Non-suicidal Self-Injury in Adolescence: The Role of Shame,Self-Criticism and Fear of Self-Compassion

Background

Non-suicidal self-injury (NSSI) is a serious and relatively prevalent problem in adolescence. Although several studies have identified risk factors for the aetiology and maintenance of NSSI, little is known about the impact of individual and contextual variables in such pervasive behaviors among adolescents.

Objective

This paper aims to test whether specific internal traits characterized by shame, self-criticism and fear of self-compassion impact on NSSI, through their effect in daily peer hassles and depression.

Methods

Participants are 782 adolescents with 12–18 years-old from middle and secondary schools (years of education’s mean = 9.46). This study has a cross-sectional design. Self-report measures include external shame, self-criticism, fear of self-compassion, daily peer hassles, depressive symptoms and NSSI.

Results

External shame, hated self and fear of self-compassion indirectly predict NSSI, through their effect in daily peer hassles and depression. The most pathological form of self-criticism (hated self) is strongly associated with NSSI.

Conclusions

These findings contribute to clarification of the paths through which the belief that one is seen negatively by others, the hostile self-to-self relationship and the inability to direct compassion for self may increase NSSI. Daily peer hassles and current depressive symptoms seem to play an important role in the association between internal traits and NSSI. Preventive and intervention actions for reducing NSSI in adolescence should address not only interpersonal difficulties but also self-to-self relationship.

     

A Multi-Informant Approach to Measuring Depressive Symptoms in Clinical Assessments of Adolescent Social Anxiety Using the Beck Depression Inventory-II: Convergent,Incremental, and Criterion-Related Validity

Background

Among adolescents, depressive symptoms commonly co-occur with social anxiety, with social anxiety often developmentally preceding depressive symptoms. Thus, evidence-based assessments of adolescent social anxiety should be augmented with assessments of depressive symptoms using measures that can be administered across developmental transitions (e.g., adolescence into adulthood).

Objective

The widely used self-report measure, Beck Depression Inventory-II (BDI-II), was designed to assess depressive symptoms among adolescents and adults. Yet, scarce work exists on the psychometric properties of BDI-II self-reports among adolescents, and we know of no prior study that tested the properties of BDI-II parent reports.

Method

We examined the BDI-II within a mixed clinical/community sample of 89 adolescents and their parents, who each provided BDI-II reports about the adolescent. Further, adolescents completed self-reports and parents provided reports of adolescents on measures of adolescent trait social anxiety and other associated features of adolescent depressive symptoms (e.g., parent–adolescent conflict; attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder symptoms). Adolescents self-reported their state arousal within a 20-min mock social interaction period.

Results

Parent–adolescent dyads displayed low-to-moderate correspondence between their BDI-II reports. Further, adolescents’ and parents’ BDI-II reports related to measures of associated features of adolescent depressive symptoms, and established cut scores on the BDI-II significantly distinguished adolescents on these same features. Adolescents’ BDI-II reports predicted adolescents’ self-reported arousal within social interactions and distinguished adolescents on referral status.

Conclusions

Adolescents and parents can provide psychometrically sound reports on the BDI-II. These findings have important implications for evidence-based assessments of adolescent depressive symptoms, when clinically assessing adolescent social anxiety.

     

Interrelationship between Diet Quality and Depressive Symptoms in Elderly

Background

Several observational studies have shown association between diet quality and depression, but few studies have explored the interrelationship between these variables.

Objective

The aim of this study was to assess the interrelationship between diet quality and depressive symptoms in elderly.

Design

Cross-sectional study.

Setting

Population based.

Participants

1,378 elderly in the city of Pelotas, Brazil.

Measurements

The diet quality was assessed by a short food frequency questionnaire and the prevalence of depressive symptoms was estimated by the abbreviated Brazilian version of the Geriatric Depression Scale (GDS). The association between diet quality and depressive symptoms was assessed using logistic regression.

Results

The prevalence of depressive symptoms was 15.3%. Elderly with low-quality diet were more likely to experience depressive symptoms, and the association was almost twice higher in males than in females (men OR = 3.8, 95% CI 1.4, 10.6; women OR = 2.1, 95% CI: 1.4, 3.3). On the other hand, depressive elderly had higher odds of consuming a low-quality diet (OR 2.4, 95% CI: 1.7, 3.8). Limitations: Self-reported data and crosssectional design limit our conclusions.

Conclusions

The choice of a low-quality diet was associated to a higher risk of depressive symptoms in elderly, and vice-versa. These results highlight the importance of encouraging the choice of healthy food habits, especially in depressed elderly, in order to promote healthy aging.

     

Efficient Screening for Impairments in Peer Functioning Among Mid-to-Late Adolescents Receiving Clinical Assessments for Social Anxiety

Background

Impairments in peer relations comprise a core feature of social anxiety, particularly among adolescents. Yet, these impairments may also stem from concerns that commonly co-occur with social anxiety, namely depressive symptoms and attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) symptoms.

Objective

Although peer-related impairments spike during adolescence, we know relatively little about efficiently screening for peer-related impairments that specifically index those impairments relevant to adolescent social anxiety.

Method

We recruited 89 adolescents (M?=?14.5 years, 64% female, 65.1% African American) who varied on evaluation-seeking status (30 evaluation-seeking; 59 community control). On a preliminary phone screen, parents provided reports on three peer-related impairment items identified in prior work as particularly discriminative: number of friends, trouble making friends, and trouble keeping friends. Parents and adolescents completed survey measures of social anxiety and mental health concerns commonly linked to social anxiety (i.e., depressive symptoms, ADHD symptoms).

Results

Increased peer-related impairments were uniquely related to increased social anxiety, controlling for depressive symptoms and ADHD symptoms. Increased peer-related impairments also predicted increased risk for being above the clinical cut score on measures of social anxiety, depressive symptoms, and ADHD symptoms. The number of peer-related impairments significantly distinguished adolescents on evaluation-seeking status.

Conclusions

Using a short list of three items assessing peer-related impairments (number of friends, trouble making friends, and trouble keeping friends) one can efficiently screen for peer-related impairments of specific relevance to adolescent social anxiety. These findings have important implications for leveraging efficient, evidence-based screening devices when clinically assessing adolescent social anxiety, particularly in low-resource mental health settings.

     

Acculturation Dissonance,Acculturation Strategy,Depressive Symptoms,and Delinquency in Latina/o Adolescents

Background

Two risk factors for negative outcomes in Latina/o youth are acculturation dissonance (i.e., discrepant family cultural orientations) and the endorsement of an assimilation strategy of acculturation (i.e., valuing dominant mainstream culture over culture of origin). Though these have been uniquely studied as risk factors for maladaptive behaviors among Latina/o youth, their interaction in relation to both externalizing and internalizing symptoms has yet to be fully examined.

Objective

The present study examined the unique and interactive effects of acculturation dissonance and assimilation on both depressive symptoms and delinquent behaviors among Latina/o adolescents.

Methods

Participants were 135 Latina/o adolescents (ages 14–20) recruited from a charter high school. Students responded to a paper-and-pencil survey assessing demographic information, acculturation strategy, acculturation dissonance, depressive symptoms, and delinquency.

Results

Acculturation dissonance was uniquely associated with depressive symptoms, but interaction effects suggested this association depended on levels of assimilation. At high levels of assimilation, acculturation dissonance was not associated with depressive symptoms, since depressive symptoms were consistently high. In contrast, at low levels of assimilation, acculturation dissonance was positively associated with depressive symptoms. In contrast, acculturation dissonance was uniquely associated with delinquency, and this association did not depend on the level of assimilation.

Conclusions

Dissonant cultural orientations within families of Latina/o youth confer risk for negative outcomes across internalizing and externalizing domains. For youth adopting an assimilation strategy of acculturation, risk for depressive symptoms may be increased. Implications of these findings and future directions are discussed.

     

Association between fish intake and depressive symptoms among community-living older Chinese adults in Singapore: A cross-sectional study

Objective

Our aim of this study was to investigate the association between fish consumption and depressive symptoms in senior ethnic Chinese residents of Singapore.

Design

A population-based crosssectional study.

Setting

The Singapore Longitudinal Aging Studies (SLAS).

Participant

The study consisted of 2,034 participants from the Singapore Longitudinal Aging Studies (SLAS) project who were at least 55 years old.

Measurements

The presence of depressive symptoms was compared between those who self-reported eating fish at least three times a week versus those who ate fish less often. A score of 5 or greater on the 15-item Geriatric Depression Scale (GDS-15) was the cutoff for being designated as having depressive symptoms.

Results

Fish intake was associated with a lower prevalence of depressive symptoms ([odds ratio] OR = 0.60, 95% [confidence interval] CI 0.40–0.90; P =.015) after controlling for age, sex, marital status, housing, smoking, alcohol consumption, physical exercise, social and productive activities, self-rated health, hypertension, diabetes, heart failure or attack, stroke, fruit and vegetable intake, and Mini-Mental State Examination (MMSE) scores.

Conclusion

Our results suggest that eating fish at least three times a week is associated with a lower odds of having depressive symptoms among Chinese adults over 55 years old living in Singapore.

     

The role of flexible goal adjustment in the effect of informal caregiving on depressive symptoms: Evidence of a large population-based longitudinal study in Germany from 2002 to 2011

Objectives

To determine the role of flexible goal adjustment in the impact of informal caregiving on depressive symptoms, using a longitudinal approach.

Method

Data were gathered from the German Ageing Survey. This is a population-based longitudinal study among community-dwelling individuals aged 40 and above in Germany. Data were derived from the second (2002), third (2008) and fourth (2011) wave, drawing on 10,994 observations. Flexible goal adjustment was assessed using a scale by Brandstädter and Renner. Informal caregiving was measured by asking the individuals whether they provide informal care. Depressive symptoms were quantified by using the Center for Epidemiological Studies Depression scale.

Results

Adjusting for several potential confounders, fixed effects regressions showed that the onset of informal caregiving markedly increased depressive symptoms. Furthermore, regressions revealed that this effect was significantly moderated by flexible goal adjustment.

Discussion

Our results highlight the importance of informal caregiving for depressive symptoms. Furthermore, the importance of flexible goal adjustment in the relation between informal caregiving and depressive symptoms should be emphasized. Efforts to increase flexible goal adjustment might be beneficial in reducing depressive symptoms among informal caregivers.

     

Academic Achievement of Korean Adolescents from Multicultural Families: National Survey Results

Background

Multicultural families and foreign residents are rapidly increasing in Korea. Thus, the proportion of children and adolescents from minority racial/ethnic groups are also increasing, and there are concerns about adolescents who fail to adapt to school and show low academic achievement and poor health status.

Objective

This study aimed to investigate influencing factors related to academic achievement among Korean multicultural adolescents.

Methods

Cross-sectional data from 2234 Korean multicultural adolescent participants from the 2010–2014 Korea Youth Risk Behavior Web-based Survey were analyzed using multiple regression.

Results

Perceived economic status and breakfast frequency affected academic achievement, regardless of gender. Family affluence, satisfaction with sleep time, and lifetime smoking were additional factors in males. For females, depression and frequency of physical school activities were additional factors.

Conclusion

The present study suggests that diverse individual factors should be considered, including economic status, health status, and health-related behaviors, to improve multicultural adolescents’ academic achievement.

     

Soy isoflavone intake and prevalence of depressive symptoms during pregnancy in Japan: baseline data from the Kyushu Okinawa Maternal and Child Health Study

Objective

Several observational studies and trials examined the relationship between isoflavones or soybeans and depressive symptoms among peri- and postmenopausal women. We cross-sectionally evaluated the associations between intake of soy products and isoflavones and depressive symptoms during pregnancy in Japan.

Methods

Study subjects were 1745 pregnant women. Dietary intake during the preceding month was assessed using a self-administered diet history questionnaire. Depressive symptoms were defined by a score of 16 or over in the Center for Epidemiologic Studies Depression Scale.

Results

Higher intake of total soy products, tofu, tofu products, fermented soybeans, boiled soybeans, miso soup, and isoflavones was independently related to a lower prevalence of depressive symptoms during pregnancy: The adjusted prevalence ratios (95 % confidence intervals, P for trend) between extreme quartiles were 0.63 (0.47–0.85, 0.002), 0.72 (0.54–0.96, 0.007), 0.74 (0.56–0.98, 0.04), 0.57 (0.42–0.76, <0.0001), 0.73 (0.55–0.98, 0.03), 0.65 (0.49–0.87, 0.003), and 0.63 (0.46–0.86, 0.002), respectively. A significant positive exposure–response relationship was found between miso intake and depressive symptoms during pregnancy. No material relationship was observed between soymilk intake and depressive symptoms during pregnancy.

Conclusions

Our study is the first to show independent inverse relationships between intake of total soy products, tofu, tofu products, fermented soybeans, boiled soybeans, miso soup, and isoflavones and depressive symptoms during pregnancy.

     

Role of Family Stressors on Rural Low-Income Children’s Behaviors

Background

Exposure to multiple stressors and lack of access to resources place rural children at high risk for adverse consequences. Family Stress Model guided this study to examine relations between two stressors- food insecurity and maternal depressive symptoms, and behavior problems among younger and older rural children.

Objective

To test associations between food insecurity, maternal depressive symptoms, and behavior problems among younger and older rural low-income children.

Methods

Cross-sectional data from 370 low-income rural families across 13 states was analyzed using structural equation modeling and multiple group analyses. Mothers’ education level, household income, marital/partner status, and participation in SNAP served as covariates.

Results

Among younger children, maternal depressive symptoms partially mediated the relation between food insecurity and child externalizing behaviors, while among older children, maternal depressive symptoms completely mediated the relation between food insecurity and child internalizing and externalizing behaviors.

Conclusions

Stress manifested directly from, or indirectly through, maternal depressive symptoms and from food insecurity was related to behavior problems among younger and older rural children; however, the relations varied by age of children. Programs and policies that prevent or lessen both food insecurity and maternal depression may help to lessen problem behaviors among on rural children. Longitudinal studies are needed to rigorously examine causation and directionality among food insecurity, maternal depression and rural child behavior problems, while accounting for influences of child, caregiver and family characteristics.

     

Associations between Proportion of Plasma Phospholipid Fatty Acids,Depressive Symptoms and Major Depressive Disorder. Cross-Sectional Analyses from the AGES Reykjavik Study

Background

Deficits in n-3 fatty acids may be associated with depression. However, data are scarce from older adults who are at greater risk of poor dietary intake and of developing depression.

Objective

To investigate proportion of plasma phospholipid fatty acids with respect to depressive symptoms and major depressive disorder in community dwelling older adults.

Methods

Cross-sectional analyses of 1571 participants in the Age, Gene/Environment Susceptibility (AGES)-Reykjavik Study aged 67-93 years. Depressive symptoms were measured using the 15-item Geriatric Depression Scale (GDS-15). Major depressive disorder was assessed according to Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders (DSM-IV) criteria using the Mini-International Neuropsychiatric Interview (MINI).

Results

Depressive symptoms were observed in 195 (12.4%) subjects and there were 27 (1.7%) cases of major depressive disorder. Participants with depressive symptoms were less educated, more likely to be smokers, less physically active and consumed cod liver oil less frequently. Difference in GDS-15 scores by tertiles of n-3 fatty acid proportion was not significant. Proportion of long chain n-3 fatty acids (Eicosapentaenoic- + Docosahexaenoic acid) were inversely related to major depressive disorder, (tertile 2 vs. tertile 1) OR: 0.31 (95% CI: 0.11, 0.86); tertile 3 vs. tertile 1, OR: 0.45 (95% CI: 0.17, 1.21).

Conclusion

In our cross sectional analyses low proportions of long chain n-3 fatty acids in plasma phospholipids appear to be associated with increased risk of major depressive disorder. However, the results from this study warrant further investigation in prospective setting with sufficiently long follow-up.

     

Cross-sectional observation of the relationship of depressive symptoms with lifestyles and parents’ status among Japanese junior high school students

Objectives

Students’ depressive symptoms might be related to their own risk factors and to their parents’ status. The objective of this cross-sectional study was to examine the relationship of depressive symptoms with lifestyle variables and parents’ psychological and socio-demographic status among Japanese junior high school students.

Methods

Of 477 students and their parents, 409 (85.7 %) students and 314 (65.8 %) parents participated in the study. Students answered self-reported questionnaire on depressive symptoms, their heights and weights, subjective stress, body dissatisfaction, lifestyles including sleep duration and extracurricular physical activity in school and other physical activity outside the school, and nutritional intake. Parents responded to questionnaire on depressive symptoms and socio-demographic status.

Results

The prevalence of depressive symptoms was 24.9 %. Students with depressive symptoms were more likely to have stress. Students in shorter and longer sleep duration groups were more likely to have depressive symptoms. The students with depressive symptoms had smaller amount of energy intake than did those without depressive symptoms. Multiple logistic regression analysis revealed significant relationships between students’ depressive symptoms and some independent variables. Sex, subjective stress, “almost-never”-categorized extracurricular physical activity in school and other physical activity outside the school, and having a parent with depressive symptoms were significantly associated with students’ depressive symptoms.

Conclusion

Reducing mental stress and taking care of lifestyles, especially, “almost-everyday”-categorized extracurricular physical activity in school and other physical activity outside the school, may have benefits for students’ mental health, and having a parent with depressive symptoms may be associated with students’ depressive symptoms.

     

Prospective associations of exercise and depressive symptoms in older adults: the role of apolipoprotein E4

Purpose

Exercise is associated with reduced risk of depressive symptoms at older ages, while recent work suggests that the apolipoprotein E type 4 allele (APOE-e4) may increase risk. There are no studies of whether APOE-e4 moderates the relationship between exercise and later life depressive symptoms. This study aimed to explore whether the prospective associations between exercise and subsequent depressive symptoms were distinct between APOE-e4 carriers and non-carriers using nationwide data.

Methods

Data from 639 participants (mean age?=?66.14, SD?=?7.26) in 2000 with 6 years of follow-up were studied. Depressive symptoms were assessed using the Center for Epidemiologic Studies–Depression Scale. Exercise and the APOE genotype were also assessed at baseline. Negative binomial regression models were conducted to examine the combined effects of exercise and APOE-e4 status on subsequent depressive symptoms when controlling for baseline depressive symptoms and other covariates. Sensitivity analyses to test for confounding, reverse causality, and attrition were conducted.

Results

Among APOE-e4 carriers, there was no significant difference in depressive symptoms between high active and low active groups. In contrast, high active APOE-e4 non-carriers had fewer depressive symptoms than low active APOE-e4 non-carriers. The beneficial effect of exercise on depressive symptoms is restricted to APOE-e4 non-carriers. Sensitivity analyses provided further support for the robustness of these findings.

Conclusions

This is the first prospective study investigating whether APOE-e4 moderates the association between exercise and depressive symptoms. It proposes that genetic variation in APOE may influence the effect of exercise on depressive symptoms.

     

Parent–Adolescent Relationship Quality and Nondisclosure as Mediators of the Association Between Exposure to Community Violence and Psychological Distress

Background

African American youth residing in urban poverty have been shown to be at increased risk for exposure to violence and for psychological symptoms, but there has been little investigation of mediating processes that might explain this association.

Objectives

This study tested the quality of parent–adolescent relationships and adolescent nondisclosure to adults as mediating mechanisms through which exposure to community violence may lead to psychological symptoms.

Methods

The current study surveyed a sample of 152 low-income urban African American early adolescents (aged 12–14). Participants completed self-report questionnaires assessing exposure to community violence, nondisclosure, parent–adolescent relationship, and psychological symptoms (i.e., internalizing and externalizing symptoms).

Results

Path analyses revealed that parent–adolescent relationship quality and nondisclosure both functioned as mediators of the relation between exposure to community violence and both internalizing and externalizing symptoms, though significant direct effects for violence exposure on externalizing symptoms remained. Decomposition of effects revealed that nondisclosure was a stronger mediator than parent–adolescent relationship quality. Results also indicated that exposure to violence can lead to externalizing (but not internalizing) symptoms first by way of parent–adolescent relationship quality and then nondisclosure.

Conclusions

Combined, these findings suggest that the development of preventive interventions designed to assist adults and parents improve communication and strengthen relationships with adolescents might reduce the negative effects of exposure to community violence on adolescent mental health.

     

Family Social Support Modifies the Relationships Between Childhood Maltreatment Severity,Economic Adversity and Postpartum Depressive Symptoms

Objectives

This study examines the main and moderating effects of childhood abuse or neglect severity, income, and family social support on the presence of postpartum depressive symptoms (PDS).

Methods

Participants included 183 postpartum mothers who endorsed a history of childhood maltreatment (CM) and enrolled in a longitudinal study of mother and child outcomes. Participants completed questionnaires to assess CM severity, associated societal and maternal characteristics, and depressive symptom severity.

Results

The results confirm previously identified links between CM severity and PDS. Further, hierarchical linear regression analyses indicate the interaction of household income and interpersonal support from the family attenuates the relationship between CM severity and PDS. The final model accounted for 29% of the variance of PDS scores, a large effect size.

Conclusions

This study is the first to demonstrate interrelationships between income and social support on resilience to postpartum psychopathology in childhood trauma-surviving women. Social support appeared to protect against PDS for all mothers in this study while income only conferred a protective effect when accompanied by family support. For clinicians, this implies the need to focus on improving family and other relationships, especially for at-risk mothers.

     

The Indirect Effect of Family Cohesion on Children’s Weight Status Through Maternal Quality of Life and Children’s Internalizing and Externalizing Symptoms

Background

Obesity has serious psychosocial consequences for youth and family members and has reached epidemic levels in Portugal.

Objective

This study had two goals: (1) to investigate differences in family cohesion, mothers’ quality of life (QoL), and externalizing/internalizing symptoms between children/adolescents with healthy-weight and overweight/obesity; (2) to assess the mediating role of maternal QoL and children/adolescents’ externalizing/internalizing symptoms in the association between family cohesion and weight.

Methods

Children/adolescents with healthy-weight (n = 134) and with overweight/obesity (n = 163) and their mothers participated in the study. Mothers completed measures of family cohesion (FC) and QoL and children/adolescents completed measures of externalizing and internalizing symptoms. This study used a cross-sectional design.

Results

Children/adolescents with overweight/obesity reported higher levels of externalizing and internalizing symptoms than children/adolescents with healthy-weight. Mothers of children/adolescents with overweight/obesity reported lower levels of FC and QoL than mothers of children/adolescents with healthy-weight. Mothers’ QoL and children/adolescents’ externalizing symptoms sequentially mediated the relationship between FC and weight status. Specifically, an increase in FC and QoL resulted in a decreased likelihood of the child/adolescent reporting overweight or obesity, whereas an increase in externalizing symptoms resulted in a higher likelihood of the child/adolescent reporting overweight or obesity.

Conclusions

This study identifies mechanisms that might account for the link between FC and weight, suggesting the importance of mothers’ QoL and children’s externalizing symptoms. Moreover, it provides a better understanding of the psychosocial outcomes related to pediatric obesity, highlighting the relevance of working with the parents to promote weight reduction in youths.

     

Is cultural activity at work related to mental health in employees?

Objective

To examine relationships between work-based cultural activities and mental employee health in working Swedes.

Hypothesis

A positive relationship between frequent cultural activity at work and good employee health was expected.

Research design

Random sample of working Swedish men and women in three waves, 2006, 2008 and 2010, on average 60 % participation rate.

Methods

A postal questionnaire with questions about cultural activities organised for employees and about emotional exhaustion (Maslach) and depressive symptoms (short form of SCL). Employee assessments of “non-listening manager” and work environment (“psychological demands” and “decision latitude”) as well as socioeconomic variables were covariates. Cross-sectional analyses for each study year as well as prospective analyses for 2006–2008 and 2008–2010 were performed.

Main outcome and results

Lower frequency of cultural activities at work during the period of high unemployment. The effects of relationships with emotional exhaustion were more significant than those with depressive symptoms. The associations were attenuated when adjustments were made for manager function (does your manager listen?) and demand/control. Associations were more pronounced during the period with low unemployment and high cultural activity at work (2008). In a prospective analysis, cultural activity at work in 2008 had an independent statistically significant “protective” effect on emotional exhaustion in 2010. No corresponding such association was found between 2006 and 2008.

Conclusions

Cultural activities at work vary according to business cycle and have a statistical association with mental employee health, particularly with emotional exhaustion.

Implications for future research

There are particularly pronounced statistical protective effects of frequent cultural activity at work on likelihood of emotional exhaustion among employees.

     

Mediterranean Diet,Food Consumption and Risk of Late-Life Depression: The Mugello Study

Objective

To investigate eating habits and adherence to Mediterranean Diet (MD) in relation to the risk of depression in a cohort of nonagenarians enrolled within the Mugello Study, an epidemiological study aimed at investigating both clinically relevant geriatric items and various health issues, including those related to nutritional status.

Design

Cross-sectional study.

Setting

Homes and nursing homes in the Mugello area, Florence, Italy.

Participants

Subjects aged 90-99 years [N=388 (271F; 117M) mean age: 92.7±3.1].

Measurements

All subjects were evaluated through questionnaires and instrumental examinations. Adherence to MD was assessed through the Mediterranean Diet Score. A shorter version of the Geriatric Depression Scale (GDS) was used to detect the possible presence of depressive symptoms. In addition, cognitive and functional status was assessed using the Mini-Mental State Examination, the Clock Drawing Test, as well as the Basic and Instrumental Activities of Daily Living test.

Results

Depressed subjects (DS) (GDS score≥5, 43.8%) were older, females and widows, than non-depressed subjects (NDS). DS reported a slightly but not statistically significant lower MD score than NDS (33.9±3.9 vs. 34.6±3.3, p=0.149). Subjects who reported to consume a greater amount of olive oil and fruit were associated with a lower risk of depression (OR=0.35, 95%CI=0.20–0.59, p<0.001 and OR=0.46, 95%CI=0.26–0.84, p=0.011, respectively) after adjustment for many possible confounders. Similar results were obtained for women, while no statistically significant differences emerged for men.

Conclusion

Our results support the hypothesis that a diet rich in olive oil and fruit, characteristics of MD, may protect against the development of depressive symptoms in older age.

     

Mental health and health-related quality of life of Chinese college students who were the victims of dating violence

Purpose

The aim of the study is to evaluate the mental health and health-related quality of life (HRQOL) of Chinese college students who were the victims of dating violence.

Methods

Six hundred and fifty-two subjects were included in the data analysis. Subjects completed a structured questionnaire containing the Woman Abuse Screening tool, the Hospital Anxiety and Depression Scale, the 10-item version of the Perceived Stress Scale (PSS-10) and the World Health Organization Quality of Life-BREF Instrument (WHOQOL-BREF).

Results

Analysis by independent t test suggested that victims of dating violence had more severe depressive, anxiety and stress symptoms and poorer HRQOL than non-victims. Multiple linear regression models found that more severe dating violence victimization was associated with more severe depressive, anxiety and stress symptoms. The mediation analysis found that after simultaneously controlling for the degree of depressive, anxiety and stress symptoms, the direct effect between dating violence severity and HRQOL, as measured by overall HRQOL and the global health, physical and environment domains of the WHOQOL-BREF, was statistically insignificant, supporting a full-mediation model. The relationship between dating violence severity and the social domain of HRQOL was partially mediated by the degree of depressive, anxiety and stress symptoms.

Conclusion

Victims of dating violence had poorer mental health and HRQOL than non-victims. The study findings affirm the importance of assessing depressive, anxiety and stress symptoms in victims and the need to improve their depressive, anxiety and stress symptoms to diminish the negative effects of dating violence, which are apparent in their HRQOL.