The School Nurse's Role in Behavioral/Mental Health of Students: Position Statement

The Association Between Proneness to Smartphone Addiction and Social Anxiety Among School Students and the Mediating Role of Social Support: A Call to Advance Jordanian Adolescents' Mental Health

BACKGROUND

Social anxiety is an emerging public health issue associated with significant impairment of social functioning during adolescence. Among many determinants of social anxiety, proneness to smartphone addiction may significantly contribute to the development of social anxiety. To cope with the consequential development of social anxiety, adolescent school students may rely on various forms of social support. Particularly in the Middle East, including Jordan, the relationship between proneness to smartphone addiction and adolescent social anxiety is understudied.

AIM

To examine the mediating role of social support in the relationship between proneness to smartphone addiction and social anxiety in a sample of adolescent school students.

METHODS

In this cross-sectional study, 432 adolescents were recruited via a random cluster sample from public schools across three provinces in Jordan. The data were collected face-to-face using the Social Anxiety Scale for Adolescents, the Smartphone Addiction Proneness Scale, and the Multidimensional Scale of Perceived Social Support.

RESULTS

Significantly higher levels of social anxiety were associated with females of lower economic status who reported more gaming hours and higher levels of proneness to smartphone addiction. Familial social support significantly mediated the relationship between proneness to smartphone addiction and social anxiety, controlling for the other covariates in the social anxiety model.

CONCLUSIONS

Familial social support reduced the impact of proneness to smartphone addiction on social anxiety. Nurses may supplement treatment for reducing social anxiety in adolescents suffering from proneness to smartphone addiction by fostering sources of familial social support.

Including Voices of Adolescents With Chronic Conditions in the Redesign of Children's Mental Health Systems: Implications for Resource Allocation

INTRODUCTION

Adolescents with chronic conditions have disparate mental health outcomes. This study aimed to explore the perspectives of adolescents with chronic conditions on mental health system redesign to improve outcomes.

METHOD

Within an interpretive phenomenological approach, semistructured interviews with 17 adolescents aged 10-20 years with chronic conditions were conducted. Purposive sampling and recruitment occurred at three ambulatory sites. Data were analyzed using inductive and deductive thematic analysis until information saturation was achieved.

RESULTS

Four themes were identified: (1) Brushed off: I need to be heard, (2) I need someone I can really talk to and trust, (3) They need to reach out to us. Check in on us, and (4) the school nurse is for physical illness only.

DISCUSSION

Mental health system redesign should be considered for adolescents with chronic conditions. The findings can inform future research to test innovative health care delivery models to reduce mental health disparities in this vulnerable population.

Sports- or Physical Activity-Related Concussions and Feelings of Sadness or Hopelessness Among U.S. High School Students: Results From the 2017 Youth Behavior Risk Survey

For this study, we explored the association between high school students' reported history of sport- or physical activity-related concussions and persistent feelings of sadness or hopelessness. Data from the 2017 national Youth Risk Behavior Survey (YRBS; N = 14,765) was used for this analysis. YRBS is administered to high school students throughout the country every 2 years. Findings from this study demonstrate that the prevalence of persistent feelings of sadness or hopelessness was 36.4% among students who reported sustaining one or more concussions. Compared to students who did not report having sustained a concussion, the odds of persistent feelings of sadness or hopelessness were significantly higher among students who had sustained one or more concussions (AOR = 1.41). These findings support the need for continued efforts by school nurses and other health care providers to identify students with a history of concussion and assess their mental health needs.