Middle School Adolescents Research Articles

COVID-19 Distress Impacts Adolescents’ Depressive Symptoms, NSSI, and Suicide Risk in the Rural, Northeast US

ABSTRACT Objective Widespread concern exists about the impacts of COVID-19 and related public health safety measures (e.g., school closures) on adolescent mental health. Emerging research documents correlates and trajectories of adolescent distress, but further work is needed to identify additional vulnerability factors that explain increased psychopathology during the pandemic. The current study examined whether COVID-19-related loneliness and health anxiety (assessed in March 2020) predicted increased depressive symptoms, frequency of non-suicidal self-injury (NSSI), and suicide risk from pre-pandemic (late January/early February 2020) to June 2020. Method Participants were 362 middle and high school adolescents in rural Maine (M age = 15.01 years; 63.4% female; 76.4% White). Data were collected during a time in which state-level COVID-19 restrictions were high and case counts were relatively low. Self-reports assessed psychopathology symptoms, and ecological momentary assessment (EMA) was used to capture COVID-19-related distress during the initial days of school closures. Results Loneliness predicted higher depressive symptoms for all adolescents, higher NSSI frequency for adolescents with low pre-pandemic frequency (but less frequent NSSI for adolescents with high pre-pandemic frequency), and higher suicide risk for adolescents with higher pre-pandemic risk. Health anxiety predicted higher NSSI frequency for adolescents with high pre-pandemic frequency, and secondary analyses suggested that this pattern may depend on adolescents’ gender identity. Conclusions Results underscore the impact of COVID-19 on adolescent mental health, with benefits for some but largely negative impacts for most. Implications for caretakers, educators, and clinicians invested in adolescent mental health are discussed.

Association between screen time and cumulating school, behavior, and mental health difficulties in early adolescents: A population-based study

Early adolescents may daily spend excessive screen-time (with television viewing, computer/console gaming, discussion forums/chatting online, internet surfing, doing homework, and electronic mails) while its association with cumulating several school-behavior-mental-health difficulties (SBMDs) (poor-academic-performance, being obese, alcohol/tobacco/cannabis/other-illicit-drugs use, suffered violence, sexual abuse, perpetrated violence, poor social support, depressive symptoms, and suicide attempt) is poorly addressed. We investigated this association among 1559 middle-school adolescents from north-eastern France (mean age 13.5 ± 1.3). They completed a questionnaire including socioeconomic features, daily screen-time for various screen-based activities (coded 1=<2/2=2-4/3=≥5 h; daily-total-screen-time level DSAtotal was defined as their sum and categorized into 4 levels: 6-7/8-9/10-12/≥13), various SBMDs and the time of their onset during the life course (their cumulated number SBMDscore was categorized into 5 levels: 0/1/2/3-4/≥5). Logistic regression modeling showed that the DSAtotal was strongly associated with all SBMDs (gender-age-adjusted odds ratio reaching 8.28, p < 0.001) and SBMDscore (gender-age-adjusted relative risk reaching 11.60, p < 0.001, pseudo R2 = 0.039). These associations remained strongly significant when controlling for socioeconomic adversities (contributions 20–38%). The proportion of subjects without each SBMD steadily decreased with age according to DSAtotal levels. These findings help to understand the impacts of high DSAtotal on SBMDs in early adolescents and identify at-risk adolescents for prevention and care.

The influence of socioeconomic status, working memory and academic self-concept on academic achievement

There is today ample evidence that academic achievement depends on individual disparities in socioeconomic status (SES), working memory (WM) and academic self-concept (ASC). However, because these factors were investigated intensively but in separate fields of research in the past four to six decades, their relationships remain largely unknown. The present study investigated whether SES, WM and ASC interact with each other or represent independent contributions to academic achievement in 2379 adolescents in middle and high schools. The findings confirmed previous results showing that students with lower SES, lower WM and lower ASC perform less well on academic tests. Above all, they revealed subtle patterns of mediating processes. Specifically, individual differences in WM processing, and to a lesser extent in ASC, accounted for most part of the negative impact of low SES on academic achievement. These findings indicate that being a member of disadvantaged groups impair both WM processing and ASC and provide a clearer picture of the complex involvements of socioeconomic, cognitive and self-perception factors in academic achievement.

Associations between school difficulties and family type and the role of socioeconomic, behavior and health-related difficulties in early adolescents: a population-based study

Objectives Nowadays many early adolescents are living in non-intact families (parents divorced/separated, reconstructed families or single parents) and have many school difficulties (learning difficulty, skipping school, school absence due to family problems, grade repetition, low school performance, and school dropout ideation). This study assessed the associations between school difficulties and family type which remain little addressed and the confounding role of socioeconomic adversities and behavior, social support and health-related difficulties (BSSHDs). Methods The study population included 1559 middle-school adolescents from north-eastern France (mean age 13.5 ± 1.3). They completed at the end of school-year a questionnaire gathering socioeconomic adversities, school difficulties and BSSHDs (being obese, substances use, sustained physical/verbal violence, sexual abuse, perpetrated violence, poor social support, depressive symptoms, and suicide attempt; cumulated number noted BSSHDCM). Data was analyzed using logistic regression models. Results The adolescents with parents divorced/separated, reconstructed families or single parents had a much higher risk for various school difficulties than those in intact families (sex-age-adjusted odds ratios 1.60–4.70, mostly with p < 0.001). These risks were robust and remained significant (often with p < 0.01/0.001) after adjustment for socioeconomic adversities and BSSHDCM. The contributions of socioeconomic adversities plus BSSHDCM to the risks were mostly elevated (>40%, reaching 65%) while those of socioeconomic adversities alone were mostly moderate (<30%, but reaching 52%). Conclusions Family type plays a strong role in school difficulties among early adolescents, mainly due to socioeconomic adversities and BSSHDCM. Our results may help primary care providers identify at-risk adolescents and their problems and establish timely prevention and care. Highlights Learning difficulty, school absence, grade repetition, low academic performance, and school dropout ideation are common in early adolescents. The adolescents with parents divorced/separated, reconstructed families or single parents have up to 4.7-time higher risk for these school difficulties than those in intact families. These risks are robust after adjustment for socioeconomic, behavior and health-related difficulties which explain up to 65% of the risks. School-difficulty prevention should consider family features and include early monitoring behavior and health-related difficulties in adolescents.

Patient-Centered Care for Obesity: How Health Care Providers Can Treat Obesity While Actively Addressing Weight Stigma and Eating Disorder Risk

Patient-Centered Care for Obesity: How Health Care Providers Can Treat Obesity While Actively Addressing Weight Stigma and Eating Disorder Risk

Quality of life and self-perceived health of adolescents in Middle School.

Quality of life and self-perception of health are useful indicators for children and adolescents, as they are associated with objective and subjective states of health, including physical, cognitive, social, emotional, and environmental aspects. This study aims to characterize the adolescents at a Brazilian private financing school and to analyze the association between quality of life, health self-perception, and the sociodemographic profile. This is a cross-sectional, observational study conducted with 124 elementary school students. The questionnaires of Characterization of the participants, Health Self-perception and Pediatric Quality of Life Inventory ™ (PedsQL™) were applied to the adolescents and, to the parents or guardians, the Brazil Economic Classification Criteria questionnaires and PedsQLTM. The majority of the participants were female, belonged to economy class A, declared to have excellent health self-perception, and attributed a good score for their health. The majority of parents and adolescents evaluated positively the physical, psychosocial, and overall quality of life dimensions. Having a positive health self-perception increased the chances of having a good quality of life and the increase of one year in age decreased the chances of the adolescent having a positive quality of life assessment. The study of adolescence is essential to broaden the understanding of aspects related to the quality of life, both in its physical and psychosocial dimension and to self-perception. This knowledge will provide adolescents with an incentive for their well-being, better performance of their activities, and greater preparation for adult life.

Moral intelligence and bullying among middle school adolescents

Moral intelligence and bullying among middle school adolescents

Family resources and school performance: an analysis of associated factors in middle school adolescents.

To verify the association between family resources, sociodemographic aspects, and school performance in middle school students. Observational, analytical, cross-sectional study with a probabilistic sample stratified by sex, age, and grade in school. A total of 124 adolescents of both sexes, aged 11 to 14 years, enrolled in a private middle school participated in the study. We sent to their parents/guardians an online form with the Home Environment Resources Scale (HER), Brazilian Economic Classification Criteria (CCEB), and sociodemographic questions. The school performance was furnished by the institution. We used frequency distribution analysis of categorical variables and measures of central tendency and dispersion of the continuous ones. We used the Mann-Whitney, Kruskal-Wallis, and Spearman correlation coefficient tests and set the significance level at p ≤ 0.05. Most of the sample was 11 years old, females, sixth graders, with very good school performance, belonging to social class A, and whose householder had a bachelor's degree. Age and grade in school were associated with interaction with the parents, "family-school connection", and total HER score. The "proximal processes" had a moderate positive correlation with outings and toys. There was a moderate positive correlation between total HER score and "predictable activities that indicate stability". The "proximal processes" had a strong positive correlation with "family-school connection". There was a weak positive correlation between books available at home and school performance. The family resources were related to the adolescents' school performance.

Behavioral aspects and learning motivation: a study of middle school adolescents.

To analyze the association between behavioral aspects and learning motivation according to age, sex, and grade in school in middle school students. Observational, analytical, and cross-sectional study with 11- to 14-year-old adolescents, who answered the participant characterization questionnaire, the Strengths and Difficulties Questionnaire - SDQ-Por, and the Learning Motivation Evaluation Scale - EMAPRE. Descriptive and bivariate statistical analyses were conducted. In the sample researched, there was a statistically significant association between the Strengths and Difficulties Questionnaire domains and the learning motivation goals. It demonstrated that the students with higher means and medians for higher quality motivations had normal results in the SDQ conduct problems, whereas those with a greater tendency to a more extrinsic motivation had an abnormal result in peer relationship problems. In the total classification, the sample students with higher mean and median for the learning goal (which refers to a greater academic commitment) had a normal result, whereas those more prone to the performance-avoidance goal had more abnormal results. The learning motivation did not vary according to age and grade in school, and the adolescents had a greater tendency to the learning goal than to the other two. The association between the behavioral aspects and the learning motivation in the sample assessed was present in the abnormal SDQ-Por scores in relation to the performance-avoidance goal, and in the normal SDQ-Por scores in relation to the learning goal.

Framing the area: An efficient approach for avoiding visual interference and optimising visual search in adolescents.

Attentional resources are limited, and resistance to interference plays a critical role during cognitive tasks and learning. Previous studies have shown that participants find it difficult to avoid being distracted by global visual information when processing local details. In this study, we investigated an innovative approach for enhancing the processing of local visual details by middle-school adolescents. Two groups completed a classic global/local visual search task in which a predefined target could appear at the global or local level, either with or without a frame. The results from the no-frame display group provided a direct replication in adolescents of previous findings in adults, with increasing number of interferent stimuli presented in the display adversely affecting detection of local targets. In addition, by varying the numbers of distractors inside and outside the frame, we showed that distractors only interfered with the processing of local information inside the frame, while the deleterious impact of increases in distracting information was prevented when the distractors were outside the frame. These findings suggest that when a frame delimits an attentional area, the influence of an increasing number of distractors present outside the frame is eliminated. We assume that application of a frame allows for efficient delimitation of attention deployment to a restricted topographical visual area in adolescents. These results evidence that processing of local details can be improved without modifying the structure of the stimuli, and provide promising clues for optimising attentional resources during time-absorbing visual searches. Applicable implications in the educational field are discussed.

Quality of life, health, eating habits and physical development of middle school adolescents in the Świetokrzyskie.

Measurement of the health-related quality of life is currently one of the significant methods of self-evaluation of heath, enabling the detection of disorders in the biopsychosocial functioning of children and adolescents. The aim of the study was to establish significant relationships between the subjective sense of the health-related quality of life, eating habits and objective parameters of physical development among a group of adolescents. The study applied a diagnostic survey methodology with the use of the KIDSCREEN-52 questionnaire, the Health Behaviour in School-aged Children (HBSC) questionnaire, anthropometric measures of choice, and a self-constructed questionnaire. The significance level was set at p<0.05. The collected data was gathered and analyzed using Statistica 10.0 PL. Three distinct groups of adolescents with a varying subjective sense of the quality of life were identified. The frequency of basic meal consumption among participants showed some abnormalities. This concerned breakfast in particular, which was consumed before going to school by over half of the participants (63.61%), with boys (70.07%) eating it significantly more frequently than girls (57.83%). Indices based on weight-to-height ratios, such as: BMI, Rohrer's Index and Slender Index were significantly greater in value among boys compared with girls. Adolescents from the Świętokrzyskie region, for the most part exhibited a high subjective sense of the quality of life. The physical development of the participants, as far as basic anthropometric characteristics are concerned, was mostly appropriate and consistent with a high subjective sense of the quality of life and exhibited eating habits.

Mediation Analysis of a Theory-Based Culture and Age-Appropriate HIV/STI Prevention.

Few studies have investigated mediator effects of HIV prevention interventions on adolescents in sub-Saharan Africa. Herein, we report on a secondary analysis of an intervention that increased intentions to use condoms, abstain from sexual intercourse, and seek safe male circumcision among adolescents in Botswana. In a study conducted in Botswana, 806 grade 9 students from 21 public Junior Secondary Schools were randomly assigned to either the OWN THE FUTURE: Pulling Together We Will" ( PTWW) intervention group or a health promotion control group. Both conditions consisted of 12 1-h modules, with two modules delivered during each of the six sessions on six consecutive school days. The students in both groups completed confidential computer-based surveys at several time points: pre-, immediately post-, 3, 6, and 12months post-intervention. Mediation was assessed using the product-of-coefficients approach in a generalized estimating equations (GEE) framework. The analyses showed that condom use beliefs were significant mediators of the intervention effect on the intention to consistently use condoms over time. Also, negative socio-cultural beliefs, prevention beliefs, and HIV/STI knowledge were significant mediators of the intervention's effects on the intention to abstain from sex. Additionally, normative beliefs, prevention beliefs, parental negotiation, and circumcision knowledge were significant mediators of the intervention's effect on intention to seek safe male circumcision. The mediation analysis delineated a theoretical model and isolated activities that positively impact condom use, abstinence from sex, and circumcision intentions of Batswana middle school adolescents.

Cultivating Youth Affinity for College Within the Context of Campus-Based Summer Camps

College and university-based (CUB) summer camps are a prominent pre-collegiate experience targeting middle and high school adolescents, which research suggests may enhance college aspirations and preparedness, develop academic knowledge and skills, and influence future career choices. This study examines factors that predict the relation between affinity for college, program engagement and support, college major selection, and social–emotional outcomes stemming from youth involvement in a CUB camp based on data collected from 641 middle and high school-aged youth who completed an online questionnaire on the last day of the CUB camp. The findings validated a 4-factor model comprised of college brand awareness, college relational expectations, college academic interest–science, and college academic interest–technology. Further, the structural equation model (SEM) results suggested a relation between affinity for college, program engagement and support, and social–emotional outcomes. In addition, a CUB camp student’s lack of a college major had a significant negative direct effect on some dimensions of affinity for college including college brand awareness, college relational expectations, and college academic interest–science. CUB camp providers can use the results of this study to better articulate how their programs might impact adolescent decision making related to college, as well as inform how CUB camp providers may intentionally create affinity spaces that maximize student awareness of college brands as well as their future expectations for the college experience.

Daily routines, parent-child conflict, and psychological maladjustment among Chinese children and adolescents during the COVID-19 pandemic.

Family lives have been changed dramatically due to the stay-at-home orders implemented during the coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) outbreak. A variety of factors serve to increase the risk for children and adolescents in developing mental health issues during the prolonged stay-at-home period. The primary aim of this study was to examine a complex conceptual model linking daily routines, parent-child conflict, and indices of psychological maladjustment during the COVID-19 pandemic in a large sample of Chinese children and adolescents. Participants were N = 1,594 children and adolescents (50.6% girls; Mage = 13.13, SDage = 1.54) and their mothers, from Zhengzhou in Mainland China. Multisource assessments include youth self-reports of loneliness, depressive symptoms, and perceived conflict with parents during the stay-at-home period, as well as maternal reports of their child's daily routines during this time. Among the results, parent-child conflict mediated the relations between daily routines and indices of psychological maladjustment, such that a lack of routine predicted greater parent-child conflict, which in turn was associated with higher levels of loneliness and symptoms of depression. Further, results from multiple group analyses revealed that associations between daily routines and maladjustment were stronger among boys than girls-as well as stronger among primary school children than middle school adolescents. Findings highlighted the importance of maintaining regular routines for children's and adolescents' mental health during the COVID-19 pandemic. (PsycInfo Database Record (c) 2021 APA, all rights reserved).

Exploring disability identity with adolescents.

The purpose of this study was to qualitatively explore how adolescents conceptualize disability identity and what factors may influence adolescent disability identity development. Research Method/Design: These data were collected through semistructured in-depth interviews with 24 middle and high school adolescents with disabilities. The participants had a wide range of disabilities, including physical disabilities, learning disabilities, ADHD, Autism, and others. Analyses started with Hamilton's Rapid Assessment Process followed by identifying structural and in vivo codes using a computer-assisted qualitative data analysis tool to allow for multiple coders and memo writing across the research team. The results indicate that adolescents are undergoing a heterogeneous and complex process to develop their disability identity. Additionally, the salience of the participants' disability identity often varied depending on the environmental context. Furthermore, social connections to peers with and without disabilities played an important role in the development of many participants' disability identities. These findings suggest that adolescents with disabilities are engaging in a multifaceted meaning-making process to develop a sense of disability identity. Rehabilitation Psychologists and other practitioners can support disabled adolescents by helping them to discuss and develop a positive disability identity. Furthermore, practitioners can help disabled adolescents successfully develop their disability identity in a variety of different settings and contexts. (PsycInfo Database Record (c) 2021 APA, all rights reserved).

Experiences of discrimination among Black middle school adolescents: A qualitative study.

Discrimination is a common experience among racially and ethnically minoritized (REM) youth and often results in negative health and psychological outcomes. However, few studies provide adolescents with opportunities to directly share their discriminatory experiences, especially within the school context. Using a critical race theory framework and phenomenological approach, the present study explored how Black middle school students experienced and responded to discrimination in school settings. Findings revealed that youth experienced both direct and vicarious discrimination at school from multiple sources. Additionally, their responses indicated developmental and adaptive challenges, as well as a nuanced understanding of discrimination in their daily lives. Implications regarding educators' roles in affirming and supporting Black students' experiences are discussed. (PsycInfo Database Record (c) 2021 APA, all rights reserved).

Trends in adolescent mental health problems: Differences by SES and gender

Abstract Background Studies in Sweden and elsewhere have shown that mental health problems have increased among adolescents in recent decades. Unlike the previous studies, we extend the investigation to the trends of various mental health problems, namely: psychosomatic symptoms, suicide attempts, depressive symptoms, and suicide ideations in the last two decades, from 2004 to 2020. We also investigate the moderating role of gender and SES on these trends. Methods Data were collected through repeated bi-annual cross-sectional surveys between 2004 and 2020 among 32061 adolescents (49% girls) in middle and upper secondary schools in a county of Sweden. We fitted two linear and two logistic regressions with gender and socioeconomic status (SES) as predictors, and by interacting them with year of survey, we examined if they are associated with trends in mental health problems. Results Psychosomatic and depressive symptoms remained stable overtime (β = -0.04, p = 0.12; and β = 0.007, p = 0.69, respectively). Trend in depressive symptoms has declined overtime only for girls (β = -0.07, p &amp;lt; 0.005) while gender did not have effect on the trend in psychosomatic symptoms. Both psychosomatic (β = -0.09, p &amp;lt; 0.001) and depressive (β = -0.08, p &amp;lt; 0.001) symptoms have declined overtime only among those with high SES. Trends in both suicidal ideations and attempts were stable. Suicidal ideations declined overtime only for the girls (OR = 0.86, CI = 0.82 - 0.91, p &amp;lt; 0.001). However, gender did not have significant effect on trends in suicidal attempts. Both suicidal ideations (OR = 0.97, CI = 0.95 - 0.99, p = 0.02) and suicidal attempts (OR = 0.98, CI = 0.96 - 0.99, p = 0.007) declined overtime among those with higher SES. Conclusions Mental health problems seem to decrease from 2004 to 2020, however only for girls and adolescents with high SES. This indicates an increase in health inequalities especially for youth with low SES. Key messages Mental health problems declined in the last two decades, especially among girls. Adolescents with low SES did not show the same mental health improvement, which indicated that health inequalities in adolescent mental health seem to have increased in the last two decades.

Self-Compassion’s Correlation with Attachment for Middle School Adolescents

The present study was conducted to investigate the correlation between self-compassion and attachment in adolescents. The data was collected by the authors and the students were informed about the study before proceeding to the data collection stage. In the study, the Self-Compassion Scale (Short Form) was used to measure the self-compassion levels of the students, and the Relationships Questionnaire (Adolescent Form) was used to determine the attachment styles of the students. The study group included 355 students attending the 6th, 7th and 8th grades in public secondary schools at a provincial center in Eastern Anatolia Region (Turkey) during the 2018-2019 academic year. Descriptive statistics, t-test, analysis of variance and simple linear correlation analysis were used in data analysis. The study findings demonstrated that there were low, negative and significant correlations between self-compassion levels of the students and their obsessive attachment and fearful attachment levels. The study findings also demonstrated that there was no significant difference between self-compassion levels of the students based on gender, however there was a significant difference based on the age variable. The study findings were discussed based on the previous study reports in the literature and recommendations were presented.

Epidemiological Investigation among Middle School Students in Haicheng City, Liaoning Province

Objective To investigate the incidence and characteristics of scoliosis among middle school students and adolescents in Haicheng City, Liaoning Province, to enrich the epidemiological data of the disease in our city and provide theoretical basis for clinical prevention and treatment. Methods From October 10, 2019 to December 12, 2019, under the organization of the Haicheng Education Bureau of Liaoning Province, students from 37 schools in the city’s junior and senior high schools were screened, and all the subjects were tested in turn. Screening methods, namely the first inspection visual method, Adam bending test, second inspection scoliosis measurement rulers, third inspection standing position spine full length anterolateral X-ray examination. X-ray examination found that Cobb’s angle ≥10° The patient was diagnosed with scoliosis. Results the number of students screened in this screening were 29,314, and the number of confirmed cases was 289 (0.99%). Among the confirmed numbers were 115 males (39.79%) and 174 females (60.21%). The prevalence of females was higher than that of males (X2=27.789). P=0.0000). Among the confirmed cases, 245 cases had Cobb’s angle ≤19°, 28 cases had Cobb’s angle 20°−29°, 10 cases had Cobb’s angle 30° − 39°, and 6 cases had Cobb’s angle ≥40°. Conclusion The incidence of scoliosis among middle school students in Haicheng City, Liaoning Province is higher in the junior high school group than in the high school group. The incidence of female students is higher than that of male students, which should be taken seriouslt.

Correlates of Nonmedical Use of Prescription Opioids in Middle and High School Adolescents: A Scoping Review

Correlates of Nonmedical Use of Prescription Opioids in Middle and High School Adolescents: A Scoping Review