Child Social Support Research Articles

PDOC-09 EVALUATION OF HEALTH SERVICE DELAYS FOR CHILDREN WITH CENTRAL NERVOUS SYSTEM TUMORS AT BUGANDO REFERRAL HOSPITAL MWANZA, TANZANIA

Abstract OBJECTIVE Rapid diagnosis and treatment initiation is crucial for children with central nervous system tumors (CNS). Despite advancement in diagnostic modalities, health service delays persist in many LMICs. The current study evaluates the diagnostic and treatment delays experienced by children presenting to a zonal referral hospital in Mwanza Tanzania, with the goal of identifying breakpoints that can be addressed to improve quality of care through a multidisciplinary approach. METHODS All children age <18yrs with a diagnosis of a CNS tumor from 2020-2023 were included in the analysis. Data was extracted from hospital electronic medical system and clinical files and included demographics, diagnosis, and dates at first presentation to the hospital, diagnosis, surgical intervention, oncology presentation and treatment initiation. Treatment initiation included either surgical resection, chemotherapy or radiotherapy. RESULTS A total of 50 patients were included in the evaluation, with average age of 6.4yrs and equal M: F representation. Most of the cases (80%, n=40) were primary CNS tumors, with 20% metastatic disease. Low grade Glioma (LGG) and high-grade Glioma (HGG) tumors were similarly distributed (n=19, n=21). Among those who had a tumor resection, 56% (n=18) were completed before initial oncology evaluation. Delays were frequently experienced, with the average time from presentation to neurosurgery evaluation of 166 days, time to diagnosis of 121 days, time to oncology evaluation of 139 days, and time to treatment initiation of 127 days. 1yr overall survival for LGG was 67% (n=12/18) and 36% (n=8/22) for HGG, with a treatment abandonment rate of 38% overall (n=19/50). CONCLUSIONS There is significant delay in accessing services for patients presenting with CNS tumors. A multidisciplinary approach and social support of children with CNS tumor is necessary to facilitate early diagnosis and timely treatment to improve quality of care and leads to a higher survival rate.

Childhood adversity and time to pregnancy in a preconception cohort.

We examined the association between childhood adversity and fecundability (the per-cycle probability of conception), and the extent to which childhood social support modified this association. We used data from 6318 female participants aged 21-45years in Pregnancy Study Online (PRESTO), a North American prospective preconception cohort study (2013-2022). Participants completed a baseline questionnaire, bimonthly follow-up questionnaires (until pregnancy or a censoring event), and a supplemental questionnaire on experiences across the life course including adverse childhood experiences (ACEs) and social support (using the modified Berkman-Syme Social Network Index [SNI]). We used proportional probabilities regression models to compute fecundability ratios (FRs) and 95% CIs, adjusting for potential confounders and precision variables. Adjusted FRs for ACE scores 1-3 and≥4 vs 0 were 0.91 (95% CI, 0.85-0.97) and 0.84 (95% CI, 0.77-0.91), respectively. The FRs for ACE scores ≥4 vs 0 were 0.86 (95% CI, 0.78-0.94) among participants reporting high childhood social support (SNI ≥4) and 0.78 (95% CI, 0.56-1.07) among participants reporting low childhood social support (SNI <4). Our findings confirm results from 2 previous studies and indicate that high childhood social support slightly buffered the effects of childhood adversity on fecundability.

Parenting Patterns as Social Support for Children with Special Needs

Parenting children with special needs (ABK) requires patience and higher knowledge in order to be able to direct children appropriately. Parents as the main social support who take a role in accompanying ABK grow and develop according to their abilities. This study aims to find out how parenting as social support for children with special needs. The approach in this study is descriptive qualitative with interview methods and observation of parents who have ABK. In this study concluded that the role of parents in parenting children is very important in the development of individuals. However, there are still some parents who do not understand how to provide proper parenting to children with special needs because of lack of knowledge about parenting, which makes it more difficult for children to develop.

Medical and social support for children with disabilities in hospitals

Children constitute a special category among the disabled and people with disabilities. Restoration or compensation of impaired functions cannot be achieved in full, but thanks to medical and social support and technical means of rehabilitation, adaptation to existing living conditions, it is possible to achieve a higher level of quality of life. Medical and social support for children with disabilities is considered from the perspective of the available resource potential of the hospital system itself - the competent application of medical and social technologies and the functional capabilities of inpatient or semi-stationary type institutions. The leading criterion for evaluating the effectiveness of medical and social support for children with disabilities in hospital and semi-stationary care was the criterion of satisfaction of the medical and social needs of rehabilitators and their family members (parents/legal representatives). The author used analysis of documents, questioning of children with disabilities and parents (legal representatives) to identify needs, assessment of satisfaction of medical and social needs of children with disabilities and their parents (legal representatives) using comprehensive medical and social support (interviewing). In the course of the work, the purpose of the study was achieved – a sociological analysis of medical and social support for children with disabilities was carried out. Based on the research data, it can be concluded that the most relevant in meeting the needs of children with disabilities in hospital and semi-hospital settings are the socio-pedagogical and socio-psychological components of medical and social support, while the medical and social components fade into the background. The explicit needs must be met not through a ready-made solution, but by teaching the child himself to accept and work with them until an optimal level of compensation is achieved, the use of medical and social support technology as a system in hospital and semi-stationary conditions, on the one hand, has stable invariance properties, on the other, has variability.

Factors Influencing the Mental Health of Caregivers of Children with Cerebral Palsy

IntroductionCerebral palsy refers to a heterogeneous group of non-progressive neurodevelopmental disorders manifesting in infancy or childhood and varying in severity. It characterized by impaired motor function, sensation, and depressed intellectual abilities. Functional limitations in patients with cerebral palsy may result in chronic dependency, thereby compromising caregivers’ mental health and interfering with the integrity of the family structure.ObjectivesThis study aimed to determine the different factors affecting the mental health of caregivers of children with cerebral palsy and to raise awareness among healthcare providers.MethodsA cross-sectional study was conducted among caregivers of children with cerebral palsy in National Guard Health Affairs-Jeddah, Saudi Arabia, using the Depression Anxiety Stress Scale-21, a validated questionnaire assessing: depression, anxiety, and stress. This questionnaire was used to assess the mental health of the caregivers. In addition, factors reflecting child’s health condition, such as visual impairment, number of emergency department visits, and number of Pediatric Intensive Care Unit admissions were reported to investigate the impact on the caregiver’s mental health.ResultsThe sample included 40 caregivers, of which 72.5% were mothers. According to the Depression Anxiety Stress Scale-21 score, 12.5% (n = 5) of the caregivers had moderate depression scores, 10% (n = 4) revealed extremely severe depression, and 10% (n = 4) showed moderate anxiety. Furthermore, 12.5% (n = 5), 15% (n = 6), and 7.5% (n = 3) of the caregivers have scored as moderate, severe, and extremely severe stress levels, respectively. Caregivers’ depression, anxiety, and stress scores were significantly (p ≤ 0.05) associated with the impact of vision of their dependent children, frequent hospital admissions, and frequent emergency department visits. Increased Pediatric Intensive Care Unit admissions in the past year were also significantly associated with higher caregiver anxiety scores.ConclusionsTo the best of our knowledge, the dimension of caregivers’ stress and anxiety and their association with the children’s dependency level is not well documented in our region. Caregivers of children with cerebral palsy reported having mental health challenges associated with the children’s vision, frequent need for acute medical care, and hospital admissions.Healthcare workers should provide early and proactive planning of medical and social support for children and their families using a family-centered approach.Disclosure of InterestNone Declared

A systematic review of parental burnout and related factors among parents

BackgroundParenting is both a complex and stressful endeavor, so parents sometimes experience parenting burnout. The main objective of this study was to provide an overview of factors related to general parental burnout (PB) among parents with at least one child based on the Ecological Systems Theory (EST).MethodsPubMed, Web of Science, EBSCO, CNKI and WanFang were systematically searched for studies published from 2010 to July 2023 for peer-reviewed articles using keywords extracted from Medical Subject Headings such as “parenting”, “parental”, “burnout”, “psychological burnout”, “burn-out syndrome”. Studies were included if they described associations between factors and PB among parents of children aged 0-18 years old in the general population, and published in an English or Chinese language peer-reviewed journal. The Quality Assessment Tool for Studies with Diverse Designs (QATSDD) was employed to assess the risk of bias of included studies.ResultsOf 2037 articles, 26 articles met the inclusion criteria. Based on the Ecological Systems Theory (EST), we found that microsystem-individual factors such as gender, educational level, income, parental personality, internalization of maternal parental motivation, unmitigated communion, self-compassion and concern for others, alexithymia, anxiety and depressive symptoms, parental perfectionism, resilience, low self-esteem and high need for control, mother's attachment style were identified as being associated with parenting burnout. Mesosystem-interpersonal factors involve parent-child relationship and marital satisfaction. The exosystem-organizational or community factors include the number of children in the household, neighborhood and the number of hours spent with children, child's illness, child's behavior problems and social support. The macrosystem-society/policy or culture factors are mainly personal values and cultural values.ConclusionsThis systematic review found several factors that have been investigated in relation to PB. However, the majority of the factors were reported by one or two studies often implementing a cross-sectional design. Nevertheless, we still recommend that health policymakers and administrators relieve parenting burnout among parents with children by adjusting these modifiable factors.

The relationship between behavioural problems, family functioning, and social support in children with acute leukaemia

The relationship between behavioural problems, family functioning, and social support in children with acute leukaemia

Оториноларингологическая помощь детям с хроническим риносинуситом

Chronic rhinosinusitis (CRS) is a common disease that has a significant impact on the health and life quality of children. CRS occurs when the disease lasts for more than 12 weeks and it can lead to serious complications. Specialized ENT care is crucial for the diagnosis, treatment and rehabilitation of patients with CRS. This review presents the system of providing specialized ENT care to children in Russia, as well as the organization of medical and social support for children with CRS. Special attention is paid to the prevention of CRS exacerbations in children, including the prevention and timely treatment of acute and recurrent respiratory viral infections, reduction of bacterial load, improvement of mucociliary clearance and follow-up. It is also noted that the formation of a Health School for children with CRS will help teach children to recognize the signs of CRS exacerbations and take action at the first deterioration signs. KEYWORDS: specialized ENT care, chronic rhinosinusitis in children, Health School, medical and social support for children, respiratory viral infection FOR CITATION: Dvornikova T.A., Alexandrova O.Yu. ENT care for children with chronic rhinosinusitis. Russian Medical Inquiry. 2024;8(8):499–504 (in Russ.). DOI: 10.32364/2587-6821-2024-8-8-9.

Пріоритети та інструментарій молодіжної політики в контексті соціального захисту, розвитку молоді та збереження людського потенціалу: досвід країн Західної Європи

The article examines the priorities and instruments of youth policy in the countries of Western Europe (France, Belgium, the Netherlands, Luxembourg, Germany, Austria, Liechtenstein, Switzerland) in the context of social protection, youth development and preservation of human potential. In particular, the main characteristic features of the youth policy of Germany (as one of the most progressive and effective not only among Western European countries, but also in the world) are identified: moderate intervention in the life of young people on the side of the State, social partnership between the State and society on the principles of subsidiarity; a combination of social democratic and liberal orientations; high level of democracy; clear structuring by levels: federal, federal state, and local; availability of a strong legislative framework related to the regulation of various issues of young people’s lives. Taking into account the experience of Germany in the distribution of budget financing of youth policy (in particular, its targeting, taking into account local and regional socioeconomic realities and needs), attention is focused on the expediency of applying in Ukraine such an approach to the implementation of the State-based youth policy, taking into account the different conditions and quality of life of domestic youth in different regions of the country (first of all, depending on the distance from the frontline of the war). The priorities and instruments of social protection of youth in Austria are studied (support for the rights of young people to personal development, ensuring the participation of young people in the educational process; providing material and non-material assistance to the unemployed; social support for children under care outside the family; protection of young people from all forms of violence and discrimination; reimbursement of expenses for outpatient and/or inpatient treatment; financing of expenses related to the implementation of residential care for children by foster parents or social pedagogues, etc.). Taking into account the aggravation of the problem of unemployment of the young population in France, the priorities and instruments of the policy of promoting the integration of young people of this country in the labor market, the development of communication skills, etc., are analyzed. The features of the State policy of promoting the development of a culture of youth entrepreneurship, innovation activity, etc., in the countries of Western Europe (in particular, in Germany, Austria, Switzerland and the Netherlands) are studied. The results of the study of the priorities and instruments of youth policy of Western European countries in the context of social protection, youth development and preservation of human potential made it possible to trace the gradual transition from the provision of the State aid to some of the most vulnerable groups of the young population to the financing of social programs that promote youth cohesion, development and preservation of human potential. Taking into account the best experience in the formation and implementation of youth policy in Western European countries, the priority directions for improving youth policy in Ukraine are named.

Influence of Parenting Styles on Problematic Behaviours of Migrant Children

The living environment of migrant children changes dramatically when they settle in cities with their parents. If migrant children do not adapt well to the new environment, they may develop psychological deviations and internalised problematic behaviours. Research has shown that poor parenting styles increase the incidence of children's psychological problems and easily trigger problematic behaviours in migrant children. This study explores four aspects of the relationship between parenting styles and migrant children's internalised and externalised problems, the effects of different parenting styles on migrant children's internalised and externalised problems, and further illustrates the mediating roles of migrant children's self-esteem, parent-child relationship, and social support between the two. It was found that positive parenting styles were negatively related to the problematic behaviours of migrant children, while negative parenting styles increased the occurrence of migrant children's internalisation problems; negative parenting styles increased the likelihood of migrant children's externalisation problems, while positive parenting styles could, to a certain extent, stifle the emergence of the aforementioned externalisation problems. Therefore, schools and society should pay attention to the correct guidance of parents' communication and expression styles, and at the same time pay attention to the establishment of a warm atmosphere and a pleasant communication process in the family, so as to reduce the internalisation problems of migrant children. In addition, if migrant children have externalisation problems, parents, schools and society should help them to set up good behavioural models and provide them with timely and correct guidance.

What is the association between adverse childhood experiences and late-life cognitive decline? Study of Healthy Aging in African Americans (STAR) cohort study

ObjectivesAdverse childhood experiences (ACEs) are associated with higher risk of chronic disease, but little is known about the association with late life cognitive decline. We examined the longitudinal association between...

The medical, legal, social and educational status of youth with special health care needs in a pediatric and adolescent medicine clinic

Studies have shown that the lack of a structured transitioning of adolescents to adult care has led to adverse consequences, particularly affecting youth with special health care needs (YSHCN). There are low rates of transition planning in this vulnerable group leading to medical complications, increased use of emergency rooms and gaps in care. We examined what parents of YSHCN have been taught and prepared for regarding their child's medical issues, educational support, social support and legal processes in an effort to ensure transition readiness. A retrospective chart review was performed on patients (14–24 y/o) with one or more of the following diagnoses: autism, developmental delay, intellectual disability, epilepsy or seizure disorder, cerebral palsy, muscular dystrophy, or down syndrome, who presented to a general pediatric or adolescent medicine hospital-based clinic for an annual physical, follow up visit or form renewal visit. Data regarding demographics, medical history, participation in social programs, discussions of reasons to see a doctor or escalate care to the emergency department, established health care coordinators, identification of an adult doctor to transition care to and discussion of guardianship were recorded from eligible charts. Data from 122 medical charts (general pediatrics, 70; adolescent medicine, 52) were included with 70 patients (57%) being cared for by a general provider and 52 patients (43%) being cared for by a transition-focused provider. The median patient age was 18, with 70% of patients (n = 85) being between the ages of 14 to 17 y/o and 30% of patients (n = 37) being in the transition age range of 18–24 y/o. A significantly greater percentage of patients in the 18–24 y/o age group (35%) than the 14–17 y/o age group (9%) had identified an adult medical provider to transition care. A significantly greater percentage of patients in the 18–24 y/o age group (54%) than the 14–17 y/o age group (29%) had discussed obtaining guardianship. A significantly greater percentage of patients with transition-focused providers (46%) than patients with a general provider (14%) had an established health care coordinator. A significantly greater percentage of patients with transition-focused providers (35%) than patients with a general provider (4%) had identified an adult medical provider to transition to for adult care. Outcomes showed that being in the transition age group (18–24 y/o) and having a transition-focused provider had a positive influence on discussions about the legal and social aspects of care for YSHCN. This emphasizes the importance of having transition focused providers in both general pediatric and adolescent medicine offices, as well as, incorporation of structured transition readiness protocols to ensure a safe transition.

Predictors of posttraumatic growth in 475 Chinese parents of children newly diagnosed with autism spectrum disorder

PurposeTo examine the predictive effects of children's symptom severity, rumination, parental self-efficacy, and social support on posttraumatic growth (PTG) in parents of autistic children. Design and methodsParents (n = 475) completed the demographic questionnaire, Posttraumatic Growth Inventory, Autism Behavior Checklist, Event Related Rumination Inventory, Parenting Sense of Competence, and Social Support Rating Scale in a cross-sectional survey conducted in a tertiary hospital in Guangzhou, China, between September 2019 and January 2021. Multiple linear regression analyses were conducted using SPSS version 25.0. ResultsThe PTG score was positively associated with rumination (r = 0.325, P < 0.05), parental self-efficacy (r = 0.219, P < 0.05), and social support (r = 0.374, P < 0.05). Multiple linear regression analysis revealed that household income (β = 0.095, P < 0.05), intrusive rumination (β = −0.100, P < 0.05), deliberate rumination (β = 0.391, P < 0.001), subjective support (β = 0.239, P < 0.001), and children's daily living skills deficiencies as perceived by parents (β = 0.107, P < 0.05) significantly predicted PTG, accounting for 33.3% of the variance [F(P) = 13.444, P < 0.001]. ConclusionsPsychosocial factors (rumination and subjective support) are essential to facilitate PTG in parents whose children are newly diagnosed with autism. Practice and implicationsWith the consideration of different sociodemographic features, clinicians and researchers are encouraged to explore cognitive-based psychosocial interventions targeting parents' psychological growth and parenting training programs targeting autistic children's self-care ability.

‘They feel like another child in care has their back’: An exploration of peer support between looked after children in Scotland

AbstractThe Independent Care Review in Scotland has encouraged a policy shift towards recognizing young people's potential to contribute to their own and others' experiences of care. This paper makes an important contribution to debates around the role of children in the social support systems of others who have experienced loss and trauma. It reports on a research project which explored young people's views on peer support in care and their experiences of it. It highlights the crucial role that ‘peers’ play in looked after children's social support systems at both an individual and systemic level. Friendships, in this context of a social support system based on a shared set of experiences, were regarded as transformative. Barriers to the formation of such social support systems also emerged, for example, limited understanding within the ‘adult’ support system of the significance and benefits of relationships among children. Young people experienced their peer social support systems as overlooked, downplayed or misunderstood by adults. As a result, decisions and actions were often taken which disrupted or, in some cases, destroyed effective social support systems. The paper argues for changes in practice to support the friendships looked after children have whilst in care.

Perceived Social Support and Parental Emotional Temperament Among Children with Attention Deficit and Hyperactivity Disorder.

This research examined how the emotional temperaments of parents of children with attention deficit and hyperactivity disorder correlated with their perceptions of their children's social support from friends, teachers, and families. Additionally, the parents' emotional temperaments in terms of their association with children's low and high perceptions of family support were examined. The study included 50 children with attention deficit and hyperactivity disorder, 40 neurotypical control subjects, and their parents. The Symptom Checklist-90-R was used to analyze the parents' psychopathology. The parents' affective temperaments were assessed using the Temperament Evaluation of Memphis, Pisa, Paris, and San Diego-auto questionnaire version. The children's perceptions of their support from their families, peers, and teachers were evaluated using the Social Support Appraisal Scale. Mothers' depressive (r = -0.419, P = .002) and anxious temperaments (r = -0.338, P = .016) were inversely correlated with perceived social support from parents among children with attention deficit and hyperactivity disorder. Mothers' hyperthymic (r = 0.443, P = .001) and cyclothymic temperaments (r = 0.310, P = .029) and fathers' hyperthymic temperament (r = 0.371, P = .008) were positively correlated with perceived social support from parents. Regression analyses revealed that perceived social support from friends was predicted by paternal low cyclothymic and high anxious temperament. They also showed that inattention and mother's general psychopathology predicted perceived social support from family. Perceived social support from teacher was predicted by hyperactivity, maternal low cyclothymic temperament, and paternal high anxious temperament. While parents' depressive and anxious temperaments were associated with low perceived social support from family, hyperthymic and cyclothymic temperaments were associated with increased perceived social support from the family among children with attention deficit and hyperactivity disorder.

Medical and social characteristics of risk factors of family history of adolescents

High frequency of risk factors in the socio-economic and socio-psychological status of modern families determines the need for careful collection of family anamnesis and the reflection of relevant information in primary medical records. What is of particular importance, is the assessment of the dynamics of the family anamnesis during the "crucial" periods of the child's life related to adaptation to the new micro-social conditions of educational institutions. A medical-psychological and sociological questionnaire was carried out on 795 children aged from 12 to 14 and their parents, and a study was carried out on the nature of the disturbances in types of family upbringing. The social history was analysed on the basis of primary medical records. Some form of adverse family history was present in 87% of families; more than a third of the children experienced fears related to family relationships, with half of the childish fears were related to disagreements with their parents, insecurity about intimacy and support from close friends. When family upbringing was analysed, disturbances were absent in only a third of adolescents. The direct influence of parental attitudes on the formation of a dysthymic and anxious type of accentuation of the child's character is shown. Integration of information which reflects peculiarities of family anamnesis and serves to create personalised programmes of medical and social support for children, including family counselling practices and educational activities for parents on the spectrum of problems identified, is essential. Psycho-social support individualisation is an effective way of optimal self-actualisation of the child, its social relatedness, positive forms of behaviour, which can serve as a basis for socio-psychological adaptation, a guarantee of harmonisation of personality and the basis of mental health.

Family Social Support and Children’s Mental Health Resilience during COVID-19—Case of Morocco

This research aims to investigate the impact of the family on the social support for children with mental health disorders in a vulnerable environment such as the COVID-19 pandemic and the ability of parents to provide consistent care giving using their social support. The main question of this research paper is: what is the impact of the family in the situation of COVID-19 on the diversity of the processes actors provided in creating social adaptability for children with mental health? The previous question was treated via the following hypotheses: H1: the more the whole family is committed to the social support of the child with a mental health disorder, the less independent the achievement of resilience on an individual basis; H2: the more the child with a mental illness belongs to the family, the greater the family’s involvement in social support, even for low-income families. This quantitative field study was conducted in southern Morocco by contacting a sample of respondents (86 respondents) from health institutions, civil society, and the children’s parents and relatives. The study reflected two main findings: that the majority of children were with their families during the pandemic; and the lack of independence of parents and children in the adjustment process.

Childhood Residential Mobility and Mental and Physical Health in Later Life: Findings From the Reasons for Geographic and Racial Differences in Stroke (REGARDS) Study.

The study objective was to investigate the effects of childhood residential mobility on older adult physical and mental health. In REasons for Geographic and Racial Differences in Stroke (REGARDS) Study, we used linear regression models to investigate if number of moves during childhood predicted mental and physical health (SF-12 MCS, PCS), adjusting for demographic covariates, childhood socioeconomic status (SES), childhood social support, and adverse childhood experiences (ACEs). We investigated interaction by age, race, childhood SES, and ACEs. People who moved more during childhood had poorer MCS scores, β = -0.10, SE = 0.05, p = 0.03, and poorer PCS scores, β = -0.25, SE = 0.06, p < 0.0001. Effects of moves on PCS were worse for Black people compared to White people (p = 0.06), those with low childhood SES compared to high childhood SES (p = 0.02), and high ACEs compared to low ACEs (p = 0.01). As family instability accompanying residential mobility, family poverty, and adversity disproportionately affect health, Black people may be especially disadvantaged.

A Psychosocial Risk Assessment Tool to Predict Postnatal Depression in Women with Complicated Pregnancy

Introduction: Few studies have reported the role of psychosocial risk factors by a validated scale in predicting mental disorders in women with complicated pregnancy. This study investigated the role of a psychosocial risk assessment tool in the prediction of postnatal depression in women with complicated pregnancy. Methods: A prospective study was performed on pregnant women with complicated pregnancy from December 2019 to June 2020. A total of 125 pregnant women filled the Antenatal Risk Questionnaire (ANRQ), Edinburgh Postnatal Depression Scale (EPDS) and Brief Symptom Inventory 53-items (BSI-53). Also, the patients completed EPDS during 6-weeks of postpartum. An expert mental specialist conducted the interviews based on the DSM-5. Results: More than half of the women with complicated pregnancy were diagnosed to have at least one mental disorder. The mean risk scores of ANRQ including the childhood social support from the respondent’s mother, history of mental illness, perceived level of support available postpartum, significant life events in the past 12 months, and personality traits with high anxiety were higher in women with mental disorders than those without mental disorders. The results emphasized that the total score of ANRQ was the strongest positive predictor for postnatal depression score of EPDS (β = 0.569, p=&lt;0.001), for the total score of BSI-53 (β = 0.666 p=&lt;0.001), and for GSI (β = 0.237, p=0.019). Conclusion: The study proposes that the use of a validated psychosocial risk assessment tool alongside a screening psychological tool, like EPDS, is reliable for prediction of mental disorders and help women with complicated pregnancy at risk for prevention of depression at antenatal visits.

Stressful life events, psychological symptoms, and social support of children and young asylum-seekers in Iceland.

Children and young asylum-seekers are often exposed to stressful life events (SLEs) and risk developing psychological symptoms. However, risk and protective factors can positively and negatively influence this vulnerable group's mental health. To examine the SLE experiences and psychological symptoms of children and youth who seek refuge in Iceland. And to study the role that gender, travelling (un)accompanied and perceived social support play in the development of psychological symptoms for this population. Participants were 75 children and youth of ages 13 to 24 years who sought asylum in Iceland (M = 19.7, SD =3.0, 66.7% male). Sociodemographic and social support data were collected via face-to-face interviews, with the help of interpreters when required, while SLEs, post-traumatic stress, depression, anxiety and behavioural symptoms measures were administered to participants. The results indicated that participants who travelled alone to Iceland had experienced more SLEs than those who travelled accompanied. SLE experiences were associated with post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) and other psychological symptoms. Results also revealed that SLE and perceived peer support played a significant role in predicting PTSD symptoms. Children and young asylum-seekers are exposed to a high number of SLEs, which increases their risk of developing psychological problems. This potential risk underlines the need for early assessments and intervention. Moreover, higher levels of social support were related to less severe PTSD symptoms, suggesting that social resources act as protective factors for these children and youth in helping them cope with SLEs.