Examining the intertwined development of prosocial skills and ASD symptoms in adolescence

The Reciprocal Relationship of Physical Capacity and Mental Health: A Random Intercept Cross-Lagged Panel Model Analysis

This study investigates the mutual influence of mental health and physical capacity in older adults, considering potential gender differences. Data from 7,504 Medicare beneficiaries aged 65+ from the NHATS 2011-2015 surveys were analyzed using a random intercept cross-lagged panel model in Mplus. Results revealed moderate within-person effects of physical capacity on mental health (βt12 = -.19, βt23 = -.32, βt34 = -.42, βt45 = -.40), while the reverse relationship showed smaller effects (βt12 = -.02, βt23 = -.03, βt34 = -.03, βt45 = -.02). Gender differences emerged, with the influence of mental health on physical capacity being significant in men but not women. Additionally, correlations between changes in physical capacity and mental health were stronger for men. Lastly, lagged effects of physical capacity on mental health were notably stronger than the reverse. The findings suggest that enhancing physical capacity may alleviate depression and anxiety symptoms in older adults, particularly men.

Do Children With Attention-Deficit/Hyperactivity Disorder Symptoms Become Socially Isolated? Longitudinal Within-Person Associations in a Nationally Representative Cohort

Objective

This study examined longitudinal associations between attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) symptoms and social isolation across childhood. The study tested the direction of this association across time, while accounting for preexisting characteristics, and assessed whether this association varied by ADHD presentation, informant, sex, and socioeconomic status.

Method

Participants included 2,232 children from the Environmental Risk (E-Risk) Longitudinal Twin Study. ADHD symptoms and social isolation were measured at ages 5, 7, 10, and 12. Random-intercept cross-lagged panel models were used to assess the directionality of the association across childhood.

Results

Children with increased ADHD symptoms were consistently at increased risk of becoming socially isolated later in childhood, over and above stable characteristics (β = .05-.08). These longitudinal associations were not bidirectional; isolated children were not at risk of worsening ADHD symptoms later on. Children with hyperactive ADHD presentation were more likely to become isolated, compared with inattentive presentation. This was evident in the school setting, as observed by teachers, but not by mothers at home.

Conclusion

The study findings highlight the importance of enhancing peer social support and inclusion for children with ADHD, particularly in school settings. This study adds explanatory value beyond traditional longitudinal methods, as the results represent how individual children change over time, relative to their own preexisting characteristics.

Diversity & Inclusion Statement

We worked to ensure sex and gender balance in the recruitment of human participants. We worked to ensure that the study questionnaires were prepared in an inclusive way. One or more of the authors of this paper self-identifies as a member of one or more historically underrepresented sexual and/or gender groups in science. We actively worked to promote sex and gender balance in our author group. The author list of this paper includes contributors from the location and/or community where the research was conducted who participated in the data collection, design, analysis, and/or interpretation of the work.

Sex differences in the course of autistic and co-occurring psychopathological symptoms in adolescents with and without autism spectrum disorder

LAY ABSTRACT

There is an ongoing debate as to whether autism spectrum disorder (ASD) is expressed differently in women than men. Studies on sex differences in autistic symptoms and symptoms of other psychiatric problems present in individuals with autism generally do not include a general population comparison group, making it unclear whether differences are specific to autism or merely reflecting development in the general population. In this study, we compared sex differences in the course of autistic and at the same time present symptoms of other psychiatric problems in adolescents with milder forms of ASD to those in a group of the general population with an equal intelligence quotient (IQ) and socioeconomic status. Data of five assessment moments from ages 11 to 22 years were analyzed using a statistic procedure that allowed us to determine which factors affect the course of symptoms over time. We found that in adolescence, sex differences in the course of psychopathological symptoms specific for autism are confined to the repetitive stereotyped domains. Males had higher scores on the sensory/stereotypic and resistance to change domains, the latter difference disappeared during the course of adolescence due to an increase of these problems in autistic females. Other sex differences, among which an increase over time in mood and anxiety problems in females was the most outstanding, were also observed in females without autism. These sex-specific differences have relevance in the clinical care of autistic men and women, although they are subtle compared to differences between individuals with and without autism.

Association of Prosocial Behavior Between Mothers and Their Child with Autism Spectrum Disorder: The Mediating Role of Maternal Parenting

The relationship between maternal parenting and the prosocial behavior of a child with autism spectrum disorder (ASD) was tested cross-sectionally (Study 1) and longitudinally (Study 2). In Study 1, maternal prosocial behavior was moderately associated with child behavior, and maternal positive parenting completely mediated this relationship. In Study 2, we found that the association between guidance (T1) and maternal prosocial behavior (T2) was significant, as were the longitudinal and mutual associations between high control and child prosocial behavior. However, a mediating effect of any component of parenting was not found in the longitudinal data. These results suggest an important role for maternal parenting in the development of prosocial behavior in children with ASD.

Subgroups of Children with Autism Spectrum Disorder without Intellectual Disability: A Longitudinal Examination of Executive and Socio-Adaptive Behaviors in Adolescence

Within the autistic spectrum, there is remarkable variability in the etiology, presentation, and treatment response. This prospective study was designed to identify, through cluster analysis, subgroups of individuals with ASD without intellectual disability (ID) based on the severity of the core symptoms in childhood. The secondary aim was to explore whether these subgroups and a group with typical development (TD) differ in cognitive, adaptive, and social aspects measured in adolescence. The sample at baseline was comprised of 52 children with ASD without ID and 37 children with TD, aged 7-11. Among the ASD group, three clusters were identified. Cluster 1 (40%), 'high severity', presented high symptom severity on the DSM-5 criteria and the Social Communication Questionnaire. Cluster 2 (34%) showed 'moderate severity' on most of the scores. Cluster 3 (25%) corresponded to 'low severity', showing moderate social impairment and low restrictive, repetitive patterns of behavior, interests and activities. At 5-year follow-up, 45 adolescents with ASD without ID and 27 adolescents with TD were assessed. All clusters had significantly more difficulties in EF, ToM, socialization and adaptive behavior compared to TD. Social and adaptive trajectories between the ASD subgroups were relatively different; Cluster 3 showed poorer socialization and daily living skills than the other two subgroups. These findings highlight the importance of fully assessing social, cognitive, and adaptive profiles to develop care plans tailored to specific needs.

Association between green space quality and prosocial behaviour: A 10-year multilevel longitudinal analysis of Australian children

BACKGROUND

Current evidence from studies on green space and child prosocial behaviour suggests a paucity of studies investigating the plausible role of green space quality in shaping the development of prosocial behaviour. This study aimed to examine longitudinal association between green space quality and prosocial behaviour among children.

METHODS

We analysed 10-year longitudinal data (2004-2014) from the Longitudinal Study of Australian Children (LSAC), a nationally representative cohort study. Prosocial behaviour that covers positive behaviours (e.g. sharing, helping) was measured using a prosocial scale from Goodman's Strengths and Difficulties Questionnaire (SDQ). Parents' perceptions on the availability of "good" parks, playgrounds, and play space in the neighbourhood assessed green space quality. Multilevel linear regression models were used to examine potential changes in prosocial behaviour across childhood in relation to green space quality. A two-way interaction term between green space and age was fitted to assess potential differences in the effect of green space quality by age. Sensitivity analyses by child's sex and history of residential movement were also performed.

RESULTS

From the analysis of 24,418 observations nested in 4969 children, prosocial behaviour was relatively high (mean = 8.13 out of 10; SD = 1.79) and about balanced proportions between girls (48.74%) and boys (51.26%) were included. Prosocial behaviour was higher among children whose parents agreed (β = 0.10; 95%CI = 0.04, 0.16) and strongly agreed (β = 0.20; 95%CI = 0.13, 0.27) to having quality green space in their neighbourhood. The benefit of exposure to favourable green space on prosocial behaviour was similar among both children who changed and did not change neighbourhood, but reported higher among boys than girls. Younger compared with older children or adolescents tended to benefit more by the presence of quality green space.

CONCLUSION

Green space quality was positively associated with child prosocial behaviour. Boys and younger children tended to benefit more from quality green space. Future research might seek to identify preferred characteristics of quality green spaces, and to understand how these preferences vary by gender and age, to best support the development of prosocial behaviour across childhood and adolescence.

Personal, semantic and communicational aspects of helping among adolescents

BACKGROUND

The main research question of the article is how the perception of help and the style of interpersonal relations are connected. In a broad sense, the question refers to the problem of constant and situational variables of prosocial activity. The main methodological framework is Vygotsky's cultural-historical psychology, in particular, the mechanism of interiorization and the interaction of interpsychological and intrapsychological processes.

PARTICIPANTS AND PROCEDURE

Over 215 participants (students attending school and university, living in Ukraine, aged from 12 to 22 years) took part in our experiment, but because not all of them completed all the necessary forms correctly, only 193 participants' answers were further analyzed. Our two research techniques were Leary's Interpersonal Behavior Circle Personal Inventory and the semantic differential (N = 193).

RESULTS

Each disposition from Leary's questionnaire had at least one significant correlation with the way Ukrainian adolescents perceive help. The semantic aspects of perceiving help were investigated with the help of ranking the qualities of the semantic differential for the words "help the other".

CONCLUSIONS

The identified correlations contribute to the psychological analysis of the detailed characteristics of perceiving help concerning personal dispositions. Personal, communicational and semantic aspects of help are interconnected and their further research can bring rich insights.

The Relationship Between Green Space and Prosocial Behaviour Among Children and Adolescents: A Systematic Review

The plausible role of nearby green space in influencing prosocial behaviour among children and adolescents has been studied recently. However, no review has been conducted of the evidence testing the association between green space and prosocial behaviour. This systematic review addresses this gap among children and adolescents. Within this review, we propose a conceptual framework describing potential pathways linking green space to prosocial behaviour, discuss the direction, magnitude, moderators, and mediators of the association, and develop a narrative synthesis of future study directions. Out of 63 extracted associations from 15 studies, 44 were in the positive or expected direction, of which 18 were reported to be statistically significant (p < 0.05). Overall, the current evidence shows that exposure to green space may potentially increase prosocial behaviour among children and adolescents, with some contingencies (e.g., child's sex and ethnic background). However, the volume and quality of this evidence is not yet sufficient to draw conclusions on causality. Further, heterogeneity in the indicators of green space exposure could lead to mixed findings. In addition, none of the included studies investigated potential mediators. Nevertheless, this review provides preliminary evidence and a basis for further investigation with rigorous study methodology capable of drawing causal inferences and testing potential effect modifiers, linking pathways, and relevant green space measures.

The Longitudinal Association between Self-esteem and Depressive Symptoms in Adolescents: Separating between-person effects from within-person effects

Many longitudinal studies have investigated whether self-esteem predicts depressive symptoms (vulnerability model) or the other way around (scar model) in adolescents. The most common method of analysis has been the Cross-lagged Panel Model (CLPM). The CLPM does not separate between-person effects from within-person effects, making it unclear whether the results from previous studies actually reflect the within-person effects, or whether they reflect differences between people. We investigated the associations between self-esteem and depressive symptoms at the within-person level, using Random Intercept Cross-Lagged Panel Models (RI-CLPM). To get an impression of the magnitude of possible differences between the RI-CLPM and CLPM, we compared the results of both models. We used data from three longitudinal adolescent samples (age range 7-18; Study 1: N=1,948; Study 2: N=1,455; Study 3: N=316). Intervals between the measurements were 1-1.5 years. Single-paper meta-analyses showed support for small within-person associations from self-esteem to depressive symptoms, but not the other way around, thus only providing some support for the vulnerability model. The cross-lagged associations in the aggregated RI-CLPM and CLPM showed similar effect sizes. Overall, our results show that over 1-1.5 year time intervals, low self-esteem may negatively influence depressive symptoms over time within adolescents, but only weakly so.