Youth Distress Research Articles

What Features Make Online Harassment Incidents Upsetting to Youth?

This article examines characteristics of online harassment episodes associated with increased distress for youth. Data were collected as part of the Third Youth Internet Safety Survey, a cross-sectional telephone survey conducted in the United States in 2010. Interviews were conducted with 1,560 Internet-using youth, ages 10 through 17. Harassment incidents involving multiple perpetrators, offline contact, and a power imbalance between victim and perpetrator were more likely to be upsetting to youth. As the number of aggravating features (i.e., multiple perpetrators, offline contact, power imbalance, repetition) that an incident included increased, the likelihood of distress also increased. Findings have important implications for schools and parents seeking to improve prevention and intervention efforts.

Psychosocial distress and functioning of Greek youth with cystic fibrosis: a cross-sectional study.

BackgroundTo assess psychosocial functioning and distress of children and adolescents with cystic fibrosis compared to healthy controls.MethodsThirty-six patients with cystic fibrosis aged 8–18 years (24 boys, mean age ± SD: 11.5 ± 2.6 years) and 31 sex- and age-matched healthy control subjects (18 boys, mean age ± SD: 12 ± 2.5 years) were enrolled in the study. In order to assess the self-esteem, social adjustment, and family functioning of these young people, the Culture-free Self-esteem Inventory, the Social Adjustment Scale–Self-Report, and the Family Assessment Device were administered. Emotional/ behavioral problems were assessed through the Youth Self Report and the Child Behavior Checklist given to both the subjects and their parents.ResultsNo significant differences were found for self-esteem between the two study groups. Regarding social adjustment, children with cystic fibrosis reported significantly worse friendship and overall adjustment (P < 0.05). Moreover, no difference was found in the levels of family functioning between the two groups. No significant differences between the groups were found in emotional/ behavioral problems from the self-reports. On the contrary, parents of children with cystic fibrosis reported significantly higher levels of withdrawal/ depression, thought problems, and delinquent behavior (P ≤ 0.01) as compared to controls.ConclusionsChildren and adolescents with cystic fibrosis appear to be a psychosocially vulnerable group. A biopsychosocial approach should emphasize the assessment and treatment of the psychosocial distress of these patients alongside multiple somatic treatments.

Teasing Experiences, Interpersonal Sensitivity, Self-Schema and Psychological Distress in Youth: an Exploratory Study

The present study as aimed at exploring peer victimization (teasing) experiences, interpersonal sensitivity, self-schemas and psychological distress in youth. The sample consisted of 231 male and female participants who met specified criteria. Participants completed The Teasing Questionnaire-Revised, Teasing Checklist, Interpersonal Sensitivity Measure, General Health Questionnaire- 28 and Self- Schema Questionnaire. In addition, an open ended question was included to obtain data on teasing experiences. The results showed that the appearance related teasing was reported to be the highest, with more females than males reporting teasing experiences on this domain. Teasing experiences in the domains of performance, social behavior, family and appearance were positively related to psychological distress. Interpersonal sensitivity and self-schema were positively correlated with distress and there was a significant difference between distressed and non-distressed participants on these measures. On IPSM, the need for approval was higher in females whereas fragile inner self was higher in males. Self-efficacy on Self Schema Questionnaire (SSQ), Separation Anxiety (IPSM), Social behavior (TQ) and Teasing Checklist were found to be significant predictors of psychological distress, accounting for 29 % of the variation in psychological distress. Teasing experiences is a significant predisposing factor for psychological distress. Our findings have important clinical implications in understanding early teasing experiences in the development of psychological and emotional disorders.

Impact of Coping Efficacy and Acculturation on Psychopathology in Adolescents Following a Wildfire

There has been a considerable amount of research demonstrating links between disasters and negative life events, PTSD symptoms, and psychological distress in youth. Sociodemographic variables, such as race and gender, influence the expression of trauma and anxiety following disaster events. The current study sought to explore relationships among coping efficacy, acculturation, exposure, and psychological symptoms in African American and Caucasian adolescents who experienced wildfires. Data was collected from 206 adolescents, between 14 and 16 years of age, 3 and 10-months following the wildfires. For both groups, exposure and coping efficacy predicted trauma symptoms at 3-months post-wildfires. Furthermore, coping efficacy moderated the relationship between acculturation and trauma for African American adolescents. Exposure and coping efficacy continued to predict trauma symptoms at 10-months post wildfires for the Caucasians; whereas, exposure and acculturation were significant predictors of trauma for the African American adolescents. Overall results suggest that coping efficacy and acculturation are significant factors for African American adolescents, whereas acculturation is not a significant factor for Caucasian adolescents. Further research on intra-group variation is necessary in order to determine the impact of acculturation and other cultural factors that may affect post-disaster functioning in African American adolescents.

Reduction of subjective distress in CBT for childhood OCD: Nature of change, predictors, and relation to treatment outcome

Little research has investigated changes in subjective distress during cognitive-behavioral therapy (CBT) for anxiety disorders in youth. In the current study, 40 youth diagnosed with primary obsessive-compulsive disorder (OCD; M age=11.9 years, 60% male, 80% Caucasian) and 36 parent informants completed separate weekly ratings of child distress for each OC symptom during a 12-session course of CBT. Between-session changes in distress were calculated at the start of, on average throughout, and at the end of treatment. On average throughout treatment, child- and parent-reported decreases in child distress were significant. Baseline OCD severity, functional impairment, and internalizing symptoms predicted degree of change in child distress. Additionally, greater decreases in child distress were predictive of more improved clinical outcomes. Findings advance our understanding of the strengths and limitations of this clinical tool. Future studies should examine youth distress change between and within CBT sessions across both subjective and psychophysiological levels of analysis.

Developmental Trends in Peer Victimization and Emotional Distress in LGB and Heterosexual Youth

This study had 2 objectives: Our first objective was to provide the first evidence of developmental trends in victimization rates for lesbian, gay, and bisexual (LGB)- and heterosexual-identified youth, both in absolute and relative terms, and to examine differences by gender. Our second objective was to examine links between victimization, sexual identity, and later emotional distress. Data are from a nationally representative prospective cohort study of youth in England were collected annually between 2004 and 2010. Our final analytic dataset includes 4135 participants with data at all 7 waves; 4.5% (n = 187) identified as LGB. Analyses included hierarchical linear modeling, propensity score matching, and structural equation modeling. LGB victimization rates decreased in absolute terms. However, trends in relative rates were more nuanced: Gay/bisexual-identified boys became more likely to be victimized compared with heterosexual-identified boys (wave 1: odds ratio [OR] = 1.78, P = .011; wave 7: OR = 3.95, P = .001), whereas relative rates among girls approached parity (wave 1: OR = 1.95, P = .001; wave 7: OR = 1.18, P = .689), suggesting different LGB-heterosexual relative victimization rate trends for boys and girls. Early victimization and emotional distress explained about 50% of later LGB-heterosexual emotional distress disparities for both boys and girls (each P < .015). Victimization of LGB youth decreases in absolute, but not necessarily relative, terms. The findings suggest that addressing LGB victimization during adolescence is critical to reducing LGB-heterosexual emotional distress disparities but additional support may be necessary to fully eliminate these disparities.

Developmental Trends in Peer Victimization and Emotional Distress in LGB and Heterosexual Youth

Developmental Trends in Peer Victimization and Emotional Distress in LGB and Heterosexual Youth

Screening for psychological disorders in youth with Type 1 diabetes: who, when, what and how?

SUMMARY Psychological morbidity is significantly more common in youth with Type 1 diabetes than microvascular and autoimmune complications. As such, mental health problems represent a considerable burden to both the individual and the public health system. Risk factors for psychological distress in youth with this disease are identified and the long-term adverse consequences of poorly controlled diabetes are highlighted. A practical and cost-effective case is made for clinic-based screening at key time points to identify troubled youth and to facilitate timely intervention for this ‘at risk’ population.

Affective Distress Among Adolescents Who Endorse Same-Sex Sexual Attraction: Urban versus Rural Differences and the Role of Protective Factors

The present study examined whether sexual minority adolescents in rural areas were significantly more distressed than their rural sexual majority peers. Additionally, the study examined the impact of level of school belonging, family belonging, and the presence of a mentoring relationship on affective distress for rural sexual minority adolescents and youth (N = 469). Findings indicated that rural adolescents who were sexual minorities reported higher levels of affective distress than their rural heterosexual counterparts. In examining rural sexual minorities alone, higher levels of school and family belonging were associated with lower levels of distress. A relationship was not found between level of distress and mentoring relationships. The importance of building networks of support for sexual minorities in rural areas is addressed.

The Association of Illness Uncertainty to Parent and Youth Adjustment in Juvenile Rheumatic Diseases: Effect of Youth Age

: This study sought to examine the differential effect of youth age on the association between parental uncertainty and both parent distress and youth depressive symptoms within the context of juvenile rheumatic disease. : The sample comprised 51 youth aged 9 to 17 years diagnosed with a juvenile rheumatic disease and their parents. Youth completed a measure of depressive symptoms (i.e., Children's Depression Inventory); parents completed measures of illness uncertainty (i.e., Parental Perceptions of Uncertainty Scale) and parental distress (i.e., Brief Symptom Inventory). : Parental uncertainty demonstrated a significant main effect on both parent distress and youth depressive symptoms. However, these main effects were qualified by significant parental uncertainty × youth age interactions. Parental uncertainty was significantly related to parent distress for both younger and older youth but was only significantly related to youth depressive symptoms in the sample of older youth. : Parental uncertainty due to illness seems to be more predictive of both parent and youth distress with increasing youth age. These findings indicate that the impact of parental illness uncertainty on adjustment outcomes is pronounced as children transition into developmental periods of increasing autonomy and independence.

Validation of the child posttraumatic symptom scale in a sample of treatment‐seeking Israeli youth

We evaluated the psychometric properties of the Hebrew version of the Child Posttraumatic Symptom Scale (CPSS), a self-report measure assessing the severity of posttraumatic distress in youth. Participants (N= 156, ages 8-18) were treatment-seeking victims of diverse traumas. Internal consistency of the Hebrew version in these data was .91 for the total score, .77 for intrusion, .67 for avoidance, and .72 for arousal, similar to the original version. Test-retest reliability over 1 week in a subsample of 45 was r = .81. The point biserial correlation with a clinician-based diagnosis of PTSD was .54. Other convergent and divergent relationships expand the existing literature on the measure and support it as a valuable assessment tool for children exposed to traumatic events.

Patterns and Predictors of Subjective Units of Distress in Anxious Youth

Subjective Units of Distress Scale (SUDS) ratings are commonly used during exposure tasks in cognitive behavioral treatment (CBT) for anxiety. The present study examined patterns and predictors of SUDS in a sample of anxiety-disordered youth. Youth (N = 99) aged 7 to 14 (M = 10.4, SD = 1.8) were treated with CBT for social phobia (SP), generalized anxiety disorder (GAD), and/or separation anxiety disorder (SAD). Analyses were conducted using hierarchical linear modeling. Child's peak SUDS and magnitude of change in SUDS significantly increased between sessions. Higher child self-reported pretreatment total Multidimensional Anxiety Scale for Children (MASC) score predicted greater change in SUDS within the first exposure session. Primary GAD diagnosis predicted less increase in change in SUDS between sessions. Results suggest that higher pretreatment total MASC scores are associated with increased first exposure within-session habituation. Additionally, youth with a principal diagnosis of GAD experienced less between-session habituation, perhaps because they may have required more imaginal than in-vivo exposures.

Community violence, school‐related protective factors, and psychosocial outcomes in urban youth

AbstractThis study examined the relationship of two putative school‐based protective factors—student identification with school and perceived teacher support—to psychosocial outcomes in a sample of urban youth exposed to community violence. Participants were 175 high school students ages 14–19 in grades 9–12 from a large urban school district. Results indicated that exposure to violence was positively associated with internalizing and externalizing symptoms. Additionally, identification with school and teacher support were related to higher hope and lower psychosocial distress. Adolescents who reported higher identification with school and higher teacher support reported higher hope, regardless of the level of violence exposure. Results emphasize the importance of school factors, particularly feeling connected to and supported in school, in promoting hope and minimizing psychosocial distress for youth exposed to community violence. © 2009 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.

The prevalence of transitional object use in adolescence: is there a connection between the existence of a transitional object and depressive symptoms?

The purpose of the study was to investigate the prevalence of the use of a transitional object (TO) in adolescence and its connection with depressive symptoms and mental distress in youth by gender. The study group consisted of 1,054 adolescents (465 boys, 589 girls) from normal comprehensive schools in Turku, a Finnish town with approximately 175,000 inhabitants. The mean age of both gender groups was 14.5 years (SD 0.5); respondents came from all social classes. Background and TO information was collected with questionnaires. Depressive symptoms and mental distress were explored by the children's depression inventory (CDI) and its subscales: low self-confidence, anhedonia and sadness. Of all respondents, 29% (n = 285) had a TO: 37% of girls and 18% of boys. The difference between genders was statistically significant. There was also a statistically significant gender difference in the character of the TO reported: 72 % of girls with a TO had a soft toy, whereas 49% of boys with a TO used hard objects, such as pens, hard toys or books. TO-users showed more depressive symptoms than non-users, but the difference was not statistically significant (P = 0.053). Significant differences were found in the CDI subscales: TO-users had more sadness than non-users and girls using a TO showed more sadness than non-using girls. TO-using boys did not differ from non-using boys with regard to sadness or the other CDI-subscales. The use of a TO seems to be common in adolescence. Adolescents with more depressive symptoms more often used a TO. The sadness of girls using TOs requires attention.

Acculturation Gap, Intergenerational Conflict, Parenting Style, and Youth Distress in Immigrant Chinese American Families

This study examined mother–child acculturation gaps in relationship to youth distress and the possible mediating role of parent–child conflict and parenting style in a sample of 81 Chinese American families. Hierarchical multiple regression analyses provided partial support for a relationship between acculturation gaps and youth distress. No mediators of this relationship were found; however, post-hoc analyses indicated that intergenerational conflict and parenting style were associated with youth distress above and beyond acculturation gaps. These results suggest that interventions developed to reduce parent–child conflict and increase parental bonding (increase parental warmth and decrease parental overprotection) may be valuable for Chinese American adolescents, regardless of acculturation gap status.

The Association Between Right-Wing Political Ideology and Youth Distress

The study examines the association between ideological worldviews among youth and the sense of distress resulting from political events. It examines two hypotheses: the first is that events that contradict ideological worldviews are associated with greater distress levels and the second is that the higher the level of ideological commitment, the higher the distress level will be, regardless of the type of stressor. Therefore this study examines distress levels among right-wing adolescents exposed to two different political stressors: (a) Palestinian terror—which matches their right-wing ideology that regards the Palestinians as an enemy, and (b) the evacuation of settlements—which contradicts their right-wing ideology. As expected, higher distress levels were found during evacuation of settlements, compared to the response to Palestinian terror. It was also found that ideological commitment was positively associated with levels of distress with regard to both stressors.

Sustaining People Right Through Their Lives: Interview With Graham Martin

In this interview Graham Martin reflects on his long career in child and adolescent mental health. He shares his formative experiences with some of the pioneers in the field of attachment theory and the many varied ways that this information has influenced his work in the provision of care to children in hospital, health promotion, understanding the distress of suicidal youth, and his ongoing therapeutic work with families.

Coping with youth violence: assessments by minority parents in public housing.

To present the views of predominantly African American public housing residents as they discuss violence prevention. Qualitative research was conducted with 38 parents of adolescents. Data were analyzed inductively and in relation to an appraisal-coping theoretical framework. Parents enumerated cues that signaled neighborhood danger and signs and symptoms that suggested youth distress. Narratives reflect both ad hoc and systematic coping responses to incidences of violence that involve their children. Parents used a variety of coping strategies and diverse resources such as personal skills, family strengths, and community agencies in an attempt to decrease youth exposure and involvement in violence.

The relationship among violence victimization, witnessing violence, and youth distress.

To explore whether violence victimization and witness experiences of predominantly African-American, low-income, urban adolescents were associated with distress and whether psychosocial factors contributed to symptomatology. Data for this study were obtained from a cross-sectional survey of 349 youth between the ages of 9 and 15 years who resided in any of 10 low-income public housing communities in an East Coast city. Survey instruments assessed exposure to violence, distress symptomatology, youth psychosocial functioning, and family dynamics. Data were analyzed by computing Pearson correlation coefficients and a series of multiple linear regression models. Witnessing violence was related to youth reports of intrusive thoughts and feelings, difficulties with concentration, and vigilant or avoidant behavior. Violence victimization was correlated with feelings of despondency about having either a happy or long life, as well as feelings of being unloved, uncared for, and afraid. Younger youth, boys, and active problem solvers were more likely to report intrusive thoughts. Problematic family communication was related to intrusive thoughts, distraction, feeling a lack of belonging, and expressions of emotional numbing. The act of witnessing violence may be associated with a set of distinct symptoms. Youth who witness violence also need to be identified so they may be aided in dealing with their distress. Family communication, particularly problematic family communication, and problem solving also contribute to symptomatology.

Psychological distress in high-risk youth with asthma.

To examine the relationship between asthma and psychological distress among adolescents already at-risk for adjustment problems secondary to lower economic strata and educational or vocational failure. Twenty-five high-risk adolescents with asthma and 25 high-risk controls without asthma 16 to 21 years old completed the Brief Symptom Inventory, the Beck Depression Inventory, and the Beck Anxiety Inventory. Adolescents with asthma had significantly higher scores on multiple measures of psychological distress. Specifically, adolescents with asthma evidenced higher levels of anxiety, depression, and global psychological distress than those without asthma. High-risk adolescents with asthma may be more likely to experience psychological distress than those without asthma. Our findings suggest that asthma constitutes an additional significant independent stressor or risk factor among adolescents who already are at high risk for multiple adjustment problems.