Dimensions of Early Life Adversity and Self-Regulation: Pediatric Obesity Risk Pathways in Low Income Communities

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Project Summary Brittany Schuler, PhD, LSW is a social work researcher whose overarching career goal is to develop effective, sustainable behavioral interventions that reduce early-life nutritional disparities and prevent subsequent chronic illness in high-risk communities. Her research proposal aims to understand behavioral mechanisms that link adversity-exposure to obesity risk in early childhood. By combining advanced statistical methods with community-engaged approaches involving social services, obesity prevention, health promotion in vulnerable populations, and experts in early-life adversity, this proposal seeks to advance our understanding of the behavioral mechanisms that link dimensions of parent and child adversity to obesity risk. Results from this study will provide foundational evidence for the advancement of intervention methods to promote child health and development specific to the adversity-context. Candidate: Dr. Schuler is an Assistant Professor in the College of Public Health at Temple University and an affiliate faculty member in the Center for Obesity Research and Education (CORE). Dr. Schuler has 10 years of experience in social work working with families with high levels of trauma and adversity, combined with 7 years of research experience in pediatric obesity prevention. The proposed career development plan (CDP) will build upon her background in social work practice, interdisciplinary intervention research and advanced statistical training to position her as an independent researcher specializing in intervention development in the newly emerging field of obesity prevention research that is responsive to the adversity context. Mentors/Environment: Along with her primary mentor, Bradley Collins, PhD a senior scientist with strong a record of NIH-funded research, Dr. Schuler has assembled a strong team of multidisciplinary mentors and scientific advisors to guide her through the proposed research and training activities. The proposed CDP utilizes intellectual and facilities resources available at Temple University's College of Public Health and CORE, as well as resources and expertise in early childhood obesity prevention, trauma, adversity and toxic stress at Case Western Reserve University, Columbia University and the University of Michigan. Her primary mentors and scientific advisory council support the CDP and will meet regularly. Summary: This proposal will provide Dr. Schuler with the time, mentorship, and training experience in adversity treatment, intervention research, and statistical techniques to conduct exploratory research on the mechanisms that link adversity to obesity risk. This career development award will lead to the development of a framework for adversity-informed obesity prevention efforts and provide the foundation for a future R01 to design and test novel methods of obesity prevention. This award will facilitate Dr. Schuler's development as an independent investigator and leader in conducting research to address debilitating health disparities.