A systematic review and meta-analysis of morphosyntactic skills in Williams syndrome.

Verbal, visual and musical memory in children with and without Developmental Language Disorder.

Abstract The global burden of mental health diseases is on the rise. Emerging evidence suggests that temperature may play a role in exacerbating mental health outcomes. However, little is known about the impact of ambient temperatures on mental health in one of the world’s fast-warming regions: in the Eastern Mediterranean region. The aim of the study is to examine the association between ambient temperature and mental health hospital admissions in Cyprus between 2000 and 2019. We conducted a case-crossover study using national mental and behavioral disorders hospital admissions data, as diagnosed by physicians using the International Classification of Diseases, Tenth Revision (ICD-10) codes F00-F99. We matched daily hospitalization to the corresponding daily temperature and relative humidity, using data aggregated across all five districts of Cyprus. Data were analyzed in a conditional Quasi-Poisson model, including 1- 3- 5- and 7-day moving average lags. Analysis was also stratified by type of mental disorder, sex and age groups. We analyzed 9,119 mental health hospital admissions, of which 3,881 (42.6%) were schizophrenia disorders. Cases were almost evenly distributed by sex, and 58% occurred among individuals 17–50 years old. For every 5 °C-increase in a 7-day moving average, mental health hospital admissions from any cause increased by 18% (95% CI: 8–29%). Similarly, admissions for schizophrenia disorders increased by 23% (95% CI: 8–40%). We found no association between temperature and mood (affective) disorders. Sex stratification showed that the risk was significant among males, (% Change: 25%; 95% CI: 8–45%) and males with schizophrenia (% Change: 28%; 95% CI: 7–52%). By age, people aged 17–50 years had the highest effect estimates (% Change: 27%; 95% CI: 11–44%; and schizophrenia % Change: 32%; 95% CI: 13–55%). Our results suggest an association between exposure to high ambient temperature and increased risk of mental disorders hospital admissions in Cyprus. Mental health ought to be included as a core outcome in relevant heat-related policies.

Depression is a growing mental health concern among university students and can harm academic performance and well-being. This study analyzes data from 27,901 university students to explore key risk factors and build models to predict depression. We focus on variables such as academic pressure, financial stress, sleep duration, study satisfaction, family history of mental illness, age, gender, and grade point average. Three machine-learning methods—logistic regression, LASSO, and random forest—were applied and compared. The results show that academic pressure, financial stress, and short sleep are the strongest predictors of depression, with family history and low study satisfaction also playing important roles, while age, gender, and grades had smaller effects. All three models performed strongly, with area-under-the-curve (AUC) values around 0.86 and showed good calibration. Logistic regression and LASSO achieved nearly the same accuracy as random forest, making them easier to use and explain in real settings. These findings highlight practical steps for schools and health services: programs that lower academic pressure, provide financial help, and improve sleep habits can reduce depression risk. Early identification and timely support may help prevent serious problems. This research shows that simple machine-learning models can guide effective and affordable mental-health strategies for students.

Father-child interactions in autism: A multivariate analysis of behavioral patterns in Italian dyads.

Subjective age—how old individuals feel, look, behave, think, identify based on interests, and wish to be—is a multidimensional construct linked to health and wellbeing. We examined whether stable (self-perceptions of aging, aging expectations) and daily (stress, affect) factors predict six subjective age dimensions: Felt, Look, Behave, Mental, Interest, and Ideal Ages. A community sample of 209 Australian adults (19–84 years; M age = 54.56, SD = 17.49; 64.59% female) completed two 7-day diary bursts 4 weeks apart, providing 2,385–2,419 observations collected near the end of COVID-19 restrictions. Multilevel models estimated between-person (stable) and within-person (daily) associations and tested moderation by chronological age. Between persons, lower positive affect was associated with older subjective age across all dimensions except Ideal Age. More negative self-perceptions of aging predicted older Ideal Age. Age moderated the relationship between self-perceptions of aging and Interest Age: negative self-perceptions were linked to younger Interest Ages, especially among older adults. Within persons, days with higher positive affect predicted feeling younger for all except Ideal Age, whereas higher negative affect predicted older Felt Age. On days with more stress, people reported older Felt, Mental, and Interest Ages. Findings support subjective age as a dynamic, multidimensional construct in understanding aging.

Strong daily living skills (DLS) are associated with positive outcomes. Prior studies have documented intellectual quotient (IQ)-DLS discrepancies in autistic individuals with average or higher cognitive abilities. Little work in this area includes individuals with co-occurring intellectual disability (ID) or examines IQ-DLS discrepancies at the level of DLS subdomains (i.e., Personal, Domestic, and Community skills). This study examined trajectories of IQ-DLS discrepancies from ages 2-25 in autistic individuals with ID. A total of 127 individuals from a well-characterized longitudinal cohort with verbal IQ < 70 at age 9 were included. IQ-DLS discrepancy scores were calculated by subtracting DLS AEs from nonverbal mental age (NVMA) estimates. Group-based trajectory modeling identified IQ-DLS discrepancy trajectory groups for the DLS domain and Personal, Domestic, and Community subdomains. One-way ANOVA and chi-square analyses were used to compare trajectory groups on demographic and phenotypic characteristics. Two DLS domain discrepancy trajectory groups emerged: IQ > DLS (cognitive abilities exceeded DLS) and IQ < DLS (DLS exceeded cognitive abilities); most participants (78%) were in the IQ > DLS group. An additional group, IQ = DLS (cognitive abilities and DLS were commensurate), emerged in each of the DLS subdomains, for a total of three trajectory groups. Within DLS subdomains, approximately 80% of participants were in either the IQ = DLS or the IQ < DLS trajectory group. In other words, examining scores at the DLS domain-level indicated most participants had cognitive abilities that exceeded DLS, but subdomain scores indicated most participants had DLS that equaled or exceeded cognitive abilities. These results challenge the notion that autism is usually associated with weaknesses in DLS compared to IQ. At the subdomain level, 80% of participants had DLS commensurate with or stronger than their cognitive abilities, indicating domain-level scores may obscure important variability in daily functioning. This work highlights the importance of including autistic individuals with ID in research; patterns observed in samples without ID may not be generalizable.

Acquiring mathematical competence is essential to independent living. In this study, we investigated the mathematics profile in young people with Down syndrome (DS), and the relations between foundational and more complex mathematics skills. The final sample included 33 participants with DS (58% male, 10.2-31.9 years) and a typically developing (TD) group matched on non-verbal mental age (N = 33, 58% male, 4.5-6.5 years). Participants completed mathematics tasks assessing symbolic number, non-symbolic number, arithmetic, reasoning and geometry. We found that performance was similar on measures of reasoning, non-symbolic number skills and geometry; however, people with DS showed a relative weakness in symbolic number skills and a relative strength in arithmetic. Associations between foundational skills and more complex mathematics also differed somewhat between groups. These differences may reflect the ongoing role of non-symbolic skills for mathematics in people with DS and perhaps the use of more complex strategies in typically developing children.

This paper examines the ongoing tension between mental age and chronological age within Rwanda’s primary education system. It investigates how mismatches between a learner’s cognitive readiness and their age-based grade placement affect learning outcomes. The analysis traces developments in educational policy from the post-independence era to the present, highlighting major shifts such as the move from knowledge-based to competency-based curricula, the practice of automatic promotion, and changes in national examinations for Primary Six (P6) learners. It also contrasts double-shift and single-shift learning systems and explores their impact on instructional time and student engagement. The study focuses on core challenges facing Rwanda’s education sector, including academic underperformance, school dropout rates, low uptake of vocational pathways, and weak parental involvement. It critically assesses how socio-economic factors and political decisions have shaped these issues over time. Using data gathered from document analysis and interviews with primary school teachers, the research highlights how the integration of ICT tools and the involvement of educational partners are helping to support struggling learners. These supports offer opportunities for targeted remediation and individualized learning approaches. Grounded in cognitive and developmental learning theories, the paper reveals that while policy reforms have aimed at inclusive and equitable education, they sometimes overlook the cognitive diversity among learners. The assumption that all children of the same age can learn at the same pace creates systemic inefficiencies. In conclusion, the study recommends reinforcing early assessment systems, enhancing teacher training on differentiated instruction, and promoting stronger collaboration among schools, parents, and community stakeholders to better align educational practices with learners’ cognitive needs.

Abstract Background Confidence exhibits systematic individual differences across mental health, gender, and age. However, it remains unknown whether these distinct sources of metacognitive bias have common or distinct computational origins. Methods To address this question, we developed a novel dynamic computational model of metacognition to study the temporal evolution of underconfidence associated with individual differences in transdiagnostic anxiety symptoms and gender in samples of online participants (total N = 1,447). Results We found that underconfidence associated with anxiety symptoms became more prominent the longer individuals took to make metacognitive judgments – suggesting that it is exacerbated by additional time for introspection. In contrast, gender-related underconfidence decreased with greater metacognitive judgment time – suggesting that additional time for introspection is able to remediate prepotent biases. Our computational model of confidence explained these effects – while both gender and anxiety symptoms involved shifts in confidence criteria, only anxiety symptoms involved a temporal accumulation of negatively biased evidence about one’s ability. Conclusions Our study reveals multiple computational pathways to the formation of underconfidence, in turn highlighting specific potential mechanisms for its remediation.

BackgroundGiven India’s high rates of trauma exposure and mental health service shortages, age- and culture-appropriate self-report tools may enhance detection and treatment of trauma-related symptoms in low-resource settings. This study psychometrically evaluated Hindi versions of three trauma-related questionnaires: the Children’s Revised Impact of Event Scale (CRIES-13), the Child Post-Traumatic Cognitions Inventory (CPTCI), and the Depression Self-Rating Scale for Children (DSRS-C), that were adapted for children and adolescents in previous research.MethodsA total of 305 Hindi-speaking participants aged 6–18 completed the questionnaires online. Confirmatory factor analyses and Cronbach’s alpha were conducted to evaluate the internal structure and internal consistency of the questionnaires, and Pearson’s correlations were computed to evaluate their convergent validity.ResultsThe CRIES-13 best fits a three-factor model, the CPTCI a two-factor model, and the DSRS-C a two-factor model. Internal consistency was acceptable to excellent across scales, except for the Arousal subscale of the CRIES-13. Convergent validity was supported by moderate to strong intercorrelations and associations with trauma exposure indices.ConclusionsThe adapted Hindi instruments are psychometrically promising tools for assessing trauma-related symptoms among Indian youth that could inform the diagnosis and treatment of trauma-exposed populations. Limitations and future research directions are discussed.

The aim of the current research is to evaluate the Arabic language book for the second intermediate grade from the point of view of teachers in Anbar Governorate, for the academic year 2022-2023. The researcher used the descriptive approach, and the research sample consisted of male and female Arabic language teachers for the second intermediate grade. To achieve the research objectives, the researcher selected a sample of (175) male and female teachers, and constructed aquestionnaire consisting of (36) paragraphs distributed over seven areas, and it was distributed to the members of the research sample after ensuring its validity and reliability. The researcher relied on statistical methods, namely the weighted mean, percentage, and percentage weight, to deal with the research results statistically. The research results concluded that the content of the book did not take into account the mental levels and age group of second intermediate grade students.

This qualitative study explored parents’ perceptions of the social and emotional characteristics of their young highly and profoundly gifted (HG/PG) children during early elementary school. A phenomenological design was used to collect data from a purposive sample of 12 parents of highly to profoundly gifted children aged 6 – 8 through semi-structured interviews. Data were analyzed using thematic analysis and generated two overarching themes addressing the research question: “How do parents describe their young HG/PG child’s social‐emotional characteristics?” The first theme, social-emotional complexity and intensity , encompassed advanced mental age, heightened autonomy, and strong emotional intensity, including existential worries and emotional sensitivity. Sub-themes included children’s drive for intellectual engagement and their preferences for friendships based on shared interests. The second theme, nurturing needs in early elementary school , highlighted behavioral and health challenges such as sleep disturbances, emotional regulation difficulties, and signs of anxiety. These findings underscore the complex, nuanced experiences of HG/PG children and their families. Implications include the need for parent outreach, professional learning for counselors and educators, and individualized social‐emotional supports in school and home environments. Findings from this study may help other parents and caregivers who suspect their child may be intellectually precocious by providing insights about social-emotional development and affective characteristics.

The background of this study is that students with mild intellectual disabilities still experience difficulties in recognizing number symbols 1-10. Although they have a normal age, students with intellectual disabilities have a mental age below their actual age, so learning media tailored to their characteristics and mental age is needed in learning. This study aims to improve the ability to recognize number symbols 1-10 through the use of audiovisual media. The method used is Classroom Action Research (CAR) with a quantitative descriptive approach based on Kurt Lewin's model, which includes four stages: planning, action, observation, and reflection. The research subjects were 4 students with mild intellectual disabilities in Grade III at SDLB Negeri Kota Radja Kupang. Data were collected through student observation sheets and student learning outcome tests. The research results show an increase in the ability to recognize number symbols from an average of 50% in Cycle I to 75% in Cycle II. Thus, it can be concluded that the use of audiovisual media is proven effective in improving the ability to recognize number symbols 1-10 for students with mild intellectual disabilities in grade III at SLB Negeri Kota Radja Kupang

BackgroundSubstance use disorders are increasingly prevalent in sub-Saharan African countries, with evident bidirectional risk for people with severe mental illness (SMI) resulting in more severe and chronic courses. This study examines the association between common substance use, including khat and alcohol, and SMI, comparing affected individuals to age and sex-matched controls in Ethiopia.MethodThis study uses data collected as part of the NeuroGAP-Psychosis project, a large multi-country case-control genetics study. This case-control study consisted of 6,500 people with severe mental illness and age and sex-matched 6,500 controls in Ethiopia. Current substance use was defined as any use within the last three months, while current regular use was defined as at least weekly use within the previous three months. Descriptive statistics were used to determine the demographic distribution of participants, and logistic regression was used to estimate the association between substance use and severe mental illness.ResultsMost cases were men (65.8%; n = 4,276) with a mean age of 36.9 (SD = 10.3) years, while the controls were 64.7% (n = 4,204) men with a mean age of 36.2 (SD = 10.9) years. Current use of tobacco, alcohol, khat, and cannabis was 15.1%, 17.2%, 20.4% and 1.0% among cases and 6.0%, 41.5%, 12.5%, and 0.8% among controls, respectively. The adjusted odds of regular tobacco and khat use were 4.8 (95% CI: 4.0, 5.9) and 1.6 (95% CI: 1.4, 1.8) times higher in cases than in controls, respectively. However, regular use of alcohol was 0.1 (95% CI: 0.1, 0.2) times lower among cases than among controls.ConclusionsTobacco and khat use were higher among cases than controls, while alcohol and cannabis use were more prevalent in controls. The high prevalence of khat use is particularly problematic in people with SMI as it adversely affects the course and outcome of mental illness. Tobacco smoking also contributes to physical health morbidity and associated premature mortality. Therefore, evidence-based screening and treatment services are warranted to mitigate the harmful health outcomes of khat use and tobacco consumption among individuals with SMI.

Rising young worker despair in the United States☆

Scientists have identified five distinct life-phases of the brain, revealing that adolescence stretches from age 9 to 32 and that major rewiring shifts occur again later in life, challenging assumptions about mental health, ageing and learning. Dorothy Lepkowska explains

Children with intellectual disability (ID) have significantly delayed morphological and syntactic development. This study aimed to establish the link between vocabulary and syntactic development in children with autism spectrum disorder (ASD) and Down syndrome (DS) compared with children with typical development (TD), controlling for mental age (MA) as defined by the Tanaka-Binet Intelligence Scale V. Participants comprised children with ID (N = 33), including 14 with ASD and 19 with DS; chronological age (CA) ranged from 9 to 17 years, with an MA of over 4 years. Children with TD (N = 28) had a CA of 5 years. Participants were assessed on vocabulary comprehension, vocabulary expression, syntactic comprehension and syntactic expression. We examined both group differences and within-group associations between vocabulary and syntax. Although we witnessed no significant differences in vocabulary comprehension or expression, children with ASD and DS performed significantly lower on syntactic comprehension and expression tasks than MA-matched children with TD. Both groups demonstrated difficulty with grammatical items requiring understanding of grammatical morphemes and grammatical knowledge. Both groups exhibited vocabulary development similar to that of children with TD; however, their syntactic development was lower than expected considering their MA and vocabulary development. Building and examining approaches focusing on syntax, particularly grammatical morphology, is important in educational and clinical practice for Japanese children with ASD and DS.

Abstract Purpose This study examined differences by the presence of mental illness among community welfare center users in an urban–rural complex city. As South Korea pursues deinstitutionalization for people with mental illness, welfare centers must adapt their roles to meet community needs. Methods A cross-sectional survey was conducted with 153 older adults from two community welfare centers. The dependent variable was the presence of mental illness (0 = no, 1 = yes). Independent variables included mental health confidence, age, gender, education, income, living-alone, self-rated health, exercise, diet, marital status, and social capital (trust in neighbors, mutual help). Logistic regression analysis was performed. Results The model was significant (adjusted R² = 0.346, p &amp;lt; 0.001). Older age was linked to lower likelihood of mental illness (OR = 0.89, p = 0.004), while women showed higher likelihood than men (OR = 11.52, p = 0.021). Never-married individuals tended toward higher risk (OR = 4.65, p = 0.107). Mutual help was positively associated with mental illness (OR = 8.30, p = 0.005). Conclusion Age and gender were key predictors, while marital status and social capital warrant further study. Higher prevalence among women likely reflects their greater representation in welfare centers. The positive link between mutual help and mental illness may reflect supportive networks among users with illness, while those without illness may be less engaged due to negative perceptions of welfare centers. Findings underscore the need to tailor programs for users with mental illness and strengthen welfare centers as hubs for aging-in-place and self-management.

The objective of this study is to determine how problematic social media use (PSMU), social media use frequency (SMU), and the number of followers (SMF) predict depressive symptoms evolution in adolescents, while evaluating the moderating effects of gender and age. Longitudinal data from 2,121 adolescents (52.38% female) were analysed at two time points (T1, T2) with a mean age (T1) of 13.79 years. Quantile regression models (τ = 0.25, 0.50, 0.75) revealed that problematic use and SMU were associated with increased depressive symptoms across all quantiles. Higher SMU predicted greater increases in depressive symptoms, particularly among younger adolescents. The interaction between SMF and SMU, also SMF and gender, was significantly associated with depressive outcomes; in particular, the effect of a higher number of followers was more pronounced among girls, and when combined with low use, it increased depressive symptoms. These findings suggest that SMU has a differential impact on depressive symptoms depending on the initial severity, with those exhibiting more severe baseline symptoms being more affected. Importantly, these results indicate that interventions for adolescent social media use may be tailored to their baseline mental health status, age, and gender; supporting current global regulatory trends aimed at increasing the age threshold for access to social media platforms.Supplementary InformationThe online version contains supplementary material available at 10.1038/s41598-025-29258-x.