Time 1 Research Articles

Coparenting and triadic interactions in lesbian and gay parent families: impact of internalised parenthood-related stigma

ABSTRACT Aims This longitudinal study examines how coparenting experiences in the family of origin influence family alliance in lesbian and gay parent families formed via assisted reproduction, and whether internalised parenthood-related stigma moderates these associations. Methods Using a longitudinal, multi-method design, 38 lesbian mother families through donor insemination and 36 gay father families through surrogacy were recruited, all with children (52.70% assigned female at birth) aged approximately 36 months at time 1 (T1) and 48 months at time 2 (T2), residing in Italy. At T1, parents reported family-of-origin coparenting experiences and internalised stigma through interviews. At T2, family alliance was assessed using the Lausanne Trilogue Play during triadic interactions. Linear regression models tested direct and moderated effects. Results Most lesbian and gay parent families demonstrated cooperative family alliances. Parents reporting more conflictual and less supportive family-of-origin coparenting at T1 showed poorer family alliances at T2. Internalised stigma moderated this association, with higher stigma levels intensifying the negative effects of conflictual family-of-origin coparenting experiences on current family alliance. Conclusion The findings highlight the impact of early family experiences and minority stress on family alliance in lesbian and gay parent families formed via assisted reproduction. Parenting interventions with these families should address unresolved family-of-origin issues and support parents in mitigating internalised stigma to promote cooperative family alliances. Advocacy efforts are essential to reduce stigma and promote inclusive policies for diverse families.

The family stress model in the context of the COVID-19 pandemic: Family cohesion as a source of resilience among Latinx families.

Studies emerging from the COVID-19 pandemic have documented the emotional, physical, and economic hardships experienced within families across the United States. Guided by the family stress model, this study examined parents' reports of economic hardship during the COVID-19 pandemic, and the role of this hardship in Latinx parents' concurrent depressive symptoms and parenting behaviors and, in turn, their youths' well-being 1 year later. Further, we examined whether family cohesion mitigated the negative impact of families' economic strain. The present study utilized data from a longitudinal study of 295 Latinx families living within the U.S. Southwest. Parents and their adolescents were recruited in August 2020 and completed online surveys at two time points (about a year apart). Adolescents were approximately 13 years old (SD = 1.41 years) at Time 1 (T1), and the majority were U.S.-born (95%). Adolescents identified as male (51%), female (47%), and trans female/nonbinary (2%). Parents were 40 years old (SD = 6.27 years) at T1, and the majority were U.S.-born (58.2%) and identified as female (90%). Results indicated that families who experienced more economic hardship during the COVID-19 pandemic also reported greater depressive symptoms, which, in turn, were associated with lower parental warmth. Parental warmth predicted lower adolescent depressive symptoms 1 year later, accounting for prior levels of youth symptoms. Overall, findings supported the indirect associations between greater economic hardship and youth's lower well-being, but also suggested that greater family cohesion moderated links such that it offset the negative association between parent's depressive symptoms and parenting practices. (PsycInfo Database Record (c) 2025 APA, all rights reserved).

Perceived uncontrollability as a potential mechanism of parental child abuse predicting executive dysfunction in adulthood 18 years later: Replication across two studies.

Although it is well-established that child abuse precedes and predicts poorer executive functioning (EF), the potential mechanisms are not well understood. We thus used counterfactual mediation analysis to test how perceived control (lower personal mastery or higher perceived uncontrollability) mediated maternal or paternal child abuse, predicting lower future EF scores. Community adults from two separate samples (N = 3,291 and 2,550 in Samples 1 and 2) completed a retrospective parental child abuse self-report at Time 1 (T1), a trait-level perceived control self-report at T2, and performance EF tests at T3. Time intervals spanned approximately 6 months and 9 years in Samples 1 and 2. Stronger T1 maternal and paternal child abuse consistently predicted higher T2 uncontrollability (Cohen's d = 0.232-1.175), which then predicted lower T3 EF scores (d = -0.411 to -0.244). Higher uncontrollability consistently mediated the effect of higher maternal and paternal child abuse predicting poorer EF scores (d = -0.229 to -0.164). Although mastery mediated the effect of maternal, but not paternal, abuse on future EF in Sample 1, this mediation effect did not survive in Sample 2. Sensitivity analyses testing for nonlinearities and adjusting for age and the predictor-mediator interaction implied similar findings in both samples. Uncontrollability, instead of mastery, might be a key mechanism accounting for the pathway from early-life parental abuse to EF outcomes. Assessing and targeting perceived uncontrollability and EF and harnessing precision medicine approaches in prevention programs and treatments might optimize psychotherapies for individuals exposed to child abuse. (PsycInfo Database Record (c) 2025 APA, all rights reserved).

Attachment, Power/Influence, Conflict Management Strategies, and Sexual Aggression in Emerging Adult Romantic Relationships.

Sexual aggression among young people is a public health concern. Although many episodes take place in a couple's relationship, few studies have explored the importance of relational variables in this interpersonal context. Of special interest may be the variables in a couple's functioning related to connectedness, power/influence, and conflict management. This dyadic longitudinal study aimed to examine the relationship between relational variables and sexual aggression in emerging adult romantic relationships. The sample consisted of 133 young heterosexual Spanish couples (mean age = 19.44; SD = 1.41) who completed an online questionnaire. At time 1 (T1), romantic attachment, partner's attempt to influence, perception of actual partner influence, conflict management strategies, and sexual aggression (perpetration and victimization) were assessed; 9 months later (T2), sexual aggression was assessed again. The data were analyzed following the Actor-Partner Interdependence Model (APIM). Males reported higher levels of perpetration than females, and females reported more victimization. Attachment-related anxiety predicted perpetration and victimization in both males and females (T1). In addition, males reported more perpetration when they perceived their partners as attempting to gain power in the relationship (T1) or having more actual influence in the romantic relationship (T2); whereas in females, victimization was more likely when they perceived more partner influence (T1 and T2), and their partners reported more female attempts at influence (T2). Negative conflict management strategies also explained male perpetration (T1 and T2) and female victimization (T1 and T2). These findings suggest the need to develop interventions aimed at promoting equity and relationship skills for emerging adults.

Doomscrolling and social media addiction in adolescents: a two-wave longitudinal study

In recent years, various traumatic events such as pandemics, earthquakes, wars, and migration have occurred worldwide. Negative news and content related to these events can be easily accessed on social media, leading to the concept of doomscrolling. Doomscrolling is a recent phenomenon in mental health research and has not yet been sufficiently studied. Therefore, in this study, the longitudinal relationship between social media addiction and doomscrolling was examined. In this study, data were collected at two time points, time 1 (T1) and time 2 (T2), separated by a two-month interval. The study sample comprised 301 adolescents (48.5% female; 51.5% male) from 20 cities in Turkey. Participants were aged 12 to 19 (Mage = 15.55, SD = 1.09). The study employed a Cross-lagged path analytic model for the analysis. The analyses revealed positive and significant relationships between social media addiction and doomscrolling. It was concluded that at T1, addiction to social media had a positive correlation with doomscrolling at T2. Furthermore, the analysis revealed that social media addiction at T1 had a positive correlation with social media addiction at T2. However, the study found that engaging in doomscrolling at T1 did not significantly predict the development of social media addiction at T2. In conclusion, adolescents’ social media addiction levels increase the risk of doomscrolling. These results demonstrate the importance of interventions that include social media addiction in the prevention and treatment of doomscrolling. Mental health professionals can provide interventions that include healthy social media use skills in adolescents to prevent doomscrolling.

Intimate partner distress is strongly associated with worse warfighter brain health following mild traumatic brain injury.

To examine (a) change in chronic neurobehavioral symptoms in service members/veterans (SMVs) with an uncomplicated mild traumatic brain injury (MTBI) at two time points over 3 years and (b) the influence of intimate partner (IP) health-related quality of life (HRQOL) risk factors for chronic neurobehavioral symptoms. IPs (N = 175) completed measures of SMV neurobehavioral adjustment symptoms and 13 IP HRQOL risk factors at Time 1 (T1) ≥ 12 months post-TBI and Time 2 (T2) 3 years later. Scores on the risk factor measures were classified into four IP HRQOL symptom trajectory categories based on clinically elevated (≥ 60 T) symptoms: (a) persistent (T1 + T2 ≥ 60T), (b) developed (T1 < 60T + T2 ≥ 60T), (c) improved (T1 ≥ 60T + T2 < 60T), and (4) asymptomatic (T1 + T2 < 60T). There was little change in mean SMV adjustment scores or the percentage of clinically elevated scores from T1 to T2. The percentage of clinically elevated adjustment scores was 30% at T1 and T2; 14.3% at T1 only; and 5.7% at T2 only. The IP HRQOL symptom trajectories had a stronger effect on mean SMV adjustment than within-group change in adjustment, which was largely driven by the persistent and asymptomatic IP HRQOL categories. The strongest effects were found for caregiving and social HRQOL risk factors, followed by psychological, and then physical HRQOL risk factors. A range of clinically elevated IP HRQOL constructs emerged as long-term risk factors for chronic neurobehavioral symptoms in SMVs post-MTBI. More attention to the role that family distress has on poor warfighter recovery and return to duty following an MTBI is required. (PsycInfo Database Record (c) 2025 APA, all rights reserved).

The Longitudinal Relationship Between Close Friendship and Subjective Well-Being: The Chain Mediation Model of Interpersonal Trust and Perceived Social Support.

Adolescence is a critical period for developing interpersonal relationships and plays a significant role in the growth of subjective well-being. Establishing positive friendships is one of the most important predictors of subjective well-being. This study employs a longitudinal method, tracking Chinese adolescents to investigate the impact of individuals' number of close friends on subjective well-being by examining the chain mediating roles of interpersonal trust and perceived social support. Data were collected from 987 junior high school students across five schools in Shandong Province and analysed using SPSS 27.0. The results indicate that the number of close friends at Time 1 (T1) significantly positively affects the level of subjective well-being at Time 3 (T3). At Time 2 (T2), perceived social support mediates the relationship between the number of close friends at T1 and subjective well-being at T3. Furthermore, the number of close friends at T1 has a longitudinal mediating effect on subjective well-being at T3. This effect is mediated by interpersonal trust and perceived social support at T2. This study reveals the mechanisms by which the number of close friends influences subjective well-being among Chinese adolescents. The findings highlight the significance of fostering healthy interpersonal relationships among adolescents in China. This can be achieved by promoting initiatives that enhance levels of interpersonal trust and perceived social support within communities, thereby improving overall subjective well-being among adolescents.

The Longitudinal Relationship Between Children's Internalizing Problems and Family Difficulties: The Role of Child Executive Functioning and Parenting Flexibility.

Research has extensively examined how a poor family climate influences internalizing problems in children. However, studies investigating the directional relationship between children's internalizing issues and family difficulties, particularly in Chinese populations, remain limited. To address this gap, the current study employed a longitudinal design involving three rounds of surveys with 282 elementary school students (45.74% girls, Mage = 9.73 ± 1.54 years at Time 1) and their parents. Cross-lagged panel model analyses revealed several key findings: children's internalizing problems consistently predicted subsequent family difficulties, while family difficulties did not significantly affect children's internalizing problems. Additionally, parenting flexibility at Time 2 (T2) mediated the relationship between children's internalizing problems at Time 1 (T1) and family difficulties at Time 3 (T3). Children's executive functioning at T2 also mediated the association between internalizing problems at T1 and family difficulties at T3. These findings underscore the importance of enhancing children's executive functioning and improving parenting flexibility to mitigate the negative effects of children's internalizing problems on family dynamics.

Predictive Validity of Psychometrically Assessed Schizotypy for Psychopathology Dimensions and Functioning in an 8-Year Multiwave Study.

Although the psychometric high-risk method based on schizotypy has proven to be a highly cost-effective strategy for unraveling etiological factors for schizophrenia-spectrum disorders, there is a paucity of longitudinal studies with nonclinical populations. This study analyzed the predictive validity of positive and negative schizotypy in a longitudinal project (Barcelona Longitudinal Investigation of Schizotypy; BLISS) spanning a total of 7.8 years. At Time 1 (T1), 547 college students completed the Wisconsin Schizotypy Scales. We re-assessed subsamples (oversampled for high schizotypy to ensure variability) at 4 re-assessments. This study reports psychopathology, psychological, and functional outcomes assessed with self-report and interview (CAARMS, Negative Symptom Manual, SCID-II Cluster A) measures at T4 (n = 89; 4.4 years after T1) and self-report measures at T5 (n = 169; 7.8 years after T1). T1 positive and negative schizotypy were entered simultaneously as predictors in linear regression models. Positive schizotypy predicted positive symptoms at T4, whereas negative schizotypy predicted interview-rated negative symptoms and schizoid personality traits (even when controlling for mood and avoidant personality), and impaired social and global functioning. Both dimensions predicted suspiciousness, and schizotypal and paranoid personality traits, as well as low self-esteem and depression. Similarly, both dimensions predicted suspiciousness, depression, and poor social support at T5, whereas only positive schizotypy predicted low self-esteem, anxiety, and perceived stress. Both schizotypy dimensions consistently showed a meaningful pattern of hypothesized differential and overlapping predictions, which supports their validity as distinct dimensions and their predictive validity in nonclinical samples.

Group Interpersonal Psychotherapy for Adolescents With Non-suicidal Self-injury: A Randomized Controlled Study.

Non-suicidal self-injury (NSSI) is a significant clinical concern in adolescents. The goal of this study was to evaluate the efficacy of group interpersonal psychotherapy (G-IPT) combined with treatment as usual (TAU) compared with TAU alone in treating adolescents with NSSI. A randomized controlled trial was conducted in a psychiatric outpatient clinic in Hubei Province, China, involving 52 adolescents 12 to 17 years of age diagnosed with NSSI. Participants were randomly assigned to either the G-IPT combined with TAU group (n=26), who received 12 additional G-IPT sessions, or the TAU-alone group (n=26). Outcomes were assessed using the Ottawa Self-Injury Inventory (OSI), 9-item Patient Health Questionnaire (PHQ-9), Generalized Anxiety Disorder-7 (GAD-7), Interpersonal Disturbances Scale (IDS), and Interpersonal Communication Scale (ICS) at pre-treatment [Time Zero (T0)], immediately after completion of G-IPT, or 12 weeks after baseline assessment in the TAU group [Time 1 (T1)], and 3 months after treatment [Time 2 (T2)]. Forty-eight participants completed all assessments. The primary outcomes included a reduction in NSSI frequency and an increase in participants' ability to resist NSSI. Results demonstrated reductions in the OSI item "NSSI in the last month" at T1 (P<0.001) and T2 (P=0.008), as well as significant improvements in the OSI item "Strength to resist NSSI" (P<0.001 at T1; P=0.001 at T2). Significant between-group and interaction effects were observed, indicating that G-IPT combined with TAU was more effective than TAU alone in reducing NSSI behaviors. These findings underscore the potential of G-IPT as an effective adjunct to TAU in clinical settings for adolescent NSSI intervention.

Tolerance to cooked egg in infants with risk factors for egg allergy after early introduction of baked egg.

Egg allergy (EA),along with cow's milk allergy (CMA) and atopic dermatitis (AD is one of the most frequent allergies in children. Tolerance to food allergens seems to be related to the early and regular intake and the cooking method. The objective of this study is to prove that the introduction of baked eggs at 4-6 months of age and its daily maintenance for 6 months prevents EA. Controlled randomized clinical trial from February 2019 to November 2023 was done for all patients under 6 months of age, including those with CMA and/or AD without previous egg consumption. Skin prick test (SPT), specific immunoglobulin E (sIgE), basophil activation test (BAT), and oral food challenge (OFC) on baked eggs were performed at the beginning of the study (T0). Patients were classified into group A (nontolerant to baked egg) following an egg-free diet and group B (tolerant to baked egg). These were randomized into B1 who ate baked egg daily and B2 who avoided egg. Six months later, at time 1 (T1), an OFC to hard-boiled egg was performed. There were 27 patients in all. Those who ate baked egg daily for 6 months tolerated boiled eggs and only 47.4% of patients who followed an egg-free diet tolerated boiled eggs (P-value 0.012). All three tests-sIgE, SPT, and BAT-are considered good techniques to discriminate between tolerant versus not tolerant patients toward eggs.Patients under 6 months of age with CMA and/or AD who ate baked eggs daily for 6 months tolerated cooked eggs more frequently than patients who avoided eggs. Early introduction of baked eggs could prevent EA.

The Bidirectional Mediation Roles of Depression and Hostile Attribution Bias in the Relationship between Peer Conflict and Adolescents' Cyberbullying Perpetration: A Two-Wave Study.

Previous research has established that the quality of peer relationships significantly impacts adolescents' physical and mental health. However, the relationship between peer conflict and cyberbullying perpetration remains insufficiently explored. Based on the General Aggression Model and the General Strain Theory, this study investigates the mediating role of depression and hostile attribution bias in the relationship between peer conflict and cyberbullying perpetration, as well as the moderating role of gender, aiming to offer a new perspective on understanding adolescent cyberbullying perpetration. Employing a two-wave survey design, the study encompassed 900 adolescents (Mage = 13.45, girls = 452), collecting data on peer conflict, depression, hostile attribution bias, and cyberbullying perpetration through self-reported questionnaires. The findings revealed that peer conflict at Time 1 (T1) significantly and positively predicted cyberbullying perpetration at Time 2 (T2). Depression and hostile attribution bias at T2 acted both individually and in a bidirectional chain as mediators between peer conflict at T1 and cyberbullying perpetration at T2. Gender differences were observed in the paths "peer conflict T1 → cyberbullying perpetration T2" and "depression T2 → cyberbullying perpetration T2." Specifically, compared to girls, boys who experienced peer conflict and depression were more likely to engage in cyberbullying perpetration. These findings not only theoretically expand the application of the General Strain Theory and the General Aggression Model, but also provide practical guidance for the prevention and intervention of cyberbullying perpetration among adolescents.

Posttraumatic Stress Symptoms and HIV Risk-Related Behaviors among Young Sexual and Gender Minorities Assigned Male at Birth: the Moderating Effects of Teenage Childhood Sexual Abuse.

Young sexual and gender minorities assigned male at birth (SGM-AMAB) experience significant sexual health disparities. Teenage childhood sexual abuse (CSA) may have lasting effects on adulthood trauma response, including engagement in HIV-related risk behaviors (HRB). This study examined the moderating effects of teenage CSA on the longitudinal associations between posttraumatic symptom clusters and HRB among young SGM-AMAB. The analytic sample comprised SGM-AMAB (N = 487) living in the Chicago metropolitan area, aged 17-32 (M = 24.78) enrolled in the RADAR longitudinal cohort study. Structural equation models (SEM) using Bayes estimation with 10,000 iterations were estimated to examine the moderating effects of any CSA exposure and severity indices (e.g., touching, penetration) on the associations between posttraumatic symptom clusters at Time 1 (T1) and HRB at Time 2 (T2) 6-month follow-up. Model fit was acceptable, χ2 (df = 164) = 450.15, p <.001, RMSEA = 0.06, SRMR = 0.04, CFI = 0.93, TLI = 0.92. Avoidance at T1 predicted fewer condomless sex partners at T2 across CSA models. We observed 15 interaction effects across CSA models and outcomes. The moderating effects of both any CSA (β = 0.20, 95% CI = 0.02 - 0.38) and penetration CSA (β = 0.34, 95% CI = 0.14 - 0.55) changed the direction of the direct effect of avoidance on condomless sex partners, such that avoidance symptoms predicted more condomless sex partners among those with these CSA histories. This study observed patterns of association by posttraumatic symptom cluster, CSA index, and HRB outcome. Future directions and clinical implications are discussed.

Acceptance of disability, attitudes toward disability, and coping in adolescents with visual impairments: A cross-lagged study.

This study aims to understand the reciprocal relationships among acceptance of disability, attitudes toward disability, and coping among Chinese adolescents with visual impairments. Adolescents with visual impairments (NT1 = 311, NT2 = 170) from four Chinese special education schools completed three questionnaires twice over 1 year. Cross-lagged panel modeling was carried out to analyze the questionnaire data. The findings revealed that attitudes toward disability and self-directed coping at Time 1 (T1) positively predicted acceptance of disability at Time 2 (T2). Self-directed coping at T1 positively predicted attitudes toward disability at T2, and attitudes toward disability at T1 negatively predicted relinquished-control coping at T2. Visually impaired adolescents' attitudes toward disability and coping serve as antecedents of their acceptance of disability. There is a positive reciprocal relationship between coping and attitudes toward disability. Psychological interventions aimed at optimizing psychosocial adjustment among students with visual impairments may benefit from targeting coping strategies and attitudes toward disability. (PsycInfo Database Record (c) 2025 APA, all rights reserved).

Why can parents' phubbing affect mobile phone addiction? Perspective of the I-PACE model.

Based on the I-PACE model, this study investigated the longitudinal relationship between parents' phubbing and mobile phone addiction, as well as the serial mediating effects of maladaptive cognition and ego depletion. A longitudinal study, with data collected at two time points over a six-month interval to test the proposed hypotheses. The independent variable was measured at Time 1 (T1), while the mediators and dependent variables were assessed at Time 2 (T2). A total of 591 middle school students from a city in central China was recruited to complete the parents' phubbing scale, maladaptive cognition scale, ego depletion scale and mobile phone addiction scale. (1) The correlation analysis showed a significant positive correlation between T1 parents' phubbing, T2 maladaptive cognition, T2 ego depletion, and T2 mobile phone addiction. (2) Maladaptive cognition was found to mediate the relationship between parent's phubbing and mobile phone addiction. Similarly, ego depletion also mediated the relationship between parent's phubbing and mobile phone addiction. Additionally, both maladaptive cognition and ego depletion functioned as serial mediators between parent's phubbing and mobile phone addiction. This study provides evidence that parental phubbing serves as a longitudinal predictor of mobile phone addiction, with maladaptive cognition and ego depletion acting as key mediators in this process.

An item response theory analysis of the Dissociative Experiences Scale II: examining psychometric properties and longitudinal stability among Japanese adults

BackgroundThe Dissociative Experiences Scale (DES-II) is widely used globally. However, psychometric properties of the scale have not been adequately examined. The present study aimed to examine the psychometric properties and longitudinal stability of the DES-II.MethodWe collected data at two time points, approximately three and a half years apart. At Time 1 (T1), 1029 participants (515 females, 514 males) with a mean age of 44.64 (± 14.02) responded to the survey. Out of the T1 participants, 210 individuals (105 females, 105 males) also responded to the T2 survey. We conducted item parameters of the DES-II with item response theory (IRT).ResultsOur results showed that the DES-II is suitable for measuring strong dissociative traits, with all items displaying high discriminative power. The cut-off points for the DES-II were within a good range of measurement accuracy, and longitudinal stability over approximately three and a half years was adequate.ConclusionIn the present study, we applied item response theory (IRT) to the DES-II, which has traditionally been interpreted using classical test theory (CTT). Results suggested the need for item-focused assessment rather than relying solely on mean scores or cut-off points. Specifically, results suggested that the severity levels differed across item ratings, and to set cut-off points for each item based on the severity of the ratings. Furthermore, the possibility of cultural differences in response patterns of the DES-II was indicated. However, few studies have discussed cultural differences based on IRT; hence, further research should examine response patterns of the DES-II across various cultures. In conclusion, the DES-II is a valuable tool for assessing dissociative symptoms, with adequate psychometric properties from an item response theory perspective. Clinicians should consider item-specific responses in their assessments, and further research is needed to explore the scale's applicability across diverse populations.

Longitudinal reciprocal relationship between media violence exposure and aggression among junior high school students in China: a cross-lagged analysis.

Increasing evidence has shown that media violence exposure can influence individual aggression. However, the question of whether there is a causal relationship between media violence exposure and aggression remains complex and contentious. This study aims to examine the dynamic reciprocal relations between media violence exposure and aggression among junior high school students in China. Using the Exposure to Violent Media Questionnaire (ETVMQ) and the Buss-Warren Aggression questionnaire (BWAQ), 259 junior high school students were tracked three times over a period of 1 year. A cross-lagged panel model was constructed to analyze the reciprocal relationship between media violence exposure and aggression over time. (1) Media violence exposure and aggression were significantly and positively correlated in all three assessments. (2) Cross-lagged analysis revealed that media violence exposure at Time 1(T1) significantly positively predicted aggression at Time 2(T2), and subsequently significantly positively predicted media violence exposure at Time 3(T3). Additionally, media violence exposure at T2 significantly positively predicted aggression at T3. (3) Multi-group analysis revealed that gender, family economic status, and family location had no significant moderating effects on the cross-lagged effects between media violence exposure and aggression. The cross-lagged effects did not differ by gender, family economic status, or family location. There is a positive reciprocal relationship between media violence exposure and aggression among Chinese junior high school students, and this reciprocal relationship demonstrates stability across gender and family environments. Media violence exposure is not only a risk factor for increasing aggression among Chinese junior high school students but also a negative outcome of high aggression.

PTSD and epigenetic aging: a longitudinal meta-analysis.

Posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD) has been associated with advanced epigenetic age cross-sectionally, but the association between these variables over time is unclear. This study conducted meta-analyses to test whether new-onset PTSD diagnosis and changes in PTSD symptom severity over time were associated with changes in two metrics of epigenetic aging over two time points. We conducted meta-analyses of the association between change in PTSD diagnosis and symptom severity and change in epigenetic age acceleration/deceleration (age-adjusted DNA methylation age residuals as per the Horvath and GrimAge metrics) using data from 7 military and civilian cohorts participating in the Psychiatric Genomics Consortium PTSD Epigenetics Workgroup (total N=1,367). Meta-analysis revealed that the interaction between Time 1 (T1) Horvath age residuals and new-onset PTSD over time was significantly associated with Horvath age residuals at T2 (meta β=0.16, meta p=0.02, p-adj=0.03). The interaction between T1 Horvath age residuals and changes in PTSD symptom severity over time was significantly related to Horvath age residuals at T2 (meta β=0.24, meta p=0.05). No associations were observed for GrimAge residuals. Results indicated that individuals who developed new-onset PTSD or showed increased PTSD symptom severity over time evidenced greater epigenetic age acceleration at follow-up than would be expected based on baseline age acceleration. This suggests that PTSD may accelerate biological aging over time and highlights the need for intervention studies to determine if PTSD treatment has a beneficial effect on the aging methylome.

Cyber-Ostracism, Depression, and Adolescents’ Cyberbullying Perpetration: A Cross-Lagged Panel Analysis

This study explores the complex dynamics between cyber-ostracism, depression, and cyberbullying among 870 Chinese adolescents (50.9% boys, Mage = 13.03, SD = 0.76). Using a cross-lagged panel analysis, the results found: (1) bidirectional associations between cyber-ostracism and depression, with cyber-ostracism at Time 1(T1) significantly and positively predicted depression at Time 2(T2), and depression at T1 significantly and positively predicted cyber-ostracism at T2; (2) depression at T1 significantly and positively predicted cyberbullying perpetration at T2; (3) cyberbullying perpetration at T1 significantly and positively predicted cyber-ostracism at T2; (4) depression mediated the relationship between cyber-ostracism and cyberbullying perpetration, and (5) gender differences were observed only in the path from depression at T1 to cyber-ostracism at T2, with a significant association for girls but not for boys. This study highlights the complex interplay between cyber-ostracism, depression, and adolescents’ cyberbullying perpetration, shedding light on the importance of addressing these issues in a gender-sensitive manner.

Examining goal re-engagement as a mediator of longitudinal associations between awareness of age-related change and vitality in midlife and older adulthood

Theorized mechanisms linking views on aging, self-regulation, and well-being have not previously been examined longitudinally. This study considers goal re-engagement as a potential mediator of longitudinal relationships between awareness of age-related change (AARC) and vitality. We expected that more positive perceptions of aging (i.e., higher AARC-gains and lower AARC-losses) at Time 1 (T1) would be associated with increases in goal re-engagement and, in turn, increases in vitality. We also examined possible moderating effects of age on associations of AARC with goal re-engagement and vitality. A sample of 408 middle-aged and older adults (60 years and over) completed three online assessments capturing AARC (gains and losses), goal re-engagement, and vitality over a 12-month period. Parallel process latent growth models were used to test for mediation. Associations among variable intercepts revealed that more positive views of aging were associated with higher levels of goal re-engagement and greater vitality. However, there was no support for the longitudinal mediation hypotheses, with T1 levels of AARC showing negligible associations with rates of change in goal re-engagement and vitality. Moderation analyses revealed a stronger association of T1 AARC-gains with the intercept for goal re-engagement at older, relative to younger ages. Although growing evidence supports cross-sectional links between views on aging, self-regulation and well-being, research with longer measurement intervals and a more comprehensive array of potential mediators is needed to conclusively identify underlying mechanisms.