Psychosocial Functioning Of Adolescents Research Articles

Exposure to Violent Contexts and Psychosocial Functioning of Adolescents: A Cross-sectional Study

Objective: The aim is to examine the relationship between exposure to violence at home and at school on the psychosocial functioning of school-going adolescents. Materials and Methods: A total of 306 adolescents (mean = 15.28 years, standard deviation = 1.04) were recruited from two schools (one government and one private) in a North Indian city. A semi-structured form elicited information on demographic and socioeconomic variables and the extent to which students were exposed to violence at home and school. Based on the students’ responses to the victimization questions at home and school, they were categorized into four groups: those who faced overt and/or covert violence at both home and school; overt and/or covert violence only at home; overt and/or covert violence only at school; and those who faced no violence (control group). The preadolescent adjustment scale (PAAS) was used to assess the student’s self-reported adjustment at home, school, and with teachers, and peers. The main outcome measure was the self-reported total score on the Strengths and Difficulties Questionnaire (SDQ). Results: Nearly one-fifth (20.3%) of the students’ total score on the SDQ was in the borderline or abnormal range. The students who had been exposed to one or more contexts of violence were significantly more likely to report higher total SDQ scores (χ² = 33.94, P = 0.0001) and show scores in the abnormal range on the subdomains of hyperactivity/inattention (χ² = 15.75, P = 0.015) and conduct problems (χ² = 27.70, P = 0.0001) on the SDQ. Stepwise multivariate linear regression analyses indicated that overall, 17.4% of the variance in the SDQ total difficulties score was explained by the total score on the index of violence score, adjustment score on the teacher subdomain of PAAS, and the age of the adolescent (F = 20.88, P = 0.0001). Conclusions: Exposure to violence in different settings plays a critical role in determining the mental health of adolescents. Professionals need to be sensitive to the issues of parenting, disciplining practices, and school connectedness with school teachers while working with adolescents.

Social networks and adolescent mental health: a literature review

Due to its negative effects on the psychosocial functioning of adolescents, excessive use of social networks is currently considered a mental health risk. The main objective of the study was to analyze the literature on social networks and adolescent mental health. A content analysis method was used to conduct a bibliographic study, fifteen articles (n=15) were selected from major databases such as Scopus, Scielo and Web of Science using the established inclusion/exclusion criteria. The bibliographic analysis allowed understanding aspects of the transformation of data into information, combined with reasoning to generate knowledge. It is concluded that the excessive use of social networks in adolescents is increasing, which generates the development of new diseases mainly of a mental nature, therefore, it is essential that health professionals address the growing problem for a rapid and effective intervention

The psychosocial functioning in adolescents with severe obesity evaluated throughout the strengths and difficulties questionnaire (SDQ): a preliminary report.

Childhood obesity is associated with poor psychological adjustment. Severely impacts the psychological adjustment of young patients. To assess the psychological functioning of children and adolescents, several questionnaires have been proposed so far. Although the Strengths and Difficulties Questionnaire (SDQ) is one of the most well-used tools, its application in obesity research is scarce. The study is aimed at assessing the psychological profile of a sample of Italian children and adolescents seeking an in-hospital multidisciplinary body weight reduction program for obesity, via SDQ. One hundred and fourteen consecutive Italian children and adolescents with obesity (43 males/71 females, age range: 11-17 years, mean age ± SD: 15.1 ± 1.66, body mass index-BMI ± SD: 37.4 ± 6.13 kg/m2), were recruited at the Division of Auxology, Istituto Auxologico Italiano IRCCS, Piancavallo (VB). Obese Females reported worse conditions of emotional symptoms (t = 5.48; p < 0.001) and peer problems (t = 2.34; p = 0.021), as well as higher which were associated with greater scores of pro-social behaviors than obese males (t = 3.07; p = 0.003). The total difficulties score (t = 4.00; p < 0.001) and the total impact score (t = 4.53; p < 0.001) were significantly higher in females than males. No statistically significant differences in SDQ variables were found in relation to the degree of obesity (BMI SDS: 2-2.99; BMI SDS: > 3). These findings can contribute to understand the psychological condition of adolescents with obesity in a better way and also to develop effective interventions for the treatment of pediatric obesity which not only take into account the medical and physical aspects but also the emotional and social difficulties expressed by adolescents with obesity.

COVID-19 Salgını Sırasında Doğuştan Bağışıklık Yetersizliği Olan Ergenlerde Psikososyal İşlevsellik

Objective: We aimed to determine the impact of COVID-19 on the psychosocial functioning of adolescents with inborn errors of immunity (IEI). Material and Methods: Thirty-six patients with IEI (18 mild, 18 severe) and 18 healthy controls aged between 10 and 17 were included in this study. Adolescents and their caregivers completed the Revised Child Anxiety and Depression Scale (RCADS) to measure symptoms of anxiety and depression and the Strengths and Difficulties Questionnaire (SDQ) to assess prosocial behaviors and emotional/behavioral problems. Additionally, the COVID-19 Phobia Scale (C19P-S) was answered by adolescents to assess the level of coronavirus phobia. Results: According to SDQ, emotional scores of the adolescents in the control group are higher than the mild/severe patient group. Emotional scores of the severe patient group are higher than the mild group. The RCADS parent- and adolescent-reported depression scores and parent-reported social phobia scores of the control group were significantly higher than the mild group.There were no statistically significant differences between the groups according to COVID-19 Phobia Scale. Conclusion: The healthy adolescents had higher psychiatric symptom scores, especially than the adolescents with mild IEI. We suggest that being exposed to health-related challenges even before the pandemics in adolescents with IEI helped them develop psychological resilience. Longitudinal and larger studies are needed to evaluate the long-term effects of the pandemic on the mental health of this vulnerable adolescent population.

Social networks and adolescent mental health: a literature review

Due to its negative effects on the psychosocial functioning of adolescents, excessive use of social networks is currently considered a mental health risk. The main objective of the study was to analyze the literature on social networks and adolescent mental health. A content analysis method was used to conduct a bibliographic study, fifteen articles (n=15) were selected from major databases such as Scopus, Scielo and Web of Science using the established inclusion/exclusion criteria. The bibliographic analysis allowed understanding aspects of the transformation of data into information, combined with reasoning to generate knowledge. It is concluded that the excessive use of social networks in adolescents is increasing, which generates the development of new diseases mainly of a mental nature, therefore, it is essential that health professionals address the growing problem for a rapid and effective intervention.

Initial validation of the Multidimensional Adolescent Functioning Scale (MAFS) in Spanish-speaking students from Chilean secondary schools.

Psychosocial functioning is closely associated with psychopathology and wellbeing in different populations, particularly adolescents. Despite its relevance, measures assessing psychosocial functioning in healthy adolescents are scant as most focus on adults or clinical populations. We evaluated the psychometric properties of the Multidimensional Adolescent Functioning Scale (MAFS), a self-report questionnaire created to assess three dimensions of psychosocial functioning ('general functioning', 'family-related functioning', and 'peer-related functioning') in adolescents from the general population. After translation and cultural adaptation, we administered the Spanish MAFS to 619 adolescents aged 14 to 19. We assessed the factor structure, internal consistency, and associations with depressive symptoms, suicidal ideation, cognitive-behavioral skills, cognitive reappraisal (CR), and expressive suppression (ES). We additionally tested for measurement invariance based on biological sex. The original three-factor structure showed the best fit. Internal consistency was good for the total scale (ω = 0.874; α = 0.869; GLB = 0.939, rM=0.216) and for all subscales (ω = 0.806-0.839; α = 0.769 to 0.812; GLB = 0.861-0.873). Correlations between all three MAFS subscales were significant, ranging between 0.291 and 0.554. All MAFS subscales correlated positively and significantly with cognitive-behavioral skills and adaptive regulatory strategies and negatively with depressive symptoms and suicidal ideation. The Spanish MAFS translation is a valid and reliable self-report measure to assess three domains of psychosocial functioning in adolescents aged 14-19 from the general population.

Diagnostic Criteria for Temporomandibular Disorders - INfORM recommendations: Comprehensive and short-form adaptations for adolescents.

The Diagnostic Criteria for Temporomandibular Disorders (DC/TMD) for use in adults is in use worldwide. Until now, no version of this instrument for use in adolescents has been proposed. To present comprehensive and short-form adaptations of the adult version of DC/TMD that are appropriate for use with adolescents in clinical and research settings. International experts in TMDs and experts in pain psychology participated in a Delphi process to identify ways of adapting the DC/TMD protocol for physical and psychosocial assessment of adolescents. The proposed adaptation defines adolescence as ages 10-19 years. Changes in the physical diagnosis (Axis I) include (i) adapting the language of the Demographics and the Symptom Questionnaires to be developmentally appropriate for adolescents, (ii) adding two general health questionnaires, one for the adolescent patient and one for their caregivers, and (iii) replacing the TMD Pain Screener with the 3Q/TMD questionnaire. Changes in the psychosocial assessment (Axis II) include (i) adapting the language of the Graded Chronic Pain Scale to be developmentally appropriate for adolescents, (ii) adding anxiety and depression assessment that have been validated for adolescents, and (iii) adding three constructs (stress, catastrophizing and sleep disorders) to assess psychosocial functioning in adolescents. The recommended DC/TMD, including Axis I and Axis II for adolescents, is appropriate to use in clinical and research settings. This adapted first version for adolescents includes changes in Axis I and Axis II requiring reliability and validity testing in international settings. Official translations of the comprehensive and short-form to different languages according to INfORM requirements will enable a worldwide dissemination and implementation.

Is real screen time a determinant of problematic smartphone and social network use among young people?

Smartphone use by adolescents is increasingly attracting the interest of social scientists, parents, and educational stakeholders (teachers, educators, educational policy makers), generally in a negative context. There are, however, many myths surrounding the issue, resulting from the reproduction of stereotypes about the psychosocial functioning of adolescents in cyberspace, as well as inadequately constructed research tools that measure how new media are used. This text is an attempt to show the phenomenon of problematic Internet use through the prism of screen time measured using real data from smartphones. The research was conducted in first half of 2022 among adolescents aged 13–19 in Bosnia and Herzegovina (N = 1185, mean age = 15.47 with standard deviation = 1.84). The research was implemented using a triangulation of tools such as the Smartphone Addiction Scale (SAS Scale), Software Installed on the Smartphone (SIS Scale), The Bergen Social Media Addiction Scale (BSMAS), and the Screen Time Scale (STS). From the data collected, it was noted that: 1) Screen time correlates weakly with problematic smartphone use and social networking; 2)The average period of smartphone use in the study group is 3 h49 minutes per day, of which 37 min are related to web browsing, while 2 h22 minutes are related to social networking; 3) A quarter of adolescents use a smartphone more than 5.5 h per day, of which more than 2 h15 minutes is screen time related to social media; 4) Approximately half of the respondents use smartphones slightly more than 2 h per day; 5) Girls use smartphones for longer than boys; 6) Place of residence (city or countryside) does not affect screen time; 7) Screen time is related to a medium degree to the type of software installed on the smartphone; 8) There is a need to refine the measurement methodology of screen time and to abandon self-declaration in this area.

Differences in cardiac vagal modulation and cortisol response in adolescents with and without Autism Spectrum Disorder

BackgroundPrevious research pointed towards a need of enhanced understanding of cardiac vagal modulation during resting and stress conditions in individuals with Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD). This cross-sectional study addressed the following hypotheses: lower values of cardiac vagal modulation will be found in adolescents with ASD in comparison to typically developing (TD) peers; different levels of cardiac vagal reactivity and recovery will be found in adolescents with ASD. In addition, exploratory analyses examined the possible association between cardiac vagal modulation and psychosocial functioning and baseline cortisol levels. MethodsAge and sex matched groups of adolescents (13–17 year) with ASD (n = 47) and TD peers (n = 47) were included. Heart rate, breathing frequency and cortisol levels were determined during baseline and a standardized stress-provoking assessment. Behavioral data concerning autism and behavioral characteristics were collected prior to the assessment. ResultsAdolescents with ASD displayed lower levels of cardiac vagal modulation during baseline and stress-provocation compared to their TD peers. However, levels of cardiac vagal reactivity and recovery were similar across groups. Exploratory analyses indicated weak to moderate associations between the level of cardiac vagal modulation and self- and parent-reported measures of autism characteristics and psychosocial functioning in adolescents with ASD. No significant associations were found between baseline cortisol levels and cardiac vagal modulation in both groups. ConclusionThese findings suggest a parasympathetic hypo-activity in adolescents with ASD and, although the level of reactivity and recovery was the same as TD peers, this hypo-activity might be related to several aspects of psychosocial functioning.

Ultra-Processed Foods and Drinks Consumption Is Associated with Psychosocial Functioning in Adolescents.

Adolescents show one of the highest rates of ultra-processed foods and drinks (UPF) consumption, and studies indicate an association between their consumption and internalizing problems. We aim to investigate whether UPF consumption associates with dysfunctions in other psychosocial domains, as well as sex effects. In 560 Spanish adolescents (14-17 years old), we assessed the UPF products consumed in the previous day, fruits and vegetables consumption (servings/day), and physical activity (days/week). Psychosocial functioning (total and subscales) was assessed through the Pediatric Symptom Checklist-Youth self-report. Associations between UPF and psychosocial functioning were assessed using linear regression models, adjusting for sex, age, fruits and vegetables consumption, and physical activity. Sex-specific associations were also explored. Participants reported a daily consumption of 7.72 UPF servings per day, with male adolescents showing higher consumption than female adolescents. Consumption of fruits and vegetables and physical activity levels were lower than recommended. Psychosocial impairment was present in 26.2% of the participants. Higher UPF consumption was associated with higher presence of depressive symptoms and internalizing and externalizing problems in the whole sample and in male adolescents. The present study supports previous studies suggesting that UPF consumption may interact with mental health problems and indicates that these effects may go beyond internalizing problems.

The mental health of Farsi-Dari speaking asylum-seeking children and parents facing insecure residency in Australia

SummaryBackgroundThis research examined the mental health of a cohort of asylum-seeking children, adolescents and their primary caregiver affected by insecure residency while living in the community, compared to refugees and immigrants.MethodsThe project investigated the prevalence of psychosocial problems among Iranian and Afghani asylum seeker, refugee and immigrant children and adolescents, and their caregivers who arrived in Australia from 2010. In total, n=196 children and adolescents aged 5–18 years, and their primary caregiver were asked about family visa status, country of origin, level of education, parent symptoms of posttraumatic stress disorder (Harvard Trauma Questionnaire) and child wellbeing (Strengths and Difficulties Questionnaire). An additional n=362 Farsi and Dari speaking children, recruited through the Building a New Life in Australia (BNLA) study, a national comparison sample of families with permanent refugee visas, were included.FindingsAsylum seeker children and adolescents displayed significantly more psychosocial problems compared to those with full refugee protection and immigrant background within the current sample and when benchmarked against a national sample of Farsi-Dari speaking refugee children. Higher parental posttraumatic stress disorder symptoms was associated with poorer child and adolescent psychosocial functioning. This effect was more marked in families with insecure residency.InterpretationInsecure visa status is associated with higher rates of children's mental health problems and a stronger association with parental PTSD symptoms compared to children with secure residency. This raises important questions about Australia's restrictive immigration policies.FundingThis project was supported by an Australian Rotary Health Research Fund / Mental Health of Young Australians Research Grant and by the Australian Research Council (DP160104378).

Psychosocial functioning of adolescents with ADHD in the family, school and peer group: A scoping review protocol.

The objective of this scoping review is to investigate what is known about the psychosocial functioning of adolescents with ADHD. All basic life environments (family, school and peer group) will be considered. Adolescence is especially critical for people with ADHD-natural maturation may be accompanied by changing symptoms of ADHD. A number of childhood difficulties transform during adolescence and contribute to problems in various areas that comprise psychosocial functioning. The available studies focus on selected domains of psychosocial functioning of adolescents with ADHD, however, to the authors' best knowledge, there is no comprehensive description of this issue. The lack of such a description is the main rationale for conducting this scoping review. Pointing to the PCC elements (population, concept, context), the scoping review will include primary studies on the concept of psychosocial functioning (including functioning in the family, school and peer group). In the included studies, the term "psychosocial functioning" (or related) had to be used explicitly. The population will be adolescents (10 to 19 years old) with a formal diagnosis of ADHD (DSM classification) or Hyperkinetic Syndrome (ICD-9) or Hyperkinetic Disorders (ICD-10). There will be no restrictions on the research context. The methodology of scoping reviews will be applied in accordance with the guidelines of the Joanna Briggs Institute (JBI). The following databases: Academic Search Ultimate, ERIC, MEDLINE, ProQuest Central, PsycInfo, Scopus, and databases under the Web of Science will be searched for primary studies in peer-reviewed journals, written in English and published since 1987. The analyses will be based mainly on frequency counts of the components of psychosocial functioning and population characteristics. The results will be presented in tabular form and supplemented with a descriptive summary. The protocol has been registered on the Open Science Framework: https://doi.org/10.17605/OSF.IO/MS82H [registration DOI].

E-prevention in a rural school on the example of the "Edu_akcja Enter" programme preventing risky behaviours among students

Prevention of risky behaviours in children and adolescents consists in organizing activities, addressed to young people, the aim of which will be to eliminate or reduce the frequency of showing anti-health or problem-related behaviours by them. It is implemented not only by institutions and organizations that provide psychological and therapeutic help or preventive activities, but also by schools. During the COVID-19 pandemic, which caused enormous changes in the psychosocial functioning of adolescents, the preventive activity of schools changed its dimension and was transferred to a virtual space. Its example, created in one of rural primary schools, is the "Edu_akcja ENTER" project addressed to children and youth from grades IV-VIII, preventing risky behaviours among students and using distance learning methods. In its assumptions, it uses the philosophy of positive prevention, based on the use of resources and potential of students in the process of their education and upbringing. The aim of this article is to outline the problem of undertaking risky behaviours by children and adolescents in the context of remote education and to describe a preventive project implemented in primary schools in the Dobrzyniewo Duże commune, which may be an inspiration for teachers, educators, pedagogues who carry out tasks in the field of counteracting risky behaviours of students.

Psychosocial functioning in adolescents growing up with chronic disease: The Dutch HBSC study

Many adolescents worldwide (indirectly) grow up with a chronic disease, which may impact their functioning and wellbeing. The objective of this study is to assess whether adolescents with a (family member with a) chronic disease differ from their healthy counterparts in terms of psychosocial functioning. Data from the Dutch 2013 HBSC-survey were used, including 7168 adolescents (Meanage = 13.7, SD = 1.57, 50.5% female). Participants indicated whether they or one of their family members had a long-term (> 3 months) disease or disability (mental/physical) and were categorized into four groups based on disease presence (none, other, self, both). Psychosocial functioning was assessed in terms of life satisfaction, self-rated health, psychosomatic health, mental health problems, support, substance use, physical exercise, screen time, and school liking. Chronically diseased adolescents (n = 162) reported lower life satisfaction, self-rated and psychosomatic health, more mental health problems, lower peer support, more substance use, and less physical exercise compared to healthy peers. Chronically diseased adolescents who also had a family member with a chronic disease (n = 74) showed comparable outcomes on these life domains, although they did not differ from their healthy peers regarding peer support, substance use, and physical activity. Healthy adolescents with a chronically diseased family member (n = 737) reported significantly lower life satisfaction, self-rated and psychosomatic health, more mental health problems, and less family support compared to healthy peers who grew up in healthy families; however, they reported more positive outcomes than adolescents who had a chronic disease themselves.Conclusion: Having a (family member with a) chronic disease is associated with impaired psychosocial functioning on various life domains. Our findings aid in understanding the psychosocial associates of chronic disease and imply that caregivers should be observant of psychosocial problems among vulnerable adolescents to provide appropriate guidance.What is Known:• Adolescents who grow up with a (family member with a) chronic disease encounter numerous challenges that may be related to poorer developmental outcomes on the long term.What is New:• This study adds a comprehensive overview of the psychosocial functioning of adolescents with a (family member with a) chronic disease, as compared to healthy counterparts that grow up in a healthy family.

PSYCHOSOCIAL FUNCTIONING OF PRE-ADOLESCENT CHILDREN IN FAMILIES WITH DIFFERENT ATTITUDES TOWARDS SCHOOLING

The article is devoted to the analysis of differences in the psychosocial functioning of adolescents in families with different attitudes to school responsibilities. Modern school education provides a lot of space for creativity, the choice of methods of mastering the program, which, at the same time, is becoming more demanding. It can be difficult for parents to determine the extent to which they give their children homework responsibility. This is especially true for adolescents (9-12 years old), who no longer seem to need help and control in the school process. At the same time, complete lack of control can cause alarm on the part of all participants in this complex process. &#x0D; An experimental study found that adolescents whose parents do not consider it appropriate to interfere in the school process, show a low level of psychosocial development. This result may mean that these children lack the ability to perform daily activities and enter into relationships with people in a way that satisfies both parties. Most middle school students with low levels of psychosocial functioning usually have internalization problems. That is, it is difficult for them to show themselves and be socially active. Whereas externalized (external) symptoms of psychosocial development disorders are not expressed in both groups.&#x0D; An additional study of the level of anxiety revealed differences between the groups on the scales "separation anxiety", "social phobia" and "school phobia". In families where parents have dropped out of school for their children, starting in middle school, the level of anxiety on these scales is higher. On the scales "somatic symptoms of anxiety", "generalized anxiety disorder" there are no significant differences between the samples - in both groups, the indicators on these scales do not exceed an acceptable level. Thus, it can be assumed that the complete non-interference of parents in the school process of children in middle school can be perceived by them as a lack of parental attention, which affects the confidence in support in school activities, which, nevertheless, occupies a large place in children's daily lives. school age.

Longitudinal predictors of suicidal ideation: Emerging to early adulthood

Few studies have examined the longitudinal trajectory of suicidal ideation (SI) in community samples, particularly during emerging adulthood. Additionally, there is scant data on predictors of longer-term course of SI across this period. We examined multiple domains of adolescent psychosocial and clinical functioning as predictors of SI trajectory and explored whether biological sex moderates those associations. The data came from the Oregon Adolescent Depression Project. Participants completed self-reports of psychosocial and clinical functioning and interviews assessing psychopathology in mid-late adolescence. SI was assessed using up to seven annual mailer assessments spanning ages 19–31. Multilevel growth models found that SI declined across emerging adulthood. Multiple indices of adolescent functioning were associated with higher levels of SI three years later. Few adolescent functioning constructs predicted faster reductions in SI, and no constructs predicted slower longitudinal reductions (or increases) in SI. Similar associations were found when controlling for adolescent SI. Lastly, we found little evidence for sex differences in these associations. This work shows that adolescent functioning is largely associated with initial and enduring levels of SI. Moreover, associations were similar between sexes. Given the modest associations found across long periods of time, future research should focus on proximal risk factors for SI.

Conséquences psychosociales de l’exposition à une catastrophe technologique à l’adolescence : l’exemple de la tragédie ferroviaire de Lac-Mégantic

BackgroundIn 2013, a train derailment in Lac-Megantic (Quebec, Canada) caused significant human and material losses. This study documents the consequences of exposure to this disaster on the psychosocial functioning of adolescents. MethodsThree and a half years after the tragedy, 689 students aged 12 to 18 completed a self-administered questionnaire at their school, for a response rate of 85.3%. The questionnaire included multiple choice questions designed to describe the sociodemographic, family, educational and social characteristics of the respondents as well as their psychological health. It was designed using scales or questions that were previously validated with young people during national surveys. ResultsThe study shows that teenagers exposed to such a disaster are more at risk of developing psychological health problems than their unexposed peers. Significantly, more students exposed to the train derailment than unexposed youth saw a decrease in the quality of life in their community (12.9%). They also scored significantly lower for their resilience and for three of the five resilience protection factors measured using the Resilience Factors Inventory (IFR – 40). They had more psychological difficulties, including manifestations of post-traumatic stress (15.6%). They also had suicide thoughts in the 12 months prior to the survey (38.9%) and had lower self-esteem compared to their unexposed peers. Finally, significantly more exposed teenagers reported personal, family and school difficulties due to their alcohol consumption. ConclusionThe study shows that in the long term after a technological disaster, teenagers who have been directly or indirectly exposed are more affected than their unexposed peers. In light of the results obtained, research must continue in order to guide professionals in setting up psychosocial interventions that adequately respond to the experiences and needs of these young people.

Psychosocial functioning in adolescents with non-suicidal self-injury: the roles of childhood maltreatment, borderline personality disorder and depression

BackgroundThere is a lack of studies examining psychosocial functioning in patients with non-suicidal self-injury (NSSI), especially in adolescents, and rates of impaired functioning in existing literature vary considerably. These variations may be attributable to further risk factors that influence psychosocial functioning. Thus, the aim of the study was to examine whether adolescent NSSI patients with childhood maltreatment (CM), a known risk factor for lower psychosocial functioning, may differ from adolescent NSSI patients without CM, and whether these differences may be explained by the severity of comorbid disorders. Specifically, we examined whether severity of borderline personality disorder (BPD), depression and posttraumatic stress disorder may explain differences in psychosocial functioning in NSSI patients with and without CM.MethodsData of 368 adolescents with NSSI disorder from an outpatient clinic were analyzed using structural equation modeling. Clinicans’ rating of the Global Assessment of Functioning Scale (GAF) was collected, in addition to clinical interviews.ResultsResults indicate that GAF scores were lower among NSSI patients with CM and that the difference in psychosocial functioning between these groups was explained by BPD and depression severity.ConclusionsPsychosocial functioning in NSSI patients varies depending on whether they have experienced CM or not. Specifically, these differences seem to be attributable to higher BPD and depression severity in adolescent NSSI patients with CM. Clinicians should ensure to assess CM and focus on BPD and depression severity in this population. Treatment of BPD and depression may notably reduce psychosocial impairment in NSSI patients with CM.

The Development of Disgust and Its Relationship to Adolescent Psychosocial Functioning.

Experiences of excessive disgust have been implicated in several psychopathologies. Research, however, has rarely examined disgust and its role in psychosocial functioning from a developmental standpoint. This study examines the relationship between disgust expression in early life and subsequent adolescent psychosocial functioning. Data from 165 children were collected as part of a longitudinal study. Disgust propensity in infancy and childhood was assessed using a facial expressivity task and food aversion task, respectively. Adolescent psychosocial functioning was measured through several self-report measures. Results suggest that there exists a degree of consistency in disgust expression within the first year of life, and that childhood disgust propensity may be related to impairment in early adolescent psychosocial functioning. These findings highlight the potential importance of identifying early disgust expression as a marker for later psychopathology.

Latent Class Analysis of Adolescent Psychosocial Functioning and Course of Major Depression.

There are few studies on the predictors of long-term course of major depressive disorder (MDD) with an onset in childhood and adolescence. Studies have relied on variable-centered methods, utilizing psychosocial and clinical characteristics to predict depression outcomes. However, fewer studies have used person-centered approaches that rely on profiles of functioning to predict course and outcomes of depression. This study examined the long-term course and outcome of early onset depression as a function of profiles of psychosocial and clinical characteristics in adolescence. Participants from the Oregon Adolescent Depression Project with a history of MDD by study entry (Mage = 16.29years) and who had follow-up assessments at age 30 were included (n = 215). Psychosocial and clinical constructs, including domains of internalizing problems, externalizing problems, correlates of internalizing problems, adolescent stress, and social support, were assessed in adolescence. Latent profile analyses found a 3-class solution with Low Negative Cognitive Style (LNCS; 27.9%); Internalizing and High Negative Cognitive Style (INT/HNCS; 53.9%); and Internalizing and High Negative Cognitive Style plus Poor Interpersonal Functioning and High Stress (INT/HNCS+ ; 18.1%). Overall, classes differed in depression morbidity, such that the INT/HNCS+ class had the greatest depression morbidity across follow-up assessments. Social adjustment differed between all classes, with the INT/HNCS+ class showing the worst functioning, the LNCS class showing the best functioning, and the INT/HNCS class falling in the middle. Patterns of clinical and psychosocial functioning were differentially associated with long-term depression and social adjustment among youth with depression.