Does early peer relationship last long? The enduring influence of early peer relationship on depression in middle and later life

Do Social Support and Loneliness Influence Emerging Adults' Mental Health during the First Year of the COVID-19 Pandemic?

Youths' mental health is at a crisis level, with mental health problems doubling in the US since the pandemic began. To compound the mental health crisis, there is a global loneliness epidemic, with emerging adults worldwide experiencing some of the highest rates. One study with two phases examined the influence of social support and loneliness on mental health in US emerging adults during the pandemic, including changes in these relationships over one year. Emerging adults (N = 449) completed online questionnaires via Prolific in May 2020 (Phase 1) and again from January to May 2021 (N = 253; Phase 2). More perceived support was related to reduced loneliness, with family support having the most significant influence. Loneliness mediated the link between perceived support and adverse health outcomes. Higher loneliness predicted more perceived stress and sleep difficulties concurrently and over time. There was a bidirectional relationship between loneliness and depression, such that higher levels of either variable at Time 1 predicted increases in the other over time. Results highlight the detrimental impact of loneliness on emerging adults' mental health.

Emotion regulation among 4-6 year-old children and its association with their peer relationships in Jordan

Specific characteristics and competencies are required for maintaining peer relationships, and this study hypothesizes that emotion regulation is one of the competencies. The current study aimed to investigate the association between emotion regulation and peer relationships in 4-6-year-old children, and examine the sex differences among them. This study examined sex differences in peer relationships and the emotion regulation ability of children aged 4-6 years. The study sample comprised 300 children aged 4-6 years [170 girls (56.7%) and 130 boys (43.3%)] studying in kindergarten and first grade in Jordan. As part of data collection, questionnaires were distributed to teachers. The Emotion Regulation Scale (ERC) was used to measure emotion regulation, and the Social Competence and Behavior Evaluation (SCBE) scale, a subscale of the SCBE, was utilized to assess peer relationships. The results revealed a positive relationship between emotion regulation and positive poles of peer relationships (integrated, calm, and pro-social) and a significant negative relationship between emotional lability/negativity and positive poles of peer relationships. These results can be used to design intervention programs to reduce aggressive behavior in children.

Adverse Childhood Experiences, Family Support, and Depression: Evidence from Internal Migrants in China

Previous studies have linked poor family support and adverse childhood experiences (ACEs) to increased risk of depression; however, little is known about the interplay between the two when it comes to their effects on depression. Therefore, the current study examined if family support moderated the cumulative effect of ACEs on depression. Based on data from a migrant survey in Shiyan, Hubei Province, in 2019 (N = 1,326), this study used the ordinary least squares method to analyze the effect of ACEs on depression and evaluate whether family support moderated this effect. Higher exposure to ACEs and lower scores of family support were associated with higher depression levels in adulthood. The moderation model indicated that family support significantly moderated the relationship between ACEs and depression. Appropriate interventions to reduce depression should target internal migrants with history of ACEs. Community nurses should consider ACEs as an integral part of psychosocial assessment. Negative effects of ACEs can be reduced through teaching skills that increase effective family interaction and maintain supportive family networks. [Journal of Psychosocial Nursing and Mental Health Services, 61(3), 19-25.].

The association between the social environment of childhood and adolescence and depression in young adulthood - A prospective cohort study

BACKGROUND

Good social relationships with parents and peers protect children and adolescents from developing mental disorders in adulthood while several negative experiences increase the risk of depression in later life.

METHODS

We used population-based cohort data from the Northern Finland Birth Cohort (NFBC) 1986. Participants (n = 6147), their teachers and parents reported factors associated with the social environment of children and adolescents. Diagnoses of depression of cohort members were derived from Finnish nationwide registers. We conducted regression analyses to assess which factors of the social environment of childhood and adolescence were associated with depression in young adulthood.

RESULTS

Bullying victimization in adolescence was the strongest predictor of depression in young adulthood among girls (OR 2.23: 95% CI 1.47-3.39) and boys (OR 2.44: 95% CI 1.49-4.00). Loneliness and bullying behavior in childhood were associated with depression in boys only. Loneliness in adolescence (OR 1.63: 95% CI 1.30-2.04) was associated with depression among both genders. Spending with the family seemed to protect against the negative impact of bullying and loneliness.

LIMITATIONS

We used single-item study questions to measure social relationships. These questions do not necessarily describe the phenomena as accurately as the measures validated for them.

CONCLUSION

Problems in social relationships with peers in childhood and adolescence are associated with depression in young adulthood. Time spent with the family is emphasized in situations in which adolescents have problems in peer-relationships.

The Impact of Early Neighborhood Cohesion, and Its Mechanism, on Cognitive Function in Later Life

Objectives

This study aimed to explore the impact of early neighborhood cohesion, and its mechanism, on cognitive function in later life.

Methods

In total, 10,727 Chinese elderly, aged 60-90, forming two datasets (2014 and 2018) from the China Health and Retirement Longitudinal Study (CHARLS) were used as a sample. Childhood neighborhood cohesion was measured by the extent of how much neighbors were willing to help and how close-knit neighbors were. Mini-Mental State Examination (MMSE) and Center for Epidemiologic Studies Depression Scale (CESD-10) were used to assess the cognitive functions and depression of the elderly. We used a structural equation model to examine the relationship between early neighborhood cohesion and late-life cognitive function and conducted bootstrapping analyses to assess the mechanism.

Results

Cognitive function was positively predicted by childhood neighborhood cohesion (β = 0.06, p < 0.001), and cognitive function of the elderly were also positively predicted through the mediating effects of childhood friendships, which included depression and social activity participation as two chain paths.

Conclusion

The findings suggest that childhood neighborhood cohesion positively predicts cognitive function among elderly people through the mediating roles of childhood friendship, depression, and social activity engagement. Childhood neighborhood cohesion is correlated with better childhood friendships, then to fewer depression symptoms and greater elderly social activity participation, and finally to better cognitive functions in the elderly.

Internal Migration and Depression Among Junior High School Students in China: A Comparison Between Migrant and Left-Behind Children

Using data from the China Education Panel Survey (CEPS), which was a nationally representative sample of junior high school students, this study examined the association of internal migration with depression among migrant and left-behind children, while exploring the moderating effect of gender difference and the mediating effects of social relationships. The results showed that migrant children had a significantly lower level of depression than left-behind children. Further, the difference in mental health between migrant children and left-behind children was more prominent for boys than girls. The mechanism analyses indicated that compared to left-behind children, internal migration positively predicted parent–child relationships and peer relationships of migrant children, which in turn reduced their depressive symptoms. Although migrant children suffered from a higher level of teacher discrimination than their left-behind counterparts, it had no significant relationship with depression after controlling for children’s social relationships with parents and peers. Our findings suggested that migrating with parents was helpful to reduce children’s depressive symptoms in comparison with being left behind. Therefore, actions should be implemented to reduce the occurrence of involuntary parent–child separation and the prevalence of children’s depressive disorders due to institutional constraints. In addition, necessary treatments are needed to improve the psychological wellbeing of disadvantaged children, especially among left-behind children with mental illness.

Relationships Between Childhood Health Experience and Depression Among Older People: Evidence From China

The assessment of childhood health experience helps to identify the risk of depression among older people. Poor childhood experience is generally associated with depression in adulthood. However, whether such association can be extended to older people' life remains unclear. The history of parental mental health was obtained from 2014 CHARLS Wave 3 (Life History Survey) data while other data from 2011 CHARLS Wave 1 baseline data. The study involves 4,306 respondents. The depression was assessed by the Chinese version of Center for Epidemiologic Studies Depression scales (CES-D) using logistic regression model. More than 40% of older people suffered from depression, 25% of whom experienced poor childhood self-reported health. Nearly 20% of their mothers and more than 10% of their fathers had a history of poor mental health. Poor childhood health experiences have shown to be associated with higher odds of depression (good self-reported health OR: 0.732, p = 0.000, 95% CI: 0.633-0.847; poor mother's mental health OR: 1.391, p = 0.001, 95% CI: 1.138-1.699; poor father's mental health OR: 1.457, p = 0.003, 95% CI: 1.141-1.862). There is a high rate of depression among the older adults in China. In China, older people with poor childhood health experiences are more likely to suffer from depression.

What social determinants outside paid work are related to development of mental health during life? An integrative review of results from the Northern Swedish Cohort

BACKGROUND

Despite global increase in burden of mental health conditions, longitudinal studies on factors related to development of mental health are scarce. Particularly integrated understanding of how factors at each level of ecological system interact to influence mental health of individuals during their life is missing. Both work and outside work (life beyond work) spheres are two important areas in human life which can have independent effects on mental health of individuals. In this integrative review, we aimed to synthesis findings about social determinants outside paid work that are related to development of mental health during life in a 27-year prospective Swedish Cohort study by using Bronfenbrenner's Ecological Systems Theory.

METHODS

The material for this paper consists of all mental health related papers within Northern Swedish Cohort. Papers related to outside paid work exposures of life circumstances were selected. An integrative review was conducted on 27 papers and deductive qualitative content analysis in relation to Bronfenbrenner ecological framework was performed to identify the main themes.

RESULTS

The results of this review showed that class structures and gender order at macro-level permeated into all other levels and finally became embodied in the individuals as symptoms of mental health during life. At the "exo-level" neighbourhood disadvantage was related to mental ill-health of individuals. The importance of parental interaction with other settings, like school, for mental health of individuals was highlighted at "meso-level". At "micro-level" poor social relationships; social and material adversities and inequality in gender relations during adult life were related to mental ill-health.

CONCLUSION

We found mental health of individuals to be related to both unique and common factors manifesting at different socio-ecological levels. Social structures at the macro-level namely class structures and gender order permeate all other levels and eventually become embodied in the individuals as symptoms of mental health during life. Interventions addressing gender and class related inequalities might be of importance for improving mental health of individuals during their life.

3-D health trajectories and related childhood predictors among older adults in China

This study aimed to identify the multi-trajectories of 3-D health of older adults in China and to explore whether the childhood predictors are associated with 3-D health trajectory. Data came from five waves of the China Health and Retirement Longitudinal Study (CHARLS, 2011 to 2018). A multi-trajectory modeling approach was carried out to jointly estimate the trajectories of 3-D health. A multinomial regression model was used to investigate the relationships between childhood predictors and the joint trajectories. We identified three typical joint 3-D health trajectories. Female, childhood health, maternal and paternal educations, childhood friendships, family and neighborhood predictors could all affect 3-D health trajectories of older adults directly or indirectly through adult variables. The 3-D health trajectories showed increasing trends, thus the government should perform more interventions toward the childhood predictors for better health of older adults.