Research Project Title
Externalizing and Harmful behaviours: Developmental Risk Factors and Prevention

University Program
Social and Preventive Medicine – University of Montreal

Research Director
Sylvana Côté and Richard Tremblay

Research Interests

My research interests focus on the development of childhood externalized behaviors and how they may translate into harmful behaviors in adolescence and adulthood, in particular violence and criminality as well as substance abuse and dependence. These latter behaviors are part of the broader spectrum of Health risk behaviors which are a public health concern in most developed countries as they represent major preventable causes of mortality and morbidity. Currently, I work on the role of childhood externalizing behaviors – opposition, physical aggression, hyperactivity and inattention – in the prediction of long term substance abuse/dependence, criminality as well as correlating problems, e.g. poor educational attainment (published article). Recent developments of my research consist in identifying early risk factors of externalized behaviors with an emphasis on the interplay between social and biological factors. The final aim is to help in identifying prevention targets that are appropriate for different developmental phases, from early childhood to adolescence. In this regard, I collaborate with researchers aiming to determine the effect of early interventions (e.g. early childhood education services, childhood mental health services) on these health risk behaviors or their precursors.

My research builds mainly on longitudinal designs and I am particularly attentive to methodological issues in order to improve measurement models as well as strengthen causal inferences. I participate in a methodological project on non-parametric joint trajectories (package Kml, R software) and I utilize propensity score matching in a longitudinal design.

• Travel award: Donald Cohen Fellowships,IACAPAP (International Association of Child and Adolescent Psychiatry and Allied Professions), 2012 International Congress.
• Post-doctoral grant, Research Group on Psychosocial Maladjustment (GRIP) & Social and Preventive Medicine Department, University of Montreal, since 2010.
• Government of Canada Post-Doctoral Research Fellowships (PDRF), Department of Foreign Affairs and International Trade, 2009-2010.
• Lavoisier Brazil Doctoral Grant, Foreign Affairs Department (France), 2005-2006.
• Merit Grant, 1998-2002, Ministry of Education (France).

Most Important Publications

Pingault JB, Côté SM, Galéra C, Genolini C, Falissard B, Vitaro F, & Tremblay RE. Childhood trajectories of inattention, hyperactivity and oppositional behaviours and prediction of substance abuse/dependence: A 15-year longitudinal population-based study. Molecular psychiatry. 2012 (In Press) Available at: http://www.nature.com/mp/journal/vaop/ncurrent/full/mp201287a.html