Circadian typology and implications for adolescent sleep health. Results from a large,cross-sectional,school-based study

Study objectivesTo investigate circadian typology in a large, representative sample of Norwegian adolescents, and its implications for sleep health.MethodsThe sample included 3920 1^st year high school students aged 16–17 years. Respondents completed a web-based survey, including the short version of the Horne-Ostberg Morningness-Eveningness Questionnaire (rMEQ), the Munich Chronotype Questionnaire (MCTQ) and items on sleep-related behaviors (eg electronic media usage in bed, consumption of caffeinated beverages), sleep beliefs and daytime sleepiness. Data were analyzed using one-way ANOVAs and Chi-squared tests.ResultsIn all, 7.8% were categorized as morning, 52.3% as intermediate and 39.9% as evening types, respectively. Evening types had later sleep timing, longer sleep latency, more social jetlag and shorter school day sleep duration than morning types, with intermediate types displaying a sleep pattern between these two extremes. None of the circadian types met the minimum recommended amount of sleep on school nights (ie 8+ hours), and only morning types had a mean sleep duration of 7+ hours (7:19 h, nearly 1 h more than evening types who slept 6:20 h, p < 0.001). Evening types reported more use of electronic media in bed, more consumption of caffeinated beverages and more daytime sleepiness than the other circadian types. They were also less satisfied with their school day sleep duration and perceived it more difficult to change their sleep pattern.ConclusionsResults from this study suggest that eveningness represents a sleep health challenge for older adolescents.     

Prospective examination of adolescent sleep patterns and behaviors before and during COVID-19

Study ObjectivesTo prospectively examine changes in adolescent sleep before and during the COVID-19 pandemic in adolescents with and without ADHD.MethodsParticipants were 122 adolescents (ages 15–17; 61% male; 48% with ADHD). Parents reported on adolescents’ sleep duration and difficulties initiating and maintaining sleep (DIMS); adolescents reported on sleep patterns, sleep duration, delayed sleep/wake behaviors, and daytime sleepiness before (September 2019 to February 2020) and during (May–June 2020) COVID-19. Adolescents also reported on their health behaviors, COVID-19-related negative affect, and difficulties concentrating due to COVID-19.ResultsParents reported adolescents had more DIMS during COVID-19 than before COVID-19, with clinically elevated rates increasing from 24% to 36%. Both bedtimes and waketimes shifted later during COVID-19, and adolescents reported more delayed sleep/wake behaviors. Adolescents also reported less daytime sleepiness and longer school night sleep duration during COVID-19. In considering differences between adolescents with and without ADHD, adolescents with ADHD did not experience an increase in school night sleep duration and were less likely to obtain recommended sleep duration during COVID-19. In the full sample, controlling for ADHD status, COVID-19-related sadness/loneliness was associated with increases in DIMS, and spending less time outside and more COVID-19-related worries/fears were associated with increases in delayed sleep/wake behaviors during COVID-19.ConclusionsCOVID-19 had negative and positive impacts on adolescent sleep. Adolescents with ADHD did not experience the benefit of increased school night sleep duration during COVID-19 like adolescents without ADHD. Negative affect and health behaviors may be useful intervention targets for reducing negative impacts of COVID-19 for adolescent sleep.     

Rapid review of virus risk communication interventions: Directions for COVID-19

ObjectiveIn response to COVID-19, we conducted a rapid review of risk communication interventions to mitigate risk from viruses to determine if such interventions are efficacious.MethodsWe searched for risk communication interventions in four databases: Medline, PsycInfo, the ProQuest Coronavirus Research Database, and CENTRAL. The search produced 1572 articles. Thirty-one articles were included in the final review.ResultsResults showed risk communication interventions can produce cognitive and behavior changes around viruses. Results were more consistently positive for interventions focused on HIV/AIDS as compared to influenza. There was no consistent best intervention approach when comparing peer health, audio/visual, and intensive multi-media interventions. Tailoring risk communication toward a target population, in comparison to not tailoring, was related to better outcomes.ConclusionThe results suggest that risk communication interventions can be efficacious at reducing risk from viruses. They also highlight the complexity of risk communication interventions. Additional research is needed to understand the mechanisms that lead risk communication to reduce risk from viruses.Practical valueResults support risk communication interventions to reduce risk from viruses.     

The good,the bad,and the contingency: How patients’ treatment verification behaviors are linked to doctors’ reactions

ObjectiveThis article introducesTreatment Verification Behavior (TVB) to conceptualize patient proactivity. The article also aims to examine doctors’ responses to patients’ TVBs.MethodsA doctor-patient paired, two-wave data set was collected from eight hospitals in North China. We collected data from 304 doctor-patient dyads with each doctor rating, on average, three inpatients.ResultsThe results show that when patients consulted their doctors about information regarding a diagnosis or treatment (i.e.,consulting TVB), it improved doctors’ perception of the patients’ ability, which further increased doctors’ work engagement. Alternatively, when patients challenged doctors about information regarding a diagnosis or treatment (i.e., challenging TVB), it induced doctors’ perception of threat but without significantly decreasing doctors’ work engagement. In addition, when doctors felt respected by patients, this feeling moderated the effects of patients’ TVBs on doctors’ reactions.ConclusionBoth the content (the “what”) and the manner (the “how”) of patients’ proactive communications with their doctors will influence doctors’ responses.Practice implicationsThese insights suggest that patient and doctor communication training should include components that address both the content and performance of communication.     

State and Trait Anxiety of Adolescents with Autism Spectrum Disorders

Objective This study examined how state and trait anxiety of adolescents with autism spectrum disorders (ASD) are associated with their demographic characteristics, repetitive and restricted behaviors (RRBs), and internalizing and externalizing problem behaviors. Methods A total of 96 participants with ASD (mean age=14.30 years; 91 males) completed a battery of tests including the State/Trait Anxiety Inventory (STAI), the Autism Diagnostic Interview-Revised, the Social Responsiveness Scale (SRS), and a cognitive test measuring intelligence quotient (IQ). Participants’ parents completed the Child Behavior Checklist (CBCL). Pearson’s correlations among age, IQ, two subscales of the STAI (i.e., STAIS and STAIT, measuring self-reported state and trait anxiety, respectively), and the Anxiety subscale of CBCL (i.e., CBCL-Anxiety, measuring parent-reported trait anxiety) were computed. Subsequently, Pearson’s correlations were computed among the three anxiety measures, RRBs, and problem behaviors, while controlling for participants’ age and IQ. Results The STAIS and CBCL-Anxiety were both significantly correlated with higher age, sensory sensitivity, depressive symptoms, somatic complaints, and aggressive behaviors. All three anxiety variables were significantly and positively correlated with total SRS RRB scores. Additionally, the STAIS and STAIT were significantly associated with more severe Compulsion/Adherence behaviors, and the CBCL-Anxiety was also significantly associated with more severe Rule-breaking Behaviors. Conclusion Self-reported state anxiety showed association patterns similar to those of parent-reported trait anxiety. Future studies investigating the precise operationalization of different anxiety instruments are needed to accurately measure the anxiety of adolescents with ASD.     

Negative workplace behavior and coping strategies among nurses: A cross‐sectional study

Negative workplace behavior affecting nurses is an internationally recognized problem. This study examines the types and extent of negative workplace behavior experienced by nurses in non‐metropolitan, regional acute care settings and their ways of coping when subject to that behavior. A cross‐sectional study was conducted involving 74 nurse participants in four regional hospitals in Australia. The structured questionnaire consisted of four parts: demographic questions, the Negative Acts Questionnaire – Revised, questions on exposure to bullying and/or incivility and policy awareness and use of pathways, and the Ways of Coping Questionnaire. Overall, 34% of participants were exposed to bullying and 49% to incivility over the previous month. The most common type of negative workplace behavior reported was “work‐related bullying,” which included exposure to excessive workloads, unrealistic deadlines, and information being withheld. Nurses reported the use of a variety of coping mechanisms, including problem‐focused coping strategies and seeking social support. The findings imply that negative workplace behaviors occur not only at individual nurses? level but also derive from the broader contexts of organizational management and systemic factors.     

Exposure and response prevention therapy with cognitive defusion exercises to reduce repetitive and restrictive behaviors displayed by children with autism spectrum disorder

Repetitive and restrictive behaviors are disruptive in children with autism spectrum disorder. Exposure is an evidence-based approach to these problems and is hypothesized to work in part by enabling rule testing that undermines rule control. The present study undermined rule control more directly through cognitive defusion exercises. Experiment 1 used a multiple baseline across participants design to assess the effects of a cognitive defusion exercise in the form of word repetition and exposure on problem behavior associated with repetitive and restrictive behaviors observed in children with autism spectrum disorder. All 3 participants demonstrated a decrease in the percentage of problem behavior following the implementation of treatment which remained at near zero during a 3-month follow-up. Experiment 2 used an alternating treatments design to compare a cognitive defusion exercise and exposure to a control exercise and exposure. All except 1 of the participants displayed larger and quicker decreases in problem behavior during the cognitive defusion exercise condition compared to the control exercise condition. The results suggest that cognitive defusion exercises can enhance the treatment effects of exposure to decrease problem behavior associated with repetitive and restrictive behaviors.     

急性胰腺炎出院患者健康行为能力调查与影响因素分析

目的：调查急性胰腺炎出院患者健康行为能力的现状,分析其影响因素。方法采用一般资料评估表、健康行为能力自评量表( SRAHP)、健康意识量表、抑郁自评量表( SDS)、社会支持评定量表( SSRS)对入住某三甲医院胆胰中心的193例首发急性胰腺炎出院患者进行调查。结果急性胰腺炎出院患者健康行为能力平均得分为(64.09±15.25)分。4个维度中,运动维度得分最高,其次是心理调适、营养和健康责任。70例(36.27%)患者健康行为能力处于良好水平,118例(61.14%)处于中等水平,5例(2.59%)处于较差水平。急性胰腺炎出院患者健康意识平均得分为(7.19±3.12)分,抑郁平均得分为(49.86±8.04)分。单因素分析显示,职业、文化程度、个人月收入、医疗费用承担情况、生活方式状况、社会支持、抑郁状况与健康意识是急性胰腺炎出院患者健康行为能力的影响因素(P<0.05)。多元逐步回归分析显示,患者的健康意识、生活方式状况、社会支持状况、医疗费用承担情况与健康行为能力呈正相关(β值分别为0.99,1.00,0.56,1.01;P<0.05);抑郁状况与健康行为能力呈负相关(β=-0.68,P<0.05)。结论急性急性胰腺炎出院患者的健康行为能力亟待提高,护理人员在制定干预措施时,要注重帮助患者建立和强化健康意识,改变其不良生活方式,提高社会支持水平,保持良好情绪,以更好地提高其健康行为能力。