Longitudinal Study Research Articles

Cerebral vasculitis as the clinical manifestation of neuroborreliosis: pattern of vascular pathology and prognostic factors of outcome.

Neuroborreliosis is a tick-borne condition that affects the central and/or peripheral nervous system. Cerebral infarction associated with neuroborreliosis-related vasculitis has been reported in only a handful of cases. Therefore, specific patterns of vascular pathology and prognostic outcome factors in these patients are still incompletely understood. To determine the pattern of vascular pathology and prognostic outcome factors in patients with neuroborreliosis-related vasculitis. We performed a longitudinal multicenter study between 1997 and 2022 in five academic study sites in Germany with a cumulative reference area of 1,620,000 inhabitants. All patients diagnosed with neuroborreliosis-associated cerebral vasculitis were included. The evaluation of clinical parameters, including NIH Stroke Scale (NIHSS), disability ranking (modified Rankin Scale, mRS), and neuroimaging with the estimation of patterns of vascular involvement were performed at admission as well as after three and twelve months. Linear regression analysis was used to identify the independent predictors of recurrent strokes, involvement of posterior circulation or multiple vessels. Patients with neuroborreliosis-related vasculitis (n=51) were relatively young (mean age: females: 60±11 years; male patients: 60±8 years) and displayed a predominance of vascular events within the posterior circulation (60.8%). A history of smoking was linked to recurrent strokes/TIA (64.7% vs. 23.5%; p=0.006), strokes in multiple territories (100% vs. 35.9%; p<0.0001), and posterior circulation events (64.5% vs. 30.0%, p=0.017), whereas other cardiovascular risk factors showed no significant differences. Linear regression analysis further confirmed smoking's significant association with recurrent strokes/ transient ischemic attacks (B: 0.412; p=0.002), multiple territory strokes/TIA (B: 0.467; p=0.033), and posterior circulation events (B: 0.317; p=0.033). A thorough CSF examination for neuroborreliosis is crucial, especially in younger stroke patients, particularly those experiencing posterior circulation ischemic events. Smoking-cessation should be prompted in patients with neuroborreliosis-associated cerebral vasculitis.

Beyond Numbers: Decoding the Gendered Tapestry of Non-Communicable Diseases in India

Introduction: Non-communicable diseases (NCDs) represent a major global health challenge, particularly in low- and middle-income countries like India, with significant gender disparities in mortality and disease burden. This study aims to investigate these disparities, using data from national health surveys, to inform gender-specific public health strategies and align with global health goals. Methodology: The study uses data from the Longitudinal Aging Study in India (LASI) and National Family Health Surveys (NFHS-4 and NFHS-5). Result: The results from the Longitudinal Ageing Study in India (LASI) and National Family Health Surveys (NFHS-4 and NFHS-5) indicate significant demographic and health-related variations among 65,562 participants. Key findings show gender disparities in lifestyle habits such as alcohol and tobacco use, and differences in health outcomes across age, education, and socioeconomic status. Notably, an increase in NCD prevalence, particularly hypertension and diabetes, was observed from NFHS-4 to NFHS-5, highlighting evolving health challenges in India. Conclusions: The study emphasizes the importance of gender in the prevalence and management of non-communicable diseases (NCDs) in India, advocating for public health strategies that address gender differences, socio-economic factors, and urban-rural disparities to achieve health equity.

Bidirectional associations between sleep and anxiety among Chinese schoolchildren before and after the COVID-19 lockdown

The COVID-19 pandemic has critical implications for mental health in children. This study examined how the COVID-19 lockdown affected sleep duration and anxiety symptoms in Chinese school-aged children and the bidirectional association between sleep and anxiety before and during the COVID-19 lockdown. A school-based longitudinal cohort study was conducted to examine the relationship between sleep duration and anxiety scores before and after the COVID-19 lockdown from January to May 2020. Generalized estimating equations model was used to identify variables that contributed to the changes in sleep duration. The bidirectional relationship between sleep duration and anxiety symptoms was explored by cross-lagged analysis. 7681 children completed two waves of surveys were included in the analysis. The daily exercise duration, anxiety symptoms, and sleep duration decreased significantly during the lockdown compared with that before the lockdown. Based on generalized estimating equations model, older age, secondary school, and higher anxiety scores of participants were positively associated with sleep duration, while female and no COVID-19 infection history were negatively associated with it. Cross-lagged analysis showed higher anxiety score of children before the lockdown was significantly associated with shorter sleep duration during the lockdown; and shorter sleep duration of children before the lockdown was also significantly associated with a higher anxiety score during the lockdown. Under the context of the COVID-19 pandemic, there were longitudinal, bidirectional associations between children’s anxiety symptoms and sleep duration. For school students, mental health services and sleep education should be considered in the daily health education curriculum.

Association of education attainment, smoking status, and alcohol use disorder with dementia risk in older adults: a longitudinal observational study

BackgroundPrevious research on the risk of dementia associated with education attainment, smoking status, and alcohol use disorder (AUD) has yielded inconsistent results, indicating potential heterogeneous treatment effects (HTEs) of these factors on dementia risk. Thus, this study aimed to identify the important variables that may contribute to HTEs of these factors in older adults.MethodsUsing 2005–2021 data from the National Alzheimer’s Coordinating Center (NACC), we included older adults (≥ 65 years) with normal cognition at the first visit. The exposure of interest included college education or above, current smoking, and AUD and the outcome was all-cause dementia. We applied doubly robust learning to estimate risk differences (RD) and 95% confidence intervals (CI) between exposed and unexposed groups in the overall cohort and subgroups identified through a decision tree model.ResultsOf 10,062 participants included, 929 developed all-cause dementia over a median 4.4-year follow-up. College education or above was associated with a lower risk of all-cause dementia in the overall population (RD, -1.5%; 95%CI, -2.8 to -0.3), especially among the subpopulations without hypertension, regardless of the APOE4 status. Current smoking was not related to increased dementia risk overall (2.8%; -1.5 to 7.2) but was significantly associated with increased dementia risk among men with (21.1%, 3.1 to 39.1) and without (8.4%, 0.9 to 15.8) cerebrovascular disease. AUD was not related to increased dementia risk overall (2.0%; -7.7 to 11.7) but was significantly associated with increased dementia risk among men with neuropsychiatric disorders (31.5%; 7.4 to 55.7).ConclusionsOur studies identified important factors contributing to HTEs of education, smoking, and AUD on risk of all-cause dementia, suggesting an individualized approach is needed to address dementia disparities.

Toward a roadmap for sustainable lean adoption in hospitals: a Delphi study

BackgroundThe benefits of lean adoption in healthcare include improved process efficiency and quality of patient care. However, research indicates that lean implementation in healthcare, and specifically hospitals, is often not sustained. Furthermore, there is a need for maturity models that guide lean implementation, specifically in hospitals. This study develops a prescriptive maturity model named the Sustaining of Lean Adoption in Hospitals Roadmap (SOLAR) that acts as a practical guideline for the sustainable adoption of lean in hospitals.MethodsThe SOLAR has three theoretical foundations, namely lean implementation success factors in hospitals, implementation science, and change management theory. A systematic literature review was conducted to determine the lean implementation success factors in hospitals as the first building block. Secondly, practices from implementation science were used to create the action items in the SOLAR. Ten change steps were elicited from change management theory as the third theoretical building block of the roadmap. We refined the roadmap through three Delphi rounds that verified its useability in hospitals.ResultsThe final SOLAR consists of four maturity phases (prepare, plan, experiment and learn, and sustain) and includes action items for each phase related to the hospital’s strategy, resources, engaging of people, and culture. The action items and change management steps shown in the SOLAR are not intended as an exhaustive list but provide guidelines on aspects hospitals must consider when they aim to adopt lean sustainably.ConclusionsThe strong theoretical base of the SOLAR enables hospitals to safely experiment and learn which implementation methods are best suited to their unique environment. The SOLAR is, therefore, an actionable guideline that informs both academics and practitioners involved in lean adoption in hospitals. This roadmap can guide future retrospective longitudinal or action research.

Prognosticating Residual Dysplasia at Skeletal Maturity Following Closed Reduction for Developmental Dysplasia of the Hip: A Long-Term Study with an Average 20-Year Follow-up.

Patients with developmental dysplasia of the hip (DDH) are at risk for residual acetabular dysplasia even after successful closed reduction. The aim of this study was to identify predictors of long-term outcomes in order to guide prognostication and management. Patients who were treated for DDH at 2 institutions between 1970 and 2010 and had follow-up until skeletal maturity were screened for inclusion. Hips that underwent open reduction were excluded to reduce iatrogenic confounding. Syndromal (including neuromuscular and arthrogrypotic) hip instability with collagenopathies were excluded. Demographic characteristics, Tönnis grade, age at the time of the reduction, surgical treatment, acetabular index, lateral center-edge angle, residual dysplasia graded using the Severin classification, and the presence and type of proximal femoral growth disturbance categorized using the Bucholz and Ogden classification were assessed. In addition, the the acetabular angle was recorded at the latest follow-up before secondary procedures, and the Oxford Hip Score and 5-level EuroQoL (EQ)-5 Dimension score were recorded at the latest follow-up. To account for repeated measures, generalized estimating equations (GEE) logistic regression was utilized for the multivariable analysis. A support vector machine model and a receiver operating characteristic curve analysis were utilized to identify prognostication thresholds. One hundred and seven hips (96 female, 11 male) that were followed to skeletal maturity, with a mean follow-up of 20 years (range, 10 to 54 years), were included in the analysis. Eighty-nine hips (83%) demonstrated a good outcome at skeletal maturity, with a Severin grade of I or II. Major growth disturbances of Bucholz and Ogden types II, III, or IV were present in 13 hips (12%). At the latest follow-up after skeletal maturity (before any secondary procedures), the mean acetabular angle was 45° ± 4° and the mean lateral center-edge angle was 26° ± 8°. The mean Oxford Hip Score and EQ visual analog scale values were 47 and 86, respectively. A GEE logistic regression analysis of 1,135 observations revealed that the acetabular index (odds ratio [OR], 1.16 per degree; p < 0.001) and age (OR, 1.20 per year; p = 0.003) were significant predictors of a poor outcome (i.e., Severin grade III, IV, or V). Significant differences in acetabular indices across all age groups were found between hips with a good outcome and those with a poor outcome. Age-specific acetabular index prognostication cutoff values are presented. This long-term follow-up study demonstrated that the age-specific acetabular index remains an important predictor of residual dysplasia at skeletal maturity. The proposed prognostication chart and thresholds herein can help to guide orthopaedic surgeons and parents when contemplating the use of an intervention versus surveillance to optimize long-term outcomes. Prognostic Level III. See Instructions for Authors for a complete description of levels of evidence.

Vitamin D, periodontitis and tooth loss in older Irish adults.

The aim of this study is to investigate whether 25-hydroxyvitamin D (25(OH)D) is associated with periodontitis and tooth loss in older adults. A total of 2346 adults underwent a detailed dental examination as part of the health assessment of a national population study - The Irish Longitudinal Study of Ageing. 25(OH)D analysis was performed on frozen non-fasting total plasma using LC-MS. The analysis included both multiple logistic regression and multinominal logistic regression to investigate associations between 25(OH)D concentration, periodontitis and tooth loss, adjusting for a range of potential confounders. Results of the analysis found the mean age of participants was 65·3 years (sd 8·2) and 55·3 % of the group were female. Based on the quintile of 25(OH)D concentration, participants in the lowest v. highest quintile had an OR of 1·57 (95 % CI 1·16, 2·13; P < 0·01) of having periodontitis in the fully adjusted model. For tooth loss, participants in the lowest v. highest quintile of 25(OH)D had a RRR of 1·55 (95 % CI 1·12, 2·13; P < 0·01) to have 1-19 teeth and a RRR of 1·96 (95 % CI 1·20, 3·21; P < 0·01) to be edentulous, relative to those with ≥ 20 teeth in the fully adjusted models. These findings demonstrate that in this cross-sectional study of older men and women from Ireland, 25(OH)D concentration was associated with both periodontitis and tooth loss, independent of other risk factors.

A Cross-Lagged Panel Analysis of Social Participation in the Relationship Between Functional Limitations and Cognitive Functioning: Evidence From CHARLS.

Functional limitations refer to the dependency to perform activities of daily living. Increasing evidence has demonstrated a bidirectional association between functional limitations and cognitive functioning, although the exact mechanism remains unclear. This study investigated whether social participation bidirectionally mediates the association between functional limitations and cognitive decline. We analyzed a sample of 16,385 middle-aged and older adults (aged over 50years) using longitudinal data from the China Health and Retirement Longitudinal Study (CHARLS; Waves 1-4). We utilized a cross-lagged panel model to examine the bidirectional mediation of social participation between functional limitations and cognitive functioning over a span of eight years. The results indicated that social participation bidirectionally and partially mediated the relationship between the onset of functional limitations and cognitive decline, indicating that social participation may play an important role in mitigating the disablement process.

Maintenance of CPR skills among nursing students trained using Resuscitation Quality Improvement® program

BackgroundThe Resuscitation Quality Improvement® (RQI) program is a competency-based approach that provides low dose, high frequency cardiopulmonary resuscitation (CPR) skills training. Limited research has evaluated its effectiveness with nursing students who need to be prepared to respond to cardiopulmonary emergencies despite their student status and to be competent in CPR as they transition into practice. ObjectiveThe objective of this multisite longitudinal study was to examine the maintenance of adult and infant compressions and ventilation skills by nursing students at 3 and 6 months following practice with real-time feedback using the RQI® program. MethodsThe effectiveness of brief practice of CPR skills at the RQI® simulation station on the maintenance of skills was analyzed with 238 nursing students from six universities across the United States. Participants completed three practice sessions, at baseline (month 0), 3 months, and 6 months. At baseline, they performed compressions and ventilation with a bag-valve mask on adult and infant manikins without feedback (pretest), followed immediately by a session integrating real-time, objective feedback (both audio and visual) on their performance. CPR practice on the manikins with feedback on performance was then repeated every 3 months. ResultsPracticing CPR skills at the RQI® simulation station every 3 months with real-time feedback enabled participants to maintain their compression and ventilation skills and improve them from baseline (month 0) to 6 months. There was no loss of skills among these participants. Median scores on the first attempt to compress and ventilate stayed above the minimum 75 % overall score that learners must achieve to be considered an adequate performance. ConclusionsThis study demonstrated that brief practice of CPR skills at the RQI® simulation station every 3 months with real-time feedback was highly effective for maintaining students’ competence in compressions and ventilation. Once the RQI® program is set up in a school, students could practice on their own as needed to maintain their skills.

The Influence of Competence and Training towards Employee Performance through Job Satisfaction as Intervening Variable in Wonoayu Health Center, Sidoarjo Regency

This study aims to analyze the influence of competence and training on job satisfaction and employee performance at Wonoayu Community Health Center, Sidoarjo Regency. The results show that employee competence does not have a significant effect on job satisfaction, while training has a substantial impact on job satisfaction. Additionally, job satisfaction plays an essential role in enhancing employee performance. Competence and training directly have a positive effect on employee performance and through the mediation of job satisfaction. Wonoayu Community Health Center is advised to regularly conduct relevant and periodic training, create a comfortable and supportive work environment, and provide recognition and rewards to outstanding employees to boost motivation and job satisfaction. Providing career development programs, mentoring, and coaching is also important to help employees develop their competencies. Wonoayu Community Health Center should strengthen communication and cooperation between units and hold regular team-building activities. Future researchers should expand the sample and research locations, use a mixed-method approach, and conduct longitudinal studies. Future research should include external and personal factors that affect employee performance and develop a more comprehensive conceptual model while testing new hypotheses to enrich academic literature.

Multimorbidity patterns, leisure activities, and cognitive function: A population-based longitudinal study

Abstract Background There is limited knowledge about the effect of leisure activities on cognitive decline related to different multimorbidity patterns. The study aimed to examine the role of leisure activities in the association between multimorbidity patterns and cognitive function. Methods We conducted a community-based cohort study based on the 2002-2018 Chinese Longitudinal Health Longevity Survey (CLHLS). Multimorbidity patterns were examined by exploratory factor analysis. Multivariable linear and logistic regression models were used to assess the associations between multimorbidity, leisure activities and cognitive function. Results The study included 14,093 older adults. Those with specific multimorbidity patterns had lower MMSE scores. Compared to individuals with cardio-metabolic and sensory patterns who frequently engaged in activities such as housework, garden work, and watching TV/listening to the radio, those who participated in these activities less regularly had lower MMSE scores. Furthermore, a higher frequency change of participation and a greater variety of leisure activities were associated with better cognitive function. Conclusions The older individuals with multimorbidity are associated with lower MMSE scores, while those who participated in more leisure activities had higher cognitive function. Diverse, and frequent leisure activities may help delay cognitive decline in Chinese older adults with different multimorbidities.

Cognitive Ability and Stock Investment among Chinese Middle-aged and Older Population

This study uses the Wave 2 (2013), Wave 3 (2015) and Wave 4 (2018) released by Harmonized China Health and Retirement Longitudinal Study (CHARLS) to examine the effect of cognitive ability on stock investment in the middle-aged and older populations in China. This study investigates the relationship between subjective and objective aspects of cognitive ability on stock ownership and shares of stock holdings in financial investment over time. We further compare this relationship between subsamples (older adults vs. middle-aged adults). The findings in this study will provide implications for policymakers, financial professionals as well as investors.

Association Between Restricting Symptoms and Disability After Critical Illness Among Older Adults

Objectives: Older adults who survive critical illness are at risk for increased disability, limiting their independence and quality of life. We sought to evaluate whether the occurrence of symptoms that restrict activity, that is, restricting symptoms, is associated with increased disability following an ICU hospitalization. Design: Prospective longitudinal study of community-living adults 70 years old or older who were interviewed monthly between 1998 and 2018. Setting: South Central Connecticut, United States. Patients: Two hundred fifty-one ICU admissions from 202 participants who were discharged alive from the hospital. Interventions: None. Measurements and Main Results: Occurrence of 15 restricting symptoms (operationalized as number of symptoms and presence of ≥ 2 symptoms) and disability in activities of daily living, instrumental activities of daily living, and mobility was ascertained during monthly interviews throughout the study period. We constructed multivariable Poisson regression models to evaluate the association between post-ICU restricting symptoms and subsequent disability over the 6 months following ICU hospitalization, adjusting for known risk factors for post-ICU disability including pre-ICU disability, frailty, cognitive impairment, mechanical ventilation, and ICU length of stay. The mean age of participants was 83.5 years (sd, 5.6 yr); 57% were female. Over the 6 months following ICU hospitalization, each unit increase in the number of restricting symptoms was associated with a 5% increase in the number of disabilities (adjusted rate ratio, 1.05; 95% CI, 1.04–1.06). The presence of greater than or equal to 2 restricting symptoms was associated with a 29% greater number of disabilities over the 6 months following ICU hospitalization as compared with less than 2 symptoms (adjusted rate ratio, 1.29; 95% CI, 1.22–1.36). Conclusions: In this longitudinal cohort of community-living older adults, symptoms restricting activity were independently associated with increased disability after ICU hospitalization. These findings suggest that management of restricting symptoms may enhance functional recovery among older ICU survivors.

Examining the reciprocal associations between symptoms of depression and anxiety and contact with the criminal justice system.

Taken together, prior publications on the association between symptoms of depression and anxiety and contact with the criminal justice system (CJS) suggest a bi-directional relationship, but all the studies only focus on one direction in this relationship. To examine, in longitudinally collected data, period-specific within-individual change in anxiety and depression measures preceding arrest measurement and, separately, following arrest measurement. Data were obtained from the National Longitudinal Study of Youth 1997, a nationally representative sample of people born between 1980 and 1984 and first interviewed between ages 12-17 and a publicly accessible database. Our focus was on data for the 11years 2000-2010. Using whole sample data, we tested for a reciprocal association between depression and anxiety during each 2-year period and arrests during the following year, and vice versa, allowing for relatively fixed characteristics such as sex, age and socio-economic indicators. We used period-specific change modelling to test relationships. We found that within-individual increases in depression and anxiety scores over short periods (2-year periods) of time was associated with an increase in the number of arrests subsequent over the following year, consistently throughout the whole of the 10years studies. The reciprocal association was also observed, albeit the magnitude of the effects was much smaller. This study adds to the literature on the association between mental health and CJS contact by showing that they may be reciprocally associated. This suggests that facilitating co-working or even formal partnerships between community mental health services and justice-related services could be beneficial.

The association between bullying victimization and back pain in young people: a systematic literature review and meta-analysis

Abstract Back pain is a common and recurrent health complaint in adolescence. Psychosocial factors may be associated with the onset and persistence of back pain symptoms. This systematic review aims to determine the association between bullying victimization and back pain in young people. Observational studies that quantified the association between bullying victimization and back pain in participants were included in this systematic review. Estimates of associations and confidence intervals were extracted. A random effects meta-analysis of estimates of association was performed. The quality of evidence was assessed using the Joanna Briggs Institute critical appraisal checklist for analytical cross-sectional studies. Database searches yielded 18,311 citations. Nineteen studies (n = 212,058, 51.4% female) were included in our review. Meta-analysis showed a positive association between bullying victimization and back pain (odds ratio 1.93, confidence interval 1.75-2.13). Subgroup analysis showed no statistically significant effect of sex, age, bullying type, pain type, recall periods, bullying frequency, back pain frequency, risk estimate adjustment, and study critical appraisal rating. All studies were rated at moderate-high risk of bias. Our synthesis of evidence found a weak-moderate association between bullying victimization and back pain in young people. Methodological shortcomings and heterogeneity in the field limit causal inference. Future longitudinal studies are required.

Effect of Group Mixing and Available Space on Performance, Feeding Behavior, and Fecal Microbiota Composition during the Growth Period of Pigs

Stress significantly affects the health, welfare, and productivity of farm animals. We performed a longitudinal study to evaluate stress’s effects on pig performance, feeding behavior, and fecal microbiota composition. This study involved 64 Duroc pigs during the fattening period, divided into two experimental groups: a stress group (n = 32) and a control group (n = 32). Stressed groups had less space and were mixed twice during the experiment. We monitored body weight, feed efficiency, feeding behavior, and fecal microbiota composition. Compared to the control group, the stressed pigs exhibited reduced body weight, feed efficiency, fewer feeder visits, and longer meal durations. In the fecal microbiota, resilience was observed, with greater differences between groups when sampling was closer to the stressful stimulus. Stressed pigs showed an increase in opportunistic bacteria, such as Streptococcus, Treponema and members of the Erysipelotrichaceae family, while control pigs had more butyrate- and propionate-producing genera like Anaerobutyricum, Coprococcus and HUN007. Our findings confirm that prolonged stress negatively impacts porcine welfare, behavior, and performance, and alters their gut microbiota. Specific microorganisms identified could serve as non-invasive biomarkers for stress, potentially informing both animal welfare and similar gut-brain axis mechanisms relevant to human research.

Faecal Glucocorticoid Metabolites and Hair Cortisone/Cortisol Measurements in Domestic Pigs Exposed to Road Transportation and Dexamethasone Treatment

Pig homeostasis is challenged by stressful production practices, like road transportation. Glucocorticoids (GCs) are mediators of reactive homeostasis, and their concentrations are frequently used as a stress indicator. The adrenocortical activity of fattening female and castrated male pigs was monitored over a 5-day longitudinal study. A bi-factorial experimental design was applied on day 2; 18 pigs in pen 1 were transported for 3 h (T; 1.2 m2/pig), and 18 pigs were kept in pen 2 (NT). Ten pigs from each pen were treated with dexamethasone (T-D or NT-D), and eight with saline solution (T-SS or NT-SS). Adrenocortical activity was assessed by measuring the levels of faecal glucocorticoid metabolites (FGMs) and hair cortisol and cortisone. In T-SS pigs, the level of FGMs was higher after transportation than in NT-SS pigs. The level of FGMs of T-D pigs initially increased but then reached similar levels to those of NT-SS sooner than T-SS. In contrast, hair cortisol and cortisone did not respond to the treatments. Nevertheless, the hair cortisone/cortisol ratio increased due to transport and decreased after dexamethasone administration. Daily faecal sampling proved still more reliable than 60-day hair sampling for assessing adrenocortical activity. Transported pigs recovered their adrenocortical baseline levels within 24 h. Dexamethasone attenuated the response to transport.

Metal ion levels after metal-on-metal hip resurfacing: A single-center longitudinal study of Chinese patients

Metal ion levels after metal-on-metal hip resurfacing: A single-center longitudinal study of Chinese patients

Is the clique a pond? The big-fish-little-pond effect and the relative meaning of clique and classroom

BackgroundAcademic self-concept (ASC) is a key predictor of learning behaviors and educational outcomes. In adolescence, the evaluation of academic abilities is mainly shaped by the social environment and comparisons with various reference groups. The effect of making social comparisons with the academic achievement of a reference group is known as the big-fish-little-pond effect (BFLPE). AimsBased on social comparison theory and the local dominance effect (LDE), the present study aimed to investigate a pivotal adolescent reference group beside the classroom: the clique. We investigated to what extent students’ social comparison with the mathematics achievement of clique members was related to the ASC of individual students more than general classroom comparisons. SampleThe sample comprised 743 German secondary students in sixth and eighth grade (93 cliques in 40 classrooms). MethodsWe estimated a three-level structural equation model using data from a two-wave longitudinal study in one school year. The change in students’ ASC was determined using latent change modeling. ResultsThe average academic achievement of the clique negatively predicted ASC development. Classroom academic achievement had no effect. ConclusionsThe results underline the importance of informal peer groups like cliques as important reference groups for social comparisons and ASC development during adolescence.

Negative life events predict depressive trends: the moderating effect of overgeneral autobiographical memory and early parenting behaviour

ABSTRACT The Emerging Adulthood is a complex and chaotic period and depression is one of the main psychological health problems during this period. Overgeneral autobiographical memory (OGM) is prevalent among patients with clinical depression. However, the prediction of OGM in groups with non-clinical depression and its influencing mechanisms remain inconclusive. Studies have shown that OGM and early parenting behaviour are vulnerable factors of depression in emerging adulthood, which may be triggered by negative life events. Our longitudinal study included 241 participants (M age = 21.88 years). At baseline, participants completed measures of current negative life events, depression, early parenting behaviour and an autobiographical memory test. Thereafter, they were tracked for depression every 35 days. We used the latent class growth model to differentiate levels and trends of depression among non-clinical participants. The analysis showed that the effect of negative life events on depression was moderated by OGM and early parenting behaviour. However, this moderating effect was found only in the low-risk depression group. Our findings indicate that early parenting behaviour might account for the different mechanisms of OGM production in non-clinical groups. Moreover, it underlines the importance of OGM and early parenting behaviour as potential predictors of future depression in non-clinical groups.