Mental Health green, blue, and gray spaces in the United States - Shannon Shaughnessy

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In this talk, Shannon Shaughnessy examines how exposure to green, blue, and gray spaces is associated with the development of psychopathology in early adolescence. Physical environments are linked to adolescents’ well-being in various ways: green and blue (natural) spaces may protect against psychopathology, while gray (urban) spaces may confer risk. Drawing on four waves of data (ages 9–13) from the Adolescent Brain Cognitive Development Study (N = 11,866, 47.8% female), Shannon analyzes how residential proximity to different types of space relates to mental health symptom trajectories over time. At each wave, parents rate youths’ mental health across domains of total, externalizing, and internalizing problems. Using latent growth curve models, she explores associations between environmental exposures and symptoms at baseline and over time. Shannon discusses how green and gray space exposure may be positively and negatively related to adolescents’ psychosocial development, while highlighting the potentially greater influence of demographic factors such as gender and socioeconomic status. Through this presentation, viewers gain insights into the nuanced role that environmental exposures may play in shaping young people’s mental health—and why green and gray spaces deserve greater attention in public health and policy efforts.

Learning Objectives A. To understand the importance of considering covariates when investigating associations between the physical environment and youth mental health B. To identify important next steps for both researchers and professionals in terms of youth and their access to green, blue, and gray spaces C. To identify key methodological considerations when designing future research studies on the physical environment and youth mental health

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