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Jornal de Pediatria 2024To provide a narrative review of the main eating disorders (ED), specifically focusing on children and adolescents. This review also aims to help the pediatrician... (Review)
Review
OBJECTIVES
To provide a narrative review of the main eating disorders (ED), specifically focusing on children and adolescents. This review also aims to help the pediatrician identify, diagnose, and refer children and adolescents affected by this medical condition and inform them about the multidisciplinary treatment applied to these disorders.
DATA SOURCE
The research was conducted in the Scientific Electronic Library Online (SciELO), Medical Literature Analysis and Retrieval System Online (Medline) databases via PubMed and Embase. Consolidated Guidelines and Guidebooks in the area were also included in the review to support the discussion of ED treatment in childhood and adolescence.
DATA SYNTHESIS
ED are psychiatric condition that usually begins in adolescence or young adulthood but can occur at any time of life, including in childhood, which has been increasingly frequent. Pediatricians are the first professionals to deal with the problem and, therefore, must be well trained in identifying and managing these disorders, which can be severe, and determine physical complications and quality of life of patients and their families.
CONCLUSION
ED has shown an increase in prevalence, as well as a reduction in the age of diagnosed patients, requiring adequate detection and referral by pediatricians. The treatment requires a specialized multidisciplinary team and is generally long-lasting for adequate recovery of affected individuals.
Topics: Child; Humans; Adolescent; Young Adult; Adult; Quality of Life; Feeding and Eating Disorders
PubMed: 38158193
DOI: 10.1016/j.jped.2023.12.001 -
Chronobiology International Sep 2023Adolescence is a crucial period of development which coincides with changes in circadian rhythmicity. This may augment the impact of circadian preference on performance... (Review)
Review
Adolescence is a crucial period of development which coincides with changes in circadian rhythmicity. This may augment the impact of circadian preference on performance in this group. We aimed to scope the literature available on chronotypes and their effect on physical and mental aspects of performance in adolescents. Studies were identified by systematically searching bibliographical databases and grey literature. The Morningness-Eveningness Questionnaire was the most frequently reported tool for circadian preference assessment. Academic achievement was the most prevailing outcome, with evidence suggesting that morning type adolescents tend to outperform evening types, yet the results vary depending on multiple factors. Performance in tests of intelligence and executive functions was generally better at optimal times of the day (synchrony effect). Physical performance was examined in 8 studies, with very heterogeneous outcomes. Although the associations between circadian preference and performance in adolescents are evident in some areas, there are many factors that may be involved in the relationship and require further investigation. This review highlights the assessment of physical performance in relation to chronotypes, the multidimensional assessment of circadian preference, and the need for longitudinal studies as priorities for further research.: OSF Registration - Public registration, DOI: 10.17605/OSF.IO/UCA3Z.
Topics: Humans; Adolescent; Circadian Rhythm; Sleep; Academic Success; Surveys and Questionnaires; Cognition
PubMed: 37781788
DOI: 10.1080/07420528.2023.2256901 -
Social Work in Public Health Nov 2023Adolescence is a time of rapid growth and development and may be accompanied by increased risk-taking behaviors and independence. Youth are particularly at risk for high...
Adolescence is a time of rapid growth and development and may be accompanied by increased risk-taking behaviors and independence. Youth are particularly at risk for high levels of stress, decreased physical activity, unsafe sexual activity, abuse, depression, and suicide. Considering the unique health risks adolescents face, healthcare service access and utilization can play a pivotal role in promoting positive long term health outcomes throughout adulthood. At the same time, adolescents must often rely on parents/caregivers to mediate their healthcare access. Understanding how adolescents perceive adult interactions within healthcare is important for developing interventions that increase youth access to healthcare. We found that adolescents perceived adult-mediated healthcare experiences as either supportive (Subthemes: Recognition Builds Trust and Validation) or unsupportive (Subthemes: Adult-Focused Communication and Lack of Privacy). Based on our findings, we argue that prevention-focused interventions should include communication-based strategies. We discuss social work and healthcare practice and policy implications of these findings.
Topics: Adult; Humans; Adolescent; Qualitative Research; Sexual Behavior; Health Services Accessibility; Communication; Caregivers
PubMed: 38319709
DOI: 10.1080/19371918.2024.2314022 -
International Journal of Public Health 2023Parent-adolescent relationships play a crucial role in youth development. This study examines the associations between parenting practices (parental support, knowledge,...
Parent-adolescent relationships play a crucial role in youth development. This study examines the associations between parenting practices (parental support, knowledge, and rule-setting) and psychosomatic complaints across middle and late adolescence. The study utilised data from a Swedish national cohort ( = 3,678). Participants completed self-report questionnaires in 2017 (∼15-16 years) and again in 2019 (∼17-18 years). Parental support exhibited the strongest and most consistent inverse cross-sectional associations with psychosomatic complaints during both middle and late adolescence. Furthermore, increases in parental support and parental knowledge were associated with decreases in adolescent psychosomatic complaints. However, parental support and knowledge at age 15-16 were not prospectively associated with psychosomatic complaints at age 17-18. These findings underscore the importance of ongoing parental engagement, particularly in terms of providing constant support, throughout middle and late adolescence.
Topics: Humans; Adolescent; Parenting; Sweden; Cross-Sectional Studies; Surveys and Questionnaires; Self Report; Psychophysiologic Disorders; Parent-Child Relations
PubMed: 38179321
DOI: 10.3389/ijph.2023.1606580 -
Child Psychiatry and Human Development Aug 2023Adolescence is a critical period for the development of depressive symptoms and the understanding of vulnerability factors that facilitate their onset is pivotal. In...
Adolescence is a critical period for the development of depressive symptoms and the understanding of vulnerability factors that facilitate their onset is pivotal. In this study, we focused on Beck's cognitive triad, namely its three-fold structure, comprising views of the self, world, and future. Despite its crucial role in the cognitive theory of depression, the relationship between the cognitive triad and depressive symptoms in adolescence is still unclear. In our study, we adopted a meta-analytic commonality analysis approach, in order to clarify whether the three components of the triad overlap in accounting for depressive symptoms, or they show distinct profiles of association. By relying on six independent samples of early adolescents (age range = 13-14: n = 174, 66% female, n = 347, 41% female), mid adolescents (age range = 15-17: n = 304, 61% female; n = 92, 34% female), and late adolescents (age range = 18-21: n = 217, 84% female, n = 101, 56% female), we showed that the views of the self, world, and future substantially overlap in accounting for depressive symptoms, although specific areas of distinctiveness could be detected. Moreover, the association between the cognitive triad and depressive symptoms appeared to be a function of both the developmental phase and gender. Furthermore, the cognitive triad emerged as specifically related to symptoms related to negative mood, absence of positive mood, and negative appraisal of the past. These findings advance our understanding of cognitive vulnerability for depressive symptoms in adolescence.
Topics: Humans; Adolescent; Female; Young Adult; Adult; Male; Depression; Cognition; Affect
PubMed: 35184227
DOI: 10.1007/s10578-022-01323-w -
Journal of Public Health (Oxford,... Aug 2023Loneliness is a growing public health concern, but little is known about how place affects loneliness, especially during adolescence. This is the first study to examine...
BACKGROUND
Loneliness is a growing public health concern, but little is known about how place affects loneliness, especially during adolescence. This is the first study to examine the influence of neighbourhoods on loneliness in early-to-mid adolescence.
METHODS
Baseline data from the #BeeWell cohort study in Greater Manchester (England), including 36 141 adolescents (aged 12-15 years) across 1590 neighbourhoods, were linked to neighbourhood characteristics using administrative data at the level of lower super output areas and analysed using multilevel regression.
RESULTS
Neighbourhood differences explained 1.18% of the variation in loneliness. Ethnic, gender and sexual orientation inequalities in loneliness varied across neighbourhoods. Several neighbourhood characteristics predicted loneliness at the individual level, including skills deprivation among children and young people, lower population density and perceptions of the local area (feeling safe; trust in local people; feeling supported by local people; seeing neighbours as helpful; the availability of good places to spend free time). Finally, a longer distance from home to school was associated with significantly higher loneliness.
CONCLUSIONS
Neighbourhoods account for a small but significant proportion of the variation in adolescent loneliness, with some neighbourhood characteristics predicting loneliness at the individual level, and loneliness disparities for some groups differing across neighbourhoods.
Topics: Child; Humans; Male; Adolescent; Female; Cohort Studies; Loneliness; Schools; England; Residence Characteristics; Neighborhood Characteristics; Socioeconomic Factors
PubMed: 37170940
DOI: 10.1093/pubmed/fdad053 -
International Journal of Environmental... Aug 2023Self-control is the ability to control thoughts, emotions, and impulses to pursuit of long-term goals. Adolescents with high self-control experience higher flourishing...
Self-control is the ability to control thoughts, emotions, and impulses to pursuit of long-term goals. Adolescents with high self-control experience higher flourishing levels. The latter refers to the fulfillment of needs for competence, relationship, and self-acceptance, as well as the possession of psychological capital such as flow and commitment. High levels of self-control also seem to be linked to a positive relationship with parents, which is crucial in adolescent flourishing. However, few studies investigated the association between flourishing, self-control, and perceived parenting in adolescence. The aim of this study was to investigate how the ability to exert self-control and the need to perceive and preserve a responsive relationship with parents would facilitate adolescents' experience of higher flourishing levels. The relationships among self-control, adolescents' perception of some paternal and maternal dimensions (closeness, communication, and parents' peer approval), and flourishing were analyzed in a sample of 335 Italian adolescents. Self-control was positively correlated with flourishing and the adolescent's perception of maternal and paternal dimensions. The PROCESS model showed that perceived maternal and paternal dimensions mediate the relationship between self-control and flourishing. These findings show the importance of self-control and parenting dimensions in promoting flourishing during adolescence.
Topics: Adolescent; Humans; Parenting; Communication; Emotions; Peer Group; Self-Control
PubMed: 37623154
DOI: 10.3390/ijerph20166568 -
Sexual Medicine Reviews Jun 2024Adolescence is a crucial stage of physical and sexual maturation and development and a period in which understanding sexual and reproductive health (SRH) is important.... (Review)
Review
INTRODUCTION
Adolescence is a crucial stage of physical and sexual maturation and development and a period in which understanding sexual and reproductive health (SRH) is important. SRH interventions and toolkits provide a range of valuable resources and information to young people, educators, and members of the community on numerous topics, including contraception and puberty.
OBJECTIVES
The usefulness and reliability of these available toolkits have not been previously studied, thus limiting our understanding of their appropriateness and contents. Hence, this scoping review aimed to synthesize the available toolkits aimed at the SRH of adolescents and young adults to understand the contents, design, and information gaps.
METHODS
A systematic search was conducted of 6 medical databases and 12 gray literature sites. Sixteen toolkits published globally before May 2023 were included in our review.
RESULTS
The majority of toolkits (n = 12) contained information related to general SRH knowledge and contraception, whereas only 3 contained information on teenage pregnancy. We found that aiming the toolkits toward educators and health care workers was a favorable design over targeting adolescents and young adults directly and that vulnerable youth-including LGBTQI+ (lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, queer or questioning, asexual or allied, intersex, and additional identities) and youth from humanitarian settings-were not well represented.
CONCLUSION
We identified key gaps in the inclusion of information in a range of SRH topics, such as LGBTQI+ sexuality, teenage pregnancy, and safe abortion, in the currently available SRH toolkits and their lack of applicability in a global context. Furthermore, we provide recommendations for areas of improvement to encourage adolescents' agency in their SRH education.
Topics: Humans; Adolescent; Sexual Health; Reproductive Health; Young Adult; Female; Sex Education; Health Knowledge, Attitudes, Practice; Pregnancy; Male; Pregnancy in Adolescence
PubMed: 38736215
DOI: 10.1093/sxmrev/qeae032 -
Appetite Aug 2023There is a consistent link between perfectionism and eating disorders, however no meta-analysis to date has synthesized this literature in children and adolescents. We... (Meta-Analysis)
Meta-Analysis Review
There is a consistent link between perfectionism and eating disorders, however no meta-analysis to date has synthesized this literature in children and adolescents. We hypothesized that there would be significant, small pooled correlations between perfectionism dimensions and eating disorder symptoms in children and adolescents. Published, peer-reviewed articles with standardised measures of perfectionism and eating disorder symptoms were included. Articles were excluded if the age range was over 18 years. Overall, 39 studies were included (N = 13,954 participants, M age = 13.7 years). Total perfectionism (r = 0.25), perfectionistic strivings (r = 0.21), and perfectionistic concerns (r = 0.31) had significant positive associations with eating disorder symptoms. Most studies were rated as fair or good quality. Limitations included high heterogeneity, insufficient studies to investigate age as a moderator, the inclusion of only English articles, and predominately cross-sectional studies which precluded causal inference. Higher perfectionism was associated with greater eating disorder symptoms in children and adolescents. Future research should focus on longitudinal studies of eating disorder symptoms in children and adolescents.
Topics: Humans; Adolescent; Child; Perfectionism; Cross-Sectional Studies; Feeding and Eating Disorders; Longitudinal Studies; Risk Factors
PubMed: 37196843
DOI: 10.1016/j.appet.2023.106586 -
Journal of Child Psychology and... Dec 2023A public mental health lens is increasingly required to better understand the complex and multifactorial influences of interpersonal, community and institutional systems... (Review)
Review
BACKGROUND
A public mental health lens is increasingly required to better understand the complex and multifactorial influences of interpersonal, community and institutional systems on the mental health of children and adolescents.
METHODS
This research review (1) provides an overview of public mental health and proposes a new interactional schema that can guide research and practice, (2) summarises recent evidence on public mental health interventions for children and adolescents, (3) highlights current challenges for this population that might benefit from additional attention and (4) discusses methodological and conceptual hurdles and proposes potential solutions.
RESULTS
In our evidence review, a broad range of universal, selective and indicated interventions with a variety of targets, mechanisms and settings were identified, some of which (most notably parenting programmes and various school-based interventions) have demonstrated small-to-modest positive effects. Few, however, have achieved sustained mental health improvements.
CONCLUSIONS
There is an opportunity to re-think how public mental health interventions are designed, evaluated and implemented. Deliberate design, encompassing careful consideration of the aims and population-level impacts of interventions, complemented by measurement that embraces complexity through more in-depth characterisation, or 'phenotyping', of interpersonal and environmental elements is needed. Opportunities to improve child and adolescent mental health outcomes are gaining unprecedented momentum. Innovative new methodology, heightened public awareness, institutional interest and supportive funding can enable enhanced study of public mental health that does not shy away from complexity.
Topics: Child; Humans; Adolescent; Mental Health; Parenting; Schools
PubMed: 37771261
DOI: 10.1111/jcpp.13889