Impact of parent-child relationship and sex on trajectories of children internalizing symptoms

Mindful parenting, parent-child relationship and preschoolers' internalizing behaviors: A cross-lagged panel analysis

The present study examined the bidirectional relationships among mindful parenting, parent-child relationships, and child internalizing behaviors (e.g., anxiety, depression, and social withdrawal) using a longitudinal design. A total of 1,201 Chinese preschoolers (50.3 % boys; age: M = 3.90 years, SD = 0.78) were assessed through parent reports at two time points, one year apart. Cross-lagged panel analysis revealed that mindful parenting at T1 positively predicted parent-child relationships (β = 0.17, p < 0.001) and negatively children's internalizing behaviors (β = -0.07, p < 0.05) at T2. However, no evidence was found for the reverse relationship. This study also identified a bidirectional and negative associations between parent-child relationships and internalizing behaviors in preschooler (parent-child relationships → internalizing behaviors:β = -0.07, p < 0.05; internalizing behaviors → parent-child relationships: β = - 0.06, p < 0.05). Furthermore, the parent-child relationships mediated the effect of mindful parenting at T1 on child internalizing behaviors at T2. The mediating effect of the parent-child relationship was stronger at T2 than at T1, likely due to the gradual and cumulative benefits of mindful parenting over time. Child gender did not moderate these relationships. The findings highlight the role of mindful parenting in promoting child psychological development by enhancing parent-child relationships over time.

Development of Father- and Mother-Child Intimacy and Their Association with Internalizing and Externalizing Problems among Early and Middle Chinese Adolescents

Parenting styles and the developmental environment of adolescents in China have undergone significant changes. However, the development of parent-adolescent intimacy among contemporary Chinese adolescents and its impact on internalizing and externalizing problems remain unclear. To address this research gap, this study explored the development of father-child and mother-child intimacy during early and middle adolescence and examined their effects on internalizing and externalizing problems. Further, it investigates the potential gender differences in these developmental processes. In total, 1,370 early adolescents (M age T1 = 12.31, SD age T1 = 0.49; 51.17% girls) and 1381 middle adolescents (M age T1 = 15.19, SD age T1 = 0.50; 50.16% girls) participated in this one-year, three-wave longitudinal survey. The results showed that father-child and mother-child intimacy decreased over one year in early adolescents, while in middle adolescents, father-child intimacy increased, and mother-child intimacy decreased. Furthermore, the development of parent-child intimacy in both early and middle adolescents negatively predicted internalizing and externalizing problems one year later. Regarding sex differences, early adolescent girls had lower initial levels of father-child intimacy but higher initial levels of mother-child intimacy compared to boys. In middle adolescents, girls also showed higher initial levels of mother-child intimacy than boys. Additionally, the decline in father-child intimacy had a stronger impact on anxiety and aggression in early adolescent girls and a more significant effect on depression in middle adolescent girls. These findings offer new insights into how parent-child intimacy changes in Chinese adolescents and its impact on internalizing and externalizing problems, providing valuable guidance for targeted interventions.

The effects of parent-child relationship, study stress, and mobile phone use on depressive symptoms among Chinese elementary school students: a moderated mediation model

Introduction

With the rising prevalence of depressive symptoms among younger individuals, depressive symptoms in elementary school students have become a focal issue of concern in society. This study investigated the association between parent-child relationship and depressive symptoms among Chinese elementary school students while testing a moderated mediation model to examine the mediating role of significant study stress and the moderating effect of frequent mobile phone use on this relationship.

Methods

We recruited elementary school students from grades 3 to 6 in S district of Chongqing, China, totaling 33,285 participants (51.72% girls; mean age = 10.36 years, SD = 1.24). Data was analyzed using structural equation modeling to assess the mediating and moderating effects of study stress and mobile phone use, respectively, on the relationship between parent-child relationship and depressive symptoms.

Results

Depressive symptoms prevalence in our study population was 16.3%. Both fair and poor parent-child relationships were significantly linked to an increased risk of depressive symptoms, with study stress serving as a mediator (indirect effects: fair parent-child relationship = 0.058, poor parent-child relationship = 0.031, p < 0.001). Frequent mobile phone use amplified the impact of fair parent-child relationships on study stress (β=0.024, SE=0.016, p < 0.05) and depressive symptoms (β = 0.021, SE = 0.018, p < 0.05) but did not moderate the relationship between poor parent-child relationships and these outcomes.

Discussion

These results emphasize the importance of nurturing parent-child relationship, monitoring study stress, and managing mobile phone usage to support students' mental health. Furthermore, the findings suggest that the impact of mobile phone usage on the mental health of elementary school students varies in complexity across different parent-child relationship contexts, providing valuable insights and recommendations for developing targeted preventive interventions for depressive symptoms in this demographic.

Universal depressive symptom screening in middle schools in Istanbul: An epidemiologic study

INTRODUCTION

Depression is a significant public health concern, with severe adolescent morbidity and mortality. Promoting adolescents' mental health is increasingly recognized, and schools are proposed as screening and preventive intervention sites. This cross-sectional study aimed to screen self-reported elevated depressive symptom prevalence among secondary school students in Istanbul, Turkey. The secondary objectives were determining behavioral problems, resilience, positive attitudes, and risk factors associated with depressive symptoms.

METHODS

Data collection was conducted between April-June 2022. Six thousand one hundred ten students from nine randomly selected schools from different city districts were approached. Depression was screened by the Centre for Epidemiological Studies Depression Scale for Children (CES-DC). The Strengths and Difficulties Questionnaire (SDQ) was used for screening behavioral problems and positive attitudes. Resilience was evaluated by the Child and Youth Resilience Measure (CYRM).

RESULTS

The final study sample comprised 2780 participants (response rate 47.7 %) with a mean age of 12.4 ± 1.1 years (females:52.7 %). Elevated depressive symptoms were detected in 31.2 % of the students. Female students exhibited higher scores in CES-DC and total difficulties but lower resilience scores in CYRM than male students. In a multiple regression analysis, female gender, higher total difficulties score, lower resilience score, and lower perceived academic performance significantly predicted CES-DC [F(6,2279) = 421, p < 0.01].

DISCUSSION

Our findings showed high rates of elevated self-reported depressive symptoms in a city sample among Turkish adolescents at middle schools, in addition to coexisting behavioral difficulties and decreased resilience indicating poor psychosocial functioning. Given the prevalent depressive symptoms, screening and intervention programs involving resilience promotion may involve school systems to prevent adolescent depression.

A non-randomized feasibility study of a voice assistant for parents to support their children's mental health

Background

Mental disorders affect one in seven Australian children and although effective, evidenced based treatments exist, there is a critical shortage of mental health clinicians which has created a "treatment gap." Artificial intelligence has the potential to address the high prevalence rates of mental disorders within overburdened mental health systems.

Methods

This was a non-randomized feasibility study to evaluate the novel application of voice technology to an evidence-based parenting intervention designed to support children's mental health. We deployed an Amazon Alexa app to parents recruited from the community (N = 55) and to parents with children receiving psychological treatment (N = 4). Parents from the community used the app independently whereas parents from the clinical group used the app in conjunction with attending a six-week parenting program. The primary outcome measure, feasibility was assessed in terms of acceptability, via recruitment and retention rates, quantitative surveys and qualitative interviews.

Results

In the community group, the recruitment rate was 23.8% and the retention rate 49.1%. In the clinical group, all 6 families approached for recruitment agreed to participate and 4 out of 6 completed the trial. Parents attending the parenting program spent on average, three times longer using the app than parents from the community. Overall, parents reported that the app contained easy-to-understand information on parenting, and that they could see the potential of voice technology to learn and practice parenting skills. Parents also faced several challenges, including difficulties with installation and interactions with the app and expressed privacy concerns related to voice technology. Further, parents reported that the voices used within the app sounded monotone and robotic.

Conclusion

We offer specific recommendations that could foster a better voice assistant user experience for parents to support their children's mental health. The app is highly scalable and has the potential to addresses many of the barriers faced by parents who attempt to access traditional parenting interventions.

Association between anxiety, depression symptoms, and academic burnout among Chinese students: the mediating role of resilience and self-efficacy

BACKGROUND

To explore the associations between anxiety and depression symptoms and academic burnout among children and adolescents in China, and to examine the role of resilience and self-efficacy in addressing academic burnout.

METHODS

A total of 2,070 students in grades 4-8 were recruited from two primary and three middle schools in Shanghai, completed the Elementary School Student Burnout Scale (ESSBS), the Multidimensional Anxiety Scale for Children-Chinese (MASC-C), the Center for Epidemiological Studies Depression Scale (CES-D), the Connor-Davidson Resilience Scale (CD-RISC), and the General Self-Efficacy Scale (GSES), with 95.04% effective response rate. Multivariable regression analyses examining the associations between anxiety / depression symptoms and academic burnout (as well as the associations between resilience / self-efficacy and academic burnout) were performed using STATA 16.0 and SmartPLS 3.0.

RESULTS

Anxiety symptoms (β = 0.124, p < 0.01) and depression symptoms (β = 0.477, p < 0.01) were positively correlated with academic burnout. Resilience partially mediated the association between depression symptoms and academic burnout (β = 0.059, p < 0.01), with a mediation rate of 12.37%. Self-efficacy partially mediated the associations between anxiety symptoms and academic burnout (β = 0.022, p < 0.01) and between depression symptoms and academic burnout (β = 0.017, p < 0.01), with mediation rates of 17.74% and 3.56%, respectively. Resilience and self-efficacy together (β = 0.041, p < 0.01) formed a mediating chain between depression symptoms and academic burnout, with a mediation rate of 8.6%.

CONCLUSIONS

Anxiety and depression symptoms were positively associated with academic burnout. Resilience and self-efficacy were found to mediate the associations partially.

Sex-specific associations of adolescent motherhood with cognitive function, behavioral problems, and autistic-like traits in offspring and the mediating roles of family conflict and altered brain structure

BACKGROUND

Previous studies have linked adolescent motherhood to adverse neurodevelopmental outcomes in offspring, yet the sex-specific effect and underlying mechanisms remain unclear.

METHODS

This study included 6952 children aged 9-11 from the Adolescent Brain Cognitive Development study. The exposed group consisted of children of mothers < 20 years at the time of birth, while the unexposed group was composed of children of mothers aged 20-35 at birth. We employed a generalized linear mixed model to investigate the associations of adolescent motherhood with cognitive, behavioral, and autistic-like traits in offspring. We applied an inverse-probability-weighted marginal structural model to examine the potential mediating factors including adverse perinatal outcomes, family conflict, and brain structure alterations.

RESULTS

Our results revealed that children of adolescent mothers had significantly lower cognitive scores (β, - 2.11, 95% CI, - 2.90 to - 1.31), increased externalizing problems in male offspring (mean ratio, 1.28, 95% CI, 1.08 to 1.52), and elevated internalizing problems (mean ratio, 1.14, 95% CI, 0.99 to 1.33) and autistic-like traits (mean ratio, 1.22, 95% CI, 1.01 to 1.47) in female. A stressful family environment mediated ~ 70% of the association with internalizing problems in females, ~ 30% with autistic-like traits in females, and ~ 20% with externalizing problems in males. Despite observable brain morphometric changes related to adolescent motherhood, these did not act as mediating factors in our analysis, after adjusting for family environment. No elevated rate of adverse perinatal outcomes was observed in the offspring of adolescent mothers in this study.

CONCLUSIONS

Our results reveal distinct sex-specific neurodevelopmental outcomes impacts of being born to adolescent mothers, with a substantial mediating effect of family environment on behavioral outcomes. These findings highlight the importance of developing sex-tailored interventions and support the hypothesis that family environment significantly impacts the neurodevelopmental consequences of adolescent motherhood.

Parent-child relationship measures and pre-post treatment changes for a clinical preschool sample using DC:0-3R

BACKGROUND

To reduce psychopathologies in children, various treatment approaches focus on the parent-child relationship. Disruptions in the parent-child relationship are outlined in the most recently revised versions of the Diagnostic Classification of Mental Health and Developmental Disorders of Infancy and Early Childhood (DC:0-3R/DC:0-5). The measures used to assess the parent-child relationship include the Parent-Infant Relationship Global Assessment Scale (PIRGAS) and the Relationship Problems Checklist (RPCL), which cover, e.g., essential concepts like over- or underinvolvement of the caregiver. However, not much is known about the cross-sectional and predictive value of PIRGAS and RPCL scores at admission to discharge, namely whether changes in these scores are correlated with child and maternal psychopathologies and changes through treatment.

METHODS

Based on clinical records of 174 preschool-aged children of the Family Day Hospital, we report related basic descriptive data and changes from admission to discharge for the parent-child relationship, child behaviour, and maternal psychopathology. We used a Pearson correlation or a point-biserial correlation to describe the associations and performed a paired t-test to examine differences before and after measurement.

RESULTS

Our results show overall improvements in our parent-child relationship measures and in child and maternal psychopathology. However, we observed little or no correlation between the parent-child relationship measures and child or maternal psychopathology.

CONCLUSIONS

We highlight potential drawbacks and limitations of the two relationship measures used that may explain the results of this study on the associations between the variables assessed. The discussion emphasizes the assessment of DC:0-3R/DC:0-5, which are popular in clinical practice for economic reasons.

Influence of early childhood parental hostility and socioeconomic stress on children's internalizing symptom trajectories from childhood to adolescence

Introduction

Children and adolescents with elevated internalizing symptoms are at increased risk for depression, anxiety, and other psychopathology later in life. The present study examined the predictive links between two bioecological factors in early childhood-parental hostility and socioeconomic stress-and children's internalizing symptom class outcomes, while considering the effects of child sex assigned at birth on internalizing symptom development from childhood to adolescence.

Materials and Methods

The study used a sample of 1,534 children to test the predictive effects of socioeconomic stress at ages 18 and 27 months; hostile parenting measured at child ages 4-5; and sex assigned at birth on children's internalizing symptom latent class outcomes at child ages 7-9, 10-12, 13-15, and 16-19. Analyses also tested the mediating effect of parenting on the relationship between socioeconomic stress and children's symptom classes. Other covariates included parent depressive symptoms at child ages 4-5 and child race and ethnicity.

Results

Analyses identified three distinct heterogenous internalizing symptom classes characterized by relative symptom levels and progression: low (35%); moderate and increasing (41%); and higher and increasing (24%). As anticipated, higher levels of parental hostility in early childhood predicted membership in the higher and increasing symptom class, compared with the low symptom class (odds ratio (OR) = .61, 95% confidence interval (CI) [.48,.77]). Higher levels of early childhood socioeconomic stress were also associated with the likelihood of belonging to the higher-increasing symptom class compared to the low and moderate-increasing classes (OR = .46, 95% CI [.35,.60] and OR = .56, 95% CI [.44,.72], respectively). The total (c = .61) and direct (c' = .57) effects of socioeconomic stress on children's symptom class membership in the mediation analysis were significant (p <.001).

Discussion

Study findings suggest that intervening on modifiable bioecological stressors-including parenting behaviors and socioeconomic stressors-may provide important protective influences on children's internalizing symptom trajectories.

Gendered pathways to socioemotional competencies in very young children

Parent-child and teacher-child relationship closeness have been shown to be crucial for children's development of socioemotional competencies from preschool to school-age stages. However, less is known about the importance of developing close relationships with young infants and toddlers attending childcare group settings for their early socioemotional development. The current study aimed to address this gap and to explore how child gender may influence the associations. Participants included 378 Hong Kong Chinese children (196 girls; Mage = 22.05 months, SD = 9.81 months) enrolled in childcare centres, along with their parents and teachers. Parents reported on children's socioemotional competencies as well as their relationship closeness with children; teachers reported on their relationship closeness with children. Multiple group structural equation modelling was used to analyse the results. The findings showed that both parent-child and teacher-child closeness were positively associated with children's social competence, while teacher-child closeness was negatively associated with children's anxiety behaviour. Parents of girls reported greater parent-child closeness, higher levels of social competence, and higher levels of anxiety behaviours compared to parents of boys. Furthermore, teacher-child closeness was significantly associated with social competence exclusively among girls, while parent-child closeness was significantly associated with anxiety behaviours solely among boys. Findings are discussed in terms of the role of child gender in influencing the associations between parent-child closeness, teacher-child closeness, and children's socioemotional competencies in the earliest years.

Investigating the psychometric properties of PaRCADS-Parenting to Reduce Child Anxiety and Depression Scale in a Norwegian sample

OBJECTIVES

Parents play a pivotal role in child development and several parental factors have been identified as risk or protective factors for childhood anxiety and depression. To assess and target these parental factors in interventions, there is a need for a comprehensive, easy-to-use instrument.

METHOD

This study aimed to investigate the psychometric properties of an adapted version of the Parenting to Reduce Child Anxiety and Depression Scale, PaRCADS(N) in a Norwegian community sample (N = 163) of parents of children aged 8-12 years.

RESULTS

Our findings indicate that PaRCADS(N) has acceptable psychometric properties. These results are comparable to those of the original study of the PaRCADS in Australia.

CONCLUSION

Based on these results, we recommend that PaRCADS(N) can be utilized by health care workers as a tool for assessment and identification of parental practices related to child anxiety and/or depression to target relevant risk and protective factors in treatment and prevention.

Smartphone dependency and mental health among Chinese rural adolescents: the mediating role of cognitive failure and parent-child relationship

Background

With the widespread use of smartphones in daily life, smartphone dependency has become a global problem, especially among adolescents. Existing research studies have supported the association between smartphone dependency and the mental health of Chinese rural adolescents, but the underlying mechanism is still unclear.

Objective

The present study used a survey to test whether smartphone dependency may be associated with mental health in Chinese rural adolescents. The mediating role of cognitive failure and parent-child relationship was also examined.

Materials and methods

In total, 941 adolescents (45.91% male; mean age = 14.05, SD = 1.04) in rural areas of mainland China were recruited to complete four scales, including the Mobile Phone Dependence Scale (MPDS), Cognitive Failures Questionnaire (CFQ), Family Adaption and Cohesion Evaluation Scales (FACES), and Mental Health of Middle School Students Scale.

Results

The results showed that both cognitive failure and parent-child relationship acted as mediators in the effect of smartphone dependency on mental health among Chinese rural adolescents, and smartphone dependency also affected parent-child relationship by influencing cognitive failure, thus affecting mental health among Chinese rural adolescents indirectly.

Conclusion

The present study suggests that improving parent-child relationships and reducing cognitive failure can reduce the impact of smartphone dependency on the mental health of Chinese rural adolescents.

Effectiveness of Life Skills Intervention on Depression, Anxiety and Stress among Children and Adolescents: A Systematic Review

Children and adolescents are at a significantly high risk of mental health problems during their lifetime, among which are depression and anxiety, which are the most common. Life skills education is one of the intervention programmes designed to improve mental well-being and strengthen their ability to cope with the daily stresses of life. This review aimed to identify and evaluate the effect of life skills intervention on the reduction of depression, anxiety and stress among children and adolescents. Following the Population, Intervention, Comparison and Outcome (PICO) model and the Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta-analyses (PRISMA) 2009 checklist, eight databases (Academic Search Complete, CINAHL, Cochrane, MEDLINE, Psychology and Behavioural Sciences Collection, PubMed, Scopus and Web of Science) were systematically reviewed from 2012 to 2020. The search was limited to English papers only. It included published experimental and quasi-experimental studies addressing the effect of life skills interventions on the reduction of at least one of the following mental health disorders: depression, anxiety and stress among children and adolescents (from the age of 5 years old to 18 years old). We used the Joanna Briggs Institute checklist for experimental and quasi-experimental studies to evaluate the quality of the included studies. This study was registered in PROSPERO [CRD42021256603]. The search identified only 10 studies (three experimental and seven quasi-experimental) from 2,160 articles. The number of the participants was 6,714 aged between 10 years old and 19 years old. Three studies in this review focused on depression and anxiety, whereas one study investigated depression and the other anxiety. Three studies targeted only stress and two examined the three outcomes, namely, depression, anxiety and stress. Almost in all studies, the life skills intervention positively impacted mental disorders, considering the differences among males and females. The overall methodological quality of the findings was deemed to be moderate to high. Our results clearly indicated the advantages of life skills programmes among adolescents in different settings and contexts. Nonetheless, the results highlight some important policy implications by emphasising the crucial roles of developers and policymakers in the implementation of appropriate modules and activities. Further research examining life skills intervention with a cultural, gender perspective, age-appropriate and long-term effect is recommended.

Effects of school environment on depression among Black and White adolescents

While the school environment is critical for adolescents' psychological development, how the school environment influences depression among different racial groups has not been fully explored. This study aims to identify the effects of the school environment (school connectedness, school climates, trouble with peers and teachers) on depressive symptoms among Black and White adolescents. It also compares how the effects of school environments differ between Black and White adolescents. This study analyzed wave 6 of the Fragile Families and Child Well-being Study, a longitudinal birth cohort study in 20 major cities across the United States. Almost three-fourth (73.39%) of the adolescents were Black, and 26.61% were White. About half (50.46%) of the adolescents were females, and the mean age of adolescents was 15.39. Multiple regression analysis showed that higher school connectedness and less frequent troubles with teachers were associated with lower depression among Black adolescents. In contrast, only school connectedness was associated with depression among White adolescents. Higher school connectedness was associated with lower depressive symptoms for both Black and White adolescents. However, the magnitude of the effects of school connectedness was found to be statistically weaker among Black adolescents. These findings suggest a need for creating a racially equitable school environment that makes every student feel more connected to their schools, especially Black students.

Getting in synch: Unpacking the role of parent-child synchrony in the development of internalizing and externalizing behaviors

While substantial research supports the role of parent-child interactions on the emergence of psychiatric symptoms, few studies have explored biological mechanisms for this association. The current study explored behavioral and neural parent-child synchronization during frustration and play as predictors of internalizing and externalizing behaviors across a span of 1.5 years. Parent-child dyads first came to the laboratory when the child was 4-5 years old and completed the Disruptive Behavior Diagnostic Observation Schedule: Biological Synchrony (DB-DOS: BioSync) task while functional near-infrared spectroscopy (fNIRS) data were recorded. Parents reported on their child's internalizing and externalizing behaviors using the Child Behavior Checklist (CBCL) four times over 1.5 years. Latent growth curve (LGC) modeling was conducted to assess neural and behavioral synchrony as predictors of internalizing and externalizing trajectories. Consistent with previous investigations in this age range, on average, internalizing and externalizing behaviors decreased over the four time points. Parent-child neural synchrony during a period of play predicted rate of change in internalizing but not externalizing behaviors such that higher parent-child neural synchrony was associated with a more rapid decrease in internalizing behaviors. Our results suggest that a parent-child dyad's ability to coordinate neural activation during positive interactions might serve as a protective mechanism in the context of internalizing behaviors.

Effects of Parent Emotion Socialization on the Neurobiology Underlying Adolescent Emotion Processing: A Multimethod fMRI Study

Parents' emotion socialization (ES) practices impact socioemotional development throughout adolescence. Little is known, however, regarding the neurobiology underlying these effects. This study used functional magnetic resonance imaging (fMRI) to examine how parent ES practices relate to adolescent brain function during emotion processing. Thirty-three adolescents (ages 14-16) reported on ES practices of a focal parent (primarily mothers) using the Emotions as a Child (EAC) Scale. Adolescents also completed a conflict discussion task with this parent, and parents' statements were coded for emotional valence. Adolescents performed two fMRI tasks: a standard emotion processing (EP) task (n = 32) and the Testing Emotional Attunement and Mutuality (TEAM) task (n = 27). The EP task consisted of viewing emotional pictures and either reacting naturally or using cognitive reappraisal to regulate emotional responses. The TEAM task was performed with the parent and included trials during which adolescents were shown that their parent made an error, costing the dyad $5. Parent negative verbalizations during the conflict discussion were associated with greater activity in the thalamus during the emotion reactivity condition of the EP task and in the thalamus, superior medial and superior frontal gyri, anterior insula, and dorsolateral prefrontal cortex during the costly error condition of the TEAM task. Unsupportive ES was associated with greater activity in the supplementary motor area and less activity in the paracentral gyrus and amygdala during the costly error condition of the TEAM task. This study supports the premise that ES influences adolescents' emotion-related neural processing, particularly when using ecologically valid tasks in social contexts.

Journey of a psychiatric nurse: Growing up with parents with mental illness

WHAT IS KNOWN ON THE SUBJECT?: The parent-child relationship has a significant impact on children's mental health. Families with individuals with mental illness constitute a high-risk group in the community. It can be challenging for children to cope with issues related to having parents with mental illness. WHAT THIS PAPER ADDS TO EXISTING KNOWLEDGE?: This paper explains the feelings, thoughts and experiences of a psychiatric nurse whose parents both have a mental illness and emphasizes the positive and negative effects of growing up in such a situation. The effects of growing up with parents with mental illness should be addressed as a whole. WHAT ARE THE IMPLICATIONS FOR PRACTICE?: The narrative highlights the impact that parents with mental illness have on children. Psychiatric nurses are in a key position to provide children whose parents have a mental illness with timely and continuous help in developing coping and support mechanisms.

Perceived academic stress and depressive symptoms among Chinese adolescents: A moderated mediation analysis of overweight status

BACKGROUND

Previous research has indicated the association of perceived stress with mental health problems. In China, Confucian collectivism and an exam-centered culture encourage parents to have high educational expectations that impose great pressure on their children's learning. However, limited research has focused on adolescents' perceptions of the negative consequences of academic stress stemming from their parents' educational expectations. This study addressed this research gap by examining the direct effect of adolescents' perceptions of academic stress on their depressive symptoms and the indirect effects of both parent-child communication and interaction. We further explored the pathway differences between overweight and non-overweight adolescents.

METHODS

By using a sample (n = 6,566) from the first two waves of the China Education Panel Survey, moderated mediation analysis was performed to simultaneously analyze the mediating roles of parent-children communication and parent-children interaction and the moderating role of adolescent overweight status.

RESULTS

Adolescents' perceived academic stress (W1) was positively associated with their depressive symptoms (W2). This association was partially mediated by both parent-child communication (W1) and parent-child interaction (W1). Moreover, adolescent overweight status significantly moderated the paths between the adolescents' perceived academic stress and their depressive symptoms, between their perceived academic stress and parent-child interaction, and the indirect relationship via parent-child interaction.

LIMITATIONS

Some measurement biases including self-reported, unverified, and single-item measures, alongside not considering all variations in controlled variables should be noted.

CONCLUSION

The study's findings identify the significant roles of parent-child communication and parent-children interaction in contemporary China and indicate overweight adolescents' susceptibility to stress.

Inside the Clockwork of the ECHO Factorial Trial: A Conceptual Model With Proposed Mediators for Prevention of Emotional Problems in Children

Having interventions that are not only evidence-based and effective but also cost-effective and efficient is important for the prevention and treatment of child and adolescent emotional problems. A randomized clinical trial (RCT) tests the total interventions effect but does not address specific components of the intervention. In this article the hypothesis and a conceptual model of the ECHO study are presented and discussed. The ECHO intervention consists of three different components each containing two levels of intervention. By using a cluster randomized factorial design, children aged 8-12 at 40 schools across Norway will be randomized to eight different experimental conditions investigating the optimal balance between effect, cost-effectiveness, and efficiency. The article presents the design and the different components being tested and discusses how optimalization can be reached through this innovative design. The article also discusses how interventions can be improved by investigating and understanding the mechanisms of change within psychological interventions. For each of the three components in the study we consider the mediators that could be active within the intervention and how the study investigates such mediation. The results will contribute to a better understanding of how psychological interventions work and how we intend to optimize the EMOTION intervention.

Towards understanding neurocognitive mechanisms of parenting: Maternal behaviors and structural brain network organization in late childhood

A substantial body of knowledge suggests that exposure to adverse family environments - including violence and neglect - influences many aspects of brain development. Relatively less attention has been directed toward the influence of "normative" differences in parenting behaviors. Given the rapid brain reorganization during late childhood, parenting behaviors are particularly likely to impact the structure of the brain during this time. This study investigated associations between maternal parenting behaviors and the organization of structural brain networks in late childhood, as measured by structural covariance. One hundred and forty-five typically developing 8-year-olds and their mothers completed questionnaire measures and two observed interaction tasks; magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) scans were obtained from the children. Measures of maternal negative, positive, and communicative behavior were derived from the interaction tasks. Structural covariance networks based on partial correlations between cortical thickness estimates were constructed and estimates of modularity were obtained using graph theoretical analysis. High levels of negative maternal behavior were associated with low modularity. Minimal support was found for an association between positive maternal behaviors and modularity and between maternal communicative behaviors and modularity. Our findings suggest that variation in negative maternal behavior is associated with the structural organization of brain networks in children.

Resilience as a mediator of interpersonal relationships and depressive symptoms amongst 10th to 12th grade students

BACKGROUND

The aim of this study was to explore the associations among interpersonal relationships, resilience and depressive symptoms, and to examine if resilience is a mediator between interpersonal relationships and depressive symptoms in senior high school students.

METHODS

Of 463 randomly selected participants from among 3,900 high school students, 450 (97.19%) consented to and completed a structured 4-part questionnaire consisting of demographic items, Inventory of Adolescent Resilience, Taiwan Relationship Inventory for Children and Adolescents, and Center for Epidemiologic Studies Depression Scale for Children. The associations between interpersonal relations and resilience and their associations with depressive symptoms were analyzed using MPlus 8.0 software for structural equation modeling.

RESULTS

Results from structural equation modeling indicate that resilience and interpersonal relationships were negatively associated with students' depressive symptoms, and resilience partially mediated the associations between interpersonal relationships and depressive symptoms after controlling for demographics.

CONCLUSION

Findings support that resilience and better interpersonal relationships are protective factors against depressive symptoms in adolescents. The positive association between the two protectors implies that interpersonal relationships might increase resilience and then alleviate depression amongst adolescents.

When adolescents face both Internet addiction and mood symptoms: A cross-sectional study of comorbidity and its predictors

This study aimed to determine the prevalence of comorbid Internet addiction (IA) and mood symptoms and to identify common and unique risk profiles for individual and comorbid mental health problems among adolescents. A total of 2272 high school students in Changchun, China, were included in a cross-sectional study. Participants were asked to complete paper-based questionnaires on sociodemographic characteristics, lifestyle factors, Internet use, parent-child relationships, IA, and mood symptoms. Multivariate logistic regressions were used to compare the risk profiles for IA, mood symptoms, and their comorbidity. The Bonferroni correction was used for multiple tests. Students who were girls, were current smokers, had more than 1.5 h sleep deprivation per day on weekdays, used the Internet for more than 30 and 240 min per day on weekdays and weekends, respectively, used social networking sites more than 6 times per day, were Internet gamers, and/or reported poor parent-child relationships reported higher rates of comorbid IA and mood symptoms. Adolescents exposed to more of these correlates would have a higher risk of IA, mood symptoms, and their comorbidity. Public strategies for the prevention of mental illnesses should expand their capacity to identify and limit the co-occurrence of IA and mood symptoms.