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Mittermeier S, Seidel A, Scheiner C, Kleindienst N, Romanos M, Buerger A. Emotional dysregulation and its pathways to suicidality in a community-based sample of adolescents. Child Adolesc Psychiatry Ment Health 2024; 18:15. [PMID: 38245793 PMCID: PMC10800042 DOI: 10.1186/s13034-023-00699-4] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/01/2023] [Accepted: 12/20/2023] [Indexed: 01/22/2024] Open
Abstract
OBJECTIVE Effective suicide prevention for adolescents is urgently needed but difficult, as suicide models lack a focus on age-specific influencing factors such as emotional dysregulation. Moreover, examined predictors often do not specifically consider the contribution to the severity of suicidality. To determine which adolescents are at high risk of more severe suicidality, we examined the association between emotional dysregulation and severity of suicidality directly as well as indirectly via depressiveness and nonsuicidal self-injury. METHOD Adolescents from 18 high schools in Bavaria were included in this cross-sectional and questionnaire-based study as part of a larger prevention study. Data were collected between November 2021 and March 2022 and were analyzed from January 2023 to April 2023. Students in the 6th or 7th grade of high school (11-14 years) were eligible to participate. A total of 2350 adolescents were surveyed and data from 2117 students were used for the analyses after excluding incomplete data sets. Our main outcome variable was severity of suicidality (Paykel Suicide Scale, PSS). Additionally, we assessed emotional dysregulation (Difficulties in Emotion Regulation Scale, DERS-SF), depressiveness (Patient Health Questionnaire, PHQ-9) and nonsuicidal self-injury (Deliberate Self-Harm Inventory, DSHI). RESULTS In total, 2117 adolescents (51.6% female; mean age, 12.31 years [standard deviation: 0.67]) were included in the structural equation model (SEM). Due to a clear gender-specific influence, the model was calculated separately for male and female adolescents. For male adolescents, there was a significant indirect association between emotional dysregulation and severity of suicidality, mediated by depressiveness (β = 0.15, SE = .03, p = .008). For female adolescents, there was a significant direct path from emotional dysregulation to severity of suicidality and also indirect paths via depressiveness (β = 0.12, SE = .05, p = 0.02) and NSSI (β = 0.18, SE = .04, p < .001). CONCLUSIONS Our results suggest that gender-related risk markers in 11-14-year-olds need to be included in future suicide models to increase their predictive power. According to our findings, early detection and prevention interventions based on emotion regulation skills might be enhanced by including gender-specific adjustments for the co-occurrence of emotional dysregulation, depressiveness, and nonsuicidal self-injury in girls and the co-occurrence of emotional dysregulation and depressiveness in boys.
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Affiliation(s)
- Sabrina Mittermeier
- Department of Child and Adolescent Psychiatry, Psychosomatics and Psychotherapy, Center of Mental Health, University Hospital of Wuerzburg, Margarete-Hoeppel-Platz 1, 97080, Wuerzburg, Germany.
- German Centre of Prevention Research, University of Wuerzburg, Wuerzburg, Germany.
| | - Alexandra Seidel
- Department of Child and Adolescent Psychiatry, Psychosomatics and Psychotherapy, Center of Mental Health, University Hospital of Wuerzburg, Margarete-Hoeppel-Platz 1, 97080, Wuerzburg, Germany
- German Centre of Prevention Research, University of Wuerzburg, Wuerzburg, Germany
| | - Christin Scheiner
- Department of Child and Adolescent Psychiatry, Psychosomatics and Psychotherapy, Center of Mental Health, University Hospital of Wuerzburg, Margarete-Hoeppel-Platz 1, 97080, Wuerzburg, Germany
- German Centre of Prevention Research, University of Wuerzburg, Wuerzburg, Germany
| | - Nikolaus Kleindienst
- Institute of Psychosomatic Medicine and Psychotherapy, Medical Faculty Mannheim, Central Institute of Mental Health Mannheim, Heidelberg University, Heidelberg, Germany
| | - Marcel Romanos
- Department of Child and Adolescent Psychiatry, Psychosomatics and Psychotherapy, Center of Mental Health, University Hospital of Wuerzburg, Margarete-Hoeppel-Platz 1, 97080, Wuerzburg, Germany
- German Centre of Prevention Research, University of Wuerzburg, Wuerzburg, Germany
| | - Arne Buerger
- Department of Child and Adolescent Psychiatry, Psychosomatics and Psychotherapy, Center of Mental Health, University Hospital of Wuerzburg, Margarete-Hoeppel-Platz 1, 97080, Wuerzburg, Germany
- German Centre of Prevention Research, University of Wuerzburg, Wuerzburg, Germany
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Liljedahl SI, Hellner C, Pettersson A, Ghaderi A. School-based self-harm prevention programs: A systematic review with implications for international implementation. Scand J Psychol 2023; 64:825-837. [PMID: 37366058 DOI: 10.1111/sjop.12945] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/23/2022] [Revised: 06/07/2023] [Accepted: 06/08/2023] [Indexed: 06/28/2023]
Abstract
Both self-harm and suicidal behaviors have been targeted through school-based prevention programs, many of which have been developed in the United States. The aims of this systematic review were to assess effects of school-based prevention programs on suicide and self-harm and to evaluate whether they are fit to the exporting culture. The review followed Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta-Analyses (PRISMA) guidelines. Our inclusion criteria, structured according to population/problem, intervention, control/comparison, outome, were: children and youth up to 19 years of age, school-based programs at universal, selective or indicated levels compared with teaching as usual or with other programs, and outcomes of suicide or self-harm measured at least 10 weeks after intervention. Studies without a control group or using non-behavioral outcomes were excluded. A comprehensive and systematic literature search was conducted from the 1990s to March 2022. Risk for bias was assessed with checklists adapted from the Cochrane Risk of Bias (ROB) tool. A total of 1,801 abstracts were retrieved. Five studies fulfilled our inclusion criteria, but one had high risk for bias. Confidence in the evidence for effect was assessed with Grading of Recommendations Assessment, Development and Evaluation (GRADE). Studies included in this review were evaluated with respect to applicability in the context of international export. Only two school-based programs demonstrated efficacy in preventing suicidal behaviors. Although implementation of evidence-based interventions is a crucial next step, further replication with simultaneous attention to dissemination and implementation issues are called for. Funding and registration: conducted on assignment by the Swedish government. The protocol is available at the SBU website in Swedish.
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Affiliation(s)
- Sophie I Liljedahl
- Department of Psychiatry for Affective Disorders, National Specialized Medical Care Unit for Severe Self-Harm Behaviour, Region Västra Götaland, Sahlgrenska University Hospital, Gothenburg, Sweden
- Department of Psychiatry and Neurochemistry, Institute of Neuroscience and Physiology, Sahlgrenska Academy, University of Gothenburg, Gothenburg, Sweden
| | - Clara Hellner
- Center for Psychiatry Research, Department of Clinical Neuroscience, Karolinska Institutet, Stockholm Health Care Services, Stockholm County Council, Stockholm, Sweden
| | - Agneta Pettersson
- Swedish Agency for Health Technology Assessment and Assessment of Social Services (SBU), Stockholm, Sweden
| | - Ata Ghaderi
- Division of Psychology, Department of Clinical Neuroscience, Karolinska Institutet, Stockholm, Sweden
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Bürger A, von Schoenfeld C, Scheiner C, Seidel A, Wasserscheid A, Gad D, Kittel-Schneider S, Romanos M, Reiter AMF. Universal prevention for non-suicidal self-injury in adolescents is scarce - A systematic review. Front Psychiatry 2023; 14:1130610. [PMID: 37937233 PMCID: PMC10627158 DOI: 10.3389/fpsyt.2023.1130610] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/23/2022] [Accepted: 10/02/2023] [Indexed: 11/09/2023] Open
Abstract
Non-suicidal self-injury (NSSI) during adolescence is a high-risk marker for the development and persistence of mental health problems and has been recognized as a significant public health problem. Whereas targeted prevention has indeed shown to be effective in reducing NSSI and improve mental health problems, access to such programs is limited. By face validity, universal prevention of NSSI seems an ideal starting point for a stepped-care model to circumvent a lack of resources in the medical care system. However, it is yet unclear how effective such approaches are. Here, we provide a summary of existing work on universal prevention of NSSI in adolescents younger than 21 years based on a systematic literature search. We found that only seven studies are available. None of the programs evaluated was found to be effective in reducing the incidence or frequency of NSSI. After providing a comprehensive summary of the existing work, we evaluate the fact that existing work primarily focusses on selected/targeted prevention and on psychoeducational methods. We derive implications for future directions in the field of universal prevention of NSSI.
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Affiliation(s)
- Arne Bürger
- Department of Child and Adolescent Psychiatry, Psychosomatics, and Psychotherapy, Center of Mental Health, University Hospital of Würzburg, Würzburg, Germany
- German Centre of Prevention Research in Mental Health, University of Würzburg, Würzburg, Germany
| | - Cornelia von Schoenfeld
- Department of Child and Adolescent Psychiatry, Psychosomatics, and Psychotherapy, Center of Mental Health, University Hospital of Würzburg, Würzburg, Germany
| | - Christin Scheiner
- Department of Child and Adolescent Psychiatry, Psychosomatics, and Psychotherapy, Center of Mental Health, University Hospital of Würzburg, Würzburg, Germany
| | - Alexandra Seidel
- Department of Child and Adolescent Psychiatry, Psychosomatics, and Psychotherapy, Center of Mental Health, University Hospital of Würzburg, Würzburg, Germany
| | - Antonia Wasserscheid
- Department of Child and Adolescent Psychiatry, Psychosomatics, and Psychotherapy, Center of Mental Health, University Hospital of Würzburg, Würzburg, Germany
| | - Doreya Gad
- Department of Child and Adolescent Psychiatry, Psychosomatics, and Psychotherapy, Center of Mental Health, University Hospital of Würzburg, Würzburg, Germany
| | - Sarah Kittel-Schneider
- Department of Psychiatry, Psychosomatics and Psychotherapy, Center of Mental Health, University Hospital of Würzburg, Würzburg, Germany
- Acute Adult Mental Health Unit, Department of Psychiatry and Neurobehavioural Science, Cork University Hospital, Cork, Ireland
| | - Marcel Romanos
- Department of Child and Adolescent Psychiatry, Psychosomatics, and Psychotherapy, Center of Mental Health, University Hospital of Würzburg, Würzburg, Germany
- German Centre of Prevention Research in Mental Health, University of Würzburg, Würzburg, Germany
| | - Andrea M. F. Reiter
- Department of Child and Adolescent Psychiatry, Psychosomatics, and Psychotherapy, Center of Mental Health, University Hospital of Würzburg, Würzburg, Germany
- German Centre of Prevention Research in Mental Health, University of Würzburg, Würzburg, Germany
- Department of Psychology, University of Würzburg, Würzburg, Germany
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Scheiner C, Seis C, Kleindienst N, Buerger A. Psychopathology, Protective Factors, and COVID-19 among Adolescents: A Structural Equation Model. INTERNATIONAL JOURNAL OF ENVIRONMENTAL RESEARCH AND PUBLIC HEALTH 2023; 20:2493. [PMID: 36767859 PMCID: PMC9915090 DOI: 10.3390/ijerph20032493] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/03/2022] [Revised: 01/25/2023] [Accepted: 01/26/2023] [Indexed: 06/18/2023]
Abstract
Since the outbreak of the COVID-19 pandemic in December 2019 and the associated restrictions, mental health in children and adolescents has been increasingly discussed in the media. Negative impacts of the pandemic, including a sharp increase in psychopathology and, consequently, reduced quality of life, appear to have particularly affected children and young people, who may be especially vulnerable to the adverse effects of isolation. Nevertheless, many children and adolescents have managed to cope well with the restrictions, without deterioration of their mental health. The present study therefore explored the links between COVID-19 infection (in oneself or a family member, as well as the death of a family member due to the virus), protective factors such as self-efficacy, resilience, self-esteem, and health-related quality of life, and measures of psychopathology such as depression scores, internalizing/externalizing problems, emotion dysregulation, and victimization. For this purpose, we examined data from 2129 adolescents (mean age = 12.31, SD = 0.67; 51% male; 6% born outside of Germany) using a structural equation model. We found medium to high loadings of the manifest variables with the latent variables (COVID-19, protective factors, and psychopathology). Protective factors showed a significant negative correlation with psychopathology. However, COVID-19 had a weak connection with psychopathology in our sample. External pandemic-related factors (e.g., restrictions) and their interaction with existing psychopathology or individual protective factors appear to have a greater influence on young people's mental health than the impact of the virus per se. Sociopolitical efforts should be undertaken to foster prevention and promote individual resilience, especially in adolescence.
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Affiliation(s)
- Christin Scheiner
- Department of Child and Adolescent Psychiatry, Psychosomatics and Psychotherapy, University Hospital of Würzburg, 97080 Würzburg, Germany
- German Center of Prevention Research in Mental Health, 97080 Wuerzburg, Germany
| | - Christian Seis
- Department of Psychology I, Wuerzburg University, 97070 Würzburg, Germany
| | - Nikolaus Kleindienst
- Central Institute of Mental Health, Department of Psychosomatic Medicine and Psychotherapy, Medical Faculty Mannheim, Heidelberg University, 68159 Mannheim, Germany
| | - Arne Buerger
- Department of Child and Adolescent Psychiatry, Psychosomatics and Psychotherapy, University Hospital of Würzburg, 97080 Würzburg, Germany
- German Center of Prevention Research in Mental Health, 97080 Wuerzburg, Germany
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Mental disorders at the beginning of adolescence: Prevalence estimates in a sample aged 11-14 years. PUBLIC HEALTH IN PRACTICE 2022; 4:100348. [PMID: 36545674 PMCID: PMC9761382 DOI: 10.1016/j.puhip.2022.100348] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/08/2022] [Revised: 11/15/2022] [Accepted: 11/30/2022] [Indexed: 12/05/2022] Open
Abstract
Objectives This study aims to provide a deeper insight into mental disorders in early adolescence. We report prevalence rates (mental health problems, depressive symptoms, eating disorders, NSSI, STBs) to be used in future studies and clinical ventures. We also expected to find gender differences, with girls being be more affected than boys are. Study design 877 adolescents (M = 12.43, SD = 0.65) from seven German high schools completed a series of questionnaires assessing their mental health (SDQ, PHQ-9, SEED, DSHI-9, Paykel Suicide Scale, FAS III). Methods We calculated cut-off-based prevalence estimates for mental health issues for the whole sample and compared estimates between genders. Results 12.5% of the sample reported general mental health problems. The estimated prevalence of depressive symptoms lay at of 11.5%. Additionally, 12.1% and 1.3% of the participants displayed relevant symptoms of anorexia or bulimia nervosa, respectively. A total of 10.8% reported engaging in non-suicidal self-injury (NSSI) at least once in their lifetime, of whom 5.6% reported repetitive NSSI. 30.1% of the participants described suicidal thoughts, 9.9% suicide plans, and 3.5% at least one suicide attempt. Girls were generally more affected than boys, except for bulimia nervosa, suicidal behavior, and partly NSSI. Conclusion Our findings corroborate the established relevance of early adolescence for the development of mental health problems and suggest that a substantial proportion of young adolescents suffer from such problems early on. Considering the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic and reported negative mental health consequences, the current findings underline the importance of preventive interventions to avoid the manifestation of mental disorders during adolescence.
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