Adolescent Reports Research Articles

A Qualitative Assessment of Adolescent Symptom Report and Caregiver Concordance Following Outpatient Surgery

Objectives: Limited data exist regarding recovery from surgery from the adolescent’s perspective, or data regarding concordance between adolescent and caregiver symptom report preventing appreciation of adolescent needs and hindering the provision of appropriate care. Methods: We conducted semi-structured interviews with adolescents ages 12-17 and a parent caregiver two weeks following a variety of outpatient elective surgeries about recovery symptoms. We used latent manifest content analysis to analyze interview data. Caregiver-adolescent response concordance was assessed using Cohen’s Kappa (κ). Results: Interviews were conducted with 31 adolescent-caregiver pairs (median age: 15y). Fifty-eight percent of adolescents and 84% of caregivers were female; 71% of adolescents were white. Twenty-three percent of children reported severe pain, some of which was not expected given the surgery. Severe pain was associated with nausea (71%, P= 0.002), pain-related sleep disturbance (86%, P= 0.007), and severe anxiety (43%, P= 0.008). Fatigue was also common (58%), but not associated with severe pain (P = 0.484) or sleep disturbance (P = 0.577). Thirty-nine percent reported anxiety; 32% experienced anger/frustration. Caregiver-adolescent concordance was only substantial for severe pain (κ = 0.71) and anger/frustration (κ= 0.67). Caregiver report also often included psychological symptoms not reported by their children, with qualitative evidence supporting caregiver accuracy. Discussion: Adolescents may experience significant physical symptoms such as pain and fatigue, even after minor surgeries. Fatigue symptoms may be unrelated to pain or sleep. Caregiver report of adolescent psychological symptoms may be necessary to gain a complete understanding of those symptoms in this population.

Longitudinal effects of father‐adolescent attachment on anxiety: A multi‐informant study

AbstractResearch has demonstrated that many elements of the family context can play a significant role in the development of anxiety in adolescents. Some work suggests that parent‐adolescent attachment may serve as an antecedent of adolescent anxiety problems, but there remains a gap in research that examines both the mother‐adolescent and father‐adolescent attachment relationship and its impact on adolescent anxiety. Evidence suggests that parent‐child attachment security may provide a context for the development of emotion regulation skills; if an adolescent lacks these important regulatory capabilities in a time of stressful transitions, this may be related to increased feelings of anxiety. However, little is known about the particular effects of father‐adolescent attachment on anxiety, especially in early to mid‐adolescence. The present study addresses parental influences on the development of adolescent anxiety in a sample of 295 mothers, fathers, and adolescents studied across three years. Two dyadic growth‐curve models were specified: one for mother‐adolescent dyads and the other for father‐adolescent dyads. Results indicated that linear increases in adolescent reports of secure attachment with their fathers were predictive of linear decreases in adolescent reports of anxiety. Interestingly, there were no significant effects for the mother‐adolescent model. The results call attention to the developmental significance of attachment to fathers in buffering adolescents from emerging anxiety in this developmental period. The present study contributes to a growing body of research that highlights the importance of the father‐child relationship in adolescence.

Early Childhood Routines and Adolescent Health & Well-Being: Associations From a US Urban Cohort of Children With Socioeconomic Disadvantage.

To investigate longitudinal associations between the presence of early childhood routines- predictable and repeatable functional practices that promote healthy growth, development, and relationships - and adolescent health outcomes. Secondary data analysis. 20 large U.S. cities. 2943 children with socioeconomic disadvantage from the Future of Families cohort. Routines at age 3 (shared family meals, bedtime routine, daily reading); outcomes later in the same children at age 15 (healthy routines, overall health, psychological well-being). Descriptive statistics, regression analyses. We detected longitudinal associations between early childhood routines and later adolescent routines (increased count of shared family meals by parent report [IRR 1.13, 95% CI: 1.03, 1.24, P = 0.007], bedtime routine and daily reading by adolescent report [aOR 1.34, 95% CI: 1.08, 1.67, P = 0.008; aOR 1.18, 95% CI: 1.01, 1.38, P = 0.04; respectively]). A bedtime routine in early childhood was associated with excellent health in adolescence (aOR 1.42, 95% CI: 1.12, 1.79, P = 0.004]. Adolescent routines were concurrently associated with overall health and psychological well-being. We also detected two longitudinal patterns of associations suggesting multiple mechanisms for how early childhood routines influence later health and well-being. Early childhood routines predict adolescent routines, and may contribute to long term adolescent health outcomes. Future studies may promote childhood routines during critical developmental stages as a strength-based strategy to promote long-term health and well-being.

Capgras Syndrome Accompanying Schizophrenia: An Adolescent Case Report

In Capgras syndrome, the patient believes that the original person or objects have been replaced by identical ones (fakes). The syndrome rarely occurs in its pure form. It often accompanies psychotic illness and organic pathology. Capgras syndrome can occur in all age groups and is more common in women. In this article, the case of a 16-year-old female patient who applied to the hospital with complaints of aggression, harming her environment and wanting to have a DNA test will be presented. During her first admission examination, she was found to have Capgras delusions, and she was hospitalized and monitored in a psychiatric clinic. The patient, who was followed up with a diagnosis of early-onset psychotic disorder, was determined to be a case of CS accompanying Schizophrenia. Early-onset Schizophrenia is already a rare condition, and the onset of CS at this age is uncommon. Our case is valuable as it shows that CS, a rare condition, can also be seen in adolescence.

8768 Initiation of Exogenous Sex Hormones in a Pediatric Gender Clinic

Abstract Disclosure: C.M. Roberts: None. M.M. Knoll: None. G. Robertson: None. A. Egan: None. C. Moser: None. Introduction: The demographics of patients seeking care for gender dysphoria have changed significantly since care was started in 1987. The criteria for prescribing sex hormones have also evolved to allow a greater range of patients to receive gender-affirming hormones. We examined factors associated with prescription of gender-affirming hormones to patients presenting for gender-affirming care our clinic. Methods: Secondary analysis of sex hormone initiation as a minor among 14-17-year-old adolescents diagnosed with gender dysphoria, seen in the pediatric gender clinic between 2/19/2018 and 7/20/2022. We extracted demographic variables, appointment dates, and sex hormone prescription data from our electronic medical record. We collected patient reports of gender identity and suicidal behavior, and parent and adolescent reports of general adolescent well-being, months of gender dysphoria and social transition, and parental support for the adolescent’s gender identity from electronic clinic surveys. Results: We identified 273 adolescent-parent dyads with complete data. Most of our sample were assigned female at birth (74.4%), transgender male (59.3%), and white (83.5%) adolescents who lived in urban (86.4%) and lower-middle-income (64.5%) areas. The average age was 15.9+/-1.1 years. A minority of adolescents reported recent suicidal ideation 60/273 (22%), and prior suicide attempts 20/273 (7%). Parents reported a shorter duration of gender dysphoria (-16.7 months (95%CI: -22.0, -11.5)) and social transition (-4.7: -6.5, -3.0), and higher levels of parental support than adolescents. Approximately half, 146/273 (53.5%), of adolescents started sex hormones. The average age at initiation was 16.5 years +/- 0.9. Age at presentation, length of gender dysphoria or social transition, and the presence of suicidal ideation or attempts were not associated with initiation of sex hormones. Assigned males (OR:1.82:95%CI 1.04, 3.19), adolescents with higher parent-reported parental support for the adolescent’s identity (1.03:1.01, 1.04), and adolescents with private insurance rather than Medicaid (Blue Cross- 5.39:2.73, 10.64) were more likely to start sex hormones as a minor. Conclusion: Published criteria for the initiation of sex hormones among adolescents with gender dysphoria, including age, persistence of dysphoria, and the presence of suicidality, did not predict the prescription of sex hormones to minors in our clinic. Parent-reported support for the adolescent’s gender identity played a small role in predicting the prescription of hormones, but male sex assigned at birth and having private health insurance played larger roles. Further exploration of these findings is needed to ensure equity in the treatment of gender dysphoria. Presentation: 6/3/2024

Links between parental monitoring and parent-adolescent conflict: A multimodal test of bidirectional relations.

During adolescence, youth increase in both independence and conflict with parents. Parents vary in how much they know about their adolescents' whereabouts and activities and how they acquire this information (i.e., the sources of what parents know). We probed how parental knowledge of adolescents' whereabouts and activities-and their information sources-relates to (a) domains of parent-adolescent conflict (fighting about, or having different beliefs about, daily life topics) and (b) parent and adolescent attachment-related behavior during a conflict discussion task. Using the Actor-Partner Interdependence Model, we tested links between parental knowledge and its sources and conflict processes. Eighty-seven adolescents (Mage = 15.18; 55% female) and parents completed surveys about parental knowledge and its sources (i.e., parental solicitation of adolescents' activities, adolescent disclosure to parents about their activities) and separate interviews on conflict domains. A subset of parent-adolescent dyads (n = 65) interacted for 5 min about an adolescent-identified conflict topic. Different beliefs about daily life topics related to parental knowledge: parents' reports of greater different beliefs about daily life topics predicted less knowledge of adolescents' activities/whereabouts, solicitation, and disclosure, for both parent and adolescent reports of these domains. For adolescents, greater different beliefs related to less solicitation and disclosure. Only adolescent reports of parental knowledge, solicitation, and disclosure predicted attachment-related behaviors both dyad members displayed during the conflict discussion task. Findings reveal links between parental knowledge of adolescents' activities and conflict processes and demonstrate dyadic interdependence between parental knowledge of adolescents' activities and conflict processes. (PsycInfo Database Record (c) 2024 APA, all rights reserved).

Relations between adolescent perceptions of household chaos and externalizing and internalizing behaviors in low- and middle-income families.

A large body of literature has established that chaos in the home environment, characterized by high levels of disorganization, lack of household routine, crowding, noise, and unpredictability, undermines social-emotional and behavioral development in early childhood. It is less clear whether household chaos is linked to elevated risk for behavior problems in adolescence. The aims of this study were 3fold: (1) characterize the variability of adolescent and caregiver reports of household chaos over time; (2) examine associations among caregiver and adolescent reports of chaos over a 9-month period; (3) consider how between- and within- individual variability in household chaos predicts adolescent externalizing and internalizing problems. This study drew data from the Family Income Dynamics study, a 9-month longitudinal study. Participants included 104 adolescents between 14 and 16 years old (55% female; M age = 14.85) and their caregiver (92% female) from low- and middle-income families. Results showed that adolescent-reports of household chaos were more variable over time compared to caregivers' reports. Adolescent-reports of household chaos had positive within- and between-level associations with externalizing problems and between-level associations with internalizing, while caregiver-reports of chaos had no links to behavior. This work highlights the importance of adolescents' own perceptions of household chaos when considering its links to adolescent development.

Depression and anxiety in transgender and non-binary adolescents: prevalence and associations between adolescent and caregiver reports.

Though adolescent and caregiver reports were low to moderately correlated, youth reports were consistently higher, suggesting the importance of interventions to increase caregiver understanding of TNB adolescent mental health. • Transgender/non-binary adolescents are at high risk for mental health concerns and caregivers are essential to coordinate care. • This study expands the diagnostic mental health sub-categories examined in transgender/non-binary adolescents, noting elevated symptoms of separation and social anxiety. • Transgender/non-binary adolescents reported more symptoms of depression, generalized anxiety, separation anxiety, and social anxiety than caregivers.

Assessing Psychological Remission in Adolescent Anorexia Nervosa: A Comparison of Patient and Parent Report.

The definition and assessment of remission in anorexia nervosa (AN) needs greater consensus. Particularly in adolescents, the use of patient-reported composite indices (such as the Eating Disorder Examination [EDE] Global Score) as the sole measure of psychological remission has the potential to obscure patients' true clinical status, given developmental factors and the propensity towards symptom minimization in AN. End of treatment (EOT) data from a randomized controlled trial comparing two formats of manualized family-based treatment for adolescents with AN (N = 106) were analyzed. Participants completed the EDE, and their parents completed a parent-as-informant version of the EDE (Parent Eating Disorder Examination; PEDE). Rates of remission were compared across indices (i.e., EDE Global Score vs. diagnostic item analysis) and informant (i.e., adolescent vs. parent), both independently and in combination with the achievement of a percent median body mass index (% mBMI) greater than or equal to 95%. For both adolescent and parent reports, there were higher rates of remission when defined by Global Score than when defined by EDE or PEDE diagnostic items. There were no significant differences in remission rates based on informant. In the assessment of remission in AN, the EDE Global Score may not detect some adolescents who continue to exhibit clinically significant psychological symptoms. This study supports a detailed, multidimensional approach to assessing remission in adolescent AN to optimize sensitivity to patients' diagnostic profile. Future research should explore whether parent-child concordance on measures of ED psychopathology varies over the course of treatment.

Adoptive parents' racial colorblindness and adopted Korean adolescents' experiences of discrimination.

Using longitudinal data, this study investigated the association between parent racial colorblindness and discrimination toward children (reported by both parents and adolescents) in transracial, transnational adoptive families. Eighty White adoptive parents with adopted Korean children (ages 5-12 years old) were surveyed in 2007 (Time 1 [T1]), and both parents and adolescents (ages 13-19 years old) were surveyed in 2014 (Time 2 [T2]). Parents completed a self-report measure of parent racial colorblindness toward their child at T1 and T2, and parents and adolescents completed a measure of discrimination experienced by adoptees at T2. Parent reports of racial colorblindness toward their child were not significantly different between T1 and T2. However, parent reports of discrimination increased between time points. Further, parent and adolescent reports of discrimination were not significantly different from one another. Using hierarchical regression models, racial colorblindness among parents at T1 (when children were in middle childhood) was significantly associated with parent reports of discrimination experienced by adolescent children at T2, even when controlling for T2 racial colorblindness. This association did not hold for adolescent reports of discrimination. Adoptive parents' acknowledgment of their children's race and ethnicity appears relatively stable from childhood into adolescence, and parent racial colorblindness toward their own child can affect their ability to recognize discrimination during adolescent development, a vital period when discrimination becomes more common and salient. (PsycInfo Database Record (c) 2024 APA, all rights reserved).

Highly Involved Parenting of Adolescents With ADHD: Examination of the Psychometric Properties of a Measure of “Helicopter Parenting”

Objective: The concept of the “helicopter parent” was popularized in the 2000s and 2010s by Western culture, and it has recently begun to be examined by researchers to describe parental over-involvement and intrusive behavior that impedes transition into adulthood. Research has yet to investigate the viability of this construct for adolescents when parenting is needed to facilitate the development of autonomy. The present study examined the psychometric structure of a modified “helicopter parenting” measure adapted for use in a sample with increased likelihood of highly involved parenting: adolescents with ADHD. Methods: Adolescents (n = 333; age 13–18 years; 25% female) and their parents (n = 341, 91% female) completed a survey for a study on provider training in stimulant diversion prevention in 2016 and 2017. We modified a previously validated measure of “helicopter parenting” for young adults. Other previously established parenting measures were included. We conducted principal component analysis for both informants’ reports of the modified measure. We examined associations between the components and informants’ demographic characteristics and parenting measures to begin to examine convergent and discriminant validity. Results: Two components were identified for adolescent and parent reports and labeled parental Intervention and Day-to-day Monitoring and Planning. These components were differentially associated with demographic characteristics and other measures of parenting. For example, across reporters, parents exhibited less Day-to-Day Monitoring and Planning for older adolescents. Racially/ethnically minoritized parents and male adolescents reported more Intervention parenting. Modest-sized statistically significant associations were found between these indicators of highly involved parenting and the other measures of parenting. Conclusion: Findings provide initial evidence of construct validity. Future work with more heterogeneous samples should examine if this measure captures adaptive parenting, or behaviors that interfere with developing independence, for adolescents with ADHD and neurotypically developing adolescents.

Validation of Arabic versions of the child psychosocial distress screener and pediatric symptom checklist for young adolescents living in vulnerable communities in Lebanon

BackgroundIn humanitarian settings, brief screening instruments for child psychological distress have potential to assist in assessing prevalence, monitoring outcomes, and identifying children and adolescents in most need of scarce resources, given few mental health professionals for diagnostic services. Yet, there are few validated screening tools available, particularly in Arabic.MethodsWe translated and adapted the Child Psychosocial Distress Screener (CPDS) and the Pediatric Symptom Checklist (PSC) and conducted a validation study with 85 adolescents (aged 10–15) in Lebanon. We assessed internal consistency; test-retest reliability; convergent validity between adolescent- and caregiver-report and between the two measures; ability to distinguish between clinical and non-clinical samples; and concurrent validity against psychiatrist interview using the Kiddie Schedule for Affective Disorders and Schizophrenia.ResultsThe translated and adapted child-reported PSC-17 and PSC-35, and caregiver-reported PSC-35 all showed adequate internal consistency and test-retest reliability and high concurrent validity with psychiatrist interview and were able to distinguish between clinical and non-clinical samples. However, the caregiver-reported PSC-17 did not demonstrate adequate performance in this setting. Child-reported versions of the PSC outperformed caregiver-reported versions and the 35-item PSC scales showed stronger performance than 17-item scales. The CPDS showed adequate convergent validity with the PSC, ability to distinguish between clinical and non-clinical samples, and concurrent validity with psychiatrist interview. Internal consistency was low for the CPDS, likely due to the nature of the brief risk-screening tool. There were discrepancies between caregiver and child-reports, worthy of future investigation. For indication of any diagnosis requiring treatment, we recommend cut-offs of 5 for CPDS, 12 for child-reported PSC-17, 21 for child-reported PSC-35, and 26 for caregiver-reported PSC-35.ConclusionsThe Arabic PSC and CPDS are reliable and valid instruments for use as primary screening tools in Lebanon. Further research is needed to understand discrepancies between adolescent and caregiver reports, and optimal methods of using multiple informants.

A closer look into the affect dynamics of adolescents with depression and the interactions with their parents: An ecological momentary assessment study.

Adolescents with depression tend to perceive behavior of parents as less positive than adolescents without depression, but conclusions are based on retrospective reports assessed once or over long time intervals, with the risk of memory biases affecting the recall. The current study used ecological momentary assessments to examine the link between adolescent affect and the amount of warmth and criticism expressed by both mothers and fathers in families with adolescents with depression versus adolescents without psychopathology in daily life. It also explored the possible bias by assessing parenting on the momentary, daily (EMA), and retrospective level. The sample consisted of 34 adolescents with depression and 58 parents and 80 healthy controls and 151 parents (adolescents: Mage = 15.8, SD = 1.41; 67.5% girls, parents: Mage = 49.3, SD = 5.73; 54.1% mothers). Participants completed retrospective questionnaires and four surveys a day for 14 consecutive days. Preregistered multilevel models showed that momentary parenting reports of adolescents with depression and healthy controls did not differ. The associations between perceived parenting of both mothers and fathers and adolescent affect did also not differ between the two groups. These results illustrate that adolescents generally benefit from supportive parenting, but substantial differences between individuals were found. In contrast to the momentary data, both adolescents with depression and their parents did report more negative parenting on retrospective questionnaires than healthy controls and their parents indicating that adolescents with depression may have a negativity bias in their retrospective recall. These findings are highly relevant for clinical practice and underscore the need for careful assessments on different time scales and including all family members.

Cross-informant ratings on emotional and behavioral problems in Nepali adolescents: A comparison of adolescents' self-reports with parents' and teachers' reports.

Studies on cross-informant agreement on adolescents' emotional and behavioral problems (EBPs) are sparse in low- and middle-income countries. This study aimed to assess parent-adolescent and teacher-adolescent agreement on EBPs and associated factors in Nepal. This cross-sectional survey included 1904 school-going adolescents aged 11-18, enrolled in government and private schools located in sixteen districts of Nepal. The Nepali versions of the Youth Self Report, Child Behavior Checklist, and Teacher's Report Form were administered to assess EBPs reported by adolescents, their parents, and teachers, respectively. Repeated measures analysis of variance (ANOVA) was done to assess mean differences in problem scores. Pearson's correlation was used to assess cross-informant agreement. Linear regression analysis was used to explore factors associated with cross-informant discrepancies in EBPs. Adolescents reported significantly more problems than their parents and teachers. Mean Total Problem scores for the 90 common items in the adolescents' self-reports, parent reports, and teacher reports were 34.5 (standard deviation [SD]: 21.4), 24.1 (SD = 19.2), and 20.2 (SD = 17.5) respectively. Parent-adolescent agreement on Total Problems was moderate, whereas teacher-adolescent agreement was low. The parent-adolescent agreement was moderate to low for the two broadband scales and all syndrome scales, whereas the teacher-adolescent agreement was low for all scales. Female gender and ethnic minority status impacted both parent-adolescent and teacher-adolescent discrepancies. Family stress/conflicts impacted parent-adolescent discrepancies, while academic performance impacted teacher-adolescent discrepancies. Nepali adolescents reported more EBPs than their parents and teachers. The agreement between adolescents' self-reports and reports by their parents and teachers was moderate to low. Gender, caste/ethnicity, family stress/conflicts, and academic performance were associated with cross-informant discrepancies. It is crucial to collect information from different sources, consider context-specific needs, and discern factors influencing cross-informant discrepancies to accurately assess adolescents' EBPs and develop personalized approaches to treatment planning.

Potensi Air Kelapa Hijau Dan Kompres Hangat Dalam Mengatasi Dismenore Primer Pada Remaja Putri: Studi Di PMB S Tahun 2023

Based on adolescent report from Pandeglang Regency Health Office, there are 1178 cases of menstrual disorders in adolescents. Based on adolescent program report at UPTD Puskesmas Cikeusik until November 2022, 43.5% of adolescents experience dysmenorrhea or menstrual disorders. The impact of dysmenorrhea causes discomfort, difficulty concentrating in learning and decreased motivation to learn because of the pain felt, can limit women to carry out daily activities so that the need for handling dysmenorrhea in adolescents. The aim is to determine the effectiveness of green coconut water on reducing primary dysmenorrhea pain in adolescent girls in 2023. The sample population in this study were 2 respondents, namely adolescents who experienced primary dysmenorrhea by comparing directly to the response of green coconut water and warm water compresses. The research time was carried out on February 6, 2024 to February 10, 2024 and February 9 to February 11, 2024. Methods Data collection methods by means of assessment, namely interviews to explore the data needed related to the research to be carried out on adolescent girls with primary dysmenorrhea. The results showed a reduction in the pain scale after being given green coconut water. Conclusion In the results of the study, significant results were obtained in reducing primary dysmenorrhea, namely drinking green coconut water 1-3 days of menstruation, because the results obtained reduced pain from scale 4 to scale 2. Suggestions It is expected to apply the green coconut water method and warm water compresses on reducing dysmenorrhea pain.

US Immigration Policy Stressors and Latinx Youth Mental Health

The youth mental health crisis is exacerbated for Latinx adolescents, a group whose families are targets of anti-immigrant rhetoric and policy. To investigate how immigration-related stressors are associated with disruptions in parent-child relationships and, in turn, the mental health symptoms of Latinx adolescents. Data for this prospective cohort study of adolescent-mother dyads were derived from surveys completed at 3 time points spanning 4 years (time 1 [T1] in 2018, time 2 [T2] in 2020, and time 3 [T3] in 2022). Mediation analyses estimated paths from immigration-related stressors to parent-child relationship qualities to mental health symptoms from early to late adolescence. Multivariable and multivariate linear models within a structural equation modeling framework regressed mediators and outcome variables on their own T1 values, offering a scientifically rigorous test of mediation. The setting was a school district in suburban Atlanta, Georgia, and included Latinx adolescents (ages 11-16 years) randomly selected from grade and gender strata. Data were analyzed from June 2023 to March 2024. The primary independent variables were T1 mother reports of anti-immigrant worry and behavioral modification and adolescent reports of family member detention or deportation. Mediating variables were the reports of parental support and parent-child conflict of T2 adolescents. T3 adolescent reports of past 6-month internalizing and externalizing symptoms. A total of 547 Latinx adolescents (mean [SD] age, 13.3 [1.0] years; 303 female [55.4%]; 244 male [44.6%]) were included in this study. Response rates were 65.2% (547 of 839) among contacted parents and 95.3% (547 of 574) among contacted adolescents with parental permission. Four-year retention rates were 67% (366 of 547 adolescents) and 65% (177 of 271 mothers). Structural model results showed that T1 anti-immigrant worry and behavioral modification was associated with T3 increases in externalizing symptoms indirectly through T1 to T2 increases in parent-child conflict (β = 0.03; SE = 0.02; 95% CI, 0-0.08). For girls, T1 family member deportation or detention was associated with T1 to T3 increases in internalizing and externalizing symptoms indirectly through T1 to T2 declines in parental support (internalizing: β = 0.04; SE = 0.02; 95% CI, 0-0.08; externalizing: β = 0.03; SE = 0.02; 95% CI, 0-0.07). Sensitivity analyses supported structural model findings. Results of this cohort study suggest that legislative bodies, the health care system, and educational institutions should implement safeguards to mitigate potential harm conferred by anti-immigrant environments for parent-child relationships and, in turn, Latinx adolescents' mental health.

How do Differences in Adolescent and Caregiver Reports of Adolescent Adverse Childhood Experiences Relate to Adolescent Depression?

ObjectiveThis study aims to compare adolescent and caregiver reports of adolescent ACEs and their relationship with current adolescent depression and to analyze the relationship between ACEs and depression. MethodsWe recruited 46 adolescent-caregiver dyads from a large inner city medical center's adolescent medicine clinic. Adolescents and caregivers completed the Center for Youth Wellness ACE questionnaire, encompassing traditional ACEs (e.g., abuse, neglect, household dysfunction) and non-traditional ACEs (e.g., foster care, parental death, exposure to community violence). Adolescents also completed the PHQ-9A depression screening tool. ResultsAmong adolescents, 14 (30%) reported no traditional ACEs, 11 (24%) reported one, and 21 (46%) reported more than one. Regarding non-traditional ACEs, 16 (35%) reported none, 11(24%) reported one, and 19 (41%) reported more than one. Caregiver reports consistently indicated lower ACEs compared to adolescent self-reports (p < .005). For the PHQ-9A scores, 26 (57%) of adolescents showed no or minimal depression, 14 (30%) mild, and six (13%) moderate depression. A moderate positive correlation emerged between PHQ-9A scores and self-reported traditional ACEs (rs=0.5, p<.001) and non-traditional ACEs (rs=0.49, p<.001). Additionally, a positive correlation was observed between the absolute differences in adolescent and caregiver reports of traditional ACEs and PHQ-9A scores (n=46, ρ=0.51, p<0.001). ConclusionAs the differences in ACE reports between adolescents and caregivers increased, there was a corresponding increase in adolescent depression scores. It is essential to incorporate comprehensive ACE screening and encourage open communication between adolescents and caregivers which may improve mental health outcomes.

Long-Term Follow-Up of the Program for the Education and Enrichment of Relational Skills (PEERS) with Adolescent Adoptees

The present study sought to demonstrate the long-term impacts of the Program for the Education and Enrichment of Relational Skills (PEERS; Laugeson et al., 2010) among adolescent adoptees struggling to navigate peer relationships. Forty-one adolescents and their parents from Helder et al.’s (2023) previous study completed follow-up questionnaires 2.5 − 3.5 years following their initial participation in the PEERS program. Results indicated maintenance of gains from post- intervention to follow-up in adolescent reported hosted get-togethers and parent reports of their childs’ social anxiety, social skills, and empathy. Also, while parent reports of their adolescents’ hosted or invited get-togethers did not initially increase immediately following the intervention, results from the present study indicated an increase over the follow-up period. In contrast, the gains that were observed from pre- to post-intervention in adolescent reports of social anxiety, depression, and self-concept were not maintained over the follow-up period. The PEERS program appears to have more robust and long-term impacts on explicit and specific targets of the intervention, namely social skills and social behaviors, and less impact on related factors, such as mood and self-esteem.

THE INFLUENCE OF PERPETRATOR IDENTITY ON ADOLESCENT SCHOOLGIRLS’ SEXUAL HARASSMENT COPING STRATEGIES IN MBULU TOWN COUNCIL, MANYARA REGION

The widespread reports of school adolescents being victimized by sexual harassment have raised concerns towards understanding how adolescents cope with such incidents. This study assessed the influence of perpetrator identity on the likelihood of schoolgirls employing certain sexual harassment coping strategies. A cross-sectional descriptive survey design was utilized in this study. The target population constituted of adolescent ordinary level secondary schoolgirls in Mbulu Town Council and the sample size was 400 girls. The sampling procedure was a two stages cluster sampling. The data were collected using a questionnaire and analyzed by binary logistic regression using the statistical package for social science software (SPSS). Perpetrator identities were found to influence coping strategies adopted by schoolgirls. Senior students revealed an association with normalization coping strategy while strangers were associated with engagement coping strategy. Classmates, teachers, senior students and strangers were associated with detachment coping strategy, whereas non-teaching staff was associated with help-seeking coping strategy. It is recommended that adolescents should be provided with sexuality education so as to mitigate the tendency of normalizing harassment in peer relationships. Also, further interventions should focus on emphasizing the usage of help seeking strategy rather than detachment. Moreover, boarding schools could be a potential solution for preventing encounters with strangers to and from school.

The different role of adversity before and after birth in adolescent depression

BackgroundEarly adversity is strongly linked to adolescent depression, but there is limited research on the impact of indirect exposure to adversity before birth and the distinct role of adversity before and after birth. MethodsA total of 1911 Chinese adolescents (48.8 % males; ages 11 to 19, Mean = 13.96) reported early adversities before and after birth, depression, negative self-cognition and perceived school climate. Structural equation model was used to test the association between early adversity before/after birth and adolescent depression, with negative self-cognition serving as a mediator and school climate as a moderator. ResultsAdversity before birth was related to adolescent depression through the full mediating role of negative self-cognition. Furthermore, it was more associated with negative self-cognition in schools with a more favorable climate. Adversity after birth was related to adolescent depression through the partial mediating role of negative self-cognition, and school climate played a nonsignificant moderating role in the mediating path. LimitationsEarly adversity was measured through adolescent reports, possibly generating recall bias. The cross-sectional design should be taken into consideration when drawing conclusions about causality. ConclusionsAdversities before and after birth are associated with adolescent depression in distinct ways. The more association between adversity before birth and negative self-cognition in a favorable school climate supports the “healthy context paradox.” Interventions that target depression should focus on promoting a positive school climate and helping adolescents who have experienced early adversity bolster positive self-cognition.