Adolescent Psychopathology Research Articles

Polygenic Risk Score for C-Reactive Protein is Associated With Accelerated Cortical Thinning and Increased Psychopathology in Adolescents: A Population-Based Longitudinal Cohort Study

Polygenic Risk Score for C-Reactive Protein is Associated With Accelerated Cortical Thinning and Increased Psychopathology in Adolescents: A Population-Based Longitudinal Cohort Study

Prenatal Cannabis Exposure is Associated With Focal Brain Differences That Partially Mediate Associations With Increased Adolescent Psychopathology

Prenatal Cannabis Exposure is Associated With Focal Brain Differences That Partially Mediate Associations With Increased Adolescent Psychopathology

54. Family Conflict and Neural Markers of Familial Risk for Depression During Preadolescence Predicting Adolescent Psychopathology in the Adolescent Brain Cognitive Development (ABCD) Study

54. Family Conflict and Neural Markers of Familial Risk for Depression During Preadolescence Predicting Adolescent Psychopathology in the Adolescent Brain Cognitive Development (ABCD) Study

Comment: Injuries that Hurt – A Comment to “Embitterment – Conception of a Potential Moderator to Dysfunctional and Aggressive Behaviour in Children and Adolescents”

AbstractThis comment discusses the article of Balder and Linden (2022), who debate the existence and role of embitterment in child and adolescent psychopathology. This topic appears highly relevant, but broader literature should be integrated when talking about embitterment. First, we question the conceptualization of embitterment as an emotion. We conceptualize it as a long-term emotion episode that stems from events involving severe and unresolved hurt feelings, also referred to as attachment injuries and narcissistic injuries. When overly intense, they might lead to PTED. In contrast to Balder and Linden (2022), we argue that specific psychotherapeutic treatments exist. Nonetheless, we join Balder and Linden (2022) in calling for more attention for embitterment and hurt feelings and their role in developmental psychopathology.

Midlife diseases of despair and cardiometabolic risk: testing shared origins in adolescent psychopathology.

Rising midlife mortality in the United States is largely attributable to 'deaths of despair' (deaths from suicide, drug poisonings, and alcohol-related diseases) and deaths from cardiometabolic conditions. Although despair- and cardiometabolic-related mortality are increasing concurrently, it is unclear whether they share common developmental origins. We tested adolescent psychopathology as a potential common origin of midlife diseases of despair and cardiometabolic risk. Participants (N = 4578) were from the National Longitudinal Study of Adolescent to Adult Health, a nationally representative cohort followed from adolescence to early midlife. Adolescent psychopathology included depression, anxiety, eating disorders, PTSD, conduct disorder, and ADHD at ages 11-18. Diseases of despair (suicidality, substance misuse, pain, and sleep problems) and cardiometabolic risk (hypertension, hyperlipidemia, high-risk waist circumference, diabetes, and cardiovascular conditions) were multi-modally measured at ages 33-43. At midlife, adolescents who experienced psychopathology exhibited more indicators of despair-related diseases and cardiometabolic risk (IRRs = 1.67 [1.46-1.87] and 1.13 [1.04-1.21], respectively), even after accounting for demographics, adolescent SES, and adolescent cognitive ability. Associations were evident for internalizing and externalizing conditions, and in a dose-response fashion. In mediation analyses, low education explained little of these associations, but early-adult substance use explained 21.5% of psychopathology's association with despair-related diseases. Midlife despair-related diseases and cardiometabolic risk co-occurred within individuals (IRR = 1.12 [1.08-1.16]). Adolescent psychopathology accounted for 8.3% of this co-occurrence, and 16.7% together with adolescent SES and cognitive ability. Adolescent psychopathology precedes both diseases of despair and cardiometabolic risk. Prevention and treatment of psychopathology may mitigate multiple causes of poor midlife health, reducing premature mortality.

Empathy and psychopathology in children and adolescents: the role of parental mental illness and emotion regulation.

Although empathy is known to be a strength, recent studies suggest that empathy can be a risk factor for psychopathology under certain conditions in children. This study examines parental mental illness as such a condition. Further, it aims to investigate whether maladaptive emotion regulation (ER) mediates the relationship between empathy and psychopathological symptoms of children. Participants were 100 children of parents with a mental illness (55% female) and 87 children of parents without a mental illness (50% female) aged 6 - 16 years and their parents. Greater cognitive empathy was related to more psychopathological symptoms in COPMI, but not in COPWMI. In addition, in COPMI maladaptive ER mediated this relationship. In contrast, greater affective empathy was associated with more psychopathological symptoms regardless of whether parents had a mental illness. Our findings highlight the importance of implementing preventive programs for COPMI that specifically target the reduction of maladaptive ER.

Adapting the Child and Adolescent Trauma Screen (CATS) methodology for the Ukrainian-speaking population

The purpose of this article is to present and test an adaptation of the Child and Adolescent Trauma Screen (CATS) methodology for the Ukrainian-speaking population affected by the war in Ukraine. The study focuses on developing a reliable instrument to assess trauma-induced psychopathology among children and adolescents, taking into account the unique cultural and contextual characteristics of the target population. Research methods. The study uses a combination of theoretical analysis and psychometric evaluation methods to test the reliability and validity of the adapted CATS questionnaire. Statistical analysis, including internal consistency analysis, component analysis, and factor analysis, were performed using R software version 4.2.2. Results. The adapted CATS methodology demonstrates high internal consistency (α = 0.850) and has a three-factor structure that explains various aspects of the impact of trauma and related symptoms on Ukrainian children and adolescents. Confirmatory factor analysis has indicated acceptable goodness-of-fit indices, confirming the validity of the adapted CATS questionnaire in assessing trauma-related psychopathology in the target population. Conclusions. The study concludes that the adapted CATS methodology is a valid tool for identifying traumatic psychopathology in Ukrainian children and adolescents who have suffered from war. Using it provides greater understanding of the war’s impact on mental health. In addition, analysis of the methodology points to the importance of culturally sensitive screening tools in addressing the mental health crisis among war-affected populations. By providing a reliable means of identifying psychological distress, the adapted CATS questionnaire can facilitate targeted interventions to mitigate the adverse effects of trauma and enhance resilience among Ukrainian youth. Keywords: Childhood and Adolescent Trauma Screen (CATS), adaptation, psychometric assessment, traumatic psychopathology, Ukrainian-speaking population, mental health crisis

A longitudinal study of child and adolescent psychopathology in conditions of the war in Ukraine

IntroductionAccording to UNICEF, 2 million children have left the country since the beginning of the war. 2.5 million Ukrainian children are internally displaced persons. Minors often become victims or witnesses of violence.The events of 2022-2023 are the largest military conflict in the world since World War II. The impact on the mental health of the population is characterized by the variety and mass of traumatizing factors.Mental trauma causes PTSD, depressive disorders (DD), anxiety disorders (AD), behavioral disorders (CD), attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD).ObjectivesThe aim of the study was to determine the prevalence of PTSD and its comorbidities at different stages of experiencing a traumatic experience.Methods785 teen`s displaced from the zone of military operations, occupied territories were surveyed. Examinations included: K-SADS-PL, PSC-17, SCARED, CATS. 260 teen`s were examined during - 6, 400 – 6–12 months after traumatization.ResultsAfter 6 months of trauma, PTSD was diagnosed in 9.8%, ADHD – 10.2%, DD-22.3%, AD-30.8%, CD – 15.4%, 28.8%; examined 6 to 12 months after the injury, respectively: 21.9%, 12.6, 33.3%, 11.5%, 18.0%.ConclusionsIn war-affected children, PTSD is a risk factor for the subsequent development of comorbid depression, anxiety, conduct disorders, and ADHD. Female sex, secondary traumatization after displacement increase the risk of developing depression, signs of pervasive development and ADHD - the risk of destructive and self-injurious behavior. The prevalence of PTSD, DD, ADHD increases within 6-12 months after the trauma, the sensitivity of children with PTSD to secondary traumatic events increases.Disclosure of InterestNone Declared

The Research on Risk Factors for Adolescents' Mental Health.

There is a growing tendency for mental health disorders to emerge during adolescence. These disorders impair emotional, cognitive, and behavioral functioning, such as unsatisfying peer relationships, disruptive behavior, and decreased academic performance. They also contribute to vulnerability in later adulthood which negatively influences life-long well-being. Thus, research into etiology is imperative to provide implications for prevention and intervention within family and school practices. It is suggested that the onset of psychological disorders, such as depression and anxiety, is closely related to stress levels and patterns of stress reaction. Therefore, considerable research has investigated the link between hereditary factors, economic status, dispositional vulnerability, social relationships, and stress levels. The current study examines existing evidence and identifies multifaceted risk factors for adolescents' mental problems across three layers, including individual traits and personality, family status and practices, as well as peer relationships, and school climate. It is also suggested that factors from these three perspectives interact and are closely interconnected, directly or indirectly contributing to adolescent psychopathology. The implications for future development of prevention and intervention programs, as well as therapy, are discussed.

Exploring networks of complex developmental trauma symptomatology among children and adolescents involved in child welfare.

Clinical presentations of child and adolescent psychopathology can vary systematically for boys and girls. While network analysis is increasingly being applied to explore psychopathology in adults, there is a dearth of network studies considering differences in symptoms for boys and girls, particularly in developmental trauma-related symptomatology. This study involves rural children (n=375, 39.47% girls) and adolescents (n=291, 51.20% girls) involved with child protection services in Ontario, Canada. Caregivers completed the Assessment Checklist for Children or Adolescents within the first 6months of care. Psychometric network analyses were conducted using subscales for boys and girls. Differences were examined via network comparison permutation tests, moderated network models, and independent t-tests. Attachment-related interpersonal difficulties were the most central nodes in the child and adolescent networks for both boys and girls. Emotional dysregulation also had high strength centrality for adolescents. While network comparison tests found the overall network structures and global network strength to be invariant between boys and girls for children and adolescents, moderated network models and independent t-tests revealed several differences with regards to the expression of specific symptoms. Among children, girls exhibited more indiscriminate and pseudomature interpersonal behaviors, whereas boys expressed significantly more non-reciprocal interpersonal behaviors and self-injury. Adolescent girls exhibited more behavioral dysregulation and suicide discourse in the moderated network model; t-tests also indicated higher levels of emotional dysregulation, negative self-image, and other items considered clinically important complex trauma symptoms (e.g., distrust of adults, confused belonging). This study supports evidence of differences in the expression of complex trauma symptomatology for boys and girls. Additionally, girls exhibit more symptoms, in general. Consistent with the transdiagnostic conceptualization of the consequences of developmental trauma, findings demonstrate the primacy of attachment-specific difficulties and emotion dysregulation.

Adolescent to young adult longitudinal development of subcortical volumes in two European sites with four waves.

Adolescent subcortical structural brain development might underlie psychopathological symptoms, which often emerge in adolescence. At the same time, sex differences exist in psychopathology, which might be mirrored in underlying sex differences in structural development. However, previous studies showed inconsistencies in subcortical trajectories and potential sex differences. Therefore, we aimed to investigate the subcortical structural trajectories and their sex differences across adolescence using for the first time a single cohort design, the same quality control procedure, software, and a general additive mixed modeling approach. We investigated two large European sites from ages 14 to 24 with 503 participants and 1408 total scans from France and Germany as part of the IMAGEN project including four waves of data acquisition. We found significantly larger volumes in males versus females in both sites and across all seven subcortical regions. Sex differences in age-related trajectories were observed across all regions in both sites. Our findings provide further evidence of sex differences in longitudinal adolescent brain development of subcortical regions and thus might eventually support the relationship of underlying brain development and different adolescent psychopathology in boys and girls.

The implications of the COVID-19 pandemic on eating disorder features and comorbid psychopathology among adolescents with anorexia nervosa and matched controls: a comparative cohort design study

PurposeTo examine implications of the COVID-19 pandemic on eating disorder (ED) features and psychopathology in female adolescents with anorexia nervosa (AN).MethodIn total 79 females with first-onset AN (aged 12–22 years) were included and were followed up across a period of 1 year. We assessed AN participants recruited pre-pandemic (n = 49) to those recruited peri-pandemic (n = 30). Pre- (n = 37) and peri-pandemic (n = 38) age-, and education-matched typically developing (TD) girls (n = 75) were used as a reference cohort. ED features and psychopathology were assessed at baseline. After 1 year of follow-up the association between pandemic timing and clinical course was assessed. Analyses of covariance were used to examine differences in ED features and psychopathology.ResultsPeri-pandemic AN participants experienced less ED symptoms at baseline compared to pre-pandemic AN participants. In particular, they were less dissatisfied with their body shape, and experienced less interpersonal insecurity. In addition, the peri-pandemic AN group met fewer DSM-IV criteria for comorbid disorders, especially anxiety disorders. In contrast, peri-pandemic AN participants had a smaller BMI increase over time. In TD girls, there were no differences at baseline in ED features and psychopathology between the pre- and peri-pandemic group.ConclusionOverall, peri-pandemic AN participants were less severely ill, compared to pre-pandemic AN participants, which may be explained by less social pressure and peer contact, and a more protective parenting style during the pandemic. Conversely, peri-pandemic AN participants had a less favorable clinical course, which may be explained by reduced access to health care facilities during the pandemic.Level of evidenceLevel III: Evidence obtained from well-designed cohort or case–control analytic studies.

Physical activity and psychopathology: are long-term developmental trajectories of physical activity in children and adolescents associated with trajectories of general mental health problems and of attention-deficit hyperactivity (ADHD) symptoms?

A medium-to-high level of physical activity (PA) may have at least a short-term positive effect on psychopathology in children and adolescents. Hence, the objective of this study was to investigate the long-term effects of PA in non-adult age groups on their general mental health problems and/or ADHD symptoms, using trajectories of concurrent development over a period of 10years. This study employed data from the German Health Interview and Examination Survey for Children and Adolescents (KiGGS) collected at three time points (baseline, Wave 1, Wave 2, over 10years) from 17,640 children and adolescents. Using parent-reported data from the Strengths and Difficulties Questionnaire (SDQ), different developmental trajectories of general mental health problems (SDQ-total) and ADHD symptoms (SDQ-H/I) were identified with latent class mixed models (LCMM) statistics. This was also applied to parent- and self-reported data of three levels of PA. The latter was assessed according to WHO recommendations. The joint probability of class membership for SDQ-total as well as ADHD symptoms with PA was calculated to generate the concurrent developmental trajectories between variables. Results showed a 4-class trajectory model for both SDQ-total and ADHD symptoms among boys and girls. The majority of children and adolescents showed "low general difficulties" and "low ADHD symptoms" over the period of 10years. Three distinct trajectories in boys and four distinct trajectories in girls were found for PA. Most of the participants showed an "increasing-decreasing activity" trajectory. No statistically significant correlations were found between the different SDQ-total or ADHD symptom trajectories and the trajectories of PA in the two genders. Taken together, our findings did not indicate any significant relationship between waxing and waning PA course over 10 years and various classes of mental health problems for children and adolescents. In contrast to our cross-sectional findings, no steady long-term medium/high-level of PA was present, which could (at least partly) explain the non-significant findings.

New technologies in psychological intervention for adolescents with type I diabetes: a systematic review

Type I diabetes mellitus (T1D) is a condition typically diagnosed during adolescence. The diagnosis of T1D, combined with the typical changes that occur during this developmental period, can have an impact on the psychopathology of adolescents. The aim of this study is to evaluate the effectiveness of a psychological intervention incorporating new technologies in managing psychopathological aspects among adolescents with T1D. A systematic search was carried out using the PRISMA method in the ProQuest and Web of Science databases, resulting in the screening of 209 studies, of which nine were included. Two evaluators independently and blindly selected and assessed the studies, demonstrating an excellent level of agreement. The age range of participants in the included studies varied from 12 to 21, with the common factor being a T1D diagnosis. The studies examined various variables, such as adherence to treatment, quality of life, and symptoms of depression and anxiety. Many of the studies indicated improvements in these aspects. However, it is crucial to note that the overall quality of the studies was low. Consequently, there is a need for further research on psychological interventions incorporating new technologies, and there is room for improvement in the design quality of such studies. While acknowledging the current limitations, the future of interventions for T1D is intricately linked to advancements in the development and integration of new technologies.

Emotion-focused Therapy for youth: clinical outcomes of a single-site, randomized waitlist-controlled trial

ABSTRACT Although there is considerable evidence to support Emotion Focused Therapy (EFT) in the adult population, it has not been empirically studied in youth. EFT does not rely on an individual’s adherence to manualized strategies or between-session homework tasks, focusing instead on within-session processes. These processes activate and transform core emotions that are often linked to experiences with primary caregivers, family members, and other significant relationships. This novel study reports on an adaptation of EFT for youth. Building upon the evidence base for EFT with adults, we examined the impact of an 8-session EFT-Y intervention on clinical disorders in youth (n = 43). Using a single-site randomized waitlist-controlled design, outcomes from a treatment group (n = 22) were compared to a waitlist control group (n = 21), similar in age and presenting problems. In comparison to youth in the waitlist control group, the treatment group reported a significant decrease in their emotion dysregulation and depression scores at the end of treatment. Youth in the treatment group also demonstrated a decrease in their emotion difficulties, conduct problems, and overall difficulties, with baseline scores controlled for. These findings provide preliminary evidence that EFT-Y is an efficacious therapeutic approach for common child and adolescent psychopathology.

Biobehavioral factors mediate the association between war-related trauma and psychopathologies in adolescents: A longitudinal study

BackgroundEarly-life stress, such as war-related trauma, can have severe and long-lasting effects on children's mental and physical health, along with changes in stress-regulating systems, potentially leading to future psychopathologies. In the current study, we aimed to unravel some biobehavioral factors that mediate the association between trauma exposure and psychopathologies across children's development. MethodThe study followed families exposed to chronic war-related trauma and control groups from infancy to late adolescence. At each time point, maternal and child psychopathology was evaluated, maternal sensitivity was assessed, and the levels of the stress hormone cortisol in the saliva and hair were analyzed at the adolescence time point. ResultsThe results showed that war-exposed children had more internalizing disorders, and their mothers were less sensitive and had more psychopathologies than the control group. Significant differences existed between the exposed and control groups in salivary but not hair cortisol levels. Maternal sensitivity was negatively correlated with mothers' hair and salivary levels of cortisol. In the children, salivary cortisol mediated the negative effects of trauma exposure. The continuity of psychopathology, from early to late adolescence, was mediated by both maternal and child hair cortisol. ConclusionThe results demonstrate the complex interplay of maternal and child’s biobehavioral factors as mediators of risk chronicity across development. Our study highlights the important role that mothers have in the adolescence period and may encourage the use of hormonal and mother‐child interventions for detecting, preventing, diagnosing, and treating early-life stress and trauma exposure.

Suicidal Thoughts and Trajectories of Psychopathological and Behavioral Symptoms in Adolescence

The suicidal risk of psychopathology in adolescence is suggested to differ based on its longitudinal trajectory, but the comorbidity of these symptom trajectories has not been well examined. This study comprehensively clustered trajectories of multiple psychopathological and behavioral symptoms and examined their associations with suicidal thoughts in adolescence. To determine which categories and trajectories of psychopathological and behavioral symptoms are associated with suicidal thoughts in adolescence, accounting for comorbid symptoms. This population-based cohort study in Japan used data from the Tokyo Teen Cohort (TTC) study, which was established in 2012 and is currently ongoing. Data from 3 waves of surveys conducted at ages 10, 12, and 16 years from October 2012 to September 2021 were used. Of the adolescents in the cohort, participants with at least 2 evaluations of psychopathological and behavioral symptoms were included. Data were analyzed from December 2022 to March 2023. Latent class growth analysis was used to cluster the trajectory of each psychopathological and behavioral symptom. The associations between symptom trajectories and suicidal thoughts at age 16 were examined. Suicidal thoughts were assessed using a self-report questionnaire. Psychopathological and behavioral symptoms were assessed using the 8 subscale scores of the caregiver-report Child Behavior Checklist. This study included 2780 adolescents (1306 female participants [47.0%]). Of the 1920 adolescents with data on suicidal thoughts, 158 (8.2%) had suicidal thoughts. The median (IQR) age was 10.2 (10.0-10.3) years at the first evaluation, 11.9 (11.8-12.1) years at the second evaluation, and 16.3 (16.1-16.5) years at the last evaluation. The clustering pattern of trajectories varied depending on symptom categories. After adjusting for each symptom trajectory and confounders, adolescents with persistent high withdrawn symptoms (odds ratio [OR], 1.88; 95% CI, 1.10-3.21) and those with increasing somatic symptoms (OR, 1.97; 95% CI, 1.16-3.34) had a significantly higher risk of suicidal thoughts than adolescents without these symptoms. There was no interaction between these symptom trajectories and the risk of suicidal thoughts. This cohort study found that persistent withdrawn symptoms and increasing somatic symptoms during early to midadolescence were associated with an increased risk of suicidal thoughts in midadolescence, even after accounting for comorbid symptoms and confounders. Attention should be paid to the suicidal risk associated with these symptoms, particularly when they persist or increase in the longitudinal follow-up.

Network Analysis of Borderline Personality Features in Adolescence Using a Screening Tool in a Chinese Community Sample

Introduction: This study investigated the structure of the borderline personality features (BPFs) network and the most central BPF in adolescence. Methods: Cross-sectional self-report data from 4,866 Chinese adolescents (M = 13.96, SD = 1.64; 61.3% girls) were included in the network analysis models. BPFs were assessed with the McLean Screening Instrument for Borderline Personality Disorder. Results: Identity disturbance and affective instability emerged as the most central BPF in the current adolescent sample. In addition, chronic emptiness was also found with high centrality. The general networks of BPF were very similar between adolescent boys and girls, although some differences were detected. Discussion: This study further supports the necessity of BPD assessment and diagnosis in adolescence and identifies the distinctive importance of identity and affective dysregulation in the early development of BPD. The findings provide empirical insights into the interconnections of BPF, which resonate with therapeutic mechanisms of evidence-based treatments for BPD. However, the research was limited in its use of a screening measurement rather than a diagnostic tool. Future studies can further explore BPD psychopathology in adolescence with longitudinal data and clinical interviews.

Emotion dysregulation and psychopathological symptoms in non-clinical adolescents: The mediating role of boredom and social media use

BackgroundEmotion dysregulation, boredom, and problematic social media use are well-known vulnerability factors for psychopathology during adolescence; nevertheless, the interplay between these factors remains underinvestigated in the literature. Therefore, the present cross-sectional study aimed to explore the mediating role of boredom and problematic social media use in the relations between emotion dysregulation and both internalizing and externalizing problems in a non-clinical group of Italian adolescents.Method721 students (64.6% girls; Mage = 15.49 years ± 1.82) were involved and completed self-report tools assessing emotion dysregulation, boredom, problematic social media use, and psychopathological symptoms. Path analysis was used to test whether boredom and problematic social media use mediated the relation between emotion dysregulation and psychopathology, distinguishing between internalizing and externalizing problems.ResultsPath models showed that emotion dysregulation predicted both internalizing and externalizing problems, as well as boredom and problematic social media use. Importantly, boredom mediated the associations between emotion dysregulation and both psychopathological dimensions, while problematic social media use mediated only the relation with externalizing problems.ConclusionsOur results highlight that the influence of emotion dysregulation on psychopathology can manifest through different paths, leading to specific symptomatology based on interactions between various variables. In particular, boredom seems to be a transdiagnostic factor for psychopathology in adolescence, whereas problematic social media use would be a dimension-specific factor. The practical implications of these findings are discussed.

Adolescent Well Being: Positive Vs Autocratic School Culture

Reinforcing positive characteristics and minimizing individual weaknesses is what practice of Positive Psychology should be aimed at. In this study, an investigator has analyzed the effect of Indian Values Based-Positive-Encouraging Vs Highly Disciplined-Autocratic School Culture on Adolescent Psychopathology. Randomly selected 220 adolescent (Boys & Girls) students (Mean Age = 14.2 years) from two Day-Boarding Schools of Nagpur, Maharashtra were assigned to Between Group Design. They were administered Adolescent Psychopathology Scale (short form) by Dr. William Rynolds which consist of 12 clinical scales focused on DSM-IV symptomatology. Data collected was analyzed to find out the major areas of psychopathology in adolescents belonging to different type of school cultures. It has been found that adolescent students from Highly Disciplined-Autocratic School Culture are significantly higher on Conduct Disorder, Generalized Anxiety Disorder, Eating Disorder, Depression, Interpersonal Problems and Oppositional Defiant Disorder. These results indicate towards the need of cultivating positive culture at Institutional level and inculcating Human Strengths and Virtues in upcoming generation for better prospects. Investigator believes that this study suggests insightful ways of developing and practicing competent avenues to fulfill the basic endeavor of Education.