Physical Activity and Sedentary Behavior Patterns Across Weekdays and Weekend Days in Youth With Multiple Sclerosis and Controls

Background:

This study quantified and compared weekday and weekend patterns of device-measured physical activity (PA) and sedentary behavior between youth with pediatric multiple sclerosis (MS) and controls for the purpose of informing future PA behavior change interventions.

Methods:

Participant data were obtained from 3 ongoing observational studies, and the sample included 40 participants with pediatric MS and 41 controls. Light PA (LPA), moderate to vigorous PA (MVPA), and sedentary behavior data were collected using activity monitors (ActiGraph LLC) over 1 week. The main analysis involved a 2-way mixed factor analysis of variance with group as a between-subjects factor (pediatric MS vs control) and day as a within-subjects factor (weekday vs weekend day).

Results:

There was no group by day interaction from the analysis of variance for percentage of activity monitor wear time spent in LPA, MVPA, or sedentary behavior. There was no effect of group for LPA, MVPA, or sedentary behavior. There was an effect of day of week on percentage of day spent in LPA, MVPA, and sedentary behavior.

Conclusions:

These results suggest that youth with pediatric MS and controls were less physically active and more sedentary on weekends than on weekdays, but there were no differences between groups in PA and sedentary behavior overall or by day of the week. Physical activity interventions may be more successful by initially targeting weekend day activity.

Understanding the Outcome of Children who Selectively Do not Speak: A Retrospective Approach

BACKGROUND

Little is known about the longer-term outcomes of children diagnosed with selective mutism (SM) and/or social anxiety disorder (SAD); two anxiety disorders characterized by difficulties speaking in social situations despite being able to speak in other contexts.

OBJECTIVE

This retrospective study aimed to descriptively evaluate the long-term SM and SAD diagnostic and symptom severity outcomes in a clinical youth sample.

METHODS

Retrospective follow-up interviews were conducted with 31 parents of children/youth aged four to 14 years previously referred to a specialized anxiety clinic and diagnosed with SM and/or SAD (mean follow-up 4.2 years). Clinician and parent-report measures were used to determine follow-up diagnosis and symptom severity.

RESULTS

The majority (71%; n=22) of participants still met criteria for SM and/or SAD. Of these, 11 had SAD only; nine had a comorbid diagnosis of SM and SAD; and two had SM only. At follow-up 42% (n=13) were receiving school supports. Close to half (48%; n=15) of parents continued to express concerns about their child's anxiety. Almost all (90%, n=28) youth had attempted some form of treatment, with group cognitive behavioural therapy (CBT) reported as the most common form of treatment tried (48%, n=15). Almost thirty percent (29%, n=9) reported taking anxiety medications in the past with several (13%, n=4) still on medications at follow-up.

CONCLUSION

Study results suggest that symptoms of SM and SAD persist in the longer-term. Further investigation into the differences between diagnostic groups and their long-term treatment outcomes is clearly warranted.