Inhibitory control, dyadic social behavior, and mental health difficulties in preschoolers

2021 ◽  
Author(s):  
Raha Hassan ◽  
Louis A. Schmidt
Keyword(s):  
Mental Health ◽  
Social Behavior ◽  
Inhibitory Control ◽  
Mental Health Difficulties

Analysing Dynamic Change in Children’s Socio-Emotional Development using the Strengths and Difficulties Questionnaire in a large UK Longitudinal Study

2020 ◽  
Author(s):  
Lydia Gabriela Speyer ◽  
Anastasia Ushakova ◽  
Hildigunnur Anna Hall ◽  
Michelle Luciano ◽  
Bonnie Auyeung ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Mental Health ◽  
Conduct Problems ◽  
Dynamic Change ◽  
Emotional Problems ◽  
Strengths And Difficulties Questionnaire ◽  
Mental Health Issue ◽  
Childhood And Adolescence ◽  
Peer Problems ◽  
Mental Health Difficulties ◽  
Strengths And Difficulties

Background: Most mental health difficulties have their onset during childhood and adolescence. Many children who suffer from one mental health issue also suffer from at least one comorbid disorder. Autoregressive latent trajectory models with structured residuals (ALT-SR) and multilevel graphical vector autoregression (GVAR) are recent complementary approaches that can help provide new insights into the reciprocal relationships between multiple mental health domains and advance the understanding of the development of comorbidities.Methods: This study uses ALT-SR and multilevel GVAR models to analyse the temporal, contemporaneous and between-person relationships between emotional problems, peer problems, conduct problems, hyperactivity/inattention and prosociality as measured by the parent-reported Strengths and Difficulties Questionnaire (SDQ) in 17,478 children taking part in the UK Millennium Cohort Study at ages 3, 5, 7, 11, 14 and 17 years. Results: Results from both the ALT-SR model and the multilevel GVAR model highlight that children’s strengths and difficulties in different domains of psychosocial functioning dynamically influence each other over- and within-time. The ALT-SR model highlighted that hyperactivity/inattention plays a central role in affecting other domains over developmental time while the GVAR model highlighted comparably strong bidirectional relationships between conduct problems and prosociality as well as between emotional problems and peer problems. Both models suggest that most domains are also related to each other over shorter timescales.Conclusion: This study highlights that mental health difficulties influence one another dynamically over time. As illustrated in the domains of the SDQ, these dynamic changes can be modelled using the complementary techniques of ALT-SR or GVAR models, each offering different insights into the nature of comorbidity.

scholarly journals Exploring the impact of COVID-19 and restrictions to daily living as a result of social distancing within veterans with pre-existing mental health difficulties

2020 ◽  
pp. bmjmilitary-2020-001622 ◽  
Author(s):  
Dominic Murphy ◽  
C Williamson ◽  
J Baumann ◽  
W Busuttil ◽  
N T Fear
Keyword(s):  
Mental Health ◽  
Social Support ◽  
Post Traumatic Stress Disorder ◽  
Traumatic Stress ◽  
Stress Disorder ◽  
Post Traumatic Stress ◽  
Increased Risk ◽  
Mental Health Difficulties ◽  
Post Traumatic ◽  
The Impact

IntroductionData are emerging showing the adverse consequences on mental health of the general public due to the COVID-19 pandemic. Little is known about the needs of veterans with pre-existing mental health difficulties during the COVID-19 pandemic.MethodsData were collected through a cross-sectional online survey from a randomly selected sample (n=1092) of military veterans who have sought help for mental health difficulties from a veteran-specific UK-based charity. The response rate was 25.2% (n=275). Participants were asked to complete a range of standardised mental health outcomes (post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD): Post-traumatic Stress Disorder Checklist, common mental health difficulties (CMDs): 12-Item General Health Questionnaire, difficulties with anger: 5-Item Dimensions of Anger Reactions—Revised and alcohol misuse: Alcohol Use Disorders Identification Test) and endorse a list of potential stressors related to changes to daily life resulting from COVID-19. Regression analyses were fitted to explore predictors of mental health severity.ResultsIt was observed that symptoms of common mental disorder and PTSD (69.3% and 65.0%, respectively) were the most commonly reported to have been exacerbated by the pandemic. Lack of social support and reporting increasing numbers of stressors related to COVID-19 were consistently associated with increasing severity of a range of mental health difficulties.ConclusionsOur findings suggest veterans who had pre-existing mental health difficulties prior to the outbreak of COVID-19 may be at increased risk of experiencing CMDs as a result of the pandemic. Intervening to improve levels of social support and offering practical guidance to better manage any additional stressors relating to the pandemic may provide strategies to help reduce the burden of mental health symptoms.

scholarly journals Assessing the impact of the European resilience curriculum in preschool, early and late primary school children

2021 ◽  
pp. 014303432110250
Author(s):  
Celeste Simões ◽  
Anabela C. Santos ◽  
Paula Lebre ◽  
João R. Daniel ◽  
Cátia Branquinho ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Mental Health ◽  
Intervention Group ◽  
Well Being ◽  
Primary School Children ◽  
Control Group ◽  
Physical And Mental Health ◽  
Quasi Experimental ◽  
Mental Health Difficulties ◽  
Prosocial Behaviours ◽  
The Impact

Resilience is an individual’s ability to adapt successfully to and persevere during and after significant challenges. Resilience programmes based on a socioemotional learning approach have been associated with an increase in protextive factors (e.g., prosocial competencies), improvements in physical and mental health, and a decrease in internalised and externalised symptoms. The present study aimed to evaluate the impact of the RESCUR curriculum implemented in Portuguese schools on students’ academic, behavioural, and socioemotional outcomes, based on child and teacher reports. Participants included 1,084 children (53.2% male) aged 3-15 ( M = 7.24, SD = 2.31). A quasi-experimental study compared outcomes for an experimental intervention group (AIG) with a waiting list control group (WG). The results showed the RESCUR programme decreased mental health difficulties while increasing both prosocial behaviours and well-being. In addition, academic performance increased for those in preschool after implementation. Both teachers and children consistently reported positive behavioural changes in resilience-related competencies after implementing RESCUR. Our findings contribute to the recent research on the potential of RESCUR to address key socioemotional competencies and improve relevant protextive factors. Study limitations and future recommendations are addressed.

Disentangling adversity timing and type: Contrasting theories in the context of maternal prenatal physical and mental health using latent formative models

2021 ◽  
pp. 1-13
Author(s):  
André Plamondon ◽  
Nicole Racine ◽  
Sheila McDonald ◽  
Suzanne Tough ◽  
Sheri Madigan
Keyword(s):  
Mental Health ◽  
Health Outcomes ◽  
Middle Childhood ◽  
Emotional Abuse ◽  
Physical And Mental Health ◽  
Physical Health Outcomes ◽  
Mental Health Difficulties ◽  
Cumulative Adversity ◽  
Independent Effects ◽  
In Pregnancy

Abstract Research on the effects of adversity has led to mounting interest in examining the differential impact of adversity as a function of its timing and type. The current study examines whether the effects of different types (i.e., physical, sexual, and emotional abuse) and timing (i.e., early, middle childhood, adolescence, or adulthood) of adversity on maternal mental and physical health outcomes in pregnancy, are best accounted for by a cumulative model or independent effects model. Women from a prospective pregnancy cohort (N =3,362) reported retrospectively on their experiences of adversity (i.e., physical, sexual, and emotional abuse) in early childhood (0–5 years], middle childhood (6–12 years], adolescence (13–18 years], and adulthood (19+ years]. Measures of overall health, stress, anxiety, and depression were gathered in pregnancy. Results showed that a cumulative formative latent model was selected as more parsimonious than a direct effects model. Results also supported a model where the strength of the effect of adversity did not vary across abuse timing or type. Thus, cumulative adversity resulted in greater physical and mental health difficulties. In conclusion, cumulative adversity is a more parsimonious predictor of maternal physical and mental health outcomes than adversity at any one specific adversity timing or subtype.

A Long-Term Study of What Best Predicts Graduating From University Versus Leaving Prior to Graduation

2021 ◽  
pp. 152102512098799
Author(s):  
Teena Willoughby ◽  
Victoria W. Dykstra ◽  
Taylor Heffer ◽  
Joelle Braccio ◽  
Hamnah Shahid
Keyword(s):  
Mental Health ◽  
Social Engagement ◽  
Retention Rates ◽  
First Year ◽  
Long Term Study ◽  
Enrollment Status ◽  
Mental Health Difficulties ◽  
University Degree ◽  
The University

Despite the importance of obtaining a university degree, retention rates remain a concern for many universities. This longitudinal study provides a multi-domain examination of first-year student characteristics and behaviors that best predict which students graduate. Graduation status was assessed seven years after students entered university. Participants (N = 1017; 71% female; mean age in Year 1 was 19 years) enrolled in a Canadian mid-sized university completed a survey, provided their enrollment status over the next 6 years (regardless of whether they left university), and consented to have their grades and status provided by the Registrar. Overall, 79% of students graduated by Year 7 (44% in 4 years). The strongest predictor of graduation was first-year grades. Social engagement in the university also predicted graduation. Surprisingly, mental health was not a significant predictor of graduation. Only a minority of students may experience mental health difficulties to such an extent that it affects their ability to succeed at university.

scholarly journals Mental health of children with neurodevelopmental disorders during COVID-19: A brief report of family experiences from a low and middle income country

2021 ◽  
pp. 135910452110260
Author(s):  
Sowmyashree M Kaku
Keyword(s):  
Mental Health ◽  
Mental Health Professionals ◽  
Neurodevelopmental Disorder ◽  
Case Series ◽  
Ground Level ◽  
Middle Income ◽  
Middle Income Countries ◽  
Mental Health Difficulties ◽  
Similar Report ◽  
Low And Middle Income

COVID-19 has grossly impacted lives of people across the globe. In particular, children have also been affected due to closure of schools, therapy, and day care centers. Families have been challenged with new circumstances, and mental health professionals are coming up with novel ways to help these families who have children with mental health issues. This article describes experiences of families who have children with a diagnosed neurodevelopmental disorder with comorbid mental health difficulties and their ways of coping with the pandemic challenges. The series will throw light on ground level experiences of families during the pandemic, give insights into their ways of adapting, and brings out problem areas which healthcare professionals must work on, to design novel ways of care. The case series is novel and a similar report has probably not been presented from India or other low and middle income countries.

scholarly journals Heart rate variability moderates the effects of COVID-19-related stress and family adversity on emotional problems in adolescents: Testing models of differential susceptibility and diathesis stress

2021 ◽  
pp. 1-12
Author(s):  
Jonas G. Miller ◽  
Rajpreet Chahal ◽  
Jaclyn S. Kirshenbaum ◽  
Tiffany C. Ho ◽  
Anthony J. Gifuni ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Mental Health ◽  
Heart Rate ◽  
Heart Rate Variability ◽  
Emotional Problems ◽  
Differential Susceptibility ◽  
Adolescent Mental Health ◽  
Family Adversity ◽  
Health Related ◽  
Mental Health Difficulties ◽  
Related Stress

Abstract The COVID-19 pandemic is a unique period of stress, uncertainty, and adversity that will have significant implications for adolescent mental health. Nevertheless, stress and adversity related to COVID-19 may be more consequential for some adolescents’ mental health than for others. We examined whether heart rate variability (HRV) indicated differential susceptibility to mental health difficulties associated with COVID-19 stress and COVID-19 family adversity. Approximately 4 years prior to the pandemic, we assessed resting HRV and HRV reactivity to a well-validated stress paradigm in 87 adolescents. During the pandemic, these adolescents (ages 13–19) reported on their health-related stress and concerns about COVID-19, family adversity related to COVID-19, and their recent emotional problems. The association between COVID-19 stress and emotional problems was significantly stronger for adolescents who previously exhibited higher resting HRV or higher HRV reactivity. For adolescents who exhibited lower resting HRV or HRV augmentation, COVID-19 stress was not associated with emotional problems. Conversely, lower resting HRV indicated vulnerability to the effect of COVID-19 family adversity on emotional problems. Different patterns of parasympathetic functioning may reflect differential susceptibility to the effects of COVID-19 stress versus vulnerability to the effects of COVID-19 family adversity on mental health during the pandemic.

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