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Grygiel P, Dolata R, Humenny G, Muszyński M. Depressive symptoms and loneliness among early adolescents: a psychometric network analysis approach. J Child Psychol Psychiatry 2024; 65:199-214. [PMID: 37550521 DOI: 10.1111/jcpp.13876] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Accepted: 07/03/2023] [Indexed: 08/09/2023]
Abstract
BACKGROUND Previous studies demonstrate a high prevalence of depression and loneliness among adolescents. Although they often co-occur, the relationship between symptoms of depression and loneliness remains poorly understood. This study investigates: (a) the symptoms of depression that are connected to loneliness; (b) the role played by loneliness in the network of depression symptoms; and (c) whether the method used to measure loneliness (single-item direct or multi-item indirect) affects the relationship of loneliness with depressive symptoms. METHODS Participants were 496 Polish adolescents (50.8% girls) aged 11 to 13, who completed: (a) the 10-item Major Depressive Disorder subscale of the Revised Child Anxiety and Depression Scale; (b) the 11-item De Jong Gierveld Loneliness Scale (indirect loneliness), and (c) a single direct question evaluating loneliness: 'I'm lonely'. Networks were estimated using a Gaussian Graphical Model. RESULTS Loneliness shows a direct relationship with three affective symptoms of depression: sadness, worthlessness, and anhedonia, which mediate relationships with somatic symptoms. In contrast to previous studies, loneliness has the lowest level of centrality among all elements of the network. The method used to assess loneliness did not significantly affect the connections between loneliness and depressive symptoms. CONCLUSIONS Loneliness and depression overlap since they are formed by the same cognitive biases and deficits in emotion regulation but differ in the level of generality. In loneliness, they have an interpersonal context, while symptoms of depression can be intrapersonal. This helps us to understand why cognitive interventions, as compared to those which are social, are more effective in reducing loneliness.
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Affiliation(s)
| | | | | | - Marek Muszyński
- Institute of Philosophy and Sociology Polish Academy of Sciences, Warsaw, Poland
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Jung SI, Lee SY, Kim DJ, Yang CM. Risk Factors and Trends in Adolescent's Suicide Attempt Rates Before and After the Coronavirus Disease 2019 Pandemic. J Korean Med Sci 2024; 39:e32. [PMID: 38258364 PMCID: PMC10803209 DOI: 10.3346/jkms.2024.39.e32] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/05/2023] [Accepted: 10/30/2023] [Indexed: 01/24/2024] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND Understanding adolescents' mental health during the coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic and identifying those most at risk is an urgent public health challenge. This study explored the trend of suicide attempts and the association between loneliness, family financial stress, and suicide attempts during the COVID-19 pandemic among adolescents. METHODS Data of the 2020 to 2022 Korea Youth Risk Behavior Surveys for adolescents aged 13-18 years were used. Multivariate logistic regression analyses were performed to examine the association between suicide attempts, family financial stress, and loneliness during the COVID-19 pandemic. RESULTS The trend of suicide attempt rates was lowest in 2020 (1.9%, 1,034 out of 53,534) and it showed an increasing trend with rates of 2.2% (1,159 out of 53,445) in 2021 and 2.5% (1,271 out of 50,455) in 2022. The risk of suicide attempt was higher among adolescents who experienced financial stress (in 2020: adjusted odds ratio [AOR], 1.53, 95% confidence interval [CI], 1.26-1.88; in 2021: AOR, 1.63, 95% CI, 1.03-1.54) and felt lonely (in 2020: AOR, 2.19, 95% CI, 1.78-2.70; in 2021: AOR, 2.65, 95% CI, 2.16-3.26; in 2022: AOR, 1.3, 95% CI, 1.04-1.55) than those who did not. CONCLUSION The COVID-19 pandemic affected the suicide attempts of adolescents, with financial stress and feelings of loneliness closely linked to this impact. Although the pandemic nears its end, the persistent risk of suicide attempts among adolescents remains a concern. Therefore, it is imperative to implement targeted screening and interventions to address adolescent suicide risk.
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Affiliation(s)
- Su-In Jung
- Department of Psychiatry, Wonkwang University Hospital, Iksan, Korea
| | - Sang-Yeol Lee
- Department of Psychiatry, Wonkwang University Hospital, Iksan, Korea
- Department of Psychiatry, School of Medicine, Wonkwang University, Iksan, Korea
| | - Dae-Jin Kim
- Department of Psychiatry, Incheon Chamsarang Hospital, Incheon, Korea
| | - Chan-Mo Yang
- Department of Psychiatry, Wonkwang University Hospital, Iksan, Korea
- Department of Psychiatry, School of Medicine, Wonkwang University, Iksan, Korea.
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Liang Y, Wang Q, Chen J, Zhang Y, Li S, Xiong M, Ren P. Profiles and Transitions of Loneliness and Depressive Symptoms among Migrant Children: Predictive Role of Bullying Victimization. J Youth Adolesc 2023; 52:2606-2619. [PMID: 37642780 DOI: 10.1007/s10964-023-01847-x] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/02/2023] [Accepted: 08/11/2023] [Indexed: 08/31/2023]
Abstract
Although loneliness and depressive symptoms are particularly prominent among migrant children and often occur simultaneously, little is known about the co-occurring and transitional nature of loneliness and depressive symptoms among migrant children, and the role of bullying victimization on their profiles and transitions. This study examined the profiles and transitions of loneliness and depressive symptoms among migrant children using latent profile analysis and latent transition analysis, as well as how bullying victimization predicted their profile memberships and transitions. A total of 692 migrant children (55.3% males, Mage = 9.41, SD = 0.55, range = 8 to 12 years old at T1) participated in both two waves of the study over six months. The results indicated that low profile (59.2%), moderate profile (22.0%), moderately high profile (14.3%), and high profile (4.5%) were identified at Time 1; low profile (69.4%), predominantly loneliness profile (16.8%), predominantly depressive symptoms profile (6.5%), and high profile (7.3%) were identified at Time 2. Migrant children in at-risk profiles displayed varying degrees of transition. Migrant children experiencing more bullying victimization were more likely to belong or transition to at-risk profiles. The findings highlight the importance of subgroup differences considerations in understanding the co-occurring and transitional nature of loneliness and depressive symptoms, as well as the predictive role of bullying victimization, informing effective strategies for prevention and intervention.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yiting Liang
- Collaborative Innovation Center of Assessment toward Basic Education Quality, Beijing Normal University, No. 19 Xinjiekouwai Street, Beijing, 100875, China
| | - Quanquan Wang
- Collaborative Innovation Center of Assessment toward Basic Education Quality, Beijing Normal University, No. 19 Xinjiekouwai Street, Beijing, 100875, China
| | - Jiahui Chen
- Collaborative Innovation Center of Assessment toward Basic Education Quality, Beijing Normal University, No. 19 Xinjiekouwai Street, Beijing, 100875, China
| | - Yifan Zhang
- Collaborative Innovation Center of Assessment toward Basic Education Quality, Beijing Normal University, No. 19 Xinjiekouwai Street, Beijing, 100875, China
| | - Simeng Li
- Collaborative Innovation Center of Assessment toward Basic Education Quality, Beijing Normal University, No. 19 Xinjiekouwai Street, Beijing, 100875, China
| | - Mingling Xiong
- Collaborative Innovation Center of Assessment toward Basic Education Quality, Beijing Normal University, No. 19 Xinjiekouwai Street, Beijing, 100875, China
| | - Ping Ren
- Collaborative Innovation Center of Assessment toward Basic Education Quality, Beijing Normal University, No. 19 Xinjiekouwai Street, Beijing, 100875, China.
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Parlikar N, Kvaløy K, Strand LB, Espnes GA, Moksnes UK. Loneliness in the Norwegian adolescent population: prevalence trends and relations to mental and self-rated health. BMC Psychiatry 2023; 23:895. [PMID: 38037032 PMCID: PMC10688064 DOI: 10.1186/s12888-023-05404-5] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/19/2023] [Accepted: 11/25/2023] [Indexed: 12/02/2023] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND Loneliness has become a significant public health problem and should be addressed with more research over a broader period. This study investigates the variations in the prevalence of loneliness among a nationally representative study population of Norwegian adolescents over the last three decades and whether age, gender, self-rated health, and mental distress are associated with these changes. METHODS Adolescents aged 13-19 years completed the structured and validated questionnaires from the three waves of the Young-HUNT Study: 1995-1997, 2006-2008, and 2017-2019. Loneliness was measured with one item asking, 'Are you lonely?'. Hopkins Symptom Checklist-5 was used to measure mental distress (cut-off ≥ 2). Self-rated health was assessed by a single question 'How is your health at the moment?' Measures were provided by self-report. Descriptive analyses were stratified by age, gender, self-rated health, and mental distress. Linear-by-Linear association test across survey years was performed to test time trends of loneliness. Logistic regression was used to analyze the cross-sectional associations of self-rated health and mental distress with loneliness, adjusting for sociodemographic factors in all three waves of Young-HUNT. RESULTS Loneliness prevalence doubled from 5.9% in 1995/97 to 10.2% in 2017/19 in the total population sample. The highest loneliness prevalence and an increase from 8.9% in 1995/97 to 16.7% in 2017/19 was observed in girls of 16-19 years. Among mentally distressed adolescents, loneliness increased from 22.3% in 1995/97 to 32.8% in 2006/08 and lowered to 27% in 2017/19. Increasing loneliness prevalence was seen in those with poor self-rated health, i.e., 14.6% in 1995-97 and 26.6% in 2017-19. Mental distress and poor self-rated health were associated with higher odds of loneliness in each wave (p < 0.001). CONCLUSION The results highlight the increasing burden of loneliness in the Norwegian adolescent population, especially girls. Those with mental distress and poor self-rated health have a higher risk of experiencing loneliness. Thus, health-promoting upbringing environments for children and adolescents that support mutual affinity, social support, integration, and belongingness in adolescents' daily arenas are essential.
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Affiliation(s)
- Nayan Parlikar
- Department of Public Health and Nursing, Faculty of Medicine and Health Sciences, Norwegian University of Science and Technology, Trondheim, Norway.
| | - Kirsti Kvaløy
- HUNT Research Centre, Department of Public Health and Nursing, Faculty of Medicine and Health Sciences, Norwegian University of Science and Technology, Levanger, Norway
- Levanger Hospital, Nord-Trøndelag Hospital Trust, Levanger, Norway
- Centre for Sami Health Research, Department of Community Medicine, UiT - The Arctic University of Norway, Tromsø, Norway
| | - Linn Beate Strand
- Department of Public Health and Nursing, Faculty of Medicine and Health Sciences, Norwegian University of Science and Technology, Trondheim, Norway
| | - Geir Arild Espnes
- Department of Public Health and Nursing, Faculty of Medicine and Health Sciences, Norwegian University of Science and Technology, Trondheim, Norway
| | - Unni Karin Moksnes
- Department of Public Health and Nursing, Faculty of Medicine and Health Sciences, Norwegian University of Science and Technology, Trondheim, Norway
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Hillert S, Naab S, Hillert A. [Loneliness in Adolescents Against the Background of the COVID-19 Pandemic: A Risk Factor]. ZEITSCHRIFT FUR KINDER- UND JUGENDPSYCHIATRIE UND PSYCHOTHERAPIE 2023; 51:139-151. [PMID: 35904434 DOI: 10.1024/1422-4917/a000889] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/19/2022]
Abstract
Loneliness in Adolescents Against the Background of the COVID-19 Pandemic: A Risk Factor Abstract. On the one hand, loneliness is the subjective experience of inadequate social integration and support. It is a normal phenomenon that can be dealt with in an emotional and action-oriented way within the framework of individual development. On the other hand, chronic loneliness goes hand in hand with considerable suffering, reduced quality of life, and an increased risk of psychological and somatic diseases. In the context of current social developments associated with the fragmentation of social networks and programmatic individualism, we discuss an increase in the problem of loneliness, especially among young people. Interventions to reduce the experience of loneliness are effective if, in addition to making social offers, they focus on the dynamics common in chronic loneliness (low self-esteem, evaluation of neutral communication as devaluing, etc.). There is no evidence that the use of virtual social networks persistently reduces feelings of loneliness in young people. In addition, the question arises on what basis of shared values and goals social integration of young people who experience loneliness will be possible in the future. According to the results of the first systematic surveys on the psychosocial consequences of the COVID-19 pandemic, we must assume that the loneliness problem of young people will continue to gain relevance because of the associated massive restrictions on real social life.
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Affiliation(s)
- Sophia Hillert
- Schön Klinik Roseneck, Prien am Chiemsee, Deutschland.,PFH Göttingen, Deutschland.,Tiroler Landeskonservatorium, Innsbruck, Österreich
| | - Silke Naab
- Schön Klinik Roseneck, Prien am Chiemsee, Deutschland
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Hemberg J, Östman L, Korzhina Y, Groundstroem H, Nyström L, Nyman-Kurkiala P. Loneliness as experienced by adolescents and young adults: an explorative qualitative study. INTERNATIONAL JOURNAL OF ADOLESCENCE AND YOUTH 2022. [DOI: 10.1080/02673843.2022.2109422] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 10/15/2022] Open
Affiliation(s)
- Jessica Hemberg
- Department of Caring Sciences, Faculty of Education and Welfare Studies, Åbo Akademi University, Vaasa, Finland
| | - Lillemor Östman
- Childcare and Education Department, Luleå Municipality, Luleå Sweden
| | - Yulia Korzhina
- Department of Caring Sciences, Faculty of Education and Welfare Studies, Åbo Akademi University, Vaasa, Finland
| | | | - Lisbet Nyström
- Department of Caring Sciences, Faculty of Education and Welfare Studies, Åbo Akademi University, Vaasa, Finland
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Berberian S, Patock-Peckham JA, Guarino K, Gupta T, Sanabria F, Infurna F. Does loneliness before the age of twelve indirectly affect impaired control over drinking, alcohol use, and problems through perceived stress? Addict Behav Rep 2022; 16:100448. [PMID: 35875348 PMCID: PMC9301507 DOI: 10.1016/j.abrep.2022.100448] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/27/2022] [Revised: 06/21/2022] [Accepted: 07/10/2022] [Indexed: 11/03/2022] Open
Abstract
Loneliness is the pain of feeling socially isolated from others (Russell et al., 1980). The Stress-Dampening Hypothesis (Marlatt, 1987; Sayette, 1993; Sher, 1987) posits that individuals drink to alleviate negative affect. To date, it has not been determined whether loneliness experienced as a child can indirectly influence at-risk patterns of alcohol use through the mediating mechanism of stress and impaired control. Impaired control over alcohol use (IC) is the difficulty adhering to one's own self-proscribed limits on drinking behaviors (Heather et al., 1993). Impaired control is an at-risk pattern of use that is particularly relevant to emerging adults. Methods: We examined the direct and indirect relationships between childhood loneliness, stress, IC, and alcohol-related problems with a structural equation model. In a college student sample, we utilized a (k = 20,000) bootstrap technique and a model indirect command in Mplus to examine potential mediational pathways. Cisgender sex was included as a covariate. Results: Loneliness was directly linked to stress as well as to alcohol-related problems. Higher levels of loneliness were indirectly linked to both more alcohol use and alcohol-related problems through more stress and in turn, more impaired control over drinking. Conclusions: The current study is consistent with the Stress Dampening Hypothesis (Marlatt, 1987; Sayette, 1993; Sher, 1987). Our findings suggest that therapeutic interventions combating loneliness in childhood may disrupt the stress-dampening pathway to dysregulated alcohol use in emerging adulthood.
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Affiliation(s)
- S Berberian
- Arizona State University, Department of Psychology, Tempe, AZ 85287-1104, USA
| | - J A Patock-Peckham
- Arizona State University, Department of Psychology, Tempe, AZ 85287-1104, USA
| | - K Guarino
- Arizona State University, Department of Psychology, Tempe, AZ 85287-1104, USA
| | - T Gupta
- Arizona State University, Department of Psychology, Tempe, AZ 85287-1104, USA
| | - F Sanabria
- Arizona State University, Department of Psychology, Tempe, AZ 85287-1104, USA
| | - F Infurna
- Arizona State University, Department of Psychology, Tempe, AZ 85287-1104, USA
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Vuscan ME, Faludi C, Rusu SI, Vica ML, Balici S, Siserman CV, Coman HG, Matei HV. Determinants of Suicide Ideation in the Romanian Population. INTERNATIONAL JOURNAL OF ENVIRONMENTAL RESEARCH AND PUBLIC HEALTH 2022; 19:10384. [PMID: 36012016 PMCID: PMC9408719 DOI: 10.3390/ijerph191610384] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/01/2022] [Revised: 08/12/2022] [Accepted: 08/18/2022] [Indexed: 06/15/2023]
Abstract
BACKGROUND Suicide ideation and behaviors are directly linked to the risk of death by suicide. In Romania, as well as worldwide, increased suicide rates were observed in the recent past, more so in the context of the COVID-19 pandemic. The purpose of this study was to investigate the influence of psychosocial factors, quality of life (QOL), and loneliness dimensions and adverse life antecedents on suicide ideation (SI) and prolonged sadness (PS). METHODS This cross-sectional quantitative research study used a CATI data gathering method to investigate 1102 randomly selected individuals over 18 years of age regarding various determinants of SI and PS. Data were collected in June 2021. Descriptive, inferential, and multivariate statistics were used for data analysis. RESULTS SI was negatively correlated with all the assessed psychosocial factors, more significantly with family relationships, wealth, health, social relationships, and affective life. Stronger correlations were observed when investigating the state of prolonged sadness, sex, and affective lives along with health and income, which were more influential. SI was negatively correlated with QOL and positively correlated with adverse life events and total loneliness scores. Lesser educated youngsters with reduced overall happiness and a history of depression, self-harm, and trauma were at greater risk of developing SI. CONCLUSIONS This is the first national study exploring the suicide ideation and prolonged sadness in relation to psychosocial factors, quality of life, and adverse life events. These results have important implications for suicide prevention programs, which should be designed in accordance with similar studies.
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Affiliation(s)
- Mihaela Elvira Vuscan
- Department of Cellular and Molecular Biology, Iuliu Haṭieganu University of Medicine and Pharmacy, 400349 Cluj-Napoca, Romania
- Legal Medicine Institute, 400006 Cluj-Napoca, Romania
| | - Cristina Faludi
- Department of Social Work, “Babeṣ Bolyai” University, 400604 Cluj-Napoca, Romania
| | - Sergiu Ionica Rusu
- Doctoral School of Sociology, “Babeṣ Bolyai” University, 400604 Cluj-Napoca, Romania
| | - Mihaela Laura Vica
- Department of Cellular and Molecular Biology, Iuliu Haṭieganu University of Medicine and Pharmacy, 400349 Cluj-Napoca, Romania
- Legal Medicine Institute, 400006 Cluj-Napoca, Romania
| | - Stefana Balici
- Department of Cellular and Molecular Biology, Iuliu Haṭieganu University of Medicine and Pharmacy, 400349 Cluj-Napoca, Romania
| | - Costel Vasile Siserman
- Legal Medicine Institute, 400006 Cluj-Napoca, Romania
- Department of Legal Medicine, Iuliu Haṭieganu University of Medicine and Pharmacy, 400349 Cluj-Napoca, Romania
| | - Horia George Coman
- Department of Medical Psychology, Iuliu Haṭieganu University of Medicine and Pharmacy, 400349 Cluj-Napoca, Romania
| | - Horea Vladi Matei
- Department of Cellular and Molecular Biology, Iuliu Haṭieganu University of Medicine and Pharmacy, 400349 Cluj-Napoca, Romania
- Legal Medicine Institute, 400006 Cluj-Napoca, Romania
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Nishimura T, Murakami T, Sakurai S. Interpersonal predictors of loneliness in Japanese children: variable- and person-centered approaches. BMC Psychol 2022; 10:164. [PMID: 35768854 PMCID: PMC9245278 DOI: 10.1186/s40359-022-00853-1] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/13/2021] [Accepted: 05/23/2022] [Indexed: 11/10/2022] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND Loneliness in children has been a major topic of interest in both clinical and developmental psychology. Further studies to investigate predictors of loneliness are needed for educational practices. METHODS A total of 1088 late elementary school-aged children (48.81% boys, Mage = 10.35) participated in a 1-year longitudinal survey. We used hierarchical linear modeling and mover-stayer latent transition analysis. DISCUSSION Findings from the variable- and person- centered approaches suggested that less positive peer relations, higher victimization, and higher relational aggression are predictors of higher future loneliness. Meanwhile, both approaches did not reach an agreement concerning predictors to reduce loneliness. This result highlighted a utility of a combined approach and sounded an alarm for overreliance on the variable-centered approach dominating child research. CONCLUSION To protect young children from loneliness, it will be more beneficial to prevent the development of loneliness rather than to apply interventions to reduce loneliness once established. Preventive practices need to be implemented to protect children from loneliness.
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Affiliation(s)
- Takuma Nishimura
- Faculty of Education, Fukuyama City University, Hiroshima, Fukuyama, Japan.
| | - Tatsuya Murakami
- Faculty of Health and Sports Science, Juntendo University, Inzai, Chiba, Japan
| | - Shigeo Sakurai
- Graduate School of Comprehensive Human Sciences, University of Tsukuba, Tsukuba, Ibaraki, Japan
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Pomrenze MB, Paliarin F, Maiya R. Friend of the Devil: Negative Social Influences Driving Substance Use Disorders. Front Behav Neurosci 2022; 16:836996. [PMID: 35221948 PMCID: PMC8866771 DOI: 10.3389/fnbeh.2022.836996] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/16/2021] [Accepted: 01/13/2022] [Indexed: 11/20/2022] Open
Abstract
Substance use disorders in humans have significant social influences, both positive and negative. While prosocial behaviors promote group cooperation and are naturally rewarding, distressing social encounters, such as aggression exhibited by a conspecific, are aversive and can enhance the sensitivity to rewarding substances, promote the acquisition of drug-taking, and reinstate drug-seeking. On the other hand, withdrawal and prolonged abstinence from drugs of abuse can promote social avoidance and suppress social motivation, accentuating drug cravings and facilitating relapse. Understanding how complex social states and experiences modulate drug-seeking behaviors as well as the underlying circuit dynamics, such as those interacting with mesolimbic reward systems, will greatly facilitate progress on understanding triggers of drug use, drug relapse and the chronicity of substance use disorders. Here we discuss some of the common circuit mechanisms underlying social and addictive behaviors that may underlie their antagonistic functions. We also highlight key neurochemicals involved in social influences over addiction that are frequently identified in comorbid psychiatric conditions. Finally, we integrate these data with recent findings on (±)3,4-methylenedioxymethamphetamine (MDMA) that suggest functional segregation and convergence of social and reward circuits that may be relevant to substance use disorder treatment through the competitive nature of these two types of reward. More studies focused on the relationship between social behavior and addictive behavior we hope will spur the development of treatment strategies aimed at breaking vicious addiction cycles.
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Affiliation(s)
- Matthew B. Pomrenze
- Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences, Stanford University, Stanford, CA, United States
- *Correspondence: Matthew B. Pomrenze Rajani Maiya
| | - Franciely Paliarin
- Department of Physiology, Louisiana State University Health Sciences Center, New Orleans, LA, United States
| | - Rajani Maiya
- Department of Physiology, Louisiana State University Health Sciences Center, New Orleans, LA, United States
- *Correspondence: Matthew B. Pomrenze Rajani Maiya
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Koukouriki E, Athanasopoulou E, Andreoulakis E. Feelings of Loneliness and Social Dissatisfaction in Siblings of Children with Autism Spectrum Disorders: The Role of Birth Order and Perceived Social Support. J Autism Dev Disord 2021; 52:4722-4738. [PMID: 34741232 DOI: 10.1007/s10803-021-05308-x] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Accepted: 09/24/2021] [Indexed: 11/29/2022]
Abstract
Loneliness has been associated with several adverse psychosocial outcomes in childhood and adolescence. The present study aimed to investigate feelings of loneliness and social dissatisfaction in school-aged typically-developing (TD) siblings of children with an autism spectrum disorder (ASD). For this purpose, 118 siblings of children with ASD and 115 siblings of TD children and one of their parents participated in this study. Siblings of ASD-children reported higher levels of loneliness and social dissatisfaction than the controls. The hierarchical multiple regressions performed revealed that those feelings were inversely associated with being the first-born and with specific aspects of social support as perceived by the parent. The younger siblings of ASD-children seem to be in need of certain interventions beyond social support.
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Affiliation(s)
- Evangelia Koukouriki
- Special Education Laboratory, Department of Primary Education, University of Ioannina, Ioannina, Greece. .,Centre for Educational and Counseling Services of Trikala, 2 Botsari str, 42132, Trikala, Greece.
| | - Evangelini Athanasopoulou
- Community Centre for Mental Health of Children and Adolescents, Department of Child and Adolescent Psychiatry, General Hospital of Thessaloniki "G. Papanikolaou", 57010, Thessaloníki, Greece
| | - Elias Andreoulakis
- Adult Psychiatric Unit, Department of Thessaloniki, Hellenic Centre for Mental Health and Research, Thessaloníki, Greece
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Rich Madsen K, Tjørnhøj-Thomsen T, Jervelund SS, Qualter P, Holstein BE. Lonely, but Not Alone: Qualitative Study among Immigrant and Native-Born Adolescents. INTERNATIONAL JOURNAL OF ENVIRONMENTAL RESEARCH AND PUBLIC HEALTH 2021; 18:11425. [PMID: 34769942 PMCID: PMC8582986 DOI: 10.3390/ijerph182111425] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/17/2021] [Revised: 10/15/2021] [Accepted: 10/19/2021] [Indexed: 11/16/2022]
Abstract
This paper explores loneliness as it is understood and experienced by adolescents, with a special focus on the importance of their migration status. We recruited students from five schools following a maximum variation sampling scheme, and we conducted 15 semi-structured, individual interviews with eighth-grade adolescents (aged 14-15 years) that were immigrants, descendants, and with a Danish majority background. A thematic analysis was applied with a special focus on differences and similarities in understanding and experiencing loneliness between adolescents with diverse migration status. The results showed more similarities than differences in loneliness. Generally, loneliness was described as an adverse feeling, varying in intensity and duration, and participants referenced distressing emotions. Feeling lonely was distinguished from being alone and characterized as an invisible social stigma. A variety of perceived social deficiencies were emphasized as causing loneliness, emerging in the interrelation between characteristics of the individual and their social context. The results add to the current literature by highlighting that it is not the presence of specific individual characteristics that causes loneliness; instead, loneliness is dependent on the social contexts the individual is embedded in. Differences across migration status were few and related to variations in the adolescents' individual characteristics. The findings highlight the importance of (1) studying the characteristics of both the individual and the social context in research on the antecedents to adolescents' loneliness, and (2) applying this perspective in other studies on the importance of migration status.
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Affiliation(s)
- Katrine Rich Madsen
- The National Institute of Public Health, University of Southern Denmark, 5230 Odense, Denmark;
| | - Tine Tjørnhøj-Thomsen
- The National Institute of Public Health, University of Southern Denmark, 5230 Odense, Denmark;
| | - Signe Smith Jervelund
- Section for Health Services Research, Department of Public Health, University of Copenhagen, 1014 Copenhagen, Denmark;
| | - Pamela Qualter
- Manchester Institute of Education, University of Manchester, Manchester M13 9PL, UK;
| | - Bjørn E. Holstein
- The National Institute of Public Health, University of Southern Denmark, 5230 Odense, Denmark;
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Zhang X, Xun Y, Wang L, Zhang J, Hou W, Ma H, Cai W, Li L, Guo Q, Li Y, Lv Z, Jia R, Tai F, He Z. Involvement of the dopamine system in the effect of chronic social isolation during adolescence on social behaviors in male C57 mice. Brain Res 2021; 1765:147497. [PMID: 33894223 DOI: 10.1016/j.brainres.2021.147497] [Citation(s) in RCA: 9] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/20/2020] [Revised: 03/22/2021] [Accepted: 04/18/2021] [Indexed: 01/10/2023]
Abstract
In the early stage of life, experiencing social isolation can generate long-lasting deleterious effects on behaviors and brain development. However, the effects of chronic social isolation during adolescence on social behaviors and its underlying neurobiological mechanisms remain unclear. The present study found that four weeks of social isolation during adolescence impaired social recognition ability in the three-chamber test and five-trial social recognition test, and increased aggressive-like behaviors, but reduced environmental exploration, as showed in the social interaction test. Chronic social isolation decreased levels of dopamine D2 receptor in the shell of the nucleus accumbens (NAcc) and medial prefrontal cortex. It also reduced TH in the NAcc. Using in vivo fiber photometry, it was also found that isolated mice displayed a reduction in NAcc shell activity upon exploring unfamiliar social stimuli. An injection of a 100 ng dose of the D2R agonist quinpirole into the shell of the NAcc reversed behavioral abnormalities induced by chronic social isolation. These data suggest that the dopamine system is involved in alterations in social behaviors induced by chronic social isolation. This finding sheds light on the mechanism underlying abnormalities in social behavior induced by adolescent chronic social isolation and provides a promising target to treat mental diseases relevant to social isolation.
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Affiliation(s)
- Xueni Zhang
- Institute of Brain and Behavioral Sciences, College of Life Sciences, Shaanxi Normal University, Xi'an 710062, China
| | - Yufeng Xun
- Institute of Brain and Behavioral Sciences, College of Life Sciences, Shaanxi Normal University, Xi'an 710062, China
| | - Limin Wang
- Institute of Brain and Behavioral Sciences, College of Life Sciences, Shaanxi Normal University, Xi'an 710062, China
| | - Jing Zhang
- Institute of Brain and Behavioral Sciences, College of Life Sciences, Shaanxi Normal University, Xi'an 710062, China
| | - Wenjuan Hou
- Institute of Brain and Behavioral Sciences, College of Life Sciences, Shaanxi Normal University, Xi'an 710062, China
| | - Huan Ma
- Institute of Brain and Behavioral Sciences, College of Life Sciences, Shaanxi Normal University, Xi'an 710062, China
| | - Wenqi Cai
- Institute of Brain and Behavioral Sciences, College of Life Sciences, Shaanxi Normal University, Xi'an 710062, China
| | - Laifu Li
- Institute of Brain and Behavioral Sciences, College of Life Sciences, Shaanxi Normal University, Xi'an 710062, China
| | - Qianqian Guo
- Institute of Brain and Behavioral Sciences, College of Life Sciences, Shaanxi Normal University, Xi'an 710062, China
| | - Yitong Li
- Institute of Brain and Behavioral Sciences, College of Life Sciences, Shaanxi Normal University, Xi'an 710062, China
| | - Zijian Lv
- Institute of Brain and Behavioral Sciences, College of Life Sciences, Shaanxi Normal University, Xi'an 710062, China
| | - Rui Jia
- Institute of Brain and Behavioral Sciences, College of Life Sciences, Shaanxi Normal University, Xi'an 710062, China
| | - Fadao Tai
- Institute of Brain and Behavioral Sciences, College of Life Sciences, Shaanxi Normal University, Xi'an 710062, China.
| | - Zhixiong He
- Institute of Brain and Behavioral Sciences, College of Life Sciences, Shaanxi Normal University, Xi'an 710062, China
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Fumero A, Marrero RJ, Pérez-Albéniz A, Fonseca-Pedrero E. Adolescents' Bipolar Experiences and Suicide Risk: Well-being and Mental Health Difficulties as Mediators. INTERNATIONAL JOURNAL OF ENVIRONMENTAL RESEARCH AND PUBLIC HEALTH 2021; 18:ijerph18063024. [PMID: 33804197 PMCID: PMC7998787 DOI: 10.3390/ijerph18063024] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/29/2020] [Revised: 02/18/2021] [Accepted: 03/05/2021] [Indexed: 12/22/2022]
Abstract
Bipolar disorder is usually accompanied by a high suicide risk. The main aim was to identify the risk and protective factors involved in suicide risk in adolescents with bipolar experiences. Of a total of 1506 adolescents, 467 (31%) were included in the group reporting bipolar experiences or symptoms, 214 males (45.8%) and 253 (54.2%) females. The mean age was 16.22 (SD = 1.36), with the age range between 14 and 19. Suicide risk, behavioral and emotional difficulties, prosocial capacities, well-being, and bipolar experiences were assessed through self-report. Mediation analyses, taking gender as a moderator and controlling age as a covariate, were applied to estimate suicide risk. The results indicated that the effect of bipolar experiences on suicide risk is mediated by behavioral and emotional difficulties rather than by prosocial behavior and subjective well-being. Specifically, emotional problems, problems with peers, behavior problems, and difficulties associated with hyperactivity were the most important variables. This relationship was not modulated by gender. However, the indirect effects of some mediators varied according to gender. These results support the development of suicide risk prevention strategies focused on reducing emotional difficulties, behavioral problems, and difficulties in relationships with others.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ascensión Fumero
- Department of Clinical Psychology, Psychobiology and Methodology, University of La Laguna, 38200 La Laguna, Tenerife, Spain;
- Correspondence: ; Tel.: +34-922-317-960
| | - Rosario J. Marrero
- Department of Clinical Psychology, Psychobiology and Methodology, University of La Laguna, 38200 La Laguna, Tenerife, Spain;
| | - Alicia Pérez-Albéniz
- Department of Educational Sciences, University of La Rioja, 26002 Logroño, La Rioja, Spain; (A.P.-A.); (E.F.-P.)
| | - Eduardo Fonseca-Pedrero
- Department of Educational Sciences, University of La Rioja, 26002 Logroño, La Rioja, Spain; (A.P.-A.); (E.F.-P.)
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15
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The mediating role of adolescents' loneliness and social withdrawal in the association between maternal depressive symptoms and suicidality in adolescence: A 20-year population-based study. Dev Psychopathol 2021; 34:1045-1053. [PMID: 33487191 DOI: 10.1017/s0954579420001753] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/05/2022]
Abstract
We examined whether adolescents' loneliness and social withdrawal mediated the association between maternal depressive symptoms and adolescent suicidality. Secondary analyses on the Québec Longitudinal Study of Child Development data were conducted (n = 1,623). Each mother completed the Centre for Epidemiologic Studies Depression Scale (at child ages 5 months, 1.5, 3.5, 5, and 7 years). Adolescent's social withdrawal (adolescent, father, and teacher reported at 10, 12, and 13 years) and loneliness (adolescent reported at 10, 12, and 13 years), were assessed using items from the Social Behavior Questionnaire and the Loneliness and Social Satisfaction Questionnaire, respectively. Adolescents completed self-reports to assess suicidal thoughts and attempts at 13, 15, 17, and 20 years. Children of mothers with higher levels of maternal depressive symptoms had an increased risk for suicidality (OR = 1.15, 95% CI: 1.03-1.28). Loneliness explained 16% of the total effect of maternal depressive symptoms on adolescent suicidality (indirect effect OR = 1.02, 95% CI: 1.00-1.04). There was no indirect effect of maternal depressive symptoms on adolescent suicidal outcomes via social withdrawal (indirect effect OR = 1.00, 95% CI: 0.99-1.02). Interventions that target loneliness may be beneficial for decreasing the risk for suicidality among adolescents of mothers with depressive symptoms.
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Influence of social isolation caused by coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) on the psychological characteristics of hospitalized schizophrenia patients: a case-control study. Transl Psychiatry 2020; 10:411. [PMID: 33235185 PMCID: PMC7685525 DOI: 10.1038/s41398-020-01098-5] [Citation(s) in RCA: 29] [Impact Index Per Article: 7.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/28/2020] [Revised: 10/16/2020] [Accepted: 11/05/2020] [Indexed: 12/15/2022] Open
Abstract
Coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) has been classified as a pandemic, and mental hospitals located in epidemic centers have been affected. Social isolation is an important and irreplaceable measure to control the spread of the epidemic. In this study, schizophrenic patients who were subjected to social isolation after close contact with COVID-19 patients were used as participants to explore the impact of social isolation on common inflammatory indicators and psychological characteristics. A total of 30 patients with schizophrenia were recruited from Wuhan Mental Health Center. In addition, 30 ordinary schizophrenic patients were matched with the isolation group and were recruited from another branch of Wuhan Mental Health Center as controls. We compared the differences in common inflammatory indicators and psychological characteristics between the isolated group and the control group, and longitudinal comparison of the differences in the above indicators before and after isolation among the isolation group. The Chinese Perceived Stress Scale (CPSS) score, Hamilton Depression Scale (HAMD) score and Hamilton Anxiety Scale (HAMA) score of the isolation group were significantly higher than those of the control group (p = 0.00, 0.00, 0.00, respectively). The C-reactive protein (CRP) level, CPSS score, HAMA score and Pittsburgh sleep quality index (PSQI) score of the isolation group were significantly higher after isolation (p = 0.01, 0.00, 0.00, 0.00, 0.00, respectively). Inpatients of schizophrenia suffered from social isolation due to COVID-19 have a severe psychological burden. Social isolation caused patients to develop a weak inflammatory state and led to worse anxiety and sleep quality.
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Rapid Systematic Review: The Impact of Social Isolation and Loneliness on the Mental Health of Children and Adolescents in the Context of COVID-19. J Am Acad Child Adolesc Psychiatry 2020; 59:1218-1239.e3. [PMID: 32504808 PMCID: PMC7267797 DOI: 10.1016/j.jaac.2020.05.009] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1189] [Impact Index Per Article: 297.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/30/2020] [Revised: 05/27/2020] [Accepted: 05/28/2020] [Indexed: 12/20/2022]
Abstract
OBJECTIVE Disease containment of COVID-19 has necessitated widespread social isolation. We aimed to establish what is known about how loneliness and disease containment measures impact on the mental health in children and adolescents. METHOD For this rapid review, we searched MEDLINE, PsycInfo, and Web of Science for articles published between January 1, 1946, and March 29, 2020. Of the articles, 20% were double screened using predefined criteria, and 20% of data was double extracted for quality assurance. RESULTS A total of 83 articles (80 studies) met inclusion criteria. Of these, 63 studies reported on the impact of social isolation and loneliness on the mental health of previously healthy children and adolescents (n = 51,576; mean age 15.3 years). In all, 61 studies were observational, 18 were longitudinal, and 43 were cross-sectional studies assessing self-reported loneliness in healthy children and adolescents. One of these studies was a retrospective investigation after a pandemic. Two studies evaluated interventions. Studies had a high risk of bias, although longitudinal studies were of better methodological quality. Social isolation and loneliness increased the risk of depression, and possibly anxiety at the time at which loneliness was measured and between 0.25 and 9 years later. Duration of loneliness was more strongly correlated with mental health symptoms than intensity of loneliness. CONCLUSION Children and adolescents are probably more likely to experience high rates of depression and most likely anxiety during and after enforced isolation ends. This may increase as enforced isolation continues. Clinical services should offer preventive support and early intervention where possible and be prepared for an increase in mental health problems.
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18
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Madsen KR, Holstein BE, Damsgaard MT, Rayce SB, Jespersen LN, Due P. Trends in social inequality in loneliness among adolescents 1991-2014. J Public Health (Oxf) 2020; 41:e133-e140. [PMID: 30053062 DOI: 10.1093/pubmed/fdy133] [Citation(s) in RCA: 35] [Impact Index Per Article: 8.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/12/2017] [Revised: 04/06/2018] [Accepted: 07/06/2018] [Indexed: 11/15/2022] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND Loneliness and social inequality in health are important public health concerns. We examined (i) trends in loneliness among adolescents from 1991 to 2014 in Denmark and (ii) trends in social inequality in loneliness. METHODS Study population: 11-15-year olds in random samples of schools in 1991, 1994, 1998, 2006 and 2014, n = 19 096. Loneliness was measured by a single item and social background by parents' occupational social class (OSC). We calculated absolute (%) differences in loneliness between high and low OSC and relative differences by odds ratio for loneliness. RESULTS Across all surveys, 6.3% reported feeling lonely. The prevalence increased from 4.4% in 1991 to 7.2% in 2014. The prevalence of loneliness in high, middle and low OSC was 5.8, 5.9 and 8.0%. The increase in loneliness was more pronounced in higher than lower OSC, resulting in a decreasing absolute social inequality in loneliness. The statistical interaction between OSC and survey year was significant, P = 0.0176, i.e. the relative social inequality in loneliness also decreased from 1991 to 2014. CONCLUSION The prevalence of loneliness increased from 1991 to 2014. The social inequality in loneliness decreased in both absolute and relative terms because of a rising prevalence of loneliness among children from high OSC.
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Affiliation(s)
- K R Madsen
- University of Southern Denmark, National Institute of Public Health, Studiestræde 6, Copenhagen, Denmark
| | - B E Holstein
- University of Southern Denmark, National Institute of Public Health, Studiestræde 6, Copenhagen, Denmark
| | - M T Damsgaard
- University of Southern Denmark, National Institute of Public Health, Studiestræde 6, Copenhagen, Denmark
| | - S B Rayce
- VIVE-the Danish Center for Social Science Research, Herluf Trolles Gade 11, Copenhagen, Denmark
| | - L N Jespersen
- University of Southern Denmark, National Institute of Public Health, Studiestræde 6, Copenhagen, Denmark
| | - P Due
- University of Southern Denmark, National Institute of Public Health, Studiestræde 6, Copenhagen, Denmark
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Richardson C, Oar E, Fardouly J, Magson N, Johnco C, Forbes M, Rapee R. The Moderating Role of Sleep in the Relationship Between Social Isolation and Internalising Problems in Early Adolescence. Child Psychiatry Hum Dev 2019; 50:1011-1020. [PMID: 31152375 DOI: 10.1007/s10578-019-00901-9] [Citation(s) in RCA: 18] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/21/2022]
Abstract
Social isolation may be a unique risk factor for depression and anxiety in early adolescence. However, optimal sleep may protect adolescents from the emotional sequela of social isolation. The present study aimed to investigate whether sleep moderates the relationship between social isolation and symptoms of anxiety and depression in early adolescence. Five hundred and twenty eight early adolescents (M = 11.18 years, SD = 0.56, range 10-12 years, 51% male) completed online questionnaires assessing social isolation, sleep duration, daytime sleepiness and symptoms of generalised anxiety, social anxiety, separation anxiety and depression. Sleep duration moderated the effect of social isolation on symptoms of generalised anxiety, social anxiety and depression, but not separation anxiety. Daytime sleepiness emerged as an additional sleep-related risk factor in the relationship between social isolation and depressive symptoms. Therefore, sleep may be an important modifiable risk or protective factor to target, in the prevention of depression and anxiety in adolescence.
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Affiliation(s)
- C Richardson
- Department of Psychology, Centre for Emotional Health, Macquarie University, Sydney, NSW, Australia.
| | - E Oar
- Department of Psychology, Centre for Emotional Health, Macquarie University, Sydney, NSW, Australia
| | - J Fardouly
- Department of Psychology, Centre for Emotional Health, Macquarie University, Sydney, NSW, Australia
| | - N Magson
- Department of Psychology, Centre for Emotional Health, Macquarie University, Sydney, NSW, Australia
| | - C Johnco
- Department of Psychology, Centre for Emotional Health, Macquarie University, Sydney, NSW, Australia
| | - M Forbes
- Department of Psychology, Centre for Emotional Health, Macquarie University, Sydney, NSW, Australia
| | - R Rapee
- Department of Psychology, Centre for Emotional Health, Macquarie University, Sydney, NSW, Australia
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20
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Arimoto A, Tadaka E. Reliability and validity of Japanese versions of the UCLA loneliness scale version 3 for use among mothers with infants and toddlers: a cross-sectional study. BMC WOMENS HEALTH 2019; 19:105. [PMID: 31349835 PMCID: PMC6660924 DOI: 10.1186/s12905-019-0792-4] [Citation(s) in RCA: 55] [Impact Index Per Article: 11.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/06/2019] [Accepted: 06/30/2019] [Indexed: 11/25/2022]
Abstract
Background Mothers with infants and toddlers are a potential target population for the prevention or alleviation of feelings of loneliness. However, the theory and methods for measuring loneliness among mothers with infants and toddlers have yet to be standardized worldwide, including in Japan. Our goal was to evaluate the reliability and validity of the Japanese version of the UCLA Loneliness Scale Version 3 (UCLA-LS3-J), as well as two short-form versions—the 10-item UCLA-LS3 (SF-10) and the 3-item UCLA-LS3 (SF-3)—for the measurement of loneliness in mothers with infants and toddlers in Japan. Methods This cross-sectional study was conducted using a self-report questionnaire. The target population was 430 mothers with infants and toddlers who visited a community health center in Yokohama City in Japan. Questionnaire items encompassed the UCLA-LS3-J, as well as demographic data, the feeling for childrearing scale, and measures of social networks and subjective health status. The reliability and validity of the UCLA-LS3-J and its two short-form versions (SF-3 and SF-10) were determined via IBM SPSS Amos and SPSS Statistics 22. Results Questionnaires were returned by 248 mothers (valid response rate: 57.7%) aged 32.7 ± 4.6 (mean ± SD) years. The mean score on the UCLA-LS3-J was 38.4 ± 9.7 (range 20.0–73.0), with a normal distribution. When confirmatory factor analysis was carried out (for a single factor model), the goodness of fit of the model was almost identical to that of the original UCLA-LS3 version for the UCLA-LS3-J: (GFI = 0.882, AGFI = 0.840, CFI = 0.932, RMSEA = 0.066) and SF-10: (GFI = 0.942, AGFI = 0.900, CFI = 0.956, RMSEA = 0.081). The SF-3 model also showed an acceptable fit. The UCLA-LS3-J total score was significantly correlated with the total score on the SF-10 (r = 0.965) and SF-3 (r = 0.868). The Cronbach’s α coefficient of the UCLA-LS3-J was 0.926, while those of the SF-10 and SF-3 were 0.888 and 0.790, respectively. The score on the UCLA-LS3-J was positively correlated with childcare burden (r = .319, p < 0.001) and negatively correlated with social networks (r = −.438, p < 0.001). Conclusions This study indicated that the reliability and validity of the UCLA-LS3-J as well as its two short-form versions were adequate for assessing loneliness in mothers with infants and toddlers in Japan. Electronic supplementary material The online version of this article (10.1186/s12905-019-0792-4) contains supplementary material, which is available to authorized users.
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Affiliation(s)
- Azusa Arimoto
- Department of Community Health Nursing, Division of Nursing, Graduate School of Medicine, Yokohama City University, 3-9 Fukuura, Kanazawa-ku, Yokohama, Japan.
| | - Etsuko Tadaka
- Department of Community Health Nursing, Division of Nursing, Graduate School of Medicine, Yokohama City University, 3-9 Fukuura, Kanazawa-ku, Yokohama, Japan
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21
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Zhen R, Liu RD, Hong W, Zhou X. How do Interpersonal Relationships Relieve Adolescents' Problematic Mobile Phone Use? The Roles of Loneliness and Motivation to Use Mobile Phones. INTERNATIONAL JOURNAL OF ENVIRONMENTAL RESEARCH AND PUBLIC HEALTH 2019; 16:E2286. [PMID: 31261619 PMCID: PMC6650804 DOI: 10.3390/ijerph16132286] [Citation(s) in RCA: 30] [Impact Index Per Article: 6.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/07/2019] [Revised: 06/21/2019] [Accepted: 06/25/2019] [Indexed: 11/19/2022]
Abstract
The current study aimed to explore the underlying mechanisms of how interpersonal relationships relieve adolescents' problematic mobile phone use (PMPU) and to examine the potential mediating roles of loneliness and motivation to use mobile phones. Four thousand five hundred and nine middle school students from four provinces in China were recruited to participate in the investigation. The results showed that the parent-child relationship but not the teacher-student relationship, had a direct and negative effect on PMPU. The parent-child relationship had indirect effects on PMPU through the mediators of loneliness, escape motivation and relationship motivation; the teacher-student relationship had indirect effects on PMPU only through the mediating factors of loneliness and escape motivation. Both parent-child and teacher-student relationships indirectly affected PMPU through a two-step path from loneliness to escape motivation. These findings highlight the more salient role of the parent-child relationship than that of the teacher-student relationship in directly alleviating PMPU and indicate that satisfying interpersonal relationships can buffer adolescents' PMPU by lowering their loneliness and motivation to use mobile phones.
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Affiliation(s)
- Rui Zhen
- Institute of Psychological Sciences, College of Education, Hangzhou Normal University, No. 2318 Yuhangtang Road, Hangzhou 311121, China
| | - Ru-De Liu
- Faculty of Psychology, Beijing Normal University, No. 19 Xinjiekouwai Street, Beijing 100875, China.
| | - Wei Hong
- Faculty of Psychology, Beijing Normal University, No. 19 Xinjiekouwai Street, Beijing 100875, China
| | - Xiao Zhou
- Department of Psychological and Behavioral Sciences, Zhejiang University, No.148 Tianmushan Road, Hangzhou 310028, China
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22
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Calati R, Ferrari C, Brittner M, Oasi O, Olié E, Carvalho AF, Courtet P. Suicidal thoughts and behaviors and social isolation: A narrative review of the literature. J Affect Disord 2019; 245:653-667. [PMID: 30445391 DOI: 10.1016/j.jad.2018.11.022] [Citation(s) in RCA: 288] [Impact Index Per Article: 57.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/02/2018] [Revised: 09/27/2018] [Accepted: 11/03/2018] [Indexed: 01/21/2023]
Abstract
BACKGROUND Social isolation is one of the main risk factors associated with suicidal outcomes. The aim of this narrative review was to provide an overview on the link between social isolation and suicidal thoughts and behaviors. METHODS We used the PubMed database to identify relevant articles published until April 13, 2018. We focused on: (a) systematic reviews, meta-analyses, and narrative reviews; (b) original observational studies with large samples (N ≥ 500); and (c) qualitative studies. We included all relevant suicidal outcomes: suicidal ideation (SI), suicidal planning, non-suicidal self-injury, deliberate self-harm, suicide attempt (SA), and suicide. RESULTS The main social constructs associated with suicidal outcomes were marital status (being single, separated, divorced, or widowed) and living alone, social isolation, loneliness, alienation, and belongingness. We included 40 original observational studies, the majority of them performed on adolescents and/or young adults (k = 23, 57.5%). Both the objective condition (e.g., living alone) and the subjective feeling of being alone (i.e., loneliness) were strongly associated with suicidal outcomes, in particular with SA and SI. However, loneliness, which was investigated in most studies (k = 24, 60%), had a major impact on both SI and SA. These associations were transculturally consistent. LIMITATIONS Confounding factors can limit the weight of the results obtained in observational studies. CONCLUSIONS Data from the observational studies suggest that both objective social isolation and the subjective feeling of loneliness should be incorporated in the risk assessment of suicide. Interventional studies targeting social isolation for suicide prevention are needed.
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Affiliation(s)
- Raffaella Calati
- INSERM, Neuropsychiatry: Epidemiological and Clinical Research, University of Montpellier, Montpellier, France; Department of Emergency Psychiatry and Acute Care, Lapeyronie Hospital, CHU Montpellier, Montpellier, France; FondaMental Foundation, Créteil, France; Department of Psychiatry, Mount Sinai Beth Israel, New York, USA.
| | - Chiara Ferrari
- Department of Psychology, Catholic University of Milan, Milan, Italy
| | - Marie Brittner
- Department of Emergency Psychiatry and Acute Care, Lapeyronie Hospital, CHU Montpellier, Montpellier, France
| | - Osmano Oasi
- Department of Psychology, Catholic University of Milan, Milan, Italy
| | - Emilie Olié
- INSERM, Neuropsychiatry: Epidemiological and Clinical Research, University of Montpellier, Montpellier, France; Department of Emergency Psychiatry and Acute Care, Lapeyronie Hospital, CHU Montpellier, Montpellier, France; FondaMental Foundation, Créteil, France
| | - André F Carvalho
- Department of Psychiatry, Faculty of Medicine, University of Toronto, Toronto, ON, Canada; Centre for Addiction and Mental Health (CAMH), Toronto, ON, Canada
| | - Philippe Courtet
- INSERM, Neuropsychiatry: Epidemiological and Clinical Research, University of Montpellier, Montpellier, France; Department of Emergency Psychiatry and Acute Care, Lapeyronie Hospital, CHU Montpellier, Montpellier, France; FondaMental Foundation, Créteil, France
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Mumtaz F, Khan MI, Zubair M, Dehpour AR. Neurobiology and consequences of social isolation stress in animal model-A comprehensive review. Biomed Pharmacother 2018; 105:1205-1222. [PMID: 30021357 DOI: 10.1016/j.biopha.2018.05.086] [Citation(s) in RCA: 200] [Impact Index Per Article: 33.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/27/2017] [Revised: 05/10/2018] [Accepted: 05/18/2018] [Indexed: 12/09/2022] Open
Abstract
The brain is a vital organ, susceptible to alterations under genetic influences and environmental experiences. Social isolation (SI) acts as a stressor which results in alterations in reactivity to stress, social behavior, function of neurochemical and neuroendocrine system, physiological, anatomical and behavioral changes in both animal and humans. During early stages of life, acute or chronic SIS has been proposed to show signs and symptoms of psychiatric and neurological disorders such as anxiety, depression, schizophrenia, epilepsy and memory loss. Exposure to social isolation stress induces a variety of endocrinological changes including the activation of hypothalamic-pituitary-adrenal (HPA) axis, culminating in the release of glucocorticoids (GCs), release of catecholamines, activation of the sympatho-adrenomedullary system, release of Oxytocin and vasopressin. In several regions of the central nervous system (CNS), SIS alters the level of neurotransmitter such as dopamine, serotonin, gamma aminobutyric acid (GABA), glutamate, nitrergic system and adrenaline as well as leads to alteration in receptor sensitivity of N-methyl-D-aspartate (NMDA) and opioid system. A change in the function of oxidative and nitrosative stress (O&NS) mediated mitochondrial dysfunction, inflammatory factors, neurotrophins and neurotrophicfactors (NTFs), early growth response transcription factor genes (Egr) and C-Fos expression are also involved as a pathophysiological consequences of SIS which induce neurological and psychiatric disorders.
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Affiliation(s)
- Faiza Mumtaz
- Department of Pharmacology, School of Medicine, Tehran University of Medical Sciences, Tehran, Iran; Experimental Medicine Research Center, Tehran University of Medical Sciences, Tehran, Iran
| | - Muhammad Imran Khan
- Department of Pharmacy, Kohat University of Science and Technology, 26000 Kohat, KPK, Pakistan; Drug Detoxification Health Welfare Research Center, Bannu, KPK, Pakistan
| | - Muhammad Zubair
- Key Laboratory of Integrated Management of Crop Diseases and Pests, College of Plant Protection, Nanjing Agriculture University, Nanjing, 210095, PR China
| | - Ahmad Reza Dehpour
- Department of Pharmacology, School of Medicine, Tehran University of Medical Sciences, Tehran, Iran; Experimental Medicine Research Center, Tehran University of Medical Sciences, Tehran, Iran.
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Toniazzo AP, M. Arcego D, Lazzaretti C, Lampert C, N. Weis S, Proto-Siqueira R, Krolow R, Dalmaz C. Sex-specific effects of prepubertal stress and high-fat diet on leptin signaling in rats. Nutrition 2018. [DOI: 10.1016/j.nut.2017.10.018] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/25/2022]
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25
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Cha CB, Franz PJ, Guzmán EM, Glenn CR, Kleiman EM, Nock MK. Annual Research Review: Suicide among youth - epidemiology, (potential) etiology, and treatment. J Child Psychol Psychiatry 2018; 59:460-482. [PMID: 29090457 PMCID: PMC5867204 DOI: 10.1111/jcpp.12831] [Citation(s) in RCA: 276] [Impact Index Per Article: 46.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Accepted: 09/11/2017] [Indexed: 02/06/2023]
Abstract
BACKGROUND Suicide is a leading cause of death and a complex clinical outcome. Here, we summarize the current state of research pertaining to suicidal thoughts and behaviors in youth. We review their definitions/measurement and phenomenology, epidemiology, potential etiological mechanisms, and psychological treatment and prevention efforts. RESULTS We identify key patterns and gaps in knowledge that should guide future work. Regarding epidemiology, the prevalence of suicidal thoughts and behaviors among youth varies across countries and sociodemographic populations. Despite this, studies are rarely conducted cross-nationally and do not uniformly account for high-risk populations. Regarding etiology, the majority of risk factors have been identified within the realm of environmental and psychological factors (notably negative affect-related processes), and most frequently using self-report measures. Little research has spanned across additional units of analyses including behavior, physiology, molecules, cells, and genes. Finally, there has been growing evidence in support of select psychotherapeutic treatment and prevention strategies, and preliminary evidence for technology-based interventions. CONCLUSIONS There is much work to be done to better understand suicidal thoughts and behaviors among youth. We strongly encourage future research to: (1) continue improving the conceptualization and operationalization of suicidal thoughts and behaviors; (2) improve etiological understanding by focusing on individual (preferably malleable) mechanisms; (3) improve etiological understanding also by integrating findings across multiple units of analyses and developing short-term prediction models; (4) demonstrate greater developmental sensitivity overall; and (5) account for diverse high-risk populations via sampling and reporting of sample characteristics. These serve as initial steps to improve the scientific approach, knowledge base, and ultimately prevention of suicidal thoughts and behaviors among youth.
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Affiliation(s)
- Christine B. Cha
- Department of Counseling and Clinical Psychology, Teachers College, Columbia
University
| | | | - Eleonora M. Guzmán
- Department of Counseling and Clinical Psychology, Teachers College, Columbia
University
| | - Catherine R. Glenn
- Department of Clinical and Social Sciences in Psychology, University of
Rochester
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Blanco-Gandía MC, Montagud-Romero S, Aguilar MA, Miñarro J, Rodríguez-Arias M. Housing conditions modulate the reinforcing properties of cocaine in adolescent mice that binge on fat. Physiol Behav 2018; 183:18-26. [DOI: 10.1016/j.physbeh.2017.10.014] [Citation(s) in RCA: 10] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/08/2017] [Revised: 10/11/2017] [Accepted: 10/12/2017] [Indexed: 12/22/2022]
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Li D, Zhang R, Liu S, Liu J, Zhang T. The Characteristics of Chinese Adolescents With Suicidal Ideation: A Mixed-Methods Approach. JOURNAL OF ADOLESCENT RESEARCH 2017. [DOI: 10.1177/0743558417723603] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/15/2022]
Abstract
We conducted a mixed-methods study to explore the characteristics of Chinese adolescents with suicidal ideation, using both quantitative and qualitative data and analysis. Participants were N = 244 adolescents, who completed self-report assessments of suicidal ideation, as well as indices of psychological functioning and well-being. A subset of n = 6 high and n = 6 low suicidal ideation adolescents participated in the follow-up interviews. Among the quantitative results, as compared with adolescents with low suicidal ideation, adolescents with high suicidal ideation reported significantly higher scores for stressful life events, coping-avoidant strategies, loneliness, and depression, as well as significantly lower scores for coping-approach strategies. Among the qualitative results, adolescents with high suicidal ideation demonstrated the following characteristics: (a) most troubled by academic pressures and relations, (b) negative self-evaluations, (c) maladaptive understanding of life and death, (d) individual-oriented attributions, and (e) negative coping strategies and self-fulfilling prophesy. These findings contribute to the early identification of adolescents who are at higher risk for suicide, further expand the stress and coping model with the distress-to-meaninglessness framework, and suggest that improving positive self-evaluation may be a focus of prevention and intervention.
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Affiliation(s)
- Dan Li
- Shanghai Normal University, Shanghai, China
| | - Rongwei Zhang
- Shanghai Normal University, Shanghai, China
- Fujian Polytechnic of Information Technology, Fuzhou, China
| | | | | | - Ting Zhang
- Zhejiang Industry & Trade Vocational College, Wenzhou, China
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Social media and loneliness: Why an Instagram picture may be worth more than a thousand Twitter words. COMPUTERS IN HUMAN BEHAVIOR 2016. [DOI: 10.1016/j.chb.2016.03.084] [Citation(s) in RCA: 378] [Impact Index Per Article: 47.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/23/2022]
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Stickley A, Koyanagi A. Loneliness, common mental disorders and suicidal behavior: Findings from a general population survey. J Affect Disord 2016; 197:81-7. [PMID: 26971125 DOI: 10.1016/j.jad.2016.02.054] [Citation(s) in RCA: 177] [Impact Index Per Article: 22.1] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/04/2015] [Revised: 01/11/2016] [Accepted: 02/26/2016] [Indexed: 10/22/2022]
Abstract
BACKGROUND Loneliness has been linked to an increased risk of engaging in suicidal behavior. To date, however, there has been comparatively little research on this in the general adult population, or on the role of common mental disorders (CMDs) in this association. The current study examined these associations using nationally representative data from England. METHODS Data came from the Adult Psychiatric Morbidity Survey 2007. Information was obtained from 7403 household residents aged ≥16 years on perceived loneliness and lifetime and past 12-month suicide ideation and attempts. The Clinical Interview Schedule Revised (CIS-R) was used to assess six forms of CMD. Logistic regression analysis was used to examine these associations. RESULTS Loneliness was associated with suicidal behavior. Although adjusting for CMDs attenuated associations, higher levels of loneliness were still significantly associated with suicidal ideation and suicide attempts with odds ratios (OR) for those in the most severe loneliness category ranging from 3.45 (lifetime suicide attempt) to 17.37 (past 12-month suicide attempt). Further analyses showed that ORs for suicidal behavior were similar for individuals who were lonely without CMDs, and for those respondents with CMDs who were not lonely. Lonely individuals with CMDs had especially elevated odds for suicidal ideation. LIMITATIONS This study used cross-sectional data and a single-item measure to obtain information on loneliness. CONCLUSION Loneliness is associated with suicidal behavior in the general adult population. This highlights the importance of efforts to reduce loneliness in order to mitigate its harmful effects on health and well-being.
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Affiliation(s)
- Andrew Stickley
- The Stockholm Center for Health and Social Change (SCOHOST), Södertörn University, Huddinge 141 89, Sweden; Department of Human Ecology, Graduate School of Medicine, The University of Tokyo, 7-3-1 Hongo, Bunkyo-ku, Tokyo 113-0033, Japan.
| | - Ai Koyanagi
- Parc Sanitari Sant Joan de Déu, Universitat de Barcelona, Fundació Sant Joan de Déu, Dr Antoni Pujadas, 42, Sant Boi de Llobregat, Barcelona 08830, Spain; Instituto de Salud Carlos III, Centro de Investigación Biomédica en Red de Salud Mental, CIBERSAM, Monforte de Lemos 3-5 Pabellón 11, 28029 Madrid, Spain
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Hawkley LC, Capitanio JP. Perceived social isolation, evolutionary fitness and health outcomes: a lifespan approach. Philos Trans R Soc Lond B Biol Sci 2016; 370:rstb.2014.0114. [PMID: 25870400 DOI: 10.1098/rstb.2014.0114] [Citation(s) in RCA: 187] [Impact Index Per Article: 23.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/30/2022] Open
Abstract
Sociality permeates each of the fundamental motives of human existence and plays a critical role in evolutionary fitness across the lifespan. Evidence for this thesis draws from research linking deficits in social relationship--as indexed by perceived social isolation (i.e. loneliness)--with adverse health and fitness consequences at each developmental stage of life. Outcomes include depression, poor sleep quality, impaired executive function, accelerated cognitive decline, unfavourable cardiovascular function, impaired immunity, altered hypothalamic pituitary-adrenocortical activity, a pro-inflammatory gene expression profile and earlier mortality. Gaps in this research are summarized with suggestions for future research. In addition, we argue that a better understanding of naturally occurring variation in loneliness, and its physiological and psychological underpinnings, in non-human species may be a valuable direction to better understand the persistence of a 'lonely' phenotype in social species, and its consequences for health and fitness.
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Affiliation(s)
- Louise C Hawkley
- Academic Research Centers, National Opinion Research Center at the University of Chicago, Chicago, IL 60637, USA
| | - John P Capitanio
- California National Primate Research Center, University of California, Davis, CA 95616, USA
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Madsen KR, Damsgaard MT, Rubin M, Jervelund SS, Lasgaard M, Walsh S, Stevens GGWJM, Holstein BE. Loneliness and Ethnic Composition of the School Class: A Nationally Random Sample of Adolescents. J Youth Adolesc 2016; 45:1350-65. [PMID: 26861709 DOI: 10.1007/s10964-016-0432-3] [Citation(s) in RCA: 14] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/16/2015] [Accepted: 02/01/2016] [Indexed: 10/22/2022]
Abstract
Loneliness is a public health concern that increases the risk for several health, behavioral and academic problems among adolescents. Some studies have suggested that adolescents with an ethnic minority background have a higher risk for loneliness than adolescents from the majority population. The increasing numbers of migrant youth around the world mean growing numbers of heterogeneous school environments in many countries. Even though adolescents spend a substantial amount of time at school, there is currently very little non-U.S. research that has examined the importance of the ethnic composition of school classes for loneliness in adolescence. The present research aimed to address this gap by exploring the association between loneliness and three dimensions of the ethnic composition in the school class: (1) membership of ethnic majority in the school class, (2) the size of own ethnic group in the school class, and (3) the ethnic diversity of the school class. We used data from the Danish 2014 Health Behaviour in School-aged Children survey: a nationally representative sample of 4383 (51.2 % girls) 11-15-year-olds. Multilevel logistic regression analyses revealed that adolescents who did not belong to the ethnic majority in the school class had increased odds for loneliness compared to adolescents that belonged to the ethnic majority. Furthermore, having more same-ethnic classmates lowered the odds for loneliness. We did not find any statistically significant association between the ethnic diversity of the school classes and loneliness. The study adds novel and important findings to how ethnicity in a school class context, as opposed to ethnicity per se, influences adolescents' loneliness.
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Affiliation(s)
- Katrine Rich Madsen
- National Institute of Public Health, University of Southern Denmark, Oester Farimagsgade 5A, 2nd Floor, DK-1353, Copenhagen, Denmark.
| | - Mogens Trab Damsgaard
- National Institute of Public Health, University of Southern Denmark, Oester Farimagsgade 5A, 2nd Floor, DK-1353, Copenhagen, Denmark
| | - Mark Rubin
- School of Psychology, The University of Newcastle, Newcastle, NSW, Australia
| | - Signe Smith Jervelund
- Department of Public Health, Section for Health Services Research, University of Copenhagen, Copenhagen, Denmark
| | - Mathias Lasgaard
- Public Health and Quality Improvement, Central Denmark Region, Århus, Denmark.,Department of Psychology, University of Southern Denmark, Odense, Denmark
| | - Sophie Walsh
- Department of Criminology, Bar Ilan University, Ramat Gan, Israel
| | - Gonneke G W J M Stevens
- Utrecht Centre for Child and Adolescent Studies, Utrecht University, Utrecht, The Netherlands
| | - Bjørn E Holstein
- National Institute of Public Health, University of Southern Denmark, Oester Farimagsgade 5A, 2nd Floor, DK-1353, Copenhagen, Denmark
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Ritchwood TD, Ebesutani CK, Chin EG, Young J. The Loneliness Questionnaire: Establishing Measurement Invariance Across Ethnic Groups. Assessment 2016; 24:798-809. [PMID: 26762110 DOI: 10.1177/1073191115625799] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/17/2022]
Abstract
A state of loneliness describes an individual's perception of having dissatisfying social connections to others. Though it is notable across the life span, it may have particularly deleterious effects in childhood and adolescence, leading to increased risk of emotional impairment. The current study evaluates a widely used test of loneliness, the Loneliness Questionnaire, for measurement invariance across ethnic groups in a large, representative sample of youth in the 2nd to 12th grades ( N = 12,344; 41% African American) in Mississippi. Analyses were conducted using multigroup confirmatory factor analysis following a published, sequential method to examine invariance in form, factor loadings, and item intercepts. Overall, our results indicated that the instrument was invariant across ethnicities, suggesting that youth with equivalent manifest scores can be discerned as having comparable levels of latent loneliness. The loneliness scores also corresponded significantly with depression and anxiety scores for most subsamples, with one exception. These findings are discussed in the context of previous results comparing levels of loneliness across ethnicities. Additionally, the broader context of the need to expand invariance studies in instrumentation work is highlighted.
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Affiliation(s)
| | | | - Eu Gene Chin
- 3 University of Mississippi Medical Center, Jackson, MS, USA
| | - John Young
- 4 University of Mississippi, Oxford, MS, USA
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Hong JS, Kral MJ, Sterzing PR. Pathways From Bullying Perpetration, Victimization, and Bully Victimization to Suicidality Among School-Aged Youth: A Review of the Potential Mediators and a Call for Further Investigation. TRAUMA, VIOLENCE & ABUSE 2015; 16:379-390. [PMID: 24903399 DOI: 10.1177/1524838014537904] [Citation(s) in RCA: 46] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.1] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 06/03/2023]
Abstract
In the wake of several highly publicized adolescent suicides attributed to bullying victimization, national attention has been brought to bear on the profound public health problem of bullying. This article reviews the extant literature on the associations between bullying perpetration, victimization, and thoughts of or attempts at suicide and proposes five potential mediators, namely depression, anxiety, low self-esteem, loneliness, and hopelessness, that may explain this relationship. Numerous studies have found empirical support for the interrelations between internalizing behaviors and both bullying perpetration and victimization and suicide. We find that further longitudinal research needs to be conducted to more conclusively determine the role and causal ordering these various psychosocial factors may play in bullying perpetration, victimization, and suicide. Although the research literature implies causal directions among all these potential mediators, untangling the unique influence of bullying perpetration, victimization, and bully victimization on suicide and its mechanisms of action has major research and practice implications.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jun Sung Hong
- School of Social Work, Wayne State University, Detroit, MI, USA
| | - Michael J Kral
- School of Social Work, Wayne State University, Detroit, MI, USA
| | - Paul R Sterzing
- School of Social Welfare, University of California, Berkeley, CA, USA
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Theeke LA, Mallow JA, Barnes ER, Theeke E. The Feasibility and Acceptability of LISTEN for Loneliness. OPEN JOURNAL OF NURSING 2015; 5:416-425. [PMID: 26401420 PMCID: PMC4577056 DOI: 10.4236/ojn.2015.55045] [Citation(s) in RCA: 10] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.1] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/20/2022]
Abstract
PURPOSE The purpose of this paper is to present the initial feasibility and acceptability of LISTEN (Loneliness Intervention using Story Theory to Enhance Nursing-sensitive outcomes), a new intervention for loneliness. Loneliness is a significant stressor and known contributor to multiple chronic health conditions in varied populations. In addition, loneliness is reported as predictive of functional decline and mortality in large samples of older adults from multiple cultures. Currently, there are no standard therapies recommended as effective treatments for loneliness. The paucity of interventions has limited the ability of healthcare providers to translate what we know about the problem of loneliness to active planning of clinical care that results in diminished loneliness. LISTEN was developed using the process for complex intervention development suggested by the Medical Research Council (MRC) [1] [2]. METHODS Feasibility and acceptability of LISTEN were evaluated as the first objective of a longitudinal randomized trial which was set in a university based family medicine center in a rural southeastern community in Appalachia. Twenty-seven older adults [(24 women and 3 men, mean age: 75 (SD 7.50)] who were lonely, community-dwelling, and experiencing chronic illness, participated. Feasibility was evaluated by tracking recruitment efforts, enrollment, attendance to intervention sessions, attrition, and with feedback evaluations from study personnel. Acceptability was assessed using quantitative and qualitative evaluation data from participants. RESULTS LISTEN was evaluated as feasible to deliver with no attrition and near perfect attendance. Participants ranked LISTEN as highly acceptable for diminishing loneliness with participants requesting a continuation of the program or development of additional sessions. CONCLUSIONS LISTEN is feasible to deliver in a primary healthcare setting and has the potential to diminish loneliness which could result in improvement of the long-term negative known sequelae of loneliness such as hypertension, depression, functional decline, and mortality. Feedback from study participants is being used to inform future trials of LISTEN with consideration for developing additional sessions. Longitudinal randomized trials are needed in varied populations to assess long-term health and healthcare system benefits of diminishing loneliness, and to assess the potential scalability of LISTEN as a reimbursable treatment for loneliness.
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Affiliation(s)
- Laurie A. Theeke
- Department of Adult Health, School of Nursing, West Virginia University, Morgantown, USA
| | - Jennifer A. Mallow
- Department of Adult Health, School of Nursing, West Virginia University, Morgantown, USA
| | - Emily R. Barnes
- Department of Adult Health, School of Nursing, West Virginia University, Morgantown, USA
| | - Elliott Theeke
- Department of Adult Health, School of Nursing, West Virginia University, Morgantown, USA
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Theeke LA, Mallow JA. The Development of LISTEN: A Novel Intervention for Loneliness. ACTA ACUST UNITED AC 2015; 5:136-143. [PMID: 26229740 DOI: 10.4236/ojn.2015.52016] [Citation(s) in RCA: 16] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/20/2022]
Abstract
PURPOSE The purpose of this paper is to present the development of LISTEN (Loneliness Intervention using Story Theory to Enhance Nursing-sensitive outcomes), a new intervention for loneliness. METHODS LISTEN was developed using the Medical Research Council (MRC) framework for intervention development. Extensive literature review revealed that belonging, relating, placing in community, challenges, and meanings of coping were concepts significant to loneliness. Past interventions were limited but it was determined from a recent meta-analysis that enhanced effectiveness might result from interventions that targeted the poorly adapted cognitive processes of loneliness. These processes include social undesirability, stigma, and negative thoughts about self in relation to others. LISTEN is designed to be delivered in a determined logical sequence of 5 sessions, each focusing on the concepts relevant to loneliness as derived from the literature. For each session, intervention delivery is guided by the concepts from story theory (including intentional dialogue, nurse as listener, examination of self in relation to others and community, synthesizing concerns and patterns, and identifying messages) and the principles of cognitive restructuring (self-assessment of maladaptive cognitions, emotions, and behaviors, identifying challenges of changing, reconceptualization of self, new skill acquisition through group interaction, and identifying patterns of meaning in loneliness). RESULTS LISTEN is developed and the first randomized trial is complete with a sample of 27 lonely, chronically ill, community dwelling, and older adults. LISTEN was evaluated as feasible to deliver by the study team and acceptable for significantly diminishing loneliness by participants of the LISTEN groups who were compared to attention control groups (p < 0.5). CONCLUSIONS LISTEN has the potential to enhance health by diminishing loneliness which could result in improving the long-term negative known sequelae of loneliness. Future longitudinal randomized trials are needed in varied populations to assess long term health and healthcare system benefit of using LISTEN to treat loneliness.
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Affiliation(s)
- Laurie A Theeke
- Department of Adult Health, School of Nursing, West Virginia University, Morgantown, USA
| | - Jennifer A Mallow
- Department of Adult Health, School of Nursing, West Virginia University, Morgantown, USA
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Arcego DM, Krolow R, Lampert C, Noschang C, Ferreira AG, Scherer E, Wyse AT, Dalmaz C. Isolation during the prepubertal period associated with chronic access to palatable diets: Effects on plasma lipid profile and liver oxidative stress. Physiol Behav 2014; 124:23-32. [DOI: 10.1016/j.physbeh.2013.10.029] [Citation(s) in RCA: 16] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/19/2012] [Revised: 10/04/2013] [Accepted: 10/22/2013] [Indexed: 01/12/2023]
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38
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Psychosocial predictors and outcomes of loneliness trajectories from childhood to early adolescence. J Adolesc 2013; 36:1251-60. [DOI: 10.1016/j.adolescence.2013.08.002] [Citation(s) in RCA: 92] [Impact Index Per Article: 8.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/04/2012] [Revised: 07/19/2013] [Accepted: 08/03/2013] [Indexed: 11/22/2022]
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39
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Loneliness trajectories from middle childhood to pre-adolescence: Impact on perceived health and sleep disturbance. J Adolesc 2013; 36:1295-304. [DOI: 10.1016/j.adolescence.2012.12.009] [Citation(s) in RCA: 78] [Impact Index Per Article: 7.1] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/11/2012] [Revised: 11/11/2012] [Accepted: 12/18/2012] [Indexed: 12/18/2022]
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Qualter P, Rotenberg K, Barrett L, Henzi P, Barlow A, Stylianou M, Harris RA. Investigating hypervigilance for social threat of lonely children. JOURNAL OF ABNORMAL CHILD PSYCHOLOGY 2013; 41:325-38. [PMID: 22956297 DOI: 10.1007/s10802-012-9676-x] [Citation(s) in RCA: 62] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/18/2022]
Abstract
The hypothesis that lonely children show hypervigilance for social threat was examined in a series of three studies that employed different methods including advanced eye-tracking technology. Hypervigilance for social threat was operationalized as hostility to ambiguously motivated social exclusion in a variation of the hostile attribution paradigm (Study 1), scores on the Children's Rejection-Sensitivity Questionnaire (Study 2), and visual attention to socially rejecting stimuli (Study 3). The participants were 185 children (11 years-7 months to 12 years-6 months), 248 children (9 years-4 months to 11 years-8 months) and 140 children (8 years-10 months to 12 years-10 months) in the three studies, respectively. Regression analyses showed that, with depressive symptoms covaried, there were quadratic relations between loneliness and these different measures of hypervigilance to social threat. As hypothesized, only children in the upper range of loneliness demonstrated elevated hostility to ambiguously motivated social exclusion, higher scores on the rejection sensitivity questionnaire, and disengagement difficulties when viewing socially rejecting stimuli. We found that very lonely children are hypersensitive to social threat.
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Affiliation(s)
- Pamela Qualter
- School of Psychology, University of Central Lancashire, Preston, Lancashire, PR1 2HE, UK.
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Qualter P, Brown SL, Rotenberg KJ, Vanhalst J, Harris RA, Goossens L, Bangee M, Munn P. Trajectories of loneliness during childhood and adolescence: predictors and health outcomes. J Adolesc 2013; 36:1283-93. [PMID: 23465384 DOI: 10.1016/j.adolescence.2013.01.005] [Citation(s) in RCA: 147] [Impact Index Per Article: 13.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/10/2012] [Revised: 12/27/2012] [Accepted: 01/17/2013] [Indexed: 10/27/2022]
Abstract
The present study employed latent growth mixture modeling to discern distinct trajectories of loneliness using data collected at 2-year intervals from age 7-17 years (N = 586) and examine whether measures taken at age 5 years were good predictors of group membership. Four loneliness trajectory classes were identified: (1) low stable (37% of the sample), (2) moderate decliners (23%), (3) moderate increasers (18%), and (4) relatively high stable (22%). Predictors at age 5 years for the high stable trajectory were low trust beliefs, low trusting, low peer acceptance, parent reported negative reactivity, an internalizing attribution style, low self-worth, and passivity during observed play. The model also included outcome variables. We found that both the high stable and moderate increasing trajectories were associated with depressive symptoms, a higher frequency of visits to the doctor, and lower perceived general health at age 17. We discuss implications of findings for future empirical work.
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Affiliation(s)
- P Qualter
- University of Central Lancashire, Lancashire, England, UK.
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Törnblom AW, Werbart A, Rydelius PA. Shame behind the masks: the parents' perspective on their sons' suicide. Arch Suicide Res 2013; 17:242-61. [PMID: 23889574 DOI: 10.1080/13811118.2013.805644] [Citation(s) in RCA: 14] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/24/2023]
Abstract
Suicides are more frequent among boys than girls. A tentative, conceptual model of processes behind suicide among boys and young men (aged 12-25), grounded in their parents' views, is presented. Extensive interviews with parents in 33 cases of suicide were analyzed using grounded-theory methodology. Family alliances, coalitions, and secrets interacted with the boy concealing problems and "hiding behind a mask," while the professionals did not understand the emergency. Four interwoven paths to suicide were found: the boy was hunted and haunted, addicted, depressed, or psychotic. Different forms of shame were hidden behind the masks of "the clown," "the warrior," and "the prince." Future preventive programs need to address barriers to communication among all parties involved.
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Affiliation(s)
- Annelie Werbart Törnblom
- Child and Adolescent Psychiatric Unit, Department of Women’s and Children’s Health, Karolinska Institutet, Stockholm, Sweden.
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Wilson ML, Dunlavy AC, Viswanathan B, Bovet P. Suicidal expression among school-attending adolescents in a middle-income sub-Saharan country. INTERNATIONAL JOURNAL OF ENVIRONMENTAL RESEARCH AND PUBLIC HEALTH 2012; 9:4122-34. [PMID: 23202835 PMCID: PMC3524616 DOI: 10.3390/ijerph9114122] [Citation(s) in RCA: 36] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/21/2012] [Revised: 10/30/2012] [Accepted: 11/01/2012] [Indexed: 11/26/2022]
Abstract
We investigated correlates for suicidal expression among adolescents in the Seychelles. Data on 1,432 students (52% females) were derived from the Global School-based Health Survey. Participants were divided into three groups: those with no suicidal behavior (N = 1,199); those with suicide ideation/SI (N = 89); and those reporting SI with a plan to carry out a suicide attempt/SISP (N = 139), each within a 12-month recall period. Using multinomial logistic regression, we examined the strength of associations with social, behavioral and economic indicators while adjusting for covariates. Sixteen percent of school-attending adolescents reported a suicidal expression (10% with a plan/6.2% without). Those reporting SI were younger (relative risk ratio RRR = 0.81; CI = 0.68-0.96), indicated signs of depression (RRR = 1.69; CI = 1.05-2.72) and loneliness (RRR=3.36; CI = 1.93-5.84). Tobacco use (RRR = 2.34; CI = 1.32-4.12) and not having close friends (RRR = 3.32; CI = 1.54-7.15) were significantly associated with SI. Those with SISP were more likely to be female (RRR = 0.47; 0.30-0.74), anxious (RRR = 3.04; CI = 1.89-4.88) and lonely (RRR = 1.74; CI = 1.07-2.84). Having no close friends (RRR = 2.98; 1.56-5.69) and using tobacco (RRR = 2.41; 1.48-3.91) were also strongly associated. Having parents who were understanding was protective (RRR = 0.50; CI = 0.31-0.82). Our results suggest that school health promotion programs may benefit from targeting multiple factors associated with suicidal expression. More research, particularly multilevel designs are needed to identify peer and family influences which may modify associations with suicidality.
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Affiliation(s)
- Michael L. Wilson
- Centre for Injury Prevention and Community Safety (CIPCS), PeerCorps Trust Fund, P.O. Box 22499 Dar es Salaam, Tanzania;
| | - Andrea C. Dunlavy
- Centre for Injury Prevention and Community Safety (CIPCS), PeerCorps Trust Fund, P.O. Box 22499 Dar es Salaam, Tanzania;
| | | | - Pascal Bovet
- Ministry of Health, Victoria, Republic of Seychelles; ;
- Institute of Social and Preventive Medicine (IUMSP), Lausanne University Hospital (CHUV) Lausanne 1010, Switzerland
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van Dulmen MHM, Bossarte RM, Swahn MH. Displacement and Adolescent Suicide: Introduction to a Special Section. JOURNAL OF CLINICAL CHILD AND ADOLESCENT PSYCHOLOGY 2011; 40:787-9. [DOI: 10.1080/15374416.2011.614589] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 10/16/2022]
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