Examining stress and coping as a mediator for internalizing symptomatology: A comparison between sexual minority and majority first-year college students

Sexual and gender minority (SGM) adolescents experience unique stressors and elevated internalizing symptoms. This study examines differences in coping styles between SGM and heterosexual adolescents and the potential mediating roles of stress and coping styles. Analyses indicated that SGM (N = 75) adolescents reported higher levels of internalizing symptoms (depression, anxiety, and distress), higher use of maladaptive coping styles (denial and blame), lesser use of adaptive coping styles (reframing and religion), and greater experiences of stress, compared to their heterosexual counterparts (N = 1702). Bootstrapping analyses revealed the relationship between sexual identity and internalizing symptoms measured approximately 3 months later was not mediated by stress and coping, adjusting for gender, age, and baseline symptomatology. Findings suggest that earlier adolescent differences in internalizing symptoms presage increasing symptomatology across the transition to college, and other mediators during the college transition explain the continued increases in internalizing symptoms.     

Facteurs associés à la cyberaddiction chez les adolescents Tunisiens

IntroductionInternet addiction, a relatively new phenomenon, is a field of recent research in mental health, particularly within young populations. It seems to interact with several individual and environmental factors.ObjectivesWe aim to spot internet addiction in a Tunisian adolescent population, and to study its relationship with personal and family factors, as well as with anxious and depressive comorbidities.MethodsWe conducted a cross-sectional study of 253 adolescents recruited in public places in the city of Sfax in the south of Tunisia. We collected biographical and personal data as well as data describing family dynamics. The internet addiction was assessed by Young's questionnaire. Depressive and anxious co-morbidities were assessed using the HADS scale. The comparative study was based on the chi-square test and the Student's test, with a significance level of 5 %.ResultsThe prevalence of internet addiction was 43.9 %. The average age of internet-addicts was 16.34 years, the male sex was the most represented (54.1 %) and increased the risk of internet addiction (OR a = 2.805). The average duration of connection among Internet addicts was 4.6 hours per day and was significantly related to internet addiction; P < 0.001). Socializing activities were found in the majority of the internet-addicted adolescents (86.5 %). The type of online activity was significantly associated with internet addiction (P = 0.03 and OR a = 3.256). Other behavioral addictions were frequently reported: 35.13% for excessive use of video games and 43.25 % for pathological purchases. These two behaviors were significantly associated with internet addiction (with respectively P = 0.001 and P = 0.002 with OR = 3.283). The internet-addicted adolescents lived with both parents in 91.9 % of cases. The mother's regular professional activity was significantly associated with internet addiction risk (P = 0.04) as was the use of the Internet by parents and siblings (with respectively P = 0.002 and P < 0.001 with OR = 3.256). The restrictive attitude of the parents was significantly associated with internet addiction risk (P < 0.001 OR = 2.57). Family dynamics, particularly at the level of adolescent-parent interactions, were a determining factor in internet addiction. Anxiety was more frequently found than depression among our cyber-dependent adolescents with frequencies of 65.8 % and 18.9 %, respectively. Anxiety was significantly correlated with the risk of internet addiction (P = 0.003, OR a = 2.15). There was no significant correlation between depression and the risk of internet addiction.ConclusionThe Tunisian adolescent seems at great risk of internet addiction. Targeted action on modifiable factors, especially those affecting family interactions, would be very useful in prevention.     

Early maladaptive schemas and social anxiety in adolescents: The mediating role of anxious automatic thoughts

Cognitive models state that cognitions are organized hierarchically, so that the underlying schemas affect behavior via more automatic, superficial cognitive processes. This study aimed to demonstrate that early maladaptive schemas predict anxious automatic thoughts, and to show that such automatic thoughts act as mediators between schemas and prospective changes in social anxiety symptoms. The study also examined an alternative reverse model in which schemas acted as mediators between automatic thoughts and social anxiety. A total of 1052 adolescents (499 girls and 553 boys; M_age = 13.43; SD_age = 1.29) completed measures of early maladaptive schemas, socially anxious automatic thoughts, and social anxiety symptoms at Times 1, 2, and 3. The results revealed bidirectional longitudinal relationships among schemas and automatic thoughts that were consistent in content (e.g., the disconnection/rejection schemas and automatic thoughts of negative self-concept). Furthermore, the automatic thoughts of anticipatory negative evaluation by others at Time 2 mediated the relationship between the other-directedness schemas at Time 1 and social anxiety symptoms at Time 3. These findings are consistent with hierarchical cognitive models of social anxiety given that deeper schemas predict more surface-level thoughts. They also support that these more surface-level thoughts contribute to perpetuating schemas. Finally, results show that early maladaptive schemas of the other-directedness domain play a relevant role in the development and maintenance of social anxiety.     

Longitudinal relations between parental media monitoring and adolescent aggression,prosocial behavior,and externalizing problems

The current study examined longitudinal relations between parental media monitoring and adolescent behavior, and explored indirect effects via sympathy and self-regulation. A sample of adolescents and their mothers from Northwestern and Mountain West cities in the USA participated in a study at three time points, approximately one year apart (N = 681; M age of child at Time 3 = 13.33, SD = 1.06; 51% female; 73% European American, 9% African American, 17% Multi-ethnic). Though findings varied by reporter, results suggested that restrictive and active media monitoring were indirectly associated with adolescents' prosocial behavior, aggression, and externalizing behavior, with restrictive monitoring being somewhat maladaptive and active monitoring adaptive. The discussion focuses on the need to examine multiple aspects of media monitoring, and highlights implications of findings for parents.     

Adolescent vulnerability and the distress of rejection: Associations of adjustment problems and gender with control,emotions, and coping

We examined adjustment problems as risks for patterns of emotions, appraisals, and coping with rejection, and explored whether these processes could account for sex (boy/girl) differences in coping. Young adolescents (N = 669, grades 6–8) completed questionnaires, which assessed responses to peer rejection threat with two short scenarios. Using structural equation modeling to test a multivariate process model, adolescents with heightened social anxiety had the most maladaptive responses to rejection threat, including elevated emotional reactions, more self-blame, and coping using more social isolation, rumination and opposition. Adolescents reporting more depressive symptoms felt less control and anticipated using less adaptive coping (less support seeking, distraction, and negotiation), whereas aggressive adolescents responded with more anger and coped via opposition. Moreover, as anticipated, sex differences in coping, symptoms, emotions, and appraisals were found. However, coping differences between boys and girls were mostly nonsignificant after accounting for symptoms, aggression, emotional reactions, and appraisals.     

Friendship 2.0: Adolescents' experiences of belonging and self-disclosure online

This study explores the role that digital media technologies play in adolescents' experiences of friendship and identity. The author draws on findings from in-depth interviews with 32 adolescents (15 girls, 17 boys) ages 13–18 (M = 15.5 years) attending one of seven secondary schools in Bermuda. The adolescents were asked to describe the nature of their online exchanges with friends and the value they ascribe to these conversations. A thematic analysis of their responses revealed that online peer communications promote adolescents' sense of belonging and self-disclosure, two important peer processes that support identity development during adolescence. At the same time, the unique features of computer-mediated communication shape adolescents' experiences of these processes in distinct ways. Gender and age differences show that adolescents' online peer communications are not uniform; the characteristics that distinguish adolescents offline also shape their online activities.     

Lien entre usage des réseaux sociaux et image corporelle chez les adolescents : une revue systématique de la littérature

ObjectivesThis study aimed to update the scientific knowledge concerning the relationship between the use of social networking sites and body image among adolescents.MethodsA preregistered systematic review was conducted following PRISMA guidelines and allowed to include 30 peer-reviewed articles for qualitative analysis, consisting of 26 unique samples (n = 31,331; M_age = 14.89; SD_age = 1.07). The search was conducted on Pubmed, PsychInfo and Scopus focusing on studies that included any social network site use and body image measures while being based on general population adolescent samples. Social networking site use referred: 1) to any online activities such as browsing, posting, editing selfies, liking, commenting; 2) to any exposure to appearance-related content; or 3) to a measure of frequency use. The scope of social networking sites considered in the present review was extended to online video-sharing platforms and online dating applications due to their relationship with appearance. Body image as considered through MeSH terms referred to a wide range of possible outcomes including body and facial dissatisfaction, dysmorphophobia, body surveillance, self-objectification, body shame, weight concerns, self-monitoring. Any mental health outcome was extracted when available although its absence was not an exclusion criterion..ResultsAmong the 30 studies included in the review, 22 were cross-sectional, seven were longitudinal and one had an experimental design. Overall, among studies based on unique samples, 18 studies included both males and females (n = 28,081; M_age 14.84; SD_age = 1.06), seven were based exclusively on female samples (n = 2,507; M_age 14.87; SD_age = 1.19), while one study recruited only male adolescents (n = 743; M_age 15.90; SD_age = 0.54). Only six studies were based on representative samples. These studies reported a robust association between frequency of social networking site use and negative body image among both females and males. In addition, exposure to appearance-related content was also deleterious to body image. The association between the use of social media and negative body image may involve negative mental health outcomes, such as depressive symptoms, low body esteem and problematic use of social media. Measuring specific activities on social network sites or exposure to appearance-related content (e.g. selfies editing; selfies posting) may be more accurate than using a frequency of overall use (e.g. during the past month) when predicting body image. Studies addressing underlying processes supported that the relationship between use of social media and body image may not be direct but rather involve intermediary steps on both cognitive and social levels, namely internalization of the thin ideal, self-objectification, peer appearance-related feedback, ascendant social comparison with peers and celebrities. Also, it remains unclear whether mental health mediates this relationship.ConclusionsThe association between the use of social networking sites and negative body image is robustly supported in the literature. However, studies measuring frequency of overall use may instead be predicting negative body image with a nested measure of the use of social network sites, namely specific activities involving appearance-related content. Due to the observed discrepancies between self-reported frequency of social networking site use and actual use in methodological literature, future research may rather measure behaviors commonly encountered on a given platform. Furthermore, there is a need to distinguish specific site categories such as highly visual social media when focusing on body image outcomes. . Focusing on specific social media platforms may in turn lead to more targeted prevention regarding a safe utilization of social networking sites among adolescents. Despite the growing body of research concerning the association between social media and body image, the current review underlines that additional longitudinal and experimental studies are needed to investigate potential bidirectional effects, as well as studies based on representative samples to improve generalization to adolescent populations.     

Socialization of emotion regulation strategies through friends

This study examines the effects of best friends' emotion regulation strategies (regarding the emotions anger, fear, and sadness) on the development of adolescents' emotion regulation strategies and subsequent depressive symptoms. Based on a two-wave longitudinal sample of 238 German adolescents, true change analyses showed positive effects of best friends' adaptive strategies (T1) on the change of adolescents' adaptive strategies (T2 − T1) for anger and fear. Best friends' adaptive strategies (T1) indirectly influence the development of maladaptive strategies (T2 − T1) through the change of adaptive strategies (T2 − T1) and, in turn, the development of depressive symptoms (T2 − T1; two-step mediation). Best friends' adaptive strategies for sadness did not have an effect on adolescents' adaptive strategies. In contrast to adaptive strategies, none of the friends' maladaptive strategies affected adolescents' maladaptive strategies. The results are discussed in terms of peer influences on the development of emotion regulation strategies and psychosocial adjustment.     

Development of a chatbot for depression: adolescent perceptions and recommendations

Background

Chatbots are a relatively new technology that has shown promising outcomes for mental health symptoms in adults; however, few studies have been done with adolescents or reported adolescent user experiences and recommendations for chatbot development.

Methods

Twenty three participants ages 13–18 (M_age = 14.96) engaged in user testing of a chatbot developed to psychoeducate adolescents on depression, teach behavioral activation, and change negative thoughts. Thematic analysis was conducted of participants' responses to user experience questions, impressions, and recommendations.

Results

Over half (56.5%) of the sample completed the full intervention and provided user experience feedback online. The average NPS score was 6.04 (SD = 2.18), and 64.3% (n = 9) said they would use the chatbot in the future. Of all user experience responses, 54.5% were positive. The most common impressions were related to symptom improvement (61.1%) and availability (52.8%) The most frequent recommendations were related to solving technical problems (66%).

Conclusions

Chatbots for mental health are acceptable to some adolescents, a population that tends to be reluctant to engage with traditional mental health services. Most participants reported positive experiences with the chatbot, believing that it could help with symptom improvement and is highly available. Adolescents highlighted some technical and stylistic problems that developers should consider. More pilot and user testing is needed to develop mental health chatbots that are appealing and relevant to adolescents.     

Daily family assistance and inflammation among adolescents from Latin American and European backgrounds

To assess the biological impact of time spent helping the family during the teenage years, we examined circulating levels of interleukin-6 (IL-6), soluble interleukin-6 receptor (sIL-6r), and C-reactive protein (CRP) in 64 adolescents (M_age = 17.79 years) from Latin American and European backgrounds. Analyses of nightly diary checklists over 14 days showed that the amount of time spent helping the family in a variety of ways, such as cooking, cleaning, and sibling care, was associated with long-term elevations of sIL-6r and CRP, even after controlling for ethnicity, parental education, BMI, substance use, distress, and frequency of daily family assistance 2 years earlier. However, adolescents who derived a greater sense of role fulfillment from helping the family on a daily basis had lower levels of sIL-6r and CRP as compared to their peers who engaged in the same amount of family assistance. Additional work should explore the family context that drives high levels of assistance among adolescents, as well as the variety of ways adolescents may derive meaning from this activity.     

The management and expression of pride: Age and gender effects across adolescence

Understanding of the role that positive emotions play in adolescent social development requires studying the normative development of these emotions. This research examined pride expression and management across adolescence, focusing on gender and developmental differences. Participants were 206 Caucasian youth (52.9% girls) in grades 5 (M_age = 11.10 years), 8 (M_age = 14.45), 11 (M_age = 17.26), and university (M_age = 19.61). Youth responded to two vignettes assessing reactions to pride-eliciting situations. Compared to boys, girls reported more intense pride experience and a higher likelihood of expressing pride. Increases across adolescence were found for self-efficacy in suppressing pride expression, and for expressing modesty in pride-eliciting situations. Older adolescents were less likely than younger adolescents to expect to receive a negative peer reaction when inhibiting pride. These results indicate the importance of gender-specific examinations of pride across adolescent development with implications for adaptive psychosocial functioning and positive psychology.     

Associations among sleep problems, learning difficulties and substance use in adolescence

This study investigated the relationships among sleep problems, learning difficulties and substance use in adolescence. Previous research suggests that these variables share an association with executive functioning deficits, and are intertwined. The sample comprised 427 adolescents (M age = 16 years) attending remedial schools and 276 adolescents (M age = 15 years) attending a mainstream school in Cape Town, South Africa. Participants completed anonymous self-report questionnaires. Results indicated that adolescents without learning difficulties were more likely to use tobacco, methamphetamine and cannabis, whereas those with learning difficulties engaged in more inhalant use. Adolescents who had more sleep problems were more likely to use tobacco, alcohol, methamphetamine, cannabis, inhalants, cocaine, ecstasy and any other illegal drug. Adolescents with learning difficulties had more sleep problems than those without learning difficulties. However, sleep problems remained independently associated with tobacco, cannabis and inhalant use when learning difficulties were taken into account.     

The link between emotion regulation,social functioning,and depression in boys with ASD

PurposeSymptoms of depression are common in children and adolescents with an autism spectrum disorder (ASD), but information about underlying developmental factors is limited. Depression is often linked to aspects of emotional functioning such as coping strategies, but in children with ASD difficulties with social interactions are also a likely contributor to depressive symptoms.MethodologyWe examined several aspects of emotional coping (approach, avoidant, maladaptive) and social functioning (victimization, negative friendship interactions) and their relation to depression symptoms in children with ASD (N = 63) and typically developing (TD) peers (N = 57). Children completed a battery of self-report questionnaires.ResultsLess approach and avoidant, but more maladaptive coping strategies, and poor social functioning were uniquely associated with more symptoms of depression in children with ASD. Only less approach and more maladaptive coping were uniquely associated with depression severity in TD boys.ConclusionsUnlike TD boys, boys with ASD who report using avoidant strategies to deal with stressful situations report fewer symptoms of depression, suggesting that this may be an adaptive emotion regulation strategy. However, understanding the role of over-arousal in this process, inferences about long-term effects of this strategy, its causality and direction of effects will require additional research.     

Physical activity and self-determined motivation of adolescents with and without autism spectrum disorders in inclusive physical education

The main purpose of this study was to compare the objectively measured physical activity (PA) and the motivation process between adolescents with (n = 25) and without (n = 75) autism spectrum disorders (ASD) in inclusive physical education (PE); and assess the associations of the PA levels to a sequence of motivational processes. Independent t-tests revealed significant PA and motivational process differences between adolescents with and without ASD. External regulation was positively correlated with the percentage of time that adolescents with ASD spent in moderate PA (r₂₅ = 0.58, p < .01) and moderate-to-vigorous PA (r₂₅ = 0.50, p < .05), and this extrinsic motive was associated with their needs of being attached or related in the class (r₂₅ = 0.53, p < .01). No significant associations of PA in PE on the motivational sequences of adolescents without ASD were observed. It is concluded that adolescents with ASD had less PA levels in PE and lower motives toward PE than adolescents without ASD, and external regulation was important in facilitating PA participation in adolescents with ASD.     

Interpretation bias modification for youth and their parents: A novel treatment for early adolescent social anxiety

Social anxiety is the most prevalent anxiety disorder of late adolescence, yet current treatments reach only a minority of youth with the disorder. Effective and easy-to-disseminate treatments are needed. This study pilot tested the efficacy of a novel, online cognitive bias modification for interpretation (CBM-I) intervention for socially anxious youth and their parents. The CBM-I intervention targeted cognitive biases associated with early adolescents’ maladaptive beliefs regarding social situations, and with parents’ intrusive behavior, both of which have been theoretically linked with the maintenance of social anxiety in youth. To investigate the efficacy of intervening with parents and/or children, clinically diagnosed early adolescents (ages 10–15; N = 18) and their mothers were randomly assigned to one of three conditions: the first targeted early adolescents’ cognitive biases related to social anxiety (Child-only condition); the second targeted parents’ biases associated with intrusive behavior (Parent-only condition); and the third targeted both youth and parents’ biases in tandem (Combo condition). The use of a multiple baseline design allowed for the efficient assessment of causal links between the intervention and reduction in social anxiety symptoms in youth. Results provided converging evidence indicating modest support for the efficacy of CBM-I, with no reliable differences across conditions. Taken together, results suggest that online CBM-I with anxious youth and/or their parents holds promise as an effective and easily administered component of treatment for child social anxiety that deserves further evaluation in a larger trial.     

The role of best friends in educational identity formation in adolescence

This 4-year longitudinal study examined over-time associations between adolescents' educational identity, perceived best friends' balanced relatedness, and best friends' educational identity. Adolescents (N = 464, M_age = 14.0 years at baseline, 56.0% males, living in the Netherlands) and their self-nominated best friends reported on their educational commitment, in-depth exploration, and reconsideration. Target adolescents also reported on the level of balanced relatedness provided by their best friend. Cross-lagged panel models showed that balanced relatedness significantly predicted adolescents' reconsideration, and was predicted by in-depth exploration and, in an inconsistent pattern, by commitment. Best friends' educational identity did not positively predict adolescents' educational identity. Perceiving a best friend as high on balanced relatedness seems to reduce adolescents' problematic educational reconsideration, while, in turn, adaptive educational identity processes might foster balanced relatedness.     

Young people's online communication and its association with mental well-being: results from the 2019 student health and well-being survey

Background

Online communication has become an integral aspect of daily life for young people internationally. Very little research has examined whether the association between social media use and well-being depends on who young people engage with (i.e. real, or virtual friendships).

Methods

Data were drawn from a subsample of students (N = 38,736) who took part in the School Health Research Network (SHRN) 2019 Student Health and Well-being (SHW) survey. A series of multivariable regression models were used to assess the association between who adolescents were communicating with online and well-being, controlling for confounders: passive social media use; friendship quality; and cyberbullying. We also tested whether these associations were modified based on gender.

Results

Students are highly engaged on social networking sites, and these sites are used to communicate with existing friendship groups and develop virtual friendships. Frequent online communication with best friends (b = .340, p < .001) and bigger friendship groups (b = .397; p < .001) was associated with higher levels of well-being. However, the frequency of online contact with virtual friends made online was negatively and significantly associated with well-being (b = −.760; p < .001), with a larger negative association for girls than boys.

Conclusions

Online communication with virtual friendship networks were associated with lower mental well-being, with stronger associations for girls than boys; however, frequent online communication with ‘real’ friends was associated with better well-being. Our results indicate the importance of considering the nature of adolescent online communication, rather than just its quantity, in developing interventions to improve adolescent well-being.     

Brief report: The Utrecht-Management of Identity Commitments Scale (U-MICS): Gender and age measurement invariance and convergent validity of the Turkish version

The purpose of this study was to evaluate the factor structure and convergent validity of the Turkish version of the Utrecht-Management of Identity Commitments Scale (U-MICS). Participants were 1201 (59.6% females) youth aged between 12 and 24 years (M_age = 17.53 years, SD_age = 3.25). Results indicated that the three-factor model consisting of commitment, in-depth exploration, and reconsideration of commitment provided a very good fit to the data and applied equally well to boys and girls as well as to three age groups (early adolescents, middle adolescents, and emerging adults). Significant relations between identity processes and self-concept clarity, personality, internalizing and externalizing problem behaviors, and parental relationships supported convergent validity. Thus, the Turkish version of U-MICS is a reliable tool for assessing identity in Turkish-speaking respondents.     

Objective assessment of sedentary time and physical activity throughout the week in adolescents with Down syndrome. The UP&DOWN study

This study aimed to examine the patterns of sedentary time and physical activity (PA) throughout the week in adolescents with Down syndrome (DS). The study comprised 109 adolescents with DS (68 males and 41 females) aged 11–20 years, participating in the UP&DOWN study, but only a total of 100 adolescents provided valid data. Sedentary time and total, light, moderate, vigorous, and moderate-to-vigorous PA (MVPA) were measured by accelerometers. There were no significant differences in the time spent in sedentary time and PA levels between weekdays vs. weekend days, as well as between school time vs. after school-time periods (all p > 0.05). Adolescent males engaged in more total PA, moderate PA, vigorous PA and MVPA than females on weekend days (all p < 0.05). Differences between age groups showed that sedentary time increases and PA decreases with advancing age in all analyses, so that the oldest groups were more sedentary and less active (all p < 0.05). Only 43% of adolescents with DS met the PA recommendations of ≥60 min/day of MVPA. Our findings show valuable information to be considered in future interventions aiming to decrease sedentary time and increase PA levels in adolescents with DS.     

The Relationship Between Problematic Internet Entertainment Use and Problem Solving Skills Among University Students

The current study aimed to investigate the relationship between Internet addiction and problem solving skills of university students. The study also examined the psychometric properties of the Turkish version of Problematic Internet Entertainment Use Scale for Adolescents, which centers on major Internet entertainments such as online video games and social networking sites, specifically with regard to normative, reliability, and validity information. Problem Solving Inventory was utilized in order to measure the problem solving skills of students. Both instruments were administered to 371 students aged 17 to 36 years from different departments in Marmara University and Istanbul Technical University (Istanbul, Turkey). This study showed that the Turkish version of the Problematic Internet Entertainment Use Scale for Adolescents was a reliable and valid instrument for measurement of maladaptive patterns in the use of online entertainments such as OVG and SNS. The results revealed that there is a close relationship between problematic internet entertainment use and Avoidant (r?=?443; p?r?=?.402; p?相似文献