Number Of Close Friends Research Articles

The cohort trends of social connectedness in secondary school students in Finland between 2017 and 2021.

The aim was to investigate the cohort trends of the experienced social connectedness in secondary school students between 2017 and 2021 and whether these trends vary by gender, school level and sociodemographic background. We used nationally representative Finnish data of 450,864 students in lower and upper secondary education. Social connectedness was measured by number of close friends, feelings of loneliness and sense of belonging at school. Adjusted regression analyses included year, gender, school level and sociodemographic factors (parental education, immigrant status of the student and urban-rural area of the school). The results showed that social connectedness declined from 2017 to 2021: 11% decline in having 3+ close friends, 15% increase in loneliness and 8% decline in belonging at school. The decline was especially large in girls and upper secondary school. Although some socio-demographically disadvantaged groups showed lower levels of social connectedness, there were differences by gender, school level and year. Many differences diminished because the more advantaged groups declined faster, i.e. moved towards the less advantaged groups. Declining social connectedness in young people is a worrying trend that requires a public health focus on the whole cohort while accommodating the variation by the individual and environmental context.

Investigation of Teachers Proactivity, Psychological Well-Being and Professional Satisfaction

The aim of the study was to examine teachers’ proactivity, psychological well-being and professional satisfaction levels and the relationship between them. In order to reach this purpose, a quantitative cross-sectional study, one of the quantitative research methods, was used. Within the scope of the determined purpose, firstly, it was examined whether there was a significant difference in terms of seniority, number of close friends, working in the hometown/abroad, being a teacher/administrator, and marital status. Secondly, it was investigated whether there is a significant relationship between proactivity, psychological well-being and professional satisfaction. The study group of the research consists of 162 teachers working in Kilis. "Abbreviated Proactivity Scale", "Psychological Well-being Scale”, "Occupational Satisfaction Scale” and "Personal Information Form" were used as data collection tools. Independent sample t-test, ANOVA, Pearson correlation analysis and regression analysis were used to analyze the data. As a result of the study, significant positive relationships were found between proactivity, psychological well-being and occupational satisfaction variables. Regarding demographic variables, it was determined that proactivity differed according to seniority and number of close friends; psychological well-being differed according to the number of close friends and being a teacher/administrator. Professional satisfaction differed according to seniority, number of close friends and working in hometown/abroad. No difference was found in any of the variables of the study according to marital status. There was a moderate positive and significant relationship between psychological well-being and proactivity. A weak positive and significant relationship between psychological well-being and professional satisfaction. A weak positive and significant relationship between proactivity and professional satisfaction. Suggestions were made in line with these results.

Individual, social and area level factors associated with older people's walking: Analysis of an UK household panel study (Understanding Society)

BackgroundAmong older people, walking is a popular and prevalent activity. Walking is key to increasing physical activity levels and resulting physical and mental health. In the context of rapidly ageing populations, it is important to better understand what factors are associated with walking among older people, based on the socioecological model of health. MethodsWe used data from Understanding Society (n:6450), a national panel survey of UK adults aged 65 years and over living in Great Britain. Slope Indices of Inequality (SII) were calculated for weekly walking hours for older people according to individual, social and area characteristics. These include health, loneliness and social isolation, previous walking and sporting activity, residential self-selection, contact with neighbours, number of close friends and social activity. Spatial area-level data described local area crime, walkability, and proximity to retail, greenspace, and public transport amenities. ResultsMultivariable models indicated that poor health, particularly requiring help with walking, was the strongest predictor of weekly walking hours (SII (95% CI) comparing those needing help vs. no help: −3.58 (−4.30, −2.87)). However, both prior sporting activity (most vs. least active: 2.30 (1.75, 2.88)) and walking for pleasure (yes vs. no: 1.92 (1.32, 2.53)) were strongly associated with increased walking several years later. Similarly having close friends (most vs. fewest, 1.18 (0.72, 1.77)) and local retail destinations (any vs. none: 0.93 (0.00, 1.86)) were associated with more weekly walking. ConclusionsPast engagement in physical activity and walking for pleasure are strong predictors of walking behaviour in older people, underscoring the importance of implementing and sustaining walking interventions across the lifespan to ensure continued engagement in later years and the associated health benefits. However, poor health significantly impedes walking in this demographic, emphasising the need for interventions that offer both physical assistance and social support to promote this activity.

The protective effect of social support on all-cause and cardio-cerebrovascular mortality among middle-aged and older adults in the US

The relationship between social support and mortality, especially cardio-cerebrovascular mortality, still has some limitations in the assessment of social support, sample selection bias, and short follow-up time. We used the data from 2005 to 2008 National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey to examine this relationship. The study analyzed a total of 6776 participants, divided into Group 1, Group 2, and Group 3 according to the social support score (0–1; 2–3; 4–5). Multivariable adjusted COX regression analyses of our study showed that Group 3 and Group 2 had a reduced risk of all-cause and cardio-cerebrovascular mortality (Group 3 vs 1, HR: 0.55, P < 0.001; HR: 0.4, P < 0.001; Group 2 vs 1, HR: 0.77, P = 0.017; HR: 0.58, P = 0.014) compared with Group 1. The same results were observed after excluding those who died in a relatively short time. Additionally, having more close friends, being married or living as married, and enough attending religious services were significantly related to a lower risk of mortality after adjustment. In brief, adequate social support is beneficial in reducing the risk of all-cause mortality and cardio-cerebrovascular mortality in middle-aged and older adults, especially in terms of attending religious services frequency, the number of close friends, and marital status.

Examination of factors related to problem drinking among the working population: The Japanese civil servants study

Problem drinking affects not only the health of a population but also the productivity of a nation, especially if it is rampant among the working population. This study examines the association between problem drinking and work characteristics, work-family status, and social situations among the Japanese working population. Multivariable logistic regression analysis was performed on the basis of gender on 3136 participants (men: 65.1%, women: 34.9%) adopted from the Japanese Civil Servants Study in 2014 (response rate: 87.8%), to examine the factors related to problem drinking, after adjusting for frequency and quantity of drinking. Problem drinking was assessed using the Cutdown, Annoyed, Guilty, and Eye-opener (CAGE) questionnaire. The presence of problem drinking was found in 24.3% of men and 10.3% of women. The analysis showed that in men, poor work performance (OR: 1.34, 95% CI: 1.00–1.79), high family-to-work conflict (OR: 1.54, 95% CI: 1.14–2.09), and high work-to-family conflict (OR: 1.63, 95% CI: 1.14–2.34) were significantly associated with problem drinking, whereas in women, high work-to-family conflict (OR: 2.45, 95% CI: 1.21–4.95) was significantly associated with problem drinking. Although the number of close friends is negatively associated with problem drinking in women, the significance disappeared in the fully adjusted model. It can be concluded that it is important for both men and women to strike a balance between work and family life. Moreover, owing to gender differences, work performance may be important for men, and the presence of close friends may be important for women, in reducing the risk of problem drinking.

The impact of problematic mobile phone use and the number of close friends on depression and anxiety symptoms among college students.

Psychological problems often occur in college students, with the most common ones being depression and anxiety symptoms. Exploring the risk factors that influence depression and anxiety symptoms in college students is essential to promote their physical and mental health. This study aimed to investigate the independent and interaction effects of problematic mobile phone use (PMPU) and the number of close friends (NCFs) on depression and anxiety symptoms and the comorbidity of these symptoms among college students. A cross-sectional survey was conducted in Huainan, Anhui Province, and Suzhou, Jiangsu Province in China from October to December 2022. Data from 7,617 college students were collected. The Patient Health Questionnaire and Generalized Anxiety Disorder-7 were used to evaluate depression and anxiety symptoms. The PMPU data were collected by the Mobile Phone Addiction Type Scale. Multinomial logistic regression models were performed to examine the associations of PMPU and NCFs with depression and anxiety symptoms and their interaction effects. PMPU and lack of close friends significantly increased the risk of depression and anxiety symptoms and the comorbidity of these symptoms in college students (p < 0.001). In addition, the effects of PMPU and lack of close friends on depression and anxiety symptoms in college students were interactive (p < 0.001). No significant sex differences were found. PMPU and lack of close friends are important risk factors for depression, anxiety, and the comorbidity of these symptoms in college students in China.

Factors affecting cultural adaptation stress by gender among multicultural adolescents in Korea

Purpose: This paper is a descriptive survey research to identify factors that affect acculturation stress in multicultural adolescents, and provide basic information that can be used to develop ways to improve their mental health.Methods: This study used the data of the 2nd multicultural adolescents panel study provided on December 30, 2022 by the National Youth Policy Institute. The subjects of this study were 1,520 multicultural adolescents in the fourth grade of elementary school and the survey period was from July to November 2020. The dependent variable was acculturation stress, and the explanatory variables were as follows: mother’s and father’s country of origin, region size, home economic conditions, academic achievement, experience of discrimination, mother’s level of education, father’s level of education, and number of close friends. Data analysis involved calculation of descriptive statistics, analysis of differences in the level of acculturative stress and general characteristics between male and female adolescents, and multiple regression analysis.Results: This study found that there are gender differences in significant influencing factors for acculturation stress among multicultural adolescents. For males, factors influencing acculturation stress were identified as regional size, mother's education level, parental support, and teacher support. For females, they were regional size, experience of discrimination, number of close friends, parental support, and self-esteem.Conclusion: The results of this study suggest that psychiatric nurses should provide psychiatric nursing and counseling to multicultural adolescents in addition to clinical psychiatric nursing. Various mental health programs should be developed for multicultural adolescents, with a focus on counseling, education, and family therapy.

THE MODERATING ROLE OF SOCIAL SUPPORT IN THE RELATION BETWEEN FUNCTIONAL LIMITATIONS AND DEPRESSIVE SYMPTOMS

Abstract Background and Objectives Prior research has demonstrated that social support from friends and neighbors can effectively reduce depressive symptoms. However, few studies have investigated how the characteristics of these relationships can alleviate depressive symptoms among older adults with functional limitations. Therefore, the present study aims to investigate the moderating effects of characteristics of friends and neighbors relationships on the link between functional limitations and depressive symptoms among Korean older adults. Methods The data used for analyses were obtained from the 2020 Survey of Living Conditions and Welfare Needs of Korean Older Persons, a nationally representative survey. The sample included a total of 9,985 individuals who were 65 years of age or older residing in Korea. Results Results from the moderator analyses revealed that the link between functional limitations and depressive symptoms was influenced by both the number of close friends and neighbors (b = -0.085, p &amp;lt; .01) and the level of satisfaction with relationships with friends and communities (b = 2.052, p &amp;lt; .05). Discussion Satisfaction with relationships with friends and communities may act as a protective factor that mitigates the impact of functional limitations on depressive symptoms. In particular, for older adults with functional limitations, having a larger network of friends and neighbors network is expected to help reduce the risk of depressive symptoms.

Sex Differences in the Relationship Between Emotional Support and Self-rated Health among Chinese Elderly.

This study aimed to explore sex differences in the association between emotional support and self-rated health among the elderly. This was a cross-sectional survey based on the sub-project of China's National Basic Public Health Service Project-Health Management Services for the Elderly. Participants were recruited from ten rural townships in Jingyuan County, Gansu Province, Northwestern China. 1405 subjects aged 60 or above. Emotional support (consisting of 5 items) and self-rated health (evaluated by EQ-VAS) were investigated in this study. Multiple linear regression was conducted to consider the potential relationship. The frequency of children visit and the number of providers of emotional support were positively associated with self-rated health among older women (β = 1.13, 95%CI = 0.25-2.02; β = 1.80, 95%CI = 1.01-2.58), whereas the number of close friends had a positive association with self-rated health among older men (β = 1.11, 95%CI = 0.20-2.01). The number of close relatives and the frequency of seeking emotional support were not found to be associated with self-rated health among both older men and older women. The study has found that the relationship between emotional support and self-rated health was differed by sex, calling attention to the need for sex-specific interventions.

Inequalities in associations between young adult caregiving and social relationships: Evidence from the UK Household Longitudinal Study.

Young adult caregivers (aged 16-29 years) are an important but underrecognizedgroup of informal caregivers. There is some evidence suggesting that young adult caregivers have fewer social relationships. However, this research has been largely cross-sectional in design or restricted to caregivers, providing no comparison with noncaregivers. Further, there is little evidence on whether and to what extent there are inequalities in associations between young adult caregiving and social relationships by gender, age, caregiving intensity, or household income. Using five waves of data on 3-4000 young adults aged 16-29 from the UK Household Longitudinal Study, we investigated associations between becoming a young adult caregiver and subsequent social relationships (number of close friends and participation in organized social activities) in the short-term (1-2 years after caregiving initiation) and longer-term (4-5 years later). We also assessed differences by gender, age, household income, and caregiving intensity. Overall, those who became young adult caregivers, and particularly those providing 5+ h/week, reported fewer friends in the short- but not longer-term. No associations were observed between young adult caregiving and participation in organized social activities. Also, there was no evidence of differences by gender, age, income, or caregiving hours. Becoming a young adult caregiver is associated with a reduction in number of close friends, particularly in the short-term. Given the importance of practical and emotional support provided by friends, the early identification of young adult caregivers and greater population awareness of caring in young adulthood may help to mitigate the effects on social relationships.

The social capital penalty paid by teetotallers

Social capital is important and helps protect health and reduce loneliness. Governments worldwide are pursuing policies to reduce the amount of alcohol consumed to protect public health but alcohol consumption remains a prevalent feature of social interaction in the UK. Previous studies have identified a strong relationship between alcohol and social capital which varies in direction depending on the dimension of social capital studied.Using a large nationally representative longitudinal dataset for the UK, we apply an outcome-wide longitudinal design for causal inference, adjusting for covariates, as well as lagged values of outcome and exposure, to investigate if drinking less alcohol or not drinking alcohol at all is related to five binary social capital outcomes: socialising, being active in an organization, feeling lonely, number of close friends, and a bridging social capital score. We use two drinking exposures, binary drinker status, and categorised drinking frequency.We find that not drinking alcohol is negatively associated with socialising. Analysis using the frequency of drinking alcohol exposure finds drinking alcohol monthly or less is negatively associated with being active in an organisation. We find little evidence of any relationship between drinking alcohol and feelings of loneliness, number of friends and bridging social capital.Our results suggest that non-drinkers face barriers to some forms of social capital including socialising, which could be due to alcohol being a social norm in the UK. However, our results also suggest that high-frequency drinkers can reduce their drinking with minimal impact on their social capital. Our findings suggest more needs to be done to make socialising easier for non-drinkers. Furthermore, our findings support the implementation of policies to reduce high-frequency drinking.

Associations between daily routines and social support among women with chronic fatigue syndrome

Background Chronic fatigue syndrome (CFS) is characterised by extreme fatigue, as well as physical and cognitive symptoms. CFS is thrice as prevalent in women than in men. Objective To compare women with and without CFS concerning social support and participation in daily routine occupations, and to assess the relationships between the two variables among women with CFS. Methods This study included 110 women aged 24–69: 41 were diagnosed with CFS and 64 were not diagnosed with CFS. Participants completed the Occupational Questionnaire and the Medical Outcomes Study (MOS) Social Support Survey. Results Women with CFS reported lower participation in instrumental activities of daily living and work occupations than women without CFS. However, they spend more time resting and enjoying it. In addition, they reported less social support than women without CFS. Positive correlations were found between the number of close friends and time spent in play and leisure occupations and a negative correlation with sleep/rest. Conclusions Women with CFS participate less in IADL and work occupations and more in rest/sleep than women without CFS and their social support is attenuated. Significance Intervention plans should be developed for women with CFS, focussing on expanding their participation while considering their social support resources.

Understanding the associations between the number of close friends and life satisfaction: Considering age differences.

Life satisfaction refers to one's subjective evaluation of life, which is the cognitive aspect of subjective well-being. Understanding factors that contribute to life satisfaction has important implications as higher life satisfaction is closely associated with better physical, psychological, and behavioral health outcomes. Close friendship serves as a valuable source of social support across life spans. Although there are some studies regarding the associations between friendship and well-being, much less is known regarding the relationships between the number of close friends and life satisfaction and how this association varies with age. By analyzing data from 29,785 participants with an age range of 16-101 years old from the Understanding Society, the current study found that there is a significant interaction effect of age with the number of close friends (b = -0.003, p < 0.01, 95% C.I. [-0.004, -0.001]) after controlling for demographic covariates. Simple slope regressions showed that the positive association between the number of close friends and life satisfaction is the strongest in young people (b = 0.018, p < 0.001, 95% C.I. [0.012, 0.024]), and less strong in middle-aged (b = 0.008, p < 0.001, 95% C.I. [0.003, 0.013]), and the weakest in older adults (b = 0.004, p < 0.01, 95% C.I. [0.002, 0.007]).

Interpretable machine learning-based approaches for understanding suicide risk and protective factors among South Korean females using survey and social media data.

We aimed to identify and understand risk and protective factors for suicide among South Korean females by linking survey and social media data and using interpretable machine learning approaches. We collected a wide range of potential factors including the material, psychosocial, and behavioral data from a detailed survey, which we then linked to data from social media. In addition, we adopted interpretable machine learning approaches to (1) predict the suicide risk, (2) explain the relative importance of factors and their interactions regarding suicide, and (3) understand individual differences affecting suicide risk. The best-performing machine learning model achieved an AUC of 0.737. Adverse childhood experiences, social connectedness, and mean positive sentiment score of social media posts were the three risk factors that had a monotonic or unimodal relationship with suicide, and satisfaction with life, narcissistic self-presentation, and number of close friends on social media were the three protective factors that had a monotonic or unimodal relationship with suicide. We also found several meaningful interactions between specific psychiatric symptoms and narcissistic self-presentation. Our findings can help governmental organizations to better assess female suicide risk in South Korea and develop more informed and customized suicide prevention strategies.

The Credit Accessibility and Adoption of New Agricultural Inputs Nexus: Assessing the Role of Financial Institutions in Sudan

Many studies have shown that credit is crucial for the adoption of new agricultural inputs and technologies in developing countries. Hence, the issue about how financial institutions select farmer applicants to give loans to is very important. We used primary data from 401 rural households to show what kinds of farmers can get credit from banks in Sudan. The probit model is used to examine the factors that determine both farmers’ access to credit and the adoption of new inputs, and to show the nexus of credit accessibility and the adoption of new input through other factors. The main findings show that farming experience, the number of close friends, hire labor, cultivated land, irrigation, and extension services, are the factors that significantly determine farmers’ credit accessibility from banks. Some of these determinants, such as cultivated land and irrigation, also influence the adoption of new inputs. There exists a strong correlation between credit accessibility from banks and the possibility of using new input. In addition, an IV probit model shows that farmers’ use of chemical fertilizers and improved varieties directly influences the loan decision from banks. This means farmers’ credit demand induced by the chance of using new input actually has been satisfied by the banks in Sudan. The comparison results show that, for the subsample, for the Farmer’s Commercial Bank (FCB) the nexus between credit accessibility and the adoption of new inputs is stronger than that of the Agricultural Bank of Sudan (ABS). Therefore, this study recommended that the Sudan government should choose FCB as the lender of subsidized credit to increase the banks’ contribution to the development of plant production.

Internet Gaming Disorder among Undergraduate Health Sciences Students in the Pokhara Valley: a Cross-Sectional Study

Introduction: Internet Gaming Disorder (IGD) is an emerging public health impact of technological advancement and globalization. This study was conducted to assess the prevalence and factors associated with IGD among Undergraduate Health Sciences students. Methods: A web-based cross-sectional study was conducted during the period of November to July 2020. A total of 412 college students from Undergraduate Health Sciences colleges of Pokhara Metropolitan city in Gandaki province, Nepal were enrolled. Online google forms were sent to all the eligible students through email and other social media sites like Facebook with the help of the coordinator and class representative. Collected data were analyzed using SPSS IBM v.22 Results: The finding of the study shows that the prevalence of Internet Gaming Disorder among Undergraduate Health Sciences students was 7.1%. Sex (p=0.027), Loneliness level at home (p=0.019), number of close friends (p&lt;0.001), types of game (p&lt;0.001), time spent on playing game (p&lt;0.001), and, type of gamer (p&lt;0.001) were the factors associated with Internet Gaming Disorder among the participants. Conclusion: Sex of the participants, loneliness level at home, number of close friends, types of game, time spent on the gameplay, and type of gamer are the contributing factors for developing Internet Gaming Disorder. It is important to focus on these factors to address Internet Gaming Disorder and its psychological health effects.

Prevalence, Correlates, and Perception of E-cigarettes among Undergraduate Students of Kathmandu Metropolitan City, Nepal: A Cross-Sectional Study.

The use of e-cigarettes has been increasing globally especially among the youth population due to rigorous advertisement, marketing, and promotion which has become a significant public health concern. Hence, this study is aimed at identifying the prevalence, correlates, and perception of e-cigarettes among undergraduate students of Kathmandu city. A cross-sectional study was conducted among 405 undergraduates of capital city of Nepal from April 2022 to December 2022. A two-stage systematic random sampling was used to select the respondents. An anonymous, semistructured, self-administered questionnaire was used for data collection. A descriptive, bivariable, and multivariable analysis was done using SPSS version 20. The prevalence of ever use and current use of e-cigarettes was 21.2% and 5.9%, respectively. Number of close friends (AOR = 5.23, CI: 1.26, 16.39), number of friends using e-cigarettes (AOR = 7.23, CI: 0.93, 22.82), male sex (AOR = 2.88, CI: 2.15, 10.35), and age (COR = 5.07, CI: 0.93, 8.19) were the major predictors of current e-cigarette usage. Similarly, number of friends using e-cigarettes (AOR = 5.90, CI: 2.15, 10.35), male sex (AOR = 3.53, CI: 2.15, 10.35), age (COR = 4.56, CI: 0.98, 6.24), and place of residence (COR: 5.19, CI: 0.83, 8.02) were the major predictors of ever e-cigarette usage. The prevalence of e-cigarette consumption was higher in males than females (5.4% vs. 0.5%). Approximately, 34.8% respondents had perceived e-cigarettes as a means to help in smoking cessation. 56.5% adults knew that e-cigarettes promoted conventional smoking. Majority (64.7%) of the undergraduate students had presumed e-cigarettes as less harmful to conventional smoking. Ever use, current use, and misconception on e-cigarettes were widespread among the undergraduate students. Age, male sex, number of close friends, number of peers using e-cigarette, and place of residence were the major predictors for e-cigarette usage. To deal with the increased e-cigarette consumption state, awareness on the harmful addictive properties of e-cigarettes along with its adverse health consequences must be propagated and an appropriate intervention must be implemented.

Smoking among Brazilian adolescents during the COVID-19 pandemic: a cross-sectional study.

The social distancing measures during the coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic resulted in mental suffering among adolescents, leading to risky consumption of psychoactive substances such as tobacco. To analyze the factors associated with tobacco use among adolescents during the COVID-19 social distancing period in Brazil. Cross-sectional study used data from ConVid Adolescentes survey in Brazil. Tobacco use was assessed before and during social distancing. The explanatory variables investigated were sex, age, race/skin color, type of school, maternal education, region of residence, adherence to social restriction measures, number of close friends, sleep quality during the pandemic, mood, passive smoking, use of alcoholic beverages during the pandemic, sedentary behavior, and physical activity. A logistic regression model was used for the data analysis. Tobacco use by adolescents did not change during the pandemic (from 2.58% to 2.41%). There was a higher chance of tobacco use among adolescents aged between 16 and 17 years, self-reported black ones, residing in the South and Southeast regions, reported feeling sad and loneliness, had sleeping problems that worsened, were using alcoholic beverages during the pandemic, and were passive smokers at home. Adolescents whose mothers had completed high school or higher, had strict social restrictions, and increased their physical activity during the pandemic had a lower chance of tobacco use. Tobacco uses during the COVID-19 pandemic was higher in vulnerable groups, such as black adolescents and those with mental suffering.

Social support across eating disorder diagnostic groups: Results from the National Epidemiologic Survey on Alcohol and Related Conditions-III (NESARC-III)

IntroductionPrevious studies have suggested the positive influence of social support on the treatment and recovery of eating disorders (EDs). Yet, more research is needed on how objective and subjective social support differ between ED diagnostic groups using nationally representative data. Therefore, the current secondary data analysis examined associations between EDs and objective and subjective social support using data from the National Epidemiologic Survey on Alcohol and Related Conditions-III (NESARC-III) study. MethodsParticipants completed measures of lifetime and past year diagnostic criteria for anorexia nervosa (AN), bulimia nervosa (BN), and binge-eating disorder (BED) and items assessing objective social support (i.e., number of close friends and close relatives) and subjective social support (i.e., perceptions of availability of support). ResultsCompared to those without EDs, those with AN, BN, and BED had poorer subjective social support—or lower perceptions of social support. However, there were fewer differences regarding objective social support. Individuals with BN reported a lower number of close relatives compared to those without EDs and those with AN, but there were no differences in the number of close friends between ED groups. Those who experienced remission from EDs had higher perceptions of social support compared to those with past year EDs. DiscussionThe findings show deficits in subjective social support across EDs but only lower objective social support in BN. This highlights the clinical utility of increasing perceptions of social support across EDs. The findings also show the importance of perceived social support in recovery from EDs.

Psychosocial and Behavioral Problems of Children and Adolescents in the Early Stage of Reopening of Schools after the Covid-19 Pandemic: A National Cross-Sectional Study in U. P.

This study aims to explore the psychosocial and behavioral problems of children and adolescents in the early stage of reopening schools. In this national cross-sectional study, a total of 11072 students from U.P were naturally divided into two groups based on their schooling status: reopened schools (RS) and home schooling (HS) group. The psychosocial and behavioral functioning were measured by Achenbach Child Behaviour Checklist (CBCL) and compared in these two groups. Multivariable logistic regression analyses were conducted to explore the independent predictors associated with the psychosocial and behavioral problems. Our results showed that the students in the RS group had more adverse behaviors than that of HS group. The RS group had the higher rates of parent-offspring conflict, prolonged homework time, increased sedentary time and sleep problems (all p&lt;0.001). When separate analyses were conducted in boys and girls, the RS group had the higher scores for (1) overall behavioral problems (p=0.02 and p=0.01), internalizing (p=0.02 and p=0.02) and externalizing (p=0.02 and p=0.004) behaviors in the 6–11 age group; (2) externalizing (p=0.049 and p=0.006) behaviors in the 12–16 age group. Multivariable regression showed parent-offspring conflict and increased sedentary time were the most common risk factors, while physical activity and number of close friends were protective factors for behavioral problems in RS students (p&lt;0.01 or 0.05). The present study revealed that students’ psychosocial and behavioral problems increased in the early stage of reopening of schools unexpectedly. These findings suggest that close attention must be paid and holistic strategies employed in the school reopening process of post-COVID-19 period