Childhood Neglect and Adolescent Suicidal Ideation: a Moderated Mediation Model of Hope and Depression

Childhood adversities and suicidal ideation among young adults with serious mental illnesses: The mediating roles of perceived stress, dispositional hope, and mental health hope

BACKGROUND

Rates of suicidality are high among young adults and minoritized groups are disproportionately affected. Despite evidence that adverse childhood experiences (ACEs) may increase suicide-related risk, the underlying mechanisms through which ACEs may impact suicidal ideation (SI) remain poorly understood, especially among marginalized young adults with serious mental illnesses (SMI) such as schizophrenia-spectrum, major depressive, and bipolar disorders. This study examines associations between ACEs and SI, and whether perceived stress, dispositional hope, and mental health hope may mediate the relationship.

METHODS

The sample consisted of 114 young adults of color with SMI who participated in a larger randomized trial. Data were analyzed using a structural equation modeling (SEM) approach.

RESULTS

Young adults with more ACEs reported higher perceived stress, which in turn, was associated with more SI. Higher perceived stress was associated with lower dispositional and mental health hope. Although dispositional hope was negatively associated with SI on a bivariate level, neither dispositional nor mental health hope was significantly associated with SI in the multivariate SEM. This suggests that over and above perceived stress, hope does not appear to be associated with SI.

LIMITATIONS

Key limitations include a cross-sectional design, a modest sample size, and an assessment of select ACEs.

CONCLUSION

Addressing stress-related processes may be one promising target for suicide prevention efforts in the context of ACEs. Policy interventions focused on the allocation of resources and changing environments that are stress and trauma-inducing are needed to reduce the occurrence of ACEs and their negative sequelae.

Sexual Orientation Concealment, Hope, and Depressive Symptoms Among Sexual Minority Women: The Moderating Role of Sexual Orientation

Sexual minority women (SMW) experience higher levels of depression compared to heterosexual women, and bisexual women show higher levels than lesbian women. Sexual orientation concealment is a risk factor for depressive symptoms among SMW. Hope is protective against depressive symptoms in diverse samples, but limited research in this area has centered on SMW. This study examined the role of hope and its components, agency and pathways, as moderators of the relation between sexual orientation concealment and depressive symptoms, and whether the moderating effects were conditional on sexual orientation. An international sample of 218 lesbian women aged 18 to 69 (M = 32.93 years, SD = 12.75) and 230 bisexual women aged 18 to 67 (M = 27.83 years, SD = 7.52) completed an online survey. Hope, agency, and pathways did not moderate the relation between sexual orientation concealment and depressive symptoms. The significant negative relations between hope and depressive symptoms, and between agency and depressive symptoms, were moderated by sexual orientation: the relations were stronger among lesbian women than bisexual women. Results suggest that increasing levels of hope and agency through clinical intervention may reduce depressive symptoms for both groups of women, with more pronounced effects among lesbian women.

Childhood maltreatment patterns and suicidal ideation: mediating roles of depression, hope, and expressive suppression

Childhood maltreatment has long-term negative effects on individuals' physical and mental well-being, and may increase the risk for suicidal ideation. However, how different patterns of childhood maltreatment affect subsequent suicidal ideation and the underlying mediating mechanisms remain unclear, particularly among Chinese adolescents. This study used latent profile analysis to identify patterns of childhood maltreatment among adolescents and explored how these patterns predicted subsequent suicidal ideation via depression, hope, and expressive suppression. This study used a two-wave, 1-year longitudinal design and included 2156 adolescents (Mage = 13.97 years, SDage = 1.61 years; 49.6% females). We identified three patterns of childhood maltreatment: low maltreatment, high psychological neglect, and high maltreatment. Compared with the low maltreatment group, the high maltreatment group indirectly predicted subsequent suicidal ideation 1 year later via depression through hope and expressive suppression, whereas the direct effect on suicidal ideation was not significant. Compared with the low maltreatment group, the high psychological neglect group had a significant direct effect on subsequent suicidal ideation and indirectly predicted suicidal ideation through depression or hope. Identifying patterns of childhood maltreatment among adolescents will assist mental health workers in developing targeted interventions to effectively alleviate suicidal ideation.

Why emotional neglect brings suicidal ideation? The mediating effect of meaning in life and the moderating effect of post-stress growth

BACKGROUND

Emotional neglect during childhood has long-lasting negative effects on individuals, and it is often hidden and unrecognized. Previous research has not fully understood its unique effects on mental health outcomes, especially when considering the co-occurrence with other forms of maltreatment. The meaning-making coping and growth model suggests that individuals achieve positive psychological outcomes by constructively integrating negative experiences into their self-concept, which may be a protective mechanism against the detrimental effects of emotional neglect.

OBJECTIVE

This study aimed to examine the relationship between emotional neglect and suicidal ideation among undergraduates, accounting for the presence of emotional abuse and physical neglect, and to investigate the mediating role of meaning in life and the moderating role of post-stress growth in this relationship.

METHODS

A self-reported survey was conducted with 3132 undergraduate students from a university in South China. The survey assessed emotional neglect, emotional abuse, physical neglect, suicidal ideation, post-stress growth, and meaning in life.

RESULTS

Meaning in life partially mediated the relationship between emotional neglect and suicidal ideation. Post-stress growth moderated the association between emotional neglect and the sense of meaning in life, in particular the moderation effect was stronger when emotional abuse was weaker.

CONCLUSIONS

Meaning in life mediated the relationship between emotional neglect and suicide ideation. Post-stress growth moderated the mediation effect such that it was weakened among individual with a higher level of post-stress growth. This study contributes to the understanding of the psychopathological processes following emotional neglect and the development of positive personal changes thereafter.

Fear of Deportation and Hispanic Early Adolescent Substance Use: a Moderated Mediation Model of Stress and Hope

Reports of deportation can create a state of chronic fear in children living in mixed-status immigrant families over their own or a loved one's potential deportation. One indicator of health disparities among youth is elevated rates of alcohol, tobacco, and other drug use (ATOD). Yet little is known about the effects of fear of deportation (FOD) on ATOD or what might promote resilience. We explore the associations between FOD and ATOD use, how stress mediates this relationship, and whether hope moderates the mediated pathway from FOD to ATOD. Participants were 200 first- and second-generation 7th grade Hispanic youth (49% female) assessed across three waves of data. A moderated mediation model tested the indirect effect of FOD on ATOD through stress and whether hope moderated these associations. FOD was measured by the Family Fear of Deportation Scale. Snyder's Children's Hope Scale measured hope. Stress was measured by a short version of Pediatric Psychological Stress Measure. ATOD was adapted from the Monitoring the Future project. FOD was not directly associated with ATOD use. However, this path was fully mediated by stress. Hope significantly moderated the path from FOD to stress such that a one unit increase in hope completely offset the effects of FOD on stress. Hope did not moderate the path from stress to ATOD use. Interventions that increase awareness of deportation trauma, alleviate stress, and promote hope may help prevent, delay initiation into, and/or decrease ATOD among Hispanic first- and second-generation youth.

Mediating Effect of Life Satisfaction on the Relationship between Hope and Internalizing/Externalizing Behaviors among Chinese Adolescents

This study aimed to examine the mediating effect of life satisfaction in the relationship between hope and internalizing/externalizing behaviors among a sample of 1170 Chinese adolescents (mean age = 14.80 ± 1.76 years, 46.24% boys). Through the use of structural equation modeling (SEM), the study revealed a negative association between hope and internalizing/externalizing behaviors. Furthermore, the findings indicated that life satisfaction partially mediated the relationship between hope and internalizing/externalizing behaviors. The findings highlight the significance of hope and life satisfaction as protective factors in reducing internalizing/externalizing behaviors among adolescents. These results also contribute to the existing research on the role of hope and emphasize the importance of fostering hope and enhancing life satisfaction in prevention and intervention programs targeting adolescent internalizing/externalizing behaviors.

Child maltreatment and youth suicide risk: A developmental conceptual model and implications for suicide prevention

Experiences of child abuse and neglect are risk factors for youth suicidal thoughts and behaviors. Accordingly, suicide risk may emerge as a developmental process that is heavily influenced by the rearing environment. We argue that a developmental, theoretical framework is needed to guide future research on child maltreatment and youth (i.e., adolescent and emerging adult) suicide, and to subsequently inform suicide prevention efforts. We propose a developmental model that integrates principles of developmental psychopathology and current theories of suicide to explain the association between child maltreatment and youth suicide risk. This model bears significant implications for future research on child maltreatment and youth suicide risk, and for suicide prevention efforts that target youth with child maltreatment experiences.

Individual, Peer, and Family Correlates of Depressive Symptoms among College Students in Hong Kong

In this study, an ecological model and developmental psychopathology theory focusing on an ontogenic system (hopelessness) and microsystems (peer alienation and childhood abuse and trauma) was adopted to examine the individual, peer, and family correlates of depressive symptoms among college Chinese students in Hong Kong, China. A cross-sectional survey research design with a convenience sampling procedure was used to examine a sample of college students (n = 786) aged 18 to 21 years old in Hong Kong. Among them, 352 respondents (44.8%) reported having depressive symptoms, with a Beck Depression Inventory-II (BDI-II) score of 14 or above. The results of this study indicated that childhood abuse and trauma, peer alienation, and hopelessness were positively related to depressive symptoms. The underlying arguments and implications were discussed. The study results provided further support for the ecological model and the developmental psychopathology theory on the predictive roles of individual, peer, and family correlates of adolescent depression.

The Relationship of Internet Gaming Addiction and Suicidal Ideation among Adolescents: The Mediating Role of Negative Emotion and the Moderating Role of Hope

Recently, internet gaming addiction and suicide have been global public health issues among adolescents. This study used convenience sampling and surveyed 1906 Chinese adolescents to investigate the relationship between internet gaming addiction and suicidal ideation and the role of negative emotion and hope in the relationship between the two. The results showed that the detection rate of internet gaming addiction among adolescents was 17.16% and the detection rate of suicidal ideation was 16.37%. Moreover, there was a significant positive correlation between internet gaming addiction and suicidal ideation. Negative emotion partially mediated the relationship between internet gaming addiction and suicidal ideation. In addition, hope moderated the relationship between negative emotion and suicidal ideation. The effect of negative emotion on suicidal ideation decreased as hope increased. These findings suggest that the role of emotion and hope in coping with adolescent internet gaming addiction and suicidal ideation should be emphasized.

A Literature Review on the Role of Hope in Promoting Positive Youth Development across Non-WEIRD Contexts

Theoretical and empirical evidence has identified hope as a key adolescent strength that is linked to positive youth developmental outcomes. Although hope must be understood from a cultural lens, most of the evidence regarding adolescent hope is derived from samples of white youth from Western, educated, industrialized, rich, and democratic (WEIRD) nations. Therefore, in order to have a more comprehensive and global understanding of the antecedents, outcomes, and processes of hope, we apply a positive youth development perspective in order to review the literature (N = 52 studies) on hope from diverse cultural and international contexts. In organizing the findings by global region, our review provides evidence of the shared function of hope in promoting positive youth developmental outcomes and the usefulness of the Child Hope Scale across contexts. Family and parental relationships were identified as key assets in promoting hope; however, there exists cultural and contextual variation in what aspects of these relationships promote hope. We conclude this review by considering the priorities for research, practice, and policy, based on these findings.

Hope and suicidal ideation and behaviour

Understanding the factors that protect against suicidal ideation and behaviour may strengthen our ability to identify and support those at risk of death by suicide, above and beyond that which is possible by focusing solely on risk factors. A factor that may confer protection against the development of suicidal ideation and behaviour is hope, a future orientated construct that features within recent theories of suicide. Here, we provide an overview of the literature examining the role of hope in moderating and mediating the relationship between suicide risk factors and suicide ideation and behaviour. Evidence suggests that hope may be important in buffering against suicide ideation and behaviour across different population. Limitations and recommendation for future research are also discussed.

Hope and depression and personality disorders

Hope is a positive psychology construct that comprises goals, agency thinking, and pathways thinking and has been associated with psychological and physical well-being. This paper summarizes recent findings regarding the relationship between hope and depressive symptoms as well as hope and personality disorders and traits. Studies have shown that hope is inversely associated with negative affect when examined cross-sectionally, although the relationship between hope and depression is more complex longitudinally. Little is known about hope as it pertains to personality disorders, though more recent studies have examined the relationship between hope and personality traits such as neuroticism and extraversion; results from those studies are mixed, leaving a wide gap in the literature for future exploration.

The effects of childhood abuse, depression, and self-compassion on adolescent nonsuicidal self-injury: A moderated mediation model

BACKGROUND

Nonsuicidal self-injury (NSSI) is a widespread public health issue in adolescents. Exploring the risk and protective variables of NSSI is critical for prevention and intervention. Based on the experiential avoidance model (Chapman et al., 2006) and Nock's (2009) integrated model of NSSI, the current study tested a moderated mediation model to examine the impact of two risk factors, childhood abuse and depression, and one protective factor, self-compassion, on NSSI.

METHODS

Self-report measures were conducted among 758 Chinese adolescents (329 females and 429 males, mean age = 14.16 years, SD = 1.92) in Hong Kong, China regarding childhood abuse, depression, self-compassion, and NSSI.

RESULTS

Childhood abuse was found to be positively linked to NSSI, and this connection was mediated by depression. Self-compassion weakened the strength between childhood abuse and NSSI, along with that between childhood abuse and depression.

CONCLUSIONS

These results assist in understanding how NSSI develops and facilitate future studies to investigate how the risk and protective variables for NSSI interact. The clinical application of these findings was also discussed.

Role of rumination and hope on negative life events and suicidal ideation under the background of normalization of pandemic prevention and control: A moderated mediation model

Introduction

The study aimed to investigate the impact and mechanism of negative life events on college students' suicidal ideation during the COVID-19 pandemic and the buffering effect of hope under the background of normalization of pandemic.

Methods

A total of 5211 participants took part in this study. Self-reported negative life events, rumination, hope and suicide ideation were measured using a range of questions and scales. Our research demonstrated that the incidence of suicidal ideation among college freshmen in the past week was higher during the COVID-19 pandemic than that before the pandemic. In this study, conditional process model 15 was used to verify the hypothetical model of rumination as a potential mediator and hope as a moderator.

Results

The hypothesized moderated mediation model was verified significant (β = -0.047, 95% CI = [-0.061, -0.035]), and hope was found to moderate the direct effect of negative life events on suicidal ideation (β = -0.039, t = -2.937, 95% CI = [-0.065, -0.013]) as well as the indirect effect of through the mediator rumination (β = -0.134, t = -10.850, 95% CI = [-0.158, -0.110]).

Discussion

We found that rumination partially mediated the effect of negative life events on suicidal ideation, and hope buffered the direct and indirect effect of negative life events on suicidal ideation. The implications of the findings for clinical interventions are discussed, including the importance of hope arousal as a protective factor and rumination as a cognitive mechanism for emotion regulation under the background of normalization of pandemic.

Differential contributions between objective and subjective psychosis-like experiences to suicidal ideation in college students

AIM

The present study aimed to investigate the prevalence rate of objective and subjective psychosis-like experiences (PLEs) in non-help-seeking college students and to explore their differential contributions to suicidal ideation.

METHODS

First-year college students were recruited and surveyed with the Chinese version of the 16-item Prodromal Questionnaire (CPQ-16), Childhood Trauma Questionnaire (CTQ-SF), Patient Health Questionnaire-9 (PHQ-9), General Anxiety Disorder-7 (GAD-7) and Beck Scale for Suicide Ideation (BSI). The Structured Interview of Psychosis-Risk Syndromes (SIPS) was conducted in individuals with a CPQ-16 score of 9 or higher.

RESULTS

Data were available for 8367 students. Three hundred and seventy of them scored 9 or higher on the CPQ-16, suggesting potential PLEs (4.42%). Among them, 194 agreed to the SIPS screening. The PLEs were confirmed in 103 individuals who scored 1-5 on any positive symptom scales of the SIPS (objective PLEs, oPLEs). For the remaining 91 individuals, their PLEs were not confirmed by the SIPS and thus were categorized as individuals with subjective PLEs (sPLEs). In univariate logistic regression, oPLEs was associated with a two times risk of suicidal ideation compared to sPLEs (OR = 1.971, p = .029). In multivariate logistic regression when non-PLE status was set as a reference, oPLEs significantly predicted suicidal ideation (OR = 3.441, p = .011), while the sPLEs (OR = 2.277, p = .091) was no longer a significant predictor after controlling for PHQ-9, GAD-7 and CPQ-SF scores.

CONCLUSIONS

OPLEs and sPLEs have differential contributions to suicidal ideation. OPLEs seems to be associated with a higher risk of suicidal ideation and is independent of other psychopathology.

Parent-child relationship and smartphone addiction among Chinese adolescents: A longitudinal moderated mediation model

Using a three-wave longitudinal design, we examined the relationship between early parent-child relationship and subsequent smartphone addiction (SA) and explored mediating and moderating mechanisms underlying this relation. A total of 527 Chinese adolescents (271 boys and 256 girls, mean age = 11.23 years) completed questionnaires regarding parent-child relationship, smartphone addiction, hope and life satisfaction. The results showed that: (1) parent-child relationship (T1) was positively associated with life satisfaction (T1) and hope (T2); parent-child relationship (T1), life satisfaction (T1), and hope (T2) were significantly negatively associated with SA (T3); (2) After controlling for age, gender, and SA (T1), hope (T2) completely mediated the relationship between parental-child relationship (T1) and adolescents' SA (T3); (3) life satisfaction (T1) moderated the association between parent-child relationship (T1) and hope (T2). Specifically, as life satisfaction (T1) increased, parent-child relationship (T1) was more likely to promote hope (T2). Moreover, the indirect negative links between parent-child relationship (T1) and SA (T3) via hope (T2) were stronger for adolescents with high level of life satisfaction (T1) than for adolescents with low level of life satisfaction (T1). The results reveal the mechanism of hope and life satisfaction in the effect of parent-child relationship on SA in adolescents, indicating that SA among adolescents can be weakened through the improvement of parent-child relationship, the rise in hope and the increase in life satisfaction.

Assessing the Robustness of Mediation Analysis Results Using Multiverse Analysis

There is an increasing awareness that replication should become common practice in empirical studies. However, study results might fail to replicate for various reasons. The robustness of published study results can be assessed using the relatively new multiverse-analysis methodology, in which the robustness of the effect estimates against data analytical decisions is assessed. However, the uptake of multiverse analysis in empirical studies remains low, which might be due to the scarcity of guidance available on performing multiverse analysis. Researchers might experience difficulties in identifying data analytical decisions and in summarizing the large number of effect estimates yielded by a multiverse analysis. These difficulties are amplified when applying multiverse analysis to assess the robustness of the effect estimates from a mediation analysis, as a mediation analysis involves more data analytical decisions than a bivariate analysis. The aim of this paper is to provide an overview and worked example of the use of multiverse analysis to assess the robustness of the effect estimates from a mediation analysis. We showed that the number of data analytical decisions in a mediation analysis is larger than in a bivariate analysis. By using a real-life data example from the Longitudinal Aging Study Amsterdam, we demonstrated the application of multiverse analysis to a mediation analysis. This included the use of specification curves to determine the impact of data analytical decisions on the magnitude and statistical significance of the direct, indirect, and total effect estimates. Although the multiverse analysis methodology is still relatively new and future research is needed to further advance this methodology, this paper shows that multiverse analysis is a useful method for the assessment of the robustness of the direct, indirect, and total effect estimates in a mediation analysis and thereby to inform replication studies.

[Asthma and suicidal behavior in adolescents: a literature review]

INTRODUCTION

Adolescence is a difficult time in life and asthma has major psychological consequences for adolescents.

OBJECTIVES

This systematic literature review focused on the association between asthma and suicidal behaviors (suicidal ideations [SI], suicide plans [SP] and suicide attempts [SA]) among adolescents in the general population.

METHOD

Research on Medline for the 1980-2021 period. Objectives This systematic literature review focused on the association between asthma and suicidal behaviors (suicidal ideations [SI], suicide plans [SP] and suicide attempts [SA]) among adolescents in the general population.

RESULTS

An overwhelming majority of the studies taken into consideration demonstrated a significant positive association between asthma and suicidal behaviors. Among the 10 studies assessing SI (with or without SP), 9 of them found a significant positive association between asthma and SI. Eight studies assessed SA; five cross-sectional studies and one prospective study demonstrated a significant positive association between asthma and SA. Only one case-control study did not find a significant positive association between asthma and SA after hospitalization for asthma. The two cross-sectional studies assessing suicidal risk taken as a whole (SI, SP and SA) demonstrated a significant positive association between asthma and at least one suicidal behavior. (OR=1.71; P<0.001). However, several studies did not include depression as an adjustment factor.

CONCLUSION

It is important that healthcare professionals assess suicide risk in adolescent suffering from asthma, the objective being to avoid SA or death from SA.

The Relationship between Exercise and Mental Health Outcomes during the COVID-19 Pandemic: From the Perspective of Hope

The unexpected outbreak of COVID-19 triggered fear and anxiety in the general population. Exercise was one of the most widely promoted methods to improve body function when socially restricted. This study aims to examine the role of exercise in relieving stressful mental health outcomes (anxiety and depressive symptoms) during the COVID-19 pandemic and explore the underlying mechanism from the perspective of hope, using a combination of goal-directed planning (pathways) and motivation (agency). A cross-sectional online survey recruiting 2390 Chinese participants was conducted during the COVID-19 pandemic in China. A series of questions and scales, including the self-designed exercise questionnaire, the Adult Dispositional Hope Scale, the Generalized Anxiety Disorder Scale-7 and the Patient Health Questionnaire-9, were used to measure exercise, hope, anxiety symptoms and depressive symptoms, respectively. A structural equation model was constructed to test the hypothesis that exercise benefits mental health outcomes through the mediating role of hope. Our results showed that exercise relieved stressful mental health outcomes via three paths: one direct path (β = −0.077, 95% CI = (−0.138, −0.017), p < 0.01), one indirect path through hope of pathways thinking (β = −0.046, 95% CI = (−0.064, −0.027), p < 0.001) and another indirect path through hope of agency thinking (β = −0.060, 95% CI = (−0.081, −0.039), p < 0.001). Our results showed that exercise could alleviate stressful mental health outcomes by promoting both hope of pathway thinking and agency thinking. It provided practical insights into psychological prevention and intervention by means of exercise during the COVID-19 pandemic.

The Association of Abuse and Depression With Suicidal Ideation in Chinese Adolescents: A Network Analysis

Background

Abuse experiences in adolescents are associated with the risk of depression and suicide. Thus, there is an urgent need to develop prevention and intervention measures for clinicians, policymakers, and researchers.

Methods

Network analysis method was used to analyze the cross-sectional data of Chinese adolescents in this study. The Patient Health Questionnaire for Adolescents (PHQ-A) was used for assessing depression, in which item 9 of the PHQ-A was used to assess suicide ideation, and International Society for the Prevention of Child Abuse and Neglect (ISPCAN) Child Abuse Screening Tool-Children's Home Version (ICAST-CH) was used for assessing abuse.

Results

The prevalence of suicidal ideation among Chinese adolescents was 21.46% (95% CI, 20.79-22.16%). The prevalence of moderate or severe depression was 16.76%, and the prevalence of violence exposure, psychological victimization, neglect, and physical victimization was 33.5%, 59.5%, 28.37%, and 31.51% in the past years, respectively. Network analysis results showed that the most central nodes in the network of abuse and depression were "unimportant," "not cared," and "pushed." The bridge nodes were "suicidal ideation" and "unimportant." The nodes "sadness," "failure," and "unimportant" explained the largest proportion of the variance of suicidal ideation in our network. Differences were found in the structure of both abuse and depression networks between adolescents with or without suicidal ideation.

Limitations

The self-reporting-based cross-sectional surveys and community sample groups limit the inference of causality and the generalization of the results.

Conclusion

This study shows that "unimportant" is the central and bridge nodes in the abuse and depression networks and also explains a part of variance of suicidal ideation. The effect of "unimportant" should be considered in the prevention and intervention of depression and suicide in adolescents with abuse experience. Future study is needed to confirm its role in clinical intervention.

Family and Friends Support and Hope in Chinese Adolescents: The Mediating Effects of Self-Esteem

Structural equation modeling was used to investigate presumed antecedents of hope in a community-based sample of Chinese adolescents. Specifically, we evaluated the mediating role of self-esteem in the link between social support from family and friends and individual differences in hope. The Multidimensional Scale of Perceived Social Support, Rosenberg Self-Esteem Scale, and Children's Hope Scale were administered to 1,654 adolescent students (781 boys and 873 girls) from Chinese senior high schools. Social support from family and friends correlated equally with hope levels of participants, demonstrating the importance of both sources of support. Self-esteem fully mediated the relationship between family support and hope and partially (23.6%) mediated the relationship between friends support and hope. Results support a social-cognitive model of the origins of hope among adolescents. Findings also suggest implications for the design of hope-promoting environments for adolescents that extend beyond a focus on the individual to incorporate more comprehensive systemic components, including social support from family and friends. [Journal of Psychosocial Nursing and Mental Health Services, xx(xx), xx-xx.].

Do adolescents consider mind-body skills groups an acceptable treatment for depression: results from a pilot study

BACKGROUND

Mind-Body Skills Groups (MBSGs) have shown promise in reducing adolescent depression symptoms; however, little is known about adolescents' perspectives on this treatment. The objective of this study was to understand the acceptability of a new treatment for depressed adolescents in primary care settings.

METHODS

Adolescents participating in a 10-week MBSG treatment were interviewed to understand their perspectives on the acceptability and effectiveness of the treatment. Interviews were collected at post-intervention and at a 3-month follow-up visit.

RESULTS

A total of 39 adolescents completed both the post-intervention and 3-month follow-up interview. At post-intervention and follow-up, 84% of adolescents stated the MBSGs helped them. When asked how the MBSGs helped them, 3 areas were identified: learning new MBSG activities and skills, social connection with others within the group, and outcomes related to the group. Many adolescents reported no concerns with the MBSGs (49% at post- intervention; 62% at follow-up). Those with concerns identified certain activities as not being useful, wanting the group to be longer, and the time of group (after school) being inconvenient. Most adolescents reported that their life had changed because of the group (72% at post-intervention; 61% at follow-up), and when asked how, common responses included feeling less isolated and more hopeful.

CONCLUSIONS

Adolescents found the MBSGs to be helpful and acceptable as a treatment option for depression in primary care. Given the strong emphasis on treatment preference autonomy and the social activities within the group, MBSGs appear well-suited for this age group.

TRIAL REGISTRATION

NCT03363750 ; December 6th, 2017.

A Social-Ecological Approach to Understanding the Relationship between Cyberbullying Victimization and Suicidal Ideation in South Korean Adolescents: The Moderating Effect of School Connectedness

Background: Cyberbullying victimization and suicidal ideation are both ongoing deleterious social problems in South Korea. Using the social-ecological approach, this study examined the association between cyberbullying victimization and suicidal ideation as well as the buffering role of school connectedness in this relationship. Methods: A nationally representative sample of 7333 adolescents from the 2016 Korean Children and Youth Right Study participated in the study. Data were analyzed using descriptive statistics, Wald chi-square test, bivariate correlations, and multivariate logistic regression analyses. Results: Nearly 17.7% of adolescents were cyberbullied, and 28.4% had suicidal ideation in the past 12 months. Cyberbullying victims were at an increased risk of suicidal ideation. The results also found that parental abuse, family dysfunction, and perceived peer relationship stress were positively associated with suicidal ideation, while parental support for autonomy was negatively associated with suicidal ideation. Further, school connectedness moderated on the relationship between cyberbullying victimization and adolescent suicidal ideation. Conclusions: These findings suggest that various stakeholders should consider interventions and preventive programs that address school connectedness when working with adolescents who are victims of cyberbullying and exhibit suicidal behavior.

Childhood Loss Experiences, Religiousness/Spirituality, and Hope as Predictors of Adult Life Satisfaction

Purpose The purpose of this study was to explore how adaptive patterns of religiousness/spirituality and hope predict adult life satisfaction in adults, even if they had childhood loss experiences.Design and Methods Using a cross-sectional survey design with132 adult participants (mean age 33.8 ± 15.2, 82% female, 78% Caucasian) we estimated two hierarchical regression models to examine how dimensions of religiousness/spirituality (Brief Multidimensional Measure of Religiousness/Spirituality) and hope (Herth Hope Index) predicted adult life satisfaction (Satisfaction with Life Scale) after controlling for effects of adverse childhood experiences (Adverse Childhood Experiences Study Questionnaire) or chronic sorrow from childhood loss (Kendall Chronic Sorrow Instrument).Results When effects of adverse childhood experiences (ACE) were controlled, higher levels of hope (β = .416, p < .001) and forgiveness (β = .273, p = .023) and lower levels of religious/spiritual values/beliefs (β = -.298, p = .014) predicted higher levels of adult life satisfaction. ACE remained a significant predictor of adult life satisfaction in the final model. When controlling for effects of chronic sorrow, higher life satisfaction was predicted only by forgiveness (β = .379, p = .003), values/beliefs (β = -.354, p = .007), and hope (β = .357, p < .001), with chronic sorrow not a significant predictor of adult life satisfaction in the final model.Conclusion: Greater life satisfaction for adult survivors of childhood loss experiences could be promoted by interventions to enhance hope and foster forgiveness. These adult survivors may also need support as they engage with religious/spiritual struggle to reconcile their values and beliefs with childhood loss.

Child maltreatment, recent stressful life events, and suicide ideation: A test of the stress sensitivity hypothesis

BACKGROUND

Exposure to child maltreatment is a well-known risk factor for suicide ideation among adolescents. Recent stressful life events may also contribute to this risk. However, the association between these risk factors is unclear in the etiology of suicide ideation for adolescents from socio-economically disadvantaged backgrounds.

OBJECTIVE

The present study tested the stress generation and stress sensitivity hypotheses in relation to child maltreatment, recent stressful life events (in the past year), and suicide ideation (in the past two weeks).

PARTICIPANTS AND SETTING

We utilized a sample of diverse, socioeconomically disadvantaged, depressed adolescent girls (N = 175) who were part of a depression treatment intervention.

RESULTS

Child maltreatment was significantly associated with adolescent suicide ideation, β = .40, p < .001. Results supported the stress sensitivity hypothesis, in that exposure to interpersonal stressors in the past year exacerbated the association between child maltreatment and adolescents' suicide ideation, β = .18, p < .05. We found evidence for a protective factor, cognitive reappraisal, in the association between stressful life events and suicide ideation, β = -.15, p < .05.

CONCLUSIONS

These findings have several implications for clinical practice and suicide prevention with adolescent girls, and contribute to the extant literature on the role of chronic and acute stress in the etiology of adolescent suicide ideation.

Parental neglect of feeding in obese individuals. A review of scientific evidence and its application among Saudi population

Human beings encountered malnutrition during the twentieth century and obesity in the very next century. This is how the future will look when the present becomes a slice of history. Obesity is threatening the healthy being of many youngsters throughout the world. Environmental influences have indicated to effect even genetically safe subjects among which parental neglect seems to be most alarming. Two extensively and globally investigated variables, the feeding style and the physical activity, provide some hope in its prevention. Despite the high rise of obesity prevalence in Saudi Arabia, there is scant research on these topics. The purpose of this review is to present a comprehensive assessment of these 2-obesity associated parental variables. The composed literature could provide an insight to the dominant surge of obesity in the Arab nations and stimulate research on current parenting practices in the Kingdom.

The Role of Perceived Social Support in the Association Between Stressful Life Events and Suicidal Behavior

Background: Suicide is a serious public health concern for which there have been well-established protective and risk factors reported in literature. There is a lack of evidence on the indirect effects of other variables on these factors. Specifically, the association between stressful life events and suicidal behavior may be affected by perceived social support, but its role in this association is largely uninvestigated. Objectives: Thus, this paper aims to explore the role of perceived social support in the association between stressful life events and suicidal behavior. Perceived social support will be explored as a mediator and as a moderator in this association. Methods: Data were obtained from the Determinants of Suicidal Behavior Conventional and Emergent Risk (DISCOVER), a study conducted to identify risk factors of suicidal behavior. The study participants are individuals with suicide attempts admitted to hospital. Participants (n = 343) were recruited from hospital setting. Suicidal behavior was measured using two outcomes (1) the occurrence of a suicide attempt (2) level of suicide intent as measured by the Pierce Suicide Intent Scale. Perceived social support was measured using the Sarason Social Support Questionnaire. Results: Stressful life events were significantly associated with suicide attempts (OR 1.440, 95% CI 1.440, 1.682, p < 0.001) and perceived social support (B -0.785, 95% CI -1.501, -0.068, p = 0.032). There was no significant mediation effect by perceived social support in the association between stressful life events and suicide attempts (Sobel's test statistic 1.64, p = 0.100). Perceived social support did not moderate the relationship between stressful life events and suicide attempts [(OR 1.007, 95% CI 0.987, 1.027, p = 0.514] or the relationship between stressful life events and level of suicidal intent (B -0.043, 95% CI -0.132, 0.046, p = 0.343). Conclusion: Stressful life events are associated with increased risk of suicide attempts. The study also identified an inverse relationship between stressful life events and perceived social support. These associations were independent of perceived social support. This study highlights the effects of stressful life events on suicide risk is not affected by perceived social support, requiring further investigation into measures to reduce the impact of social stressors on people with risk of suicide.

The Moderating Role of Hope in the Relationship Between Maladaptive Perfectionism and Anxiety Among Early Adolescents

The aim of the study was to examine correlations among maladaptive perfectionism, hope, and anxiety and the moderating role of hope in the relationship between maladaptive perfectionism and anxiety among early adolescents. The sample of the study consisted of 639 early adolescents (354 female/285 male; Mean_age = 12.8, SD_age = .65, range: 11-14). In line with this purpose, the cross-sectional model was conducted. The findings of the study showed that there were significant correlations among maladaptive perfectionism, hope, and anxiety. Moreover, the findings found that hope moderated the relationship between maladaptive perfectionism and anxiety. More specifically, the findings suggested that among early adolescents with lower hope, the relationship between maladaptive perfectionism and anxiety was stronger than those with higher hope.

A longitudinal evaluation of a survivor-mentor program for child survivors of sex trafficking in the United States

BACKGROUND

Commercial sexual exploitation (CSE) of children is a significant public health and criminal justice problem, but there are few evaluated models of CSE mentorship service.

OBJECTIVES

To assess whether youth who participated in a CSE survivor-mentor program evidenced changes in CSE victimization, dating abuse victimization, health, delinquency, social support, and coping during the year following their enrollment in the program.

PARTICIPANTS

41 youth who were CSE-experienced at baseline (72%) or determined very high risk, 11-18 years old, 95% female, 58% heterosexual, 29% White, 29% Hispanic, and 42% other races/ethnicities.

SETTING

An urban city in the Northeast United States.

METHODS

We used a one-group repeated measures design and a GEE analysis. Data were collected at baseline, six months after baseline (71% follow-up) and 12 months after baseline (68% follow-up).

RESULTS

At baseline 72% could be characterized as CSE-experienced, while at 6 months the percentage decreased to 24% (p < 0.001) and at 12 months to 14% (p < 0.001). After 6 months of receiving survivor-mentor services, youth were less likely to have experienced CSE, engaged in sexually explicit behavior (SEB), used illicit drugs, engaged in delinquent behavior, been arrested or detained by police, and they had better social support and coping skills. After 12 months, youth were less likely to have experienced CSE, to have engaged in delinquent behavior, be arrested or detained by police, and had improved coping skills.

CONCLUSION

Findings demonstrate that youth who received survivor-mentor services from MLMC experienced improved well-being and less drug use, delinquent behavior, and exploitation.