Сharacteristics of nutrition and content of certain microelements in blood in adolescents with signs of metabolic syndrome

Purpose — to study the nature of nutrition and blood zinc and magnesium levels in adolescents with signs of metabolic syndrome (MS). Materials and methods. The 200 patients with obesity (aged 14–18: 100 boys and 100 girls) were examined at the clinic of the Institute of Children and Adolescent Health Care of the National Academy of Medical Sciences of Ukraine. All patients underwent a comprehensive clinical and laboratory examination. The study of eating behavior (EB) was conducted by questionnaire using the Dutch questionnaire (DEBQ, The Dutch Eating Behavior Questionnaire). The control group consisted of 30 healthy children of the same age category. The criteria for the diagnosis of MS in children, proposed by the International Diabetes Federation [IDF, 2007], were used, which allowed to divide patients into two groups: 1 — with signs of MS (50.0%) and 2 — without signs of MS (50.0%), each of which included 100 patients. Results and discussion. According to the anamnesis, adolescents had an unbalanced and irrational diet, as evidenced by complaints of pain and dyspepsia. Analysis of DEBQ data showed that in most adolescents there was a restrictive type of EB — (73.9±3.2%), also quite common variants were external (in 43.8±3.1%) and emotional type of EB (32.3±3.1%). The results showed significant zinc and magnesium deficiency in obese adolescents, in contrast to the surveyed control group (ϕ<0.05), in particular, the most pronounced (ϕ<0.05) deficiency of these trace elements was observed in the surveyed group with restrictive type of EB. Conclusions. Thus, an unbalanced diet naturally leads to disorders of both the digestive system and the formation of comorbid pathology, including obesity and MS. Analysis of the results of the DEBQ survey showed that patients with signs of MS were twice as likely to have EB disorders (71.8±3.7%) than patients without them (39.4±4.1%, ϕ<0.05). Among the violations of EB, the most common was the restrictive type (73.9%). Adolescents have a significant deficiency of zinc and magnesium in the blood (ϕ<0.05), in particular the most pronounced (ϕ<0.05) in the group of subjects with a restrictive type of EB. The research was carried out in accordance with the principles of the Helsinki declaration. The study protocol was approved by the Local Ethics Committee of all participating institutions. The informed consent of the patient was obtained for conducting the studies. No conflict of interest was declared by the authors. Key words: adolescents, microelements, nutrition, insulin resistance, metabolic syndrome.

PONAŠAJNE I SOCIO-EMOCIONALNE KOMPETENCIJE SREDNJOŠKOLACA: VALIDACIJA HRVATSKE INAČICE BERS-2 UPITNIKA

BEHAVIOURAL AND SOCIO-EMOTIONAL COMPETENCIES OF HIGH SCHOOL STUDENTS: A VALIDATION OF THE CROATIAN VERSION OF BERS-2 QUESTIONNAIRE The aim of the paper was to examine the Croatian translation of the BERS-2 questionnaire on the sample of mid-adolescents, examine its convergent validity and analyse gender differences in behavioural and socio-emotional competencies of adolescents. 849 respondents participated in the research (56% female adolescents). General data questionnaire, Croatian version of the BERS-2 questionnaire, emotional competence questionnaire and family satisfaction scale were used. The conducted factor analyses have shown that the original five-factor BERS-2 structure does not correspond to the data, so a four-factor structure with a reduced number of items in comparison with the original was proposed as an optimum solution. Thus formed results have shown satisfactory psychometric characteristics for four groups of competencies. A significant correlation between the results shown on the BERS-2 questionnaire and school achievement, family satisfaction and emotional competencies indicates the convergent validity of the Croatian translation of the BERS-2. In comparison with boys, girls have achieved significantly higher results on the measures of school functioning and interpersonal strengths, while the measures of interpersonal strengths and involvement with family were assessed similarly by boys and girls. The results were analysed in the context of the data on the original BERS-2 questionnaire, the data on the verification of its features in other research and with regard to the existing knowledge about behavioural and socio-emotional competencies of adolescents. The limitations of the conducted research, as well as the need for further validation of the BERS-2 questionnaire are presented in the final part of the paper. Key words: adolescents; BERS-2 questionnaire; socio-emotional competencies

A utilização das redes sociais digitais no cuidado psicossocial infantojuvenil, diante da pandemia por Covid-19

RESUMO Objetivo: Analisar como as redes sociais digitais podem ser ferramentas essenciais para profissionais dentro dos serviços de saúde, mediante as alterações que ocorreram com a pandemia. As rotinas de prática assistencial para o público infantojuvenil na clínica psicossocial foram diretamente afetadas. Metodologia: Em uma abordagem qualitativa descritiva prospectiva, esse artigo apresenta o planejamento, a execução e os desafios enfrentados pela equipe de um Centro de Atenção Psicossocial Infantil no Distrito Federal na utilização das redes sociais como fontes de comunicação e atendimento. Trata-se de um grupo terapêutico para adolescentes, no qual o meio de comunicação e mediação das discussões foi um chat online. Na condução do grupo a equipe é composta por três profissionais da unidade, e a duração do chat é de uma hora e meia. Conclusão: O uso das mídias sociais é um meio de orientação, acolhimento e esclarecimento de dúvidas é facilmente articulado pela equipe, seja por meio de teleatendimento, chats online, vídeo chamadas. Aliás, tais recursos digitais devem ser utilizados com responsabilidade por profissionais de saúde. As informações e abordagens devem priorizar a privacidade dos relatos dos pacientes e a veracidade das informações compartilhadas acerca das precauções em frente a pandemia do COVID-19. Palavras-chave: Adolescente, saúde mental, coronavírus, TIC em saúde. ABSTRACT Objective: Analyse how social media is capable to become an essential and effective tool for health professionals. Since the emergence of Covid-19, the routines inside de psychosocial clinic were directly affected. Methods: This article possesses a qualitative approach, which description is about the schedule, execution, effectiveness, and challenges will be presented for a Mental Health Unit from a Psychosocial Clinic at Distrito Federal, Brasilia - Brazil. Social media was selected to be a major tool for communication and assistance for kids, adolescents, and families. The initiative is a therapeutic online group for adolescents. The discussions and interactions were held by online chat. All the conduction is executed by mental health professionals from a reference local unit. Conclusion: Social media has great potential to establish a good and healthy connection with their patients during the quarantine. It can be used as a means of orientation, welcoming, and further explanations. The Health Team can use alternatives of home-office, live web chats, video calls, and smart posts on open or private social media. That said, it must be used by health professionals with accurate responsibility to avoid fake news and to preserve all patient information. Key-words: Adolescents, mental health, Coronavirus, HIT.

Adolescent Pregnancy: Occurrence and Consequences

Adolescent pregnancy is a problem that societies face, regardless of the level of development. Despite the availability of information and the availability of contraception, as well as the right to an abortion that is guaranteed in most modern societies, countries face many cases of adolescent pregnancies. Pregnancy in the period of adolescence irreversibly changes the lives of minors. It has an influence on their health, their education, social life and their future as adults. Also, the families of the under-aged parents are directly affected by the consequences, disrupting the functionality of the family. In a wider sense, the health system and social functioning are burdened in their entirety. Therefore, it’s important to prevent adolescent pregnancies. Contraception is the primary protection against unwanted pregnancy and insufficient and inconsistent application of contraception, as well as the lack of information among young people about the available methods of contraception, can be one of the main causes of adolescent pregnancies. Integrated sexuality education for adolescents can be a great benefit to educate adolescents about risk factors of pregnancy in early life. The influence of parents is crucial in the prevention of adolescent pregnancy. This paper's intention is to analyses the current situation on this topic, through available indicators on birth rates, maternal and children mortality worldwide. Qualitative research conducted between the student (18-22), should give more information about the use of contraception between young people, their opinion about the importance of contraception… Important questions are: Are they well informed about contraception; are the contraception products available; Are they feel free enough to talk with their parents on those topics..etc. Key words: Adolescents, Pregnancy, Adolescent Pregnancy, Teenagers, Family, Contraception.

Hormonal status of adolescents with varicocele

Varicocele is most frequently diagnosed in children and adolescents. Therefore, the assessment of the reproductive health of adolescents is highly relevant. Changes in the testicle with varicocele can trigger the development of hypogonadism, which, being masked by active puberty and not being corrected in time, may lead to infertility. Objective. Тo assess the changes in hormonal status of adolescents with left-sided varicocele, as well as the severity of testicular insufficiency depending on varicocele grade and time since surgery. Patients and methods. Adolescents with left-sided varicocele and adolescents without varicocele were annually tested for their serum levels of follicle-stimulating hormone (FSH), luteinizing hormone (LH), testosterone, and estradiol between the age of 14 and 17 years. We compared hormone levels and their dynamics between the experimental and control groups, between patients with different grades of varicocele, and between the same patients before/after surgery for varicocele. Results. Adolescents with varicocele often demonstrated changes in their hormonal status, including decreased levels of FSH, LH, and testosterone. More significant changes were observed in patients with grade III varicocele. Early varicocelectomy facilitated normalization of hormonal status in puberty. Key words: adolescents, varicocele, hormones

Interpersonal Psychotherapy

Interpersonal psychotherapy (IPT) is an empirically validated treatment for affective, anxiety, and eating disorders. IPT rests on attachment theory and posits that individuals become distressed when they have interpersonal problems, conceptualized in IPT as transitions, interpersonal disputes, or grief and loss issues. IPT is short term, with a typical dosing range of six to 20 sessions followed by maintenance treatment to reduce the risk of relapse. Dissemination of IPT has greatly increased over the last decade, with several large-scale efforts in public health settings in the United States and abroad. We review the basics of IPT for depression and anxiety. We also describe its application to groups and adolescents. Recently developed clinical tools that have enhanced the delivery of IPT and have increased fidelity are described. Opportunities for training in IPT are also reviewed. This review contains 10 figures, 1 table, and 71 references. Key words: adolescents, anxiety, depression, grief and loss, group therapy, interpersonal inventory, interpersonal psychotherapy, interpersonal summary, maintenance psychotherapy, posttraumatic stress disorder

Kleptomania, Pyromania, and Disruptive Disorders

Chronic disruptive and impulsive behaviors, such as kleptomania, pyromania, and intermittent explosive disorder, are significant concerns for clinicians treating psychiatric disorders due to their persistence and potential legal ramifications. To date, only a few studies have assessed treatment options for pyromania, oppositional defiant disorder, intermittent explosive disorder, kleptomania, disruptive mood dysregulation disorder, and conduct disorder. This review discusses the clinical presentation of these disorders and the available literature on their treatment, focusing primarily on randomized controlled studies. Due to the paucity of available clinical studies for these disorders, however, case studies and open trials are mentioned for reference. Summaries of supported pharmaceutical and psychological interventions are provided for each disorder. Key words: adolescents, aggression, crime, fire setting, impulsivity, stealing, theft, treatment

Study of depression, anxiety and stress among school going adolescents

Background: Adolescents; the bright hope of the future are characterized by many physical, emotional and developmental changes. However, during this stage, some of adolescents, experience anxious feeling, overwhelming sense of fear, depression and academic stress. Adolescents can experience various life stresses ranging from catastrophic or traumatic life events, persistent strain and daily hassles. Thus Present study was carried out to check the depression, anxiety and stress in this population. Material and Method: It is a cross sectional study, in which 200 adolescents were taken; equally boy and girls using purposive sampling. Assessment was done using Depression, Anxiety and Stress Scale-DASS (Hindi Version). The statistical analysis was carried out using the SPSS Windows 16.0 software package. The analysis of the obtained data was done using various descriptive and inferential statistics. Results: The scores of students in all three domains of Depression, anxiety, and Stress scale were found to be remarkably correlated. It was seen that depression was significantly more among the female students than the male students. Conclusion: Overall findings suggest that these adolescents are at high risk of developing depression and anxiety disorder. Adolescents with stress need to be identified early and interventions to reduce academic stress needs to be provided which are likely to affect the occurrence and severity of depression and anxiety. Key words: Adolescents, depression, anxiety, stress

Adolescents’ sexual and reproductive health: an ecological perspective

Background: Adolescence is the key time in the formation of sexual confidence and fertility in people and many risky sexual behaviors in this sensitive era are the roots of many adulthood diseases. STD and early pregnancy are among the most important issues of adolescence. Objective: This study deals with reviewing ecological factors related to the sexual and reproductive health of adolescents. Methods: As this study was a narrative review the researchers conducted their computer search in public bases such as Google Scholar and then in more specialized ones such as MEDLINE, EMBASE, Science Direct, Up-to-date, SPRINGER, SID, Magi ran, Iranmedex and Irandoc with the key words adolescents, sexual health, reproductive health and ecological from 1991 to 2015. Initially 152 articles were elicited and after a review study of the title and abstract, 80 articles entered the study. After reading the full text, 39 articles were chosen for writing the current review article. Results: Reviewing the articles led to organizing the contents in three main classes according to Bronfenbrenner’s suggestion namely ecological factors at microsystem, mesosystem and macrosystem levels which include individual predisposing factors, environmental enabling factors and social reinforcing factors. Conclusion: Adolescents are at a high risk of STD and early pregnancy. Many factors are considered as effective at this critical era, based on which comprehensive intervention based on ecological factors is needed to step forward toward preventing adolescence risks.

Relaciones entre el clima motivacional, las experiencias en educación física y la motivación intrínseca de los alumnos (Relationships among motivational climate, physical education experiences and pupils’ intrinsic motivation)

El objetivo de este trabajo ha sido analizar las relaciones entre la percepción del clima motivacional de la clase, las experiencias en educación física y la motivación intrínseca de los alumnos. Una muestra de 2189 alumnos de 13 a 17 años de edad completó las versiones españolas de la Escala de Percepción del Clima Motivacional (PMCS) y el Cuestionario de Motivación Intrínseca (IMI). Además, los alumnos aportaron una valoración de sus experiencias en educación física. Los resultados han mostrado que los factores más relacionados con la motivación intrínseca de los alumnos han sido la percepción del clima de maestría y las experiencias en educación física. Por el contrario, la percepción del clima de ejecución se ha mostrado más relacionada con la tensión-presión de los alumnos. Estos resultados se han discutido en el marco de la teoría de las orientaciones de meta y de la teoría de la autodeterminación y en términos de su contribución a potenciar la motivación de los adolescentes en educación física, de cara al compromiso con la práctica física y la instauración de estilos de vida activos y perdurables a lo largo del tiempo.Palabras clave: Adolescentes, clima de maestría, clima de ejecución, educación física, motivación intrínseca.Abstract: The aim of this study was to analyze relationships among perceived motivational class climate, physical education experiences and pupils’ intrinsic motivation in physical education lessons. A sample of 2189 pupils, ages 13 to 17 years, completed the Spanish versions of the Perception of Motivational Climate Scale (PMCS) and the Intrinsic Motivation Inventory (IMI). Furthermore, pupils reported an assessment of their experiences in physical education. Results showed that the factors most related with pupils’ intrinsic motivation were the perception of mastery climate and the physical education experiences. On the contrary, the perception of performance climate was related with pupils’ tension-pressure. These results were discussed within the framework of achievement goal theory, the self-determination theory and in terms of their contribution to increase adolescents’ motivation in physical education, in order to engagement in physical practices and longtime healthy lifestyles. Key words: Adolescents, mastery climate, performance climate, physical education, intrinsic motivation