berry, Helen L.; Minor, Kelton & Chadi, Nicholas (2022). Climate Change and Substance-Use Behaviors: A Risk-Pathways Framework. Perspectives on Psychological Science. ISSN 1745-6916. doi: 10.1177/17456916221132739. Full text in Research Archive Show summary

  Climate change is undermining the mental and physical health of global populations, but the question of how it is affecting substance-use behaviors has not been systematically examined. In this narrative synthesis, we find that climate change could increase harmful substance use worldwide through at least five pathways: psychosocial stress arising from the destabilization of social, environmental, economic, and geopolitical support systems; increased rates of mental disorders; increased physical-health burden; incremental harmful changes to established behavior patterns; and worry about the dangers of unchecked climate change. These pathways could operate independently, additively, interactively, and cumulatively to increase substance-use vulnerability. Young people face disproportionate risks because of their high vulnerability to mental-health problems and substance-use disorders and greater number of life years ahead in which to be exposed to current and worsening climate change. We suggest that systems thinking and developmental life-course approaches provide practical frameworks for conceptualizing this relationship. Further conceptual, methodological, and empirical work is urgently needed to evaluate the nature and scope of this burden so that effective adaptive and preventive action can be taken.

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