Understanding Changes in Violent Extremist Attitudes During the Transition to Early Adulthood

Association between ultra-processed dietary pattern and bullying: the role of deviant behaviors

Background

Ultra-processed foods have been associated with several negative outcomes, but it is not clear whether they are related to bullying perpetration. Moreover, no previous study has investigated the potential role of deviant behaviors as a mediator of this association. Our objective was to evaluate the association between ultra-processed dietary pattern and bullying, and the mediating effect of deviant behaviors in this association, among school adolescents.

Methods

We used data from a representative sample of 9th grade Brazilian adolescents (N = 2,212) from the São Paulo Project for the social development of children and adolescents (SP-PROSO). Exploratory factor analysis was used to obtain the dietary patterns, through questions of frequency of consumption in the last week of several foods. The ultra-processed dietary pattern was considered as exposure. The outcomes were the types of bullying (any type, social exclusion, psychological/verbal aggression, physical aggression, property destruction, and sexual harassment). Deviant behaviors (mediator) were assessed through a score. Mediation analyses were carried out using logistic regression based on the KHB method.

Results

After adjusting for covariates, the mediating effect of deviant behaviors was found in the association between ultra-processed dietary pattern and all the types of bullying perpetration, especially for psychological/verbal aggression (39.4%). A small mediating effect of deviant behaviors in the association of ultra-processed dietary pattern with physical aggression (17.7%) and property destruction (18.5%) was observed, but this effect explained only a small portion of the total effect of such association (significant direct effect).

Conclusion

The ultra-processed dietary pattern was associated with bullying, and the association was mediated through deviant behaviors. Policies and actions for improving the adolescent's diet and managing the adoption of deviant and bullying behaviors by this public are required.

Mental Health, Well-Being, and Adolescent Extremism: A Machine Learning Study on Risk and Protective Factors

We examined the relationship between adolescents' extremist attitudes with a multitude of mental health, well-being, psycho-social, environmental, and lifestyle variables, using state-of-the-art machine learning procedure and nationally representative survey dataset of Norwegian adolescents (N = 11,397). Three key research questions were addressed: 1) can adolescents with extremist attitudes be distinguished from those without, using psycho-socio-environmental survey items, 2) what are the most important predictors of adolescents' extremist attitudes, and 3) whether the identified predictors correspond to specific latent factorial structures? Of the total sample, 17.6% showed elevated levels of extremist attitudes. The prevalence was significantly higher among boys and younger adolescents than girls and older adolescents, respectively. The machine learning model reached an AUC of 76.7%, with an equal sensitivity and specificity of 70.5% in the test dataset, demonstrating a satisfactory performance for the model. Items reflecting on positive parenting, quality of relationships with parents and peers, externalizing behavior, and well-being emerged as significant predictors of extremism. Exploratory factor analysis partially supported the suggested latent clusters. Out of the 550 psycho-socio-environmental variables analyzed, behavioral problems, individual and social well-being, along with basic needs such as a secure family environment and interpersonal relationships with parents and peers emerged as significant factors contributing to susceptibility to extremism among adolescents.

Cohort Profile: The Zurich Project on the Social Development from Childhood to Adulthood (z-proso)

The Zurich Project on the Social Development from Childhood to Adulthood (z-proso) began in 2004 in response to the need for a better evidence base to support optimal child social development and prevent crime and violence. Since then, the study has tracked the development of a diverse sample of youths (N = 1,675 in the target sample; ~50% female) from age 7 (n = 1,360) to age 20 (n = 1,180), with primary data collection waves at ages 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 15, 17, and 20. The study uses a multi-method, multi-informant design that combines teacher, youth, and parent reports with observational and behavioural measures, biosampling, functional imaging, and ecological momentary assessment. Analyses of the data have contributed important evidence to a diversity of topics in child and adolescent development, illuminating the developmental roots of crime and aggression, the impacts of exposure to different forms and combinations of victimisation, and trajectories of mental health and neurodevelopmental symptoms.