Alfgeir L Kristjansson
Biographic Data
| ID | 6036019 |
|---|---|
| NAME | Alfgeir L Kristjansson |
| GIVEN NAMES | Alfgeir L |
| FAMILY NAME | Kristjansson |
| SIGNATURE | KRISTJANSSON A L |
| AFFILIATIONS | West Virginia University |
| ORCID | 0000-0001-8136-9210 |
| VERIFIED | Yes |
| TOTAL WORKS | 32 |
| TOTAL CITATIONS | 13 |
| AUTHOR COUNT | 32 |
| EDITOR COUNT | 0 |
| FIRST PUBLICATION YEAR | 2008 |
| LATEST PUBLICATION YEAR | 2026 |
| H-INDEX | 2 |
Pubertal Development and the Onset of Substance Use Among Appalachian Youth: A Longitudinal Study
Objective: We investigated the links between pubertal timing and tempo and the onset of cannabis, alcohol, and tobacco use among middle schoolers in Appalachian communities. Methods: School surveys were administered to middle school students of the 6th grade and continuing through the spring of the 8th grade (n = 2,587; 49.4% boys), beginning in the fall at six-month intervals. Youth self-reported on their pubertal development and substance use. …
Icelandic Prevention Model in Rural Appalachian Communities: Gauging Stakeholder Experience with the Core Processes Three Years into County-Level Implementation
Background: This study assessed stakeholder experience with the core processes of The Integrated Community Engagement (ICE) Collaborative, a primary prevention approach addressing adolescent substance use in rural West Virginia, after three years of county-level implementation. Objectives: Guided by the Icelandic Prevention Model (IPM), the ICE Collaborative aims to enhance cooperation between researchers, policy makers, local practitioners, and …
The HSTA logic model: A comparative analysis of psychometric outcomes for predicting academic and life success
The Icelandic Prevention Model Evaluation Framework and Implementation Integrity and Consistency Assessment
The Icelandic Prevention Model (IPM) follows a systematic but flexible process of community capacity building, data collection, analysis, dissemination, and community-engaged decision-making to guide the data-informed selection, prioritization, and implementation of intervention strategies in preventing adolescent substance use. This paper describes two new evaluation tools intended to assess the: 1) integrity of IPM implementation, and 2) unique…
Adolescent caffeine use and problematic school behavior: A longitudinal analysis of student survey data and teacher observations
INTRODUCTION: Caffeine is a psychostimulant possessing arousal, motor activation, and reinforcing properties, which is consumed daily by most adolescents aged 12-19 years. Although current understanding of the implications of adolescent caffeine consumption for school behaviors remains incomplete, studies have shown that in addition to acute effects of the drug, in common with other habit-forming psychoactive substances, regular use leads to phys…
Beyond School Climate: Validating the School as a Protective Factor‐Brief Survey
BACKGROUND: The conceptual framework for School as a Protective Factor approach was presented in a companion article in this issue of the journal. The current article describes the validation of the School as a Protective Factor-Brief (SPF-Brief), a 13-item survey measuring the 3 core constructs and 13 defining characteristics of this framework. METHODS: The SPF-Brief was validated through 2 studies. The developmental study used a longitudinal de…
Beyond School Climate: Conceptualizing the School as a Protective Factor Approach
BACKGROUND: The school climate concept has been promising, but has long-standing critiques that have not been adequately addressed to date. The School as a Protective Factor approach represents one attempt to offer a new approach that builds on and extends beyond the concept of school climate while addressing previously identified limitations. CONTRIBUTIONS TO THEORY: The School as a Protective Factor approach offers a new framework for conceptua…
Is Law Enforcement Support the Missing Key to Thriving Syringe Service Programs in US Rural Areas
Is Law Enforcement Support the Missing Key to Thriving Syringe Service Programs in US Rural Areas? Stephen M. Davis PhD, and Alfgeir L. Kristjansson PhD Affiliation Stephen M. Davis is with the Department of Health Policy, Management and Leadership, School of Public Health, West Virginia University, Morgantown. Alfgeir L. Kristjansson is with the West Virginia Prevention Research Center and Department of Social and Behavioral Sciences, School of …
Preliminary impact of the adoption of the Icelandic Prevention Model in Tarragona City, 2015–2019: A repeated cross-sectional study
Background There is a great need for effective primary prevention intervention strategies to reduce and delay onset of adolescent substance use. The Icelandic Prevention Model (IPM) showed great success in Iceland over the past twenty plus years, however, evidence for the transferability of model is still somewhat limited. Using data collected in Tarragona during regional efforts to begin adoption of the IPM in Catalonia, this study tested the tr…
Social Support and Perceptions of Covid ‐19‐related Emotional Impact on Mental Health Among Early Adolescents in Appalachia
BACKGROUND: This raises questions concerning how young people's stress and psychological changes due to the COVID-19 pandemic as well as social support during this time have affected their overall mental health. The aim of this study was to assess the association between sources of parental- and school-level social support and youth perceptions of COVID-19-related emotional impact on mental health among early adolescent girls and boys in Appalach…
Risk & protective factors for youth substance use across family, peers, school, & leisure domains
Mental Health, Academic Engagement, and Youths’ Nonmedical Use of Stimulants: A Latent Profile Analysis
BACKGROUND:: Nonmedical prescription stimulant (NPS) use is a growing problem in Europe. Poor mental health and lack of academic engagement are potent sources of risk for substance use. Studies suggest that considerable heterogeneity may characterize the risk profiles of NPS users. To understand better the potential profiles of risk that characterize NPS users, we conducted a latent profile analysis (LPA) to document subgroups of users based on t…
Comment to Koning et al: Implementation of the Icelandic prevention model: a critical discussion of its worldwide transferability
The authors thank Koning et al. for their critical review of the Icelandic Prevention Model (IPM) and for highlighting its strengths. We would, however, like to respond to their criticisms.First, K
Our Children Are Not “Behind” Due to the Covid ‐19 Pandemic, but Our Institutional Response Might Be
As the COVID-19 pandemic progresses, the idea that children are “behind” has become a common refrain in the US media and a concern among families and educators. In this context, the designation “behind” suggests that young people are not making academic progress and/or developing socioemotionally at the rate they were expected to do so before the pandemic. The experiences of those who have cared for or worked with children before and during the p…
Parental support and monitoring as associated with adolescent alcohol and tobacco use by gender and age
PS and PM were protective against SU for all participants, consistent with previous literature. Girls reported greater parental monitoring than boys, irrespective of age-group. While girls experienced higher levels of monitoring, they did not report lower SU than boys. This suggests that monitoring girls more closely than boys appears unnecessary in preventing adolescent SU. Finally, PS was a more significant factor in preventing SU for older ado…
School Climate as a Universal Intervention to Prevent Substance Use Initiation in Early Adolescence: A Longitudinal Study
Initiation of substance use often starts during adolescence, with tobacco and alcohol use frequently preceding the use of marijuana and other illicit drugs. Studies suggest that a positive school climate may prevent substance use while promoting healthy student behaviors. The purpose of this study was to determine the longitudinal associations between school climate and substance use initiation in a group of middle school students. Parallel laten…
Using School Climate to Improve Attendance and Grades: Understanding the Importance of School Satisfaction Among Middle and High School Students
BACKGROUND: Students with chronic absences tend to struggle academically and may not benefit fully from all school has to offer. A positive school climate has been shown to reduce absenteeism and promote academic success. In this study, we explored how a positive school climate and high satisfaction with school may influence absences and academic performance. METHODS: We used mediated path analysis to describe relationships involving school clima…
School Climate as an Intervention to Reduce Academic Failure and Educate the Whole Child: A Longitudinal Study
BACKGROUND: Preventing student academic failure is crucial to student health and life success. Previous studies suggest a positive school climate may reduce students' risk for academic failure and contribute to academic success. The purpose of this study was to determine the longitudinal associations between school climate and academic grades in a group of middle school students who transition into high school. METHODS: Parallel latent growth cur…
Barriers to Mental Health Treatment in the Saudi National Mental Health Survey
Objectives : To examine barriers to initiation and continuation of treatment among individuals with common mental disorders in the Saudi National Mental Health Survey (SNMHS). Methods : The SNMHS is a community-based epidemiological survey in a nationally representative household sample of respondents aged 15-65 in the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia. The World Health Organization Composite International Diagnostic Interview (CIDI) 3.0 was used. Predicto…
Examining the implementation of the Icelandic model for primary prevention of substance use in a rural Canadian community: A study protocol
The findings from this study will contribute to our understanding of upstream prevention of youth substance use and will be used to support scaling of the IPM across Canada
The Perceived Impact of I am Moving, I am Learning on Physical Activity and Family Involvement: A Preliminary Investigation
Participants in the study reported that IMIL contributed to increased levels of PA and family/community involvement. The participants perceived that the use of IMIL helped parents/caregivers and their children become healthier, by improving the whole family's activity levels. Faculty and staff also reported that there were few barriers related to the implementation and sustainability of IMIL use in childcare settings
Psychological Well-Being of Sexual Minority Young Adults in Iceland: Assessing Differences by Sexual Attraction and Gender
Stress and adolescent well-being: The need for an interdisciplinary framework
Stress and strain among adolescents have been investigated and discussed largely within three separate disciplines: mental health, where the focus has been on the negative effects of stress on emotional health; criminology, where the emphasis has been on the effects of strain on delinquency; and biology, where the focus has been to understand the effects of stress on physiology. Recently, scholars have called for increased multilevel developmenta…
Needs assessment of school and community physical activity opportunities in rural West Virginia: The McDowell CHOICES planning effort
An overwhelming majority of participants in the McDowell CHOICES needs assessment were interested to participate in more PA programs throughout the county as well as to improve opportunities for the provision of such programs. Public schools were widely recognized as the hub of the communities and provide the best venue for PA promotion for both students and adult citizens, and can potentially serve as a platform for change in rural communities s…
A Differential Item Functional Analysis by Age of Perceived Interpersonal Discrimination in a Multi-racial/ethnic Sample of Adults
We investigated whether individual items on the nine item William's Perceived Everyday Discrimination Scale (EDS) functioned differently by age (<45 vs ≥ 45) within five racial groups in the United States: Asians (n=2,017); Hispanics (n=2,688); Black Caribbeans (n=1,377); African Americans (n=3,434); and Whites (n=854). We used data from the 2001-2003 National Survey of American Lives and the 2001-2003 National Latino and Asian Studies. Multiple-…
Substance use prevention for adolescents: The Icelandic Model
Data from the European School Survey Project on Alcohol and other Drugs have shown that adolescent substance use is a growing problem in western and particularly Eastern European countries. This paper describes the development, implementation and results of the Icelandic Model of Adolescent Substance Use Prevention. The Icelandic Model is a theoretically grounded, evidence-based approach to community adolescent substance use prevention that has g…
Social correlates of cigarette smoking among Icelandic adolescents: A population-based cross-sectional study
We conclude that multiple social factors are related to adolescent smoking. Parents and other primary preventive agents need to be informed about the complicated nature of the adolescent social world in order to maximize their impact
Trends in Body Mass Index among Icelandic Adolescents and Young Adults from 1992 to 2007
Trends in body mass index (BMI) among 51,889 14- to 20-year-old Icelandic adolescents and young adults were examined using data from cross-sectional population surveys conducted from 1992 to 2007. Prevalence of overweight increased for both genders in all age groups, except for 14- and 20-year-old girls. Obesity prevalence increased among boys in all age groups, except for 16-year-olds, and among 15- and 20-year-old girls. The largest increase in…
The Perceived Parental Support (PPS) Scale: Validity and Reliability in the 2006 Youth in Europe Substance Use Prevention Survey
A comparative analysis of general strain theory
Adolescent Caffeine Consumption and Self-Reported Violence and Conduct Disorder
Prevalence of overweight in 2 to 17 year-old children and adolescents whose parents live separately: A Nordic cross-sectional study
No association between parental cohabitation and overweight in Nordic children was found. Our finding of greater prevalence of overweight in Icelandic children whose parents live separately may be an indication that the welfare system in Iceland is separating from the other Nordic countries
Needs assessment of school and community physical activity opportunities in rural West Virginia: The McDowell CHOICES planning effort
An overwhelming majority of participants in the McDowell CHOICES needs assessment were interested to participate in more PA programs throughout the county as well as to improve opportunities for the provision of such programs. Public schools were widely recognized as the hub of the communities and provide the best venue for PA promotion for both students and adult citizens, and can potentially serve as a platform for change in rural communities s…
A Differential Item Functional Analysis by Age of Perceived Interpersonal Discrimination in a Multi-racial/ethnic Sample of Adults
We investigated whether individual items on the nine item William's Perceived Everyday Discrimination Scale (EDS) functioned differently by age (<45 vs ≥ 45) within five racial groups in the United States: Asians (n=2,017); Hispanics (n=2,688); Black Caribbeans (n=1,377); African Americans (n=3,434); and Whites (n=854). We used data from the 2001-2003 National Survey of American Lives and the 2001-2003 National Latino and Asian Studies. Multiple-…
Stress and adolescent well-being: The need for an interdisciplinary framework
Stress and strain among adolescents have been investigated and discussed largely within three separate disciplines: mental health, where the focus has been on the negative effects of stress on emotional health; criminology, where the emphasis has been on the effects of strain on delinquency; and biology, where the focus has been to understand the effects of stress on physiology. Recently, scholars have called for increased multilevel developmenta…
The Perceived Impact of I am Moving, I am Learning on Physical Activity and Family Involvement: A Preliminary Investigation
Participants in the study reported that IMIL contributed to increased levels of PA and family/community involvement. The participants perceived that the use of IMIL helped parents/caregivers and their children become healthier, by improving the whole family's activity levels. Faculty and staff also reported that there were few barriers related to the implementation and sustainability of IMIL use in childcare settings
Psychological Well-Being of Sexual Minority Young Adults in Iceland: Assessing Differences by Sexual Attraction and Gender
School Climate as a Universal Intervention to Prevent Substance Use Initiation in Early Adolescence: A Longitudinal Study
Initiation of substance use often starts during adolescence, with tobacco and alcohol use frequently preceding the use of marijuana and other illicit drugs. Studies suggest that a positive school climate may prevent substance use while promoting healthy student behaviors. The purpose of this study was to determine the longitudinal associations between school climate and substance use initiation in a group of middle school students. Parallel laten…
Using School Climate to Improve Attendance and Grades: Understanding the Importance of School Satisfaction Among Middle and High School Students
BACKGROUND: Students with chronic absences tend to struggle academically and may not benefit fully from all school has to offer. A positive school climate has been shown to reduce absenteeism and promote academic success. In this study, we explored how a positive school climate and high satisfaction with school may influence absences and academic performance. METHODS: We used mediated path analysis to describe relationships involving school clima…
School Climate as an Intervention to Reduce Academic Failure and Educate the Whole Child: A Longitudinal Study
BACKGROUND: Preventing student academic failure is crucial to student health and life success. Previous studies suggest a positive school climate may reduce students' risk for academic failure and contribute to academic success. The purpose of this study was to determine the longitudinal associations between school climate and academic grades in a group of middle school students who transition into high school. METHODS: Parallel latent growth cur…
Barriers to Mental Health Treatment in the Saudi National Mental Health Survey
Objectives : To examine barriers to initiation and continuation of treatment among individuals with common mental disorders in the Saudi National Mental Health Survey (SNMHS). Methods : The SNMHS is a community-based epidemiological survey in a nationally representative household sample of respondents aged 15-65 in the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia. The World Health Organization Composite International Diagnostic Interview (CIDI) 3.0 was used. Predicto…
Examining the implementation of the Icelandic model for primary prevention of substance use in a rural Canadian community: A study protocol
The findings from this study will contribute to our understanding of upstream prevention of youth substance use and will be used to support scaling of the IPM across Canada
Mental Health, Academic Engagement, and Youths’ Nonmedical Use of Stimulants: A Latent Profile Analysis
BACKGROUND:: Nonmedical prescription stimulant (NPS) use is a growing problem in Europe. Poor mental health and lack of academic engagement are potent sources of risk for substance use. Studies suggest that considerable heterogeneity may characterize the risk profiles of NPS users. To understand better the potential profiles of risk that characterize NPS users, we conducted a latent profile analysis (LPA) to document subgroups of users based on t…
Comment to Koning et al: Implementation of the Icelandic prevention model: a critical discussion of its worldwide transferability
The authors thank Koning et al. for their critical review of the Icelandic Prevention Model (IPM) and for highlighting its strengths. We would, however, like to respond to their criticisms.First, K
Our Children Are Not “Behind” Due to the Covid ‐19 Pandemic, but Our Institutional Response Might Be
As the COVID-19 pandemic progresses, the idea that children are “behind” has become a common refrain in the US media and a concern among families and educators. In this context, the designation “behind” suggests that young people are not making academic progress and/or developing socioemotionally at the rate they were expected to do so before the pandemic. The experiences of those who have cared for or worked with children before and during the p…
Parental support and monitoring as associated with adolescent alcohol and tobacco use by gender and age
PS and PM were protective against SU for all participants, consistent with previous literature. Girls reported greater parental monitoring than boys, irrespective of age-group. While girls experienced higher levels of monitoring, they did not report lower SU than boys. This suggests that monitoring girls more closely than boys appears unnecessary in preventing adolescent SU. Finally, PS was a more significant factor in preventing SU for older ado…
Preliminary impact of the adoption of the Icelandic Prevention Model in Tarragona City, 2015–2019: A repeated cross-sectional study
Background There is a great need for effective primary prevention intervention strategies to reduce and delay onset of adolescent substance use. The Icelandic Prevention Model (IPM) showed great success in Iceland over the past twenty plus years, however, evidence for the transferability of model is still somewhat limited. Using data collected in Tarragona during regional efforts to begin adoption of the IPM in Catalonia, this study tested the tr…
Social Support and Perceptions of Covid ‐19‐related Emotional Impact on Mental Health Among Early Adolescents in Appalachia
BACKGROUND: This raises questions concerning how young people's stress and psychological changes due to the COVID-19 pandemic as well as social support during this time have affected their overall mental health. The aim of this study was to assess the association between sources of parental- and school-level social support and youth perceptions of COVID-19-related emotional impact on mental health among early adolescent girls and boys in Appalach…
Risk & protective factors for youth substance use across family, peers, school, & leisure domains
The Icelandic Prevention Model Evaluation Framework and Implementation Integrity and Consistency Assessment
The Icelandic Prevention Model (IPM) follows a systematic but flexible process of community capacity building, data collection, analysis, dissemination, and community-engaged decision-making to guide the data-informed selection, prioritization, and implementation of intervention strategies in preventing adolescent substance use. This paper describes two new evaluation tools intended to assess the: 1) integrity of IPM implementation, and 2) unique…
Medicine (26 works) · Psychology (22 works) · Clinical Psychology (13 works) · Psychiatry (12 works) · Demography (10 works) · Child and Adolescent Psychosocial and Emotional Development (9 works) · Developmental psychology (9 works) · Public health (9 works) · Environmental health (8 works) · Nursing (8 works)