Protective Factors in the Context of Childhood Bereavement: Youth Gratitude, Future Orientation, and Purpose in Life

The objective of the study was to examine potential associations between positive youth development constructs (gratitude, future orientation, purpose in life) and psychological functioning (posttraumatic stress symptoms, depressive symptoms, maladaptive grief reactions) among bereaved youth and test whether these associations vary by age. A diverse sample of 197 clinic-referred bereaved youth (56.2% female; M = 12.36, SD = 3.18; 36.1% Hispanic, 23.7% White, 20.1% Black, 11.9% Multiracial, and 8.2% another race/ethnicity) completed self-report measures of psychological functioning and positive youth development constructs. Linear regression models indicated that gratitude and purpose were associated with lower posttraumatic stress and depressive symptoms among bereaved youth. Future orientation was associated with higher posttraumatic stress symptoms. Results were consistent across age. If replicated longitudinally, gratitude and purpose may be important protective factors against negative mental health outcomes in the aftermath of losing a loved one.

Validation of the four-item very brief University of California at Los Angeles Posttraumatic Stress Disorder Reaction Index screening tool for children and adolescents

OBJECTIVE

Experiencing traumatic events places children and adolescents at risk for developing posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD), often leading to adverse mental health consequences. Although well-validated measures of PTSD are available, very brief screening tools are needed to assess PTSD when resources are limited. This study was conducted to develop and validate the four-item University of California at Los Angeles (UCLA) PTSD Reaction Index for DSM-5-Very Brief Form (RI-5-VBF) to be used in settings requiring rapid and efficient screening.

METHOD

Item response theory (IRT) models were used to derive RI-5-VBF scores from the UCLA PTSD Reaction Index for DSM-5 and assess its internal consistency using a sample of 1,785 youth (Mage = 12.32 years, SD = 2.78) seeking support at an academic medical center clinic or bereavement center. Receiver operating characteristic (ROC) analyses and diagnostic efficiency statistics were used to assess discriminant groups validity and screening utility of the RI-5-VBF scores. Differential item functioning (DIF) analyses were used to examine possible bias across age, gender, race, ethnicity, and clinical setting versus bereavement center setting.

RESULTS

IRT models identified four items with the highest discrimination within each PTSD subscale. The RI-5-VBF scores exhibited acceptable internal consistency (α = .74). ROC analyses indicated that an RI-5-VBF score of 9 maximized sensitivity and specificity. DIF analyses did not find evidence of bias across age, gender, race, ethnicity, or clinical versus bereavement center settings.

CONCLUSION

These findings provide support for the reliability and validity of the RI-5-VBF. Findings highlight the utility of the RI-5-VBF as a brief screening measure for PTSD in children and adolescents. (PsycInfo Database Record (c) 2023 APA, all rights reserved).

Developmental Manifestations of Grief in Children and Adolescents: Caregivers as Key Grief Facilitators

The death of a loved one represents one of the most distressing and potentially traumatic life events in childhood and adolescence. Grief reactions in youth are influenced by ongoing developmental processes and manifest differently depending on the child's age and developmental stage. These grief-related processes unfold within youths' caregiving context, as children and adolescents rely heavily on the adults in their environment to navigate and cope with the death of a loved one. Despite the field's increasing recognition of the potential for maladaptive grief reactions to impede functioning over time, few longitudinal research studies on childhood grief currently exist. In this article, we will (a) provide a brief overview of the childhood bereavement literature; (b) review the new DSM-5 and ICD-11 Prolonged Grief Disorder diagnostic criteria through a developmentally-informed lens; (c) describe how grief reactions manifest in children and adolescents of different ages through the lenses of multidimensional grief theory and relational developmental systems theory; (d) highlight key moderating factors that may influence grief in youth, and (e) discuss a primary moderating factor, the caregiving environment, and the potential mechanisms through which caregivers influence children's grief.

Identity-based bullying and mental health among Black and Latino youth: The moderating role of emotional suppression

The current study examined the prevalence of identity-based bullying, the unique links between identity-based bullying and mental health (i.e., depressive and posttraumatic stress symptoms [PTSS]), and emotional suppression as a potential moderator of these links. Participants were 899 clinic-referred Black and Latino youth aged 7-18 years (M = 13.37 years, SD = 2.75, 60.8% female). Regression analyses indicated youth who experienced identity-based bullying victimization reported worse depressive symptoms and PTSS, controlling for co-occurring trauma exposure and demographic characteristics. We did not find evidence that emotional suppression moderated these associations. The findings highlight the potentially traumatic nature of identity-based bullying victimization in treatment-seeking Black and Latino youth and speak to the need for identity-based bullying risk screening.

Adolescents' developing awareness of inequality: Racial and ethnic differences in trajectories

To advance knowledge of critical consciousness development, this study examined age-related change in awareness of inequality by race and ethnicity, gender, parent education, generation status, and their interactions. With longitudinal data (2013-2017) from 5019 adolescents in grades 6-12 (55.0% female) from California, Minnesota, and West Virginia, multigroup second-order latent growth curves were estimated for Black (13.7%), Latinx (37.0%), Asian (8.1%), and white (41.3%) youth. Black, Latinx, and Asian adolescents increased awareness of inequality longitudinally; white youth showed no change. Multiracial youth accelerated awareness of inequality in mid-adolescence; changes in race and ethnicity predicted decline, followed by increases. Girls with more educated, immigrant-origin parents started out more aware of inequality. Results signal the need for race-specific and intersectional approaches to studying critical consciousness development.

Assessing the Link between Adolescents' Awareness of Inequality and Civic Engagement across Time and Racial/Ethnic Groups

Adolescents' awareness of societal inequality has been linked to higher civic engagement. This study expands prior research by testing whether awareness of inequality differentially motivates prosocial and political forms of civic engagement, whether adults' modeling of civic agency moderates links between awareness of inequality and civic engagement, and whether associations differ by race/ethnicity. Longitudinal data came from 3208 youth (M_age = 14.1, Range = 7-20, 56.1% female, 39.7% White, 38.4% Latinx, 12.3% Black, and 6.9% Asian). Across racial/ethnic groups, awareness of societal inequality predicted increased political behaviors and beliefs 2 years later. Adults' modeling of civic agency predicted certain forms of civic engagement but did not moderate links. The findings advance theory and research on the motivating role of awareness of inequality for political beliefs and actions.

Civic Development within the Peer Context: Associations between Early Adolescent Social Connectedness and Civic Engagement

Social connectedness is theorized to contribute to civic development and in turn, civic engagement is thought to cultivate social connectedness. Little research has examined how social connectedness is linked with early adolescent civic engagement. The current study used a social network research design to examine associations between early adolescent social connectedness via their position within their peer network and their civic engagement. Middle-school students (N = 213) aged 11-15 years (M = 12.5; 57% female) were recruited from a remote US community and provided nominations for peer connections and reported on multiple aspects of civic engagement. Early adolescents who had identified more peer nominations had higher civic efficacy. Youth who had fewer connections with different peer groups and fewer connections with popular peers were more engaged in political behavior. Greater popularity was associated with higher political engagement for boys, but not girls. Greater connections with different peer groups was associated with greater environmentalism for younger but not older teens. These findings highlight the need to consider adolescent civic development within the peer context.

Geospatial identification of high youth suicide risk areas via electronic health records: Avenues for research and prevention efforts

OBJECTIVE

As suicide risk screening becomes more common in healthcare settings, geospatial coding of behavioral health data may offer a means for identifying areas of elevated suicide risk for use in public health prevention efforts. The present study demonstrates an analytic approach for using universal suicide risk screening data to identify areas of elevated suicide risk.

METHOD

Data were drawn from standard suicide risk screens recorded in electronic health records of a large pediatric emergency department. A total of 12,400 suicide risk screening responses were recorded, among youth aged 11-19 years (mean = 14.60, SD = 2.16; 57.2% girls, 47.8% Hispanic/Latinx, 72.1% White). A total of 86 unique ZIP codes had at least 50 completed screens, representing 9139 respondents.

RESULTS

Rates of positive screens ranged from 6.17% to 31.03% (mean = 18.33, SD = 5.14) for any suicide-related behavior and from 0.0% to 19.61% (mean = 9.14, SD = 3.43) for suicide attempt. Rates of positive screens approximated a normal distribution.

CONCLUSIONS

Results demonstrated several areas with elevated rates of positive suicide risk screens, within the hospital catchment area. The proposed method capitalizes on large-scale screening data, provides an estimate of areas of relative increased risk, and may be used to inform public health responses to suicide prevention.

Performance of the interpersonal needs questionnaire in adolescent clinical samples: Confirmatory factor analyses and evaluation of measurement invariance

OBJECTIVE

This study evaluated the factor structure, internal consistency reliability, construct and criterion validity, and measurement invariance of the Interpersonal Needs Questionnaire (INQ) among adolescents.

METHOD

Participants (N = 539) included three distinct samples of youth drawn from two outpatient psychology clinics and an inpatient psychiatric unit. The combined sample was 63.3% female and had a mean age of 14.95 years (SD = 1.31 years). All participants completed the INQ as well as measures of depressive symptoms and suicide ideation.

RESULTS

Confirmatory factor analyses indicated that the removal of three items from the thwarted belongingness subscale of the INQ was needed to achieve acceptable model fit. The resulting combined 12-item scale demonstrated good factor structure, internal consistency reliability, construct validity, and criterion validity. The modified 12-item INQ also demonstrated scalar invariance across subgroups defined by sex, race, and age.

CONCLUSIONS

Findings support the use of this reduced 12-item version of the INQ among adolescents. Youth may have difficulty accurately responding to changes in item valence; thus, future research with youth should consider using a 12-item version of the INQ that avoids valence changes within subscales.

Adolescents' Evaluations of Political Leaders: The Case of President Donald Trump

The current study explored youths' views of President Donald Trump using quantitative ratings and open-ended responses from a diverse sample of 1,432 U.S. adolescents from three geographic regions. Adolescent demographic characteristics (i.e., gender, race, geographic location) were systematically associated with their views about Trump. Open-ended responses demonstrated substantial variability in youths' rationales for approving or disapproving of the president. Adolescents' attitudes were informed by knowledge of the president's leadership attributes, political views and policies, and their own experiences. Findings indicate that adolescents draw upon and synthesize a broad range of information when formulating their political views and coordinate this knowledge with their own opinions and experiences when evaluating political figures.