Purpose: The current study was conducted to ascertain whether the effects of nativity (i.e., U.S. born vs. immigrant) on Hispanic adolescent substance use is mediated by ecological processes such as family functioning, school connectedness, and perceived peer substance use. Methods: The effects of family, peer, and school processes on adolescent substance use were examined in a nationally representative sample of 742 (358 male, 384 female) Hispanic youth (mean age = 15.9; SD = 1.8). Results: Results from a structural equation model indicated that the higher rates of substance use among U.S.-born Hispanics (compared with foreign-born Hispanics) are partially mediated by perceived peer substance use (as measured by the adolescent). The results also showed that perceived peer substance use and school connectedness mediate the relationship between family processes and substance use, suggesting that family processes may offset some of the deleterious effects of negative peer selection on adolescent substance use. Conclusion: These findings imply that public health behavioral interventions to prevent substance use among both U.S.-born and foreign-born Hispanics may need to attend to multiple ecological processes, including family, school, and peers.

Background: Research on adolescent mental health suggests that prevalence rates for depressed mood are not uniformly distributed across all populations. This study examined demographic difference in depressed mood among a nationally representative sample of high school adolescents. Methods: The 2003 National Youth Risk Behavior Survey was utilized to examine the association between depressed mood and demographic variables. To examine demographic associations, chi-square and follow-up logistic regression models were created for the sample of high school adolescents (N = 15,214). Results: Caucasians and African Americans were significantly less likely to report depressed mood when compared to Hispanics and Others. Women were also more likely than men to report depressed mood. No significant differences were observed among levels of urbanicity and age. Conclusions: An understanding of the difference in the prevalence and correlates of depressed mood among adolescents of various ethnic/racial and gender groups deserves increased attention. Given the fact that challenges with depressed mood in adolescents can be substantial and relatively unrecognized, there is an increased need to identify these adolescents early and intervene with culturally appropriate interventions.

The purpose of this study was to provide a descriptive profile of the alcohol, cigarette, marijuana and cocaine use practices among adolescents and to examine the relationship between employment, political beliefs, religious beliefs and substance use behaviors among high school seniors participating in the Monitoring the Future Study during the 2002 academic school year. Data from the Monitoring the Future (MTF) study (2002 12th grade core data) was used for this study. Logistic regression models were used to examine the relationship between substance use behaviors and employment, political beliefs, and religiosity. Analysis showed that males and females who believed religion was very important were less likely to have initiated alcohol use, to be a current user, and to have binge drank. A significant association was found for all alcohol use variables for those individuals who worked moderate amounts at an after school job. Political beliefs were found to be associated for initiation and current alcohol use but not for binge drinking. Political beliefs, religion, and employment were all significantly associated with cigarette use and cocaine use. Conceptualisation of substance use behavior and its prevention and treatment should include consideration of such key cultural and social factors as religiosity, employment and political beliefs of adolescents.

Objective: Phenomenological and treatment differences between children and adolescents with bipolar I disorder in a public mental health system were examined. Method: A systematic medical record review was performed on a sample of 83 patients, focusing on documented DSM IV symptoms of mania or depression, attention deficit hyperactivity disorder, conduct disorder, schizophrenia, and post-traumatic stress disorder. Cross-tabulation and logistic regression analyses were performed comparing the presence/absence of symptoms for each disorder and treatments provided for children and adolescents. Results: Prepubertal patients were significantly more likely to be male, easily distracted, inattentive, detached from others, hyper-vigilant, prescribed stimulant medication, and to meet the diagnostic criteria for attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder or Conduct Disorder than adolescents. Conclusions: Consistent with the published literature, phenomenological differences between children and adolescents are present and being recognized for differential diagnosis and treatment by community practitioners. More attention to documenting some cardinal symptoms of mania, the persistence of bipolar symptoms, and the nature of cycling for those with mixed states is needed.

Obesity in children and adolescents has increased exponentially around the world. Furthermore, the COVID-19 pandemic has led to a higher pediatric obesity rate. The excess adipose tissue generates a dysregulation of adiponectin, ghrelin, and leptin, among others. Metabolic alterations can develop cardiovascular disease, dyslipidemias, arterial hypertension, type 2 diabetes mellitus, nonalcoholic fatty liver disease, sleep disorders, and higher risk of COVID-19 severity. Obesity has different therapeutic approaches such as behavioral weight loss programs, pharmacologic treatments, and surgical procedures. Therefore, timely diagnosis and treatment are important to decrease the mortality in obesity among pediatric population.

Bullying is a widespread issue that impacts both youth and their caregivers. Involvement in bullying, regardless of status as a perpetrator, victim, witness, or varying combinations of these roles, may result in significant psychological, social, and educational harm. Youth athletes are a special risk group and may have unique experiences with bullying due to potential hazing, the competitive nature of athletics, and performance or physical expectations that are incongruent with stereotypical gender norms. Prior research on bullying has largely emphasized the role of schools while overlooking parental roles, perceptions, and available resources. Parental resources on bullying exist in the form of websites, digital applications, books, and movies. Yet, little research has examined the frequency with which these resources are accessed by parents, how prepared they feel to address bullying, and how or how often they directly intervene. The purpose of this study was to evaluate the relations among parental perceptions of bullying, utilization of resources, perceptions of preparedness to address bullying, and predictors of parental involvement. A survey was disseminated to two samples of parent groups: 1) a local sample composed of parents of gymnasts, dancers, and cheerleaders; 2) a national parent sample recruited from Facebook groups. This study evaluated the moderating effects of parental preparedness and involvement on the functional impact of bullying on their children. The results of this study indicate that most parents have not accessed resources related to bullying. Despite this, parents who have a child who has been bullied were found to have accessed resources related to bullying significantly more frequently than parents of children who have not experienced bullying. Of the parents who did access resources, the most utilized resource was websites. Parental beliefs about bullying were assessed and a positive correlation was found between parents with high avoidance beliefs and whether their child had experienced bullying. The belief that children should assert themselves when being bullied was identified as the most prevalent parental belief, which is similar to prior research on the topic. Additionally, a relationship was observed between the frequency of traditional bullying experiences and parental ratings of perceptions of youth functional impairment. A major limitation of this study was the small sample size and the number of participants who discontinued before completing the survey. Overall, the findings of this study highlight the need greater inclusion of parents in anti-bullying interventions and campaigns to inform parents of available resources and alter potentially harmful attitudes about bullying. A public campaign would be beneficial for informing parents of the harms associated with bullying and the resources that are available to them. In addition, future research would benefit from focusing on future interventions that are targeted at parents.

The purpose of the current study was to investigate the relative importance of diagnostic and psychosocial factors in the prediction of adolescent suicidal ideation. Previous research has shown both sets of variables to be significantly related to suicidality but has failed to compare their relative efficacy in explaining suicidal ideation. It was hypothesized that diagnostic variables would afford better prediction of suicidal ideation than psychosocial variables, diagnostic variables would predict suicidal ideation above and beyond psychosocial variables, and psychosocial variables would predict suicidality after controlling for the effects of diagnostic variables. This study included valid diagnostic and psychosocial variables, employed independent diagnoses as opposed to diagnostic groupings, and utilized continuous measures of psychiatric symptomatology, in series of regression analyses to test these hypotheses. Results revealed that diagnostic variables, in particular, severity of major depressive disorder symptomatology, afforded the strongest prediction of suicidal ideation, even after controlling for psychosocial variables. The comorbid combination of mood disorder and generalized anxiety disorder was found to be the most strongly linked to suicidal ideation of all diagnostic combinations. However, social support added to the prediction of suicidal ideation above and beyond that offered by all diagnostic variables. Moreover, the interaction of social support and family environment predicted suicidality above and beyond severity of major depressive disorder symptomatology. It was concluded that optimal prediction of suicidality is likely obtained through the utilization of continuous measures of psychiatric symptomatology in suicide research. Moreover, suicide research and clinical practice should include examinations of both diagnostic and psychosocial variables to increase prediction and understanding of suicidal ideation in adolescents. / Ph. D.

A dissertation submitted in partial fulfillment of the requirements for the Masters Degree in Clinical Psychology at the Department of Psychology at the University of Zululand, South Africa, 2011. / The field of moral reasoning has been surrounded by controversy. A lot of research has been done on the subject and a lot of theorists have differed much on thoughts, ideas and on how does an individual become a morally reasoning being. Our decisions pertaining certain issues are generally informed by our morals, values and beliefs. As we develop and grow in our respective societies, one discovers that how generally the society believes and views certain matters influence how one personally views the issue. Schools are especially one of the playgrounds that children enter into and form relationships with their peers. Inevitably they start to look at certain issues through the eyes of their peers. One may ask, what then happens to what the individual was raised to believe and know as wrong or right. This study seeks to understand the relationship between moral reasoning and sex guilt to premarital sex in adolescents in high schools. A sample of 40 participants was randomly selected for the study which comprised of 16 females and 24 males. The results indicated that there is no relationship between premarital sex and sex guilt to premarital sex in adolescents. The methodology used and the results found are interpreted and explained in the study.

Internalizing disorders can have negative effects ranging from diminished self-esteem to suicidal thoughts and behaviors . Native American children and adolescents often face pressures that put them at increased risk for the development of internalizing disorders, yet research within this population is almost nonexistent. Given the serious implications of and the lack of research on internalizing disorders among this minority group, the present study was designed to provide information on the rate of internalizing symptoms in a sample of Native American adolescents, and provide normative data utilizing this sample for the Internalizing Symptoms Scale for Adolescents. Data were collected using the Internalizing Symptoms Scale for Adolescents, the Reynolds Adolescent Depression Scale, the Revised Children's Manifest Anxiety Scale, and the State-Trait Anxiety Inventory for Children. Findings indicate that the Native American sample of adolescents are endorsing clinically significant levels internalizing symptoms at rates similar to those found in the general population.

Information on human needs for pantothenic acid is limited and no recommended daily allowance has been established; although a safe and adequate level of 4-7 mg/day has been suggested for adults and adolescents. The adolescent population is often at risk for nutritional problems because of unusual eating patterns and major physiological changes which occur at this time. Pantothenic acid levels in urine, whole-blood and erythrocytes were determined in a healthy adolescent population using radioimmunoassay techniques. Dietary intakes were calculated from 4 day diet records and evaluated using a computer data base developed at Utah State University in conjunction with USDA. Forty-nine percent of the females and 15 percent of the males consumed less than 4 mg/day; however average blood levels for both males and females were in a 11normal11 range relative to other populations {411.9 ± 102.8 ng/ml and 344.5 ± 113.6 ng/ml, respectively). Dietary intake was highly correlated to urinary excretion (p < 0.001). Levels of pantothenic acid in erythrocytes correlated well to dietary intake and urinary excretion. A model was developed to predict circulating levels of pantothenic acid from dietary intake and urinary excretion.