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Adolescents self‐report using different strategies to respond to peer provocation. However, we have a limited understanding of how these responses are behaviorally enacted and perceived by peers. This study examined the extent to which adolescents' self‐reported responses to peer provocation (i.e., aggressive, assertive, and withdrawn) predicted how their vocal enactments of standardized responses to peer provocation were perceived by other adolescents. Three vocal cues relevant to the communication of emotional intent—average pitch, average intensity, and speech rate—were explored as moderators of these associations. Adolescent speakers (n = 39; Mage = 12.67; 66.7% girls) completed a self‐report measure of how they would choose to respond to scenarios involving peer provocation; they also enacted standardized vocal responses to hypothetical peer provocation scenarios. Recordings of speakers' vocal responses were presented to a separate sample of adolescent listeners (n = 129; Mage = 12.12; 52.7% girls) in an online listening task. Speakers who self‐reported greater use of assertive response strategies enacted standardized vocal responses that were rated as significantly friendlier by listeners. Vocal responses enacted with faster speech rates were also rated as significantly friendlier by listeners. Speakers' self‐reported use of aggression and withdrawal was not significantly related to listeners' ratings of their standardized vocal responses. These findings suggest that adolescents may be perceived differently by their peers depending on the way in which their response is enacted; specifically, faster speech rate may be perceived as friendlier and thus de‐escalate peer conflict. Future studies should consider not only what youth say and/or do when responding to peer provocation but also how they say it. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Objective: Among 3614 youth who were 9 to 12 years old and initially did not have overweight or obesity (12% [n = 385] developed overweight or obesity), we examined the natural progression of weight gain and brain structure development during a 2‐year period with a high risk for obesity (e.g., pre‐ and early adolescence) to determine the following: 1) whether variation in maturational trajectories of the brain regions contributes to weight gain; and/or 2) whether weight gain contributes to altered brain development. Methods: Data were gathered from the Adolescent Brain Cognitive Development (ABCD) Study. Linear mixed‐effects regression models controlled for puberty, caregiver education, handedness, and intracranial volume (random effects: magnetic resonance scanner [MRI] scanner and participant). Because pubertal development occurs earlier in girls, analyses were stratified by sex. Results: For girls, but not boys, independent of puberty, greater increases in BMI were driven by smaller volumes over time in the bilateral accumbens, amygdala, hippocampus, and thalamus, right caudate and ventral diencephalon, and left pallidum (all p < 0.05). Conclusions: The results suggest a potential phenotype for identifying obesity risk because underlying differences among regions involved in food intake were related to greater weight gain in girls, but not in boys. Importantly, 2 years of weight gain may not be sufficient to alter brain development, highlighting early puberty as a critical time to prevent negative neurological outcomes. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The objective was to establish whether aspects of ovarian morphology correlate with reproductive and metabolic features during the first postmenarcheal year using data from the Ovarian Morphology in Girls (OMG!) cohort study. The feasibility of transabdominal ultrasonography to assess ovarian features was also determined. Healthy adolescent females enrolled in a prospective cohort study. Study visits occurred at 6-10, 11-13, 17-19, and 23-25 months postmenarche and entailed a physical exam, transabdominal ultrasound, and fasting blood draw. Participants maintained menstrual diaries throughout the study. The present analysis reflects participants who completed the study visit at 6-10 months postmenarche. Associations between ovarian morphology or average cycle length with reproductive and metabolic features were assessed by Spearman correlations and linear regression. Forty participants enrolled in the OMG! study. Thirty-one participants initiated study procedures at 6-10 months postmenarche, and data were available for analysis for 29 participants. Image quality was judged as partially visible or excellent in 90% of the left and 78% of the right ovaries assessed, with all images collected having sufficient image quality to provide measurements of at least 1 ovarian marker. The follicle number per ovary and ovarian volume were positively associated with anti-Müllerian hormone levels and negatively associated with fasting insulin. The average cycle length was only associated negatively with triglycerides. Transabdominal ultrasonography in the early postmenarcheal period provides sufficient resolution to enable estimations of antral follicle count and ovarian size. Ovarian features in early gynecological life may correspond with measures of reproductive and metabolic function. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper draws on biographical research among the Akamba and the Luo communities in Eastern and Western Kenya, respectively. Our research explored how practices of adolescence as a process, an institution, and a performance of identity interact with colonial modernities and imaginaries in complex ways. The biographical research was carried out predominantly with women born in the late colonial period in Kenya. We provide critical reflections on the process and affordances of our embodied storytelling approach, which we position as an Africanist methodology and a decolonial research practice. This research and approach provided women with a space to narrate and perform their lived experience, potentially disrupting epistemic inequities that are embedded in the way research on growing up in the past is carried out. The discussions show how colonialism interacted with other factors, including gender and generational power, tradition, girls' agency, and other life characteristics like poverty and family situation, in order to influence the lived experiences of women. Going beyond the narratives of victimhood that characterise coming of age in similar spaces, we present women's emergent, incomplete, and incongruent agency. We position this agency as the diverse ways in which people come to terms with their difficult contexts. The discussion also points to the need for unsettling the settled thinking about girlhood and coming of age in specific historical spaces in the global South. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Prescription opioid misuse has become one of the most frequent types of drug consumption among adolescents. Our objective was to report the prevalence, gender differences, and factors associated with prescription opioid misuse in school-aged adolescents. An observational study was conducted. We used the Spanish State Survey on Drug Use in Secondary Education 2018–2019, which covers drug use among students aged 14–18 years. Based on logistic multivariate regression models, we estimated the independent effect of each variable on prescription opioid misuse. Prescription opioid misuse was reported by 554 adolescents, with a greater prevalence in boys than girls (OR = 2.72). Misuse of tranquilizers, sedatives, sleeping pills, and other illicit psychoactive drugs (AOR = 9.32) are risk factors for prescription opioid misuse in both genders. Use of cannabis (AOR = 3.23) and cocaine (AOR = 2.28) is the predictor of prescription opioid misuse in females. There are differences in risk factors for prescription opioid misuse by gender. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Objectives: To describe the daily Physical Activity (PA) patterns of adolescents with Attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder (ADHD), to analyze the differences in terms of PA patterns between adolescents with ADHD and those without ADHD, and to study the factors associated with achieving the daily PA recommendations. Methods: The sample was composed of 778 adolescents who provided complete information on their PA patterns through the Physical Activity Questionnaire for Adolescents (PAQ-A). Of these, 97 had ADHD according to DSM-5 criteria. Results: The results show that being a girl or being of foreign origin and having ADHD have an impact on the achievement of the recommended amount of daily PA. Conclusions: When promoting PA in adolescents with ADHD within the school environment, it is necessary to consider different domains and specific contexts of a school day, paying special attention to girls and adolescents with ADHD of immigrant origin. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Studies addressing age at peak height velocity (PHV) in longitudinal samples of participants in sports are relatively limited. Purpose: To compare the growth status and estimated ages at PHV of longitudinal samples girls and boys active in sport with peers not active in sport, and to compare estimated ages at PHV among longitudinal samples of Polish youth active in sport. Methods: Records from the Cracow Longitudinal Study, which measured youth annually from 8 to 18 years, were screened to identify individuals regularly active in sport. Participants in athletics (22 girls, 10 boys), soccer (12 boys), and other team (6 girls, 7 boys) and individual (6 girls, 9 boys) sports were identified; 107 girls and 172 boys were not active in sport. Heights and weights of participants in sports and non-involved peers were compared. Longitudinal height records of individuals were fit with the SITAR model to estimate age at PHV. Ages at PHV of boys and girls active in sport and peers not active in sports were compared with sex-specific ANOVAs. Results: Ages at PHV of boys participating in athletics and soccer were similar to age at PHV of boys not active in sport, while ages at PHV of boys in other team sports (basketball, volleyball, handball) and individual sports (skiing, gymnastics, acrobatics) were, respectively, slightly earlier and later. Among girls, age at PHV of participants in team sports (basketball, netball) was earlier, while ages at PHV among participants in athletics and other individual sports (equestrian, acrobatics, shooting) were slightly later compared to non-athlete peers. Conclusion: Ages at PHV varied among participants in different sports and were consistent with estimates in other longitudinal samples of Polish youth athletes. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper explores teenage girls' responses to general advice, and formal prevention messages, designed to reduce sexting-related risk and prevent harm. We conducted workshops with seven groups of girls (28 in total), aged 16–17 years, in a New Zealand city. Each group participated in a series of three workshop sessions. Drawing on a Freirean 'problem-posing' approach, we designed the workshops as spaces in which girls were invited to observe and critically discuss norms related to sharing nudes as well as harm prevention messages. Girls noticed the problematic gender and sexual politics that shape abstinence-based models that target girls (implicitly) to not send nudes, but which leave boys who distribute or otherwise misuse them out of the picture. Participants navigated a careful path between attending to risk and protection on the one hand, and endorsing their right to freedom of expression on the other. We argue for a subtle, but significant, shift away from a focus on sexting safety to a focus on the prevention of image-based sexual coercion, harassment and abuse. This reframing would help to direct prevention efforts to the gendered drivers and dynamics of harm perpetration, and the ways in which they are problematically socially ignored or condoned. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Girls' education has for many decades been central to the global development agenda, due to its positive impact on girls' health and wellbeing. In this paper, the authors revisit boys' attitudes, behaviours and norms related to girls' education, following the Samata intervention to prevent girls' school dropouts in Northern-Karnataka, South India. Data were collected from 20 boys in intervention villages before and after the intervention, and analysis was undertaken using a thematic-framework approach. Findings suggest that while boys did hold some attitudes and beliefs that supported girls' education and delayed-marriage, these remained within the framework of gender-inequitable norms concerning girls' marriageability, respectability/family-honour. Participants criticised peers who sought to jeopardise girls' respectability by teasing and community gossip about girls-boys' communication in public. Boys who rejected prevailing norms of masculinity were subjected to gossip, ridicule and violence by the community. Boys' attitudes and beliefs supported girls' education but were conditional on the maintenance of gendered hierarchies at household and interpersonal levels. Social norms concerning girls' honour, respectability and the role of boys as protectors/aggressors appeared to influence boys' response to girls' school dropouts. Future interventions aiming to address girls' education and marriage must invest time and resources to ensure that intervention components targeting boys are relevant, appropriate and effective. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Caregivers of adolescent daughters with juvenile legal system involvement face unique stressors that have been largely overlooked in research and practice. The current study recruited 183 Black and Native North American/Indigenous caregivers with daughters involved in the juvenile legal system via a Qualtrics survey distributed using MTurk with careful screening practices. Results indicated high levels of stress and worry related to daughter's juvenile legal system involvement. Female caregivers used prayer, talking with friends, going to therapy, and exercise significantly more than male caregivers as coping strategies. Problems associated with daughter's juvenile legal system involvement and worry about daughter's juvenile legal system involvement significantly impacted use of most coping strategies. Finally, nearly all caregivers were interested in trying new activities to strengthen their relationship with their daughter and in strategies to improve their own mental health. Potential intervention components highlighted by caregivers indicate future directions for family-focused programming targeting families with juvenile legal system involvement. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Abstract Background A growing body of literature indicates that adolescent girls who talk with close friends about interpersonal problems or worries in an excessive, speculative way, and with an intense focus on distress (i.e., co-rumination) are at heightened risk for developing internalizing symptoms and disorders as well as reduced friendship quality. However, to date, there are no prevention programs available that target high levels of co-rumination between adolescent girls. As such, we developed the blended school-based mindfulness prevention program Happy Friends, Positive Minds (HFPM) that targets co-rumination at the dyadic level, i.e., between two close female friends. The aim of this trial is to evaluate the effectiveness of HFPM to reduce co-rumination and internalizing problems and to enhance wellbeing and social-emotional behavior in Dutch adolescent girls. Methods A cluster Randomized Controlled Trial (cRCT) will be conducted to evaluate HFPM effectiveness. We will recruit 160 female friendship dyads (n = 320 girls) aged 13 to 15 years who will be characterized by high levels of self-reported co-rumination. The cRCT has two arms: (1) an intervention condition in which 160 girls (80 friendship dyads) will receive the 14-week HFPM program in two consecutive cohorts (cohort 1 in academic year 2023/2024 and cohort 2 in academic year 2024/2025, and (2) a control condition in which 160 girls (80 dyads) will receive care-as-usual (CAU) in two consecutive cohorts (cohort 1 in academic year 2023/2024 and cohort 2 in academic year 2024/2025). Data will be collected at baseline (T0), during the program (T1;T2; T3), immediately after the program (T4), and at 1-year follow-up (T5). Participant-level self-reported risk for (early onset) depression and anxiety, self-reported and observed co-rumination, self- and friend-reported friendship quality, self-reported positive and negative affect, self-reported interpersonal responses to positive affect, and self-reported anhedonia symptoms will be the outcome variables. Discussion This study will provide insights into the short-term and long-term effects of the HFPM program on girls’ internalizing problems, wellbeing, and social-emotional behavior. Trial registration International Standard Randomized Controlled Trials, identifier: ISRCTN54246670. Registered on 27 February 2023.

Background: Dating violence in adolescence is a serious public health issue due to its significant impact on mental health and its significant predictive value for intimate partner violence in adulthood. Universal and selective programs can contribute to the prevention of this issue. Nonetheless, there are few selective programs with evidence of feasibility in contexts of social vulnerability. Objective: The present study examined evidence of the feasibility of a dating violence selective prevention program for girls in foster care by monitoring process indicators during the implementation phase of a pilot study. Methods: The program, originally designed for adolescents in the general population, was adapted to the context of girls at risk. The pilot study was conducted in the southern region of Brazil and involved the participation of six girls aged between 15 and 17. Both quantitative and qualitative measures were used, and the data were explored through frequency analysis, the Jacobson and Truax test, and content analysis. Results: The study identified favorable evidence regarding demand, acceptability, and adaptation of the intervention. On the other hand, contextual and institutional barriers hindered recruitment and restricted the reach of the intervention. Conclusion: Although there are changes to be made to improve the program's applicability in its specific context, it should be emphasized that this study provides evidence to maintain the methods and content of the intervention. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Objective: The goal of the present study is to describe the ADHD phenotype from childhood to adolescence in Black and White girls in a community sample. Method: Primary caregivers enrolled in the population-based, longitudinal Pittsburgh Girls Study reported on girls' ADHD symptoms and impairment from ages 7 to 17; diagnostic subtypes were estimated based on meeting symptom criteria. Results: The prevalence of any subtype of ADHD ranged from 6.4 to 9.2% and from 2.3 to 6.4% for Black and White girls respectively; the inattentive subtype was most endorsed. A relatively equal number of new diagnoses at each age was observed. Persistence of ADHD diagnoses was typically 1 to 2 years. Conclusions: ADHD in the community is relatively common, with the inattentive subtype as the most common phenotype for Black and White girls. Research on developmentally sensitive periods for symptom exacerbation or new onset of ADHD in girls is needed. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Introduction: Youth media guidelines in Canada and the United States recommend that bedrooms should remain screen-free zones. This study aims to verify whether bedroom screens at age 12 years prospectively predict academic and social impairment by age 17 years. Methods: Participants were from the Quebec Longitudinal Study of Child Development birth cohort (661 girls and 686 boys). Linear regression analyses estimated associations between having a bedroom screen (television or computer) at age 12 years and selfreported overall grades, dropout risk, prosocial behaviour and likelihood of having experienced a dating relationship in the past 12 months at age 17 years, while adjusting for potential individual and family confounding factors. Results: For both girls and boys, bedroom screens at age 12 years predicted lower overall grades (B = −2.41, p ≤ 0.001 for boys; −1.61, p ≤ 0.05 for girls), higher dropout risk (B = 0.16, p ≤ 0.001 for boys; 0.17, p ≤ 0.001 for girls) and lower likelihood of having experienced a dating relationship (B = −0.13, p ≤ 0.001 for boys; −0.18, p ≤ 0.001 for girls) at age 17. Bedroom screens also predicted lower levels of prosocial behaviour (B = −0.52, p ≤ 0.001) at age 17 years for boys. Conclusion: The bedroom as an early adolescent screen-based zone does not predict long-term positive health and well-being. Pediatric recommendations to parents and youth should be more resolute about bedrooms being screen-free zones and about unlimited access in private exposures in childhood. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: A growing body of literature indicates that adolescent girls who talk with close friends about interpersonal problems or worries in an excessive, speculative way, and with an intense focus on distress (i.e., co-rumination) are at heightened risk for developing internalizing symptoms and disorders as well as reduced friendship quality. However, to date, there are no prevention programs available that target high levels of co-rumination between adolescent girls. As such, we developed the blended school-based mindfulness prevention program Happy Friends, Positive Minds (HFPM) that targets co-rumination at the dyadic level, i.e., between two close female friends. The aim of this trial is to evaluate the effectiveness of HFPM to reduce co-rumination and internalizing problems and to enhance wellbeing and social-emotional behavior in Dutch adolescent girls. Methods: A cluster Randomized Controlled Trial (cRCT) will be conducted to evaluate HFPM effectiveness. We will recruit 160 female friendship dyads (n = 320 girls) aged 13 to 15 years who will be characterized by high levels of self-reported co-rumination. The cRCT has two arms: (1) an intervention condition in which 160 girls (80 friendship dyads) will receive the 14-week HFPM program in two consecutive cohorts (cohort 1 in academic year 2023/2024 and cohort 2 in academic year 2024/2025, and (2) a control condition in which 160 girls (80 dyads) will receive care-as-usual (CAU) in two consecutive cohorts (cohort 1 in academic year 2023/2024 and cohort 2 in academic year 2024/2025). Data will be collected at baseline (T0), during the program (T1;T2; T3), immediately after the program (T4), and at 1-year follow-up (T5). Participant-level self-reported risk for (early onset) depression and anxiety, self-reported and observed co-rumination, self- and friend-reported friendship quality, self-reported positive and negative affect, self-reported interpersonal responses to positive affect, and self-reported anhedonia symptoms will be the outcome variables. Discussion: This study will provide insights into the short-term and long-term effects of the HFPM program on girls' internalizing problems, wellbeing, and social-emotional behavior. Trial registration: International Standard Randomized Controlled Trials, identifier: ISRCTN54246670. Registered on 27 February 2023. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Child marriage is a global crisis underpinned by gender inequality and discrimination against girls. A small evidence base suggests that food insecurity crises can be both a driver and a consequence of child marriage. However, these linkages are still ambiguous. This paper aims to understand how food insecurity influences child marriage practices in Chiredzi, Zimbabwe. Methods: Mixed methods, including participant-led storytelling via SenseMaker® and key informant interviews, were employed to examine the relationship between food insecurity and child marriage within a broader context of gender and socio-economic inequality. We explored the extent to which food insecurity elevates adolescent girls' risk of child marriage; and how food insecurity influences child marriage decision-making among caregivers and adolescents. Key patterns that were generated by SenseMaker participants' interpretations of their own stories were visually identified in the meta-data, and then further analyzed. Semi-structured guides were used to facilitate key informant interviews. Interviews were audio-recorded, and transcribed and translated to English, then imported into NVivo for coding and thematic analysis. Results: A total of 1,668 community members participated in SenseMaker data collection, while 22 staff participated in interviews. Overall, we found that food insecurity was a primary concern among community members. Food insecurity was found to be among the contextual factors of deprivation that influenced parents' and adolescent girls' decision making around child marriage. Parents often forced their daughters into marriage to relieve the household economic burden. At the same time, adolescents are initiating their own marriages due to limited alternative survival opportunities and within the restraints imposed by food insecurity, poverty, abuse in the home, and parental migration. COVID-19 and climate hazards exacerbated food insecurity and child marriage, while education may act as a modifier that reduces girls' risk of marriage. Conclusions: Our exploration of the associations between food insecurity and child marriage suggest that child marriage programming in humanitarian settings should be community-led and gender transformative to address the gender inequality that underpins child marriage and address the needs and priorities of adolescent girls. Further, programming must be responsive to the diverse risks and realities that adolescents face to address the intersecting levels of deprivation and elevate the capacities of adolescent girls, their families, and communities to prevent child marriage in food insecure settings. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

While the understanding of child marriage in Ghana has improved in recent decades, scholarship on this important topic remains scant, especially research examining the reasons for child marriage across socio-cultural contexts. We apply the social-ecological model to explore the drivers of child marriage in the Bawku West District in Ghana. After purposive sampling, we conducted in-depth interviews with 15 women who married before the age of 18 and thematic content analysis to summarize the text. The findings reveal that child marriage is commonplace in the study area and has several drivers, including community/societal factors such as poverty and bride price payment. Other drivers include teenage pregnancy and low educational levels. The results corroborate the social-ecological model in which child marriage has multiple levels of influence. Findings suggest that addressing child marriage in Ghana requires practical solutions across all sectors and levels. Highlights: Female child marriage remains unacceptably high in Ghana. Research examining reasons for child marriage in Ghana is limited. This study examined reasons for child marriage in the Bawku West District of Ghana. Factors at multiple levels of the social-ecological system influence child marriage. Preventing child marriage requires practical solutions across all sectors and levels. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Research to date has identified a relationship between exercise in adolescence and 4 sociocultural influences: peers, family, media, and technology. Less is known, however, about the role that these sociocultural influences play in driving adolescents' exercise behaviors and attitudes, particularly social media and fitness tracking technology use. This study aimed to investigate how and why sociocultural factors are linked to exercise behaviors and attitudes in adolescent boys and girls. Methods: Eight focus groups were conducted in UK secondary schools with fifty-five 12- to 16-year-old adolescents (M = 14.11; SD = 1.49; n = 27 females). Following transcription and thematic analysis, 2 key themes were identified: (1) exercise pressures and (2) modeling exercise behaviors and attitudes. Results: Exercise pressures were reported to stem from parental and peer expectations around exercise, and from feeling pressure to meet externally prescribed fitness tracking technology goals. Adolescents also reported modeling the exercise behaviors of their parents or peers for social affiliation and as a means to achieve socially endorsed "ideal" body types. Conclusions: These findings highlight the need for exercise interventions to consider the importance of exercise-related messages from others and tendencies toward conformity as a result of sociocultural expectations around exercise in adolescents. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Headache among children and adolescents is an important health problem. In this school-based epidemiological study conducted in Istanbul, we aimed to reveal the frequency of headaches in this population, define the risk factors associated with headaches, and establish the effect of headaches on the quality of life in this population. The child and adolescent versions of the Headache-Attributed Restriction, Disability, Social Handicap and Impaired Participation structured questionnaire were conducted in 30 schools in Istanbul. The diagnosis was made based on the International Classification of Headache Disorders III-(ICHD-3) beta version. Risk factors associated with headaches were analyzed in a binary logistic regression model. Among the 5944 students (boys = 3011 [50.7%], girls 2933 [49.3%]) who completed the survey and were enrolled in this study, 3354 (56.4%) reported a headache ever. The prevalence of headaches was significantly higher in girls (62.6% vs. 50.4%, P < 0.001). Migraine prevalence was found to be 5.2%, whereas tension-type headache (TTH) prevalence was 26.1%. Being a female, age, living on the European side, and headache history in the family were found to be associated with an increased risk of having a headache. Pupils with headaches reported that they missed an average of 0.5 ± 1.5 school days due to headaches. TTH was found to be the most common headache syndrome in Istanbul metropolitan area. Considering the effect of headaches on school success and quality of life in childhood, it is clear that the correct diagnosis of headaches and careful handling of risk factors are crucial for this population. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Mothers play an important role in the emotion socialization of their teenage children, with implications for psychological adjustment. However, studies on maternal socialization of positive emotions in adolescence are still scarce and inconclusive. In this study, we aim to deepen our understanding on the association between unsupportive maternal socialization strategies of overjoy and internalization but also externalization symptoms as mediated by emotion dysregulation, and moderated by adolescents' gender. The study was conducted with 418 adolescents (Mage = 14.75; 57.7% girls). Moderated mediation analysis indicated the effect of punishment and override of overjoy on internalization (punishment: b = 1.38, 95% CI [0.63, 2.31]; override: b = 1.36, 95% CI [0.59, 2.31]) and externalization (punishment: b = 0.71, 95% CI [0.20, 1.34]; override: b = 0.77, 95% CI [0.26, 1.46]) was mediated by emotional dysregulation in the case of boys. Contrary to expectations, for girls this effect was not found, indicating that further analysis are required. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background and Aims: This study aims to describe inequalities in health indicators according to gender, area of residence, and socioeconomic position among Brazilian adolescents. Methods: Cross‐sectional study using data from a school‐based survey carried out in Brazil in 2019. Twelve health outcomes were evaluated. Dimensions of inequality assessed were gender, area of residence, wealth and subnational region. Results: This study comprises a sample of 124,898 adolescents. The most prevalent outcome was physical inactivity (71.9%) followed by thinking life is worthless (52.6%) and bullying (51.8%). Gender inequalities were more marked for physical inactivity and thinking life is worthless with girls presenting a prevalence more than 20 p.p. higher than boys. In zero‐dose HPV, however, the prevalence in girls was 17.7 p.p. lower than in boys. Area of residence and wealth inequalities were smaller than gender disparities. Context presented a relevant role in inequality with analysis stratified by states of the country, revealing high variability in estimates. Conclusions: We highlight the need for attention to disparities between subgroups of the adolescent population, especially for gender inequalities that were the most marked for this age group. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Several risk factors for injury have been suggested in female elite athletes. However, there is a lack of prospective studies in young female athletes where multiple risk factors have been studied. The aim of this study was to identify risk factors for injury in female adolescent elite athletes. Substantial injuries were monitored in 222 athletes using the validated Oslo Sports Trauma Research Centre Questionnaire over 20 weeks. Over 20 potential risk factors were explored. Based on a binomial generalized linear mixed model, two significant (p<0.05) risk factors for injury were identified; previous injury within the last 12 months (OR 2.55) and well-being (OR 0.97). An athlete with a previous injury had twice as high a risk of injury (13% vs. 6%) compared to an athlete with no previous injury. Higher perceived well-being was associated with a decreased risk of injury. Based on a prospective design with a large sample of female adolescent elite athletes, investigating over 20 potential risk factors for injury, our results suggest that a previous injury and well-being are risk factors for injury. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

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Objectives: Attention is an essential part of cognitive functions for all learning in the school environment. The screening of attentional deficits constitutes an important field of research, given its relationship with other cognitive functions and the neurocognitive profiling of Moroccan adolescents in school. Materials and Methods: A study was conducted over 3 months. A comparative and predictive method is used, the Bells test, to assess the state of neglect of these students, as well as the detection of attention deficit. Results: Two hundred and fifty students participated, including 152 girls [60.4%] and 98 boys [39.6%], the average age is 16.77 ± 1.23 years, range: 14-21, divided into three school levels: Common core (TC) 27.6%, 1st-year baccalaureate 50.8%, and 2nd-year baccalaureate 21.6%. This study found that 18.4% of the students had attentional deficits and 4% had a unilateral spatial neglect pattern in young adolescents in school. Conclusion: The Bells Test is a useful screening tool to detect these attentional deficits. This implies that attentional disorders negatively influence the academic and motor performance of the subjects. This implies that attentional disorders negatively influence the academic and motor performance of the subjects and, therefore, increase the percentage of school failure. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In adolescence, both major depression (MD) and anorexia nervosa (AN) are associated with deficits in emotion regulation (ER). However, studies have yet to compare ER profiles within the disorders and the effect of comorbid MD+AN is unclear. This study examined the habitual use of ER in 229 girls, aged 12–18 years, with MD (n = 84), AN (n = 37), comorbid MD+AN (n = 25), and healthy girls (n = 83). Girls with MD, AN and MD+AN reported more maladaptive and less adaptive ER strategies than healthy girls. MD and MD+AN groups showed more frequent use of maladaptive ER compared to only AN, with no differences between only MD and MD+AN. This suggests that MD+AN is not necessarily associated with higher ER deficits, rather, an additional diagnosis of MD exacerbates impairments in AN. Identifying specific ER profiles can provide important targets in prevention and treatment for AN, MD and AN+MD. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

PurposeThis study explores links among marianismo, girls' mobility and sexuality, and child marriage among adolescent girls in rural areas of Honduras.MethodsWe analyze quantitative and qualitative data collected in 2008-2016 for a longitudinal cohort study of rural Honduran adolescent girls. These data include interviews (n = 10 married before age 18) and surveys (n = 563; 155 married early). We also use qualitative data from focus groups in 2016 that included students, parents, teachers, and community members (n = 120).ResultsWe find that girls who scored higher on a scale of traditional gender norms were more likely to marry early. Furthermore, our qualitative findings indicate that girls experienced control over their mobility and their sexuality because of rigid gender norms prevalent in their communities. The control girls experience clashes with undergoing psychosocial changes that are associated with increased desire for autonomy and intimacy as well as increased awareness of their sexuality. In some cases, girls believed that marriage was better than staying in their restrictive households, and/or they viewed marriage as the only way to have a romantic relationship.DiscussionRigid gender norms that promote excessive regulation of girls' behavior and sexuality influence girls' decision-making processes to enter child marriage. Educational initiatives that challenge sexist gender norms and explain and normalize attraction and intimacy during adolescence should be a central component of child marriage prevention programming for adolescents, parents, and community members.

This study examines the progress and changes in a trial practice of a child-parent support program for adolescent autistic girls （Amanatsu Charm）. Four online individual sessions were conducted with an eight-year-old autistic girl and her mother. This practice aims to promote awareness of the physiological condition of the body and understanding of interpersonal relationships and communication. We analyzed drawings about the current internal state of the body and conducted a feeling check before and after each session as well as the contents of her comments during the sessions. Through the practice, the participant experienced difficulty in accurately understanding and expressing interoception. The categorization of her comments indicated the characteristics of her coping mechanism with the situation. Therefore, we examined the extent to which the features of the program met the practiceʼs objectives and their use in future practices. 【Research Impact】 Adolescent autistic girls frequently experience specific difficulties in interpersonal relationships and aspects related to their body. This practical study examined the trial practice of approaching an adolescent autistic girl to promote awareness of the internal body and to help her acquire daily self-care skills. Furthermore, we presented suggestions for future practice based on the features of this program. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Irritability is a transdiagnostic feature and a common mental health problem in adolescence. Prior studies indicate that irritability is composed of two correlated but separable dimensions, tonic irritability (i.e., irritable mood) and phasic irritability (i.e., temper outbursts), which are respectively associated with internalizing and externalizing outcomes. However, little is known about the stability and interrelations of tonic and phasic irritability. The current study examined the longitudinal interplay between tonic and phasic irritability during adolescence. A community sample of 544 girls (age 13.5–15.5 years) was assessed at 5 waves (over 3 years, in 9-month intervals). A random-intercept cross-lagged panel model was used to examine the within-person stability and longitudinal interrelations of tonic and phasic irritability. Pseudo-indicator models were used to help analyze all available data. Results suggest that tonic and phasic irritability had distinct patterns of development and co-development. Between individuals, tonic and phasic irritability showed moderate rank-order stability and high concurrent correlations. Within individuals, phasic irritability was found to positively predict both tonic and phasic irritability at the subsequent wave, whereas tonic irritability did not predict later phasic irritability and showed weaker within-person stability. These results suggest that increased or decreased phasic irritability in adolescent girls may signify continued increase or decrease in both tonic and phasic irritability. The study was among the first to demonstrate the discriminant validity of tonic and phasic irritability from a developmental perspective. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Adjustment difficulties of school students are common and their school adjustment has gained wide concern in recent years. Negative life events (NLEs) hope, and gratitude have been associated with school adjustment. However, the potential effect of NLEs on hope and gratitude and whether hope and gratitude mediate the association between NLEs and school adjustment among high students have not been studied. Thus, this study aims to investigate the association between NLEs, hope and gratitude, and school adjustment in high school students in China. Additionally, the study aims to examine the mediating role of hope and gratitude in the association between NLEs and school adjustment. A total of 700 junior high school students in Guangxi Province (336 boys, 364 girls, M age = 15 years) completed the questionnaire. The results indicated significant mediating effects of hope and gratitude in the sequential positive association between NLEs and school adjustment. Furthermore, this study unraveled the complexity of the link between NLEs and school adjustment with the combination of hope and gratitude. The findings emphasized the importance of fostering hope and gratitude in left-behind adolescents to combat the negative consequences of NLEs. The study is also one of the first to investigate a serial mediation model to determine which NLEs influence Chinese left-behind adolescents' school adjustment. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

During adolescence, body image plays an increasingly central role in girls' well-being and overall functioning. One dimension that has been associated with girls' body image is social relationships, specifically those established with close others and peers. Cross-sectional findings on the association between both early positive relational memories and current feelings of social pleasure and safeness with body appreciation, an aspect of positive body image, have been recently reported. Nonetheless, this association lacked longitudinal confirmation. The present study thus aimed at exploring associations between these variables along 12 months. Also, the mediating effect of social safeness and pleasure in the association between early memories of warmth and safeness and body appreciation was longitudinally tested. A total of 236 female adolescents, aged between 12 and 18, participated in the study. Participants completed self-report questionnaires in a school context in three waves of data, 6 months apart. Data was analysed via descriptive, correlational, ANOVA and path analysis. Results pointed positive over time correlations, with moderate to strong magnitudes, between the variables in study. Also, means of the variables in study decreased along the 12 months. A path analysis confirmed the mediating effect of social safeness and pleasure in the association between early positive emotional memories and body appreciation. In conclusion, this study shows that current feelings of social safeness are a mechanism that underlies the association between being able to recall positive emotions of early relationships and girls' body appreciation attitudes. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: To identify and describe distinct developmental trajectories of health-related quality of life (HRQoL) in a national level Australian population sample, overall and separately for boys and girls. Methods: Data were from the Longitudinal Study of Australian Children (LSAC). Participants were children aged 4–5 years recruited in 2004 and followed through to age 16–17 years in 2016, and their caregivers. Group-based trajectory modelling was used to identify groups of children that follow qualitatively distinct developmental trajectories of HRQoL. Results: Three distinct trajectories were identified for the total sample: (1) high-stable (52.2% of children); (2) middle-stable (38.0%); and (3) low-declining (9.8%). These trajectories differed for boys, who saw increasing HRQoL in the highest trajectory group; a middle-stable trajectory; and declining and rebounding HRQoL in the lowest trajectory group. In contrast, girls saw no increasing or rebounding trajectories; approximately half of girls had high-stable HRQoL and the remaining half had either steadily or rapidly declining HRQoL from age 4–5 to 16–17 years. Conclusions: Our results highlight the importance of considering the distinct trajectories for girls and boys and not relying on population mean levels of HRQoL for decision-making. The presence of developmentally distinct trajectories of HRQoL, and differences in the trajectories faced by boys and girls, should be considered when assessing the effectiveness of treatments and interventions impacting upon HRQoL throughout childhood and adolescence. Failure to account for these pre-existing trajectories may over- or under-estimate treatment effects. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The present study aimed to evaluate the effects of age and sex on the rating of perceived exertion (RPE) during high‐intensity exercise and determine whether mechanical and physiological parameters could be predictors of RPE during childhood and adolescence. Forty‐three boys and 36 girls performed a 60‐s all‐out test on a rowing ergometer and were categorized by age group (10.0–11.9; 12.0–13.9; 14.0–15.9; 16.0–17.9 years) and sex. Ratings of perceived exertion were assessed using the 6–20 RPE and CR‐10 scales and analyzed with respect to mechanical work rate (Wtot), post‐exercise peak blood lactate concentration ([La]peak), and peak minute ventilation (V̇Epeak). Multilevel regression modeling revealed a significant influence of Wtot, [La]peak and V̇Epeak on 6–20 RPE and CR‐10 scores (r2 =.34 and.36, p <.001, respectively). However, while boys perceived high‐intensity exercise as being subjectively more difficult than girls at all ages (p <.05) except 12.0–13.9 years, significant higher mechanical work rate and greater associated metabolic responses in boys than girls were only found from the age of 14 years (Wtot and V̇Epeak) or 16 years ([La]peak), suggesting that the association between RPE and mechanical/physiological parameters could not be held before the age of 12 years. To conclude, RPE increased with increasing age, with boys exhibiting higher scores than girls at all ages except 12.0–13.9 years. This finding is probably explained by the higher Wtot and greater concomitant metabolic responses in boys at the time of puberty. However, other factors should be considered at least in children before the age of 12 years. Our finding provides new evidence that the rating of perceived exertion during high‐intensity exercise increases from childhood into late adolescence and is higher in boys than in girls at all ages except between 12 and 14 years. This result was found to be associated with age‐ and sex‐related changes in mechanical and physiological responses and should be considered to better understand the adherence of children to physical activity with respect to their age, sex, and maturation. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

PurposeEarlier timing and faster tempo of puberty have been linked to adolescents' poor mental health. Previous research rarely adjusted for childhood mental health, did not use physical examination to assess puberty, and excluded Latinas and Asian Americans. This study addressed these limitations.MethodsWe followed 822 girls, recruited at ages 6-8, for 8 years. Breast and pubic hair development and anxiety and depressive symptoms were assessed prospectively and repeatedly. Structural equation models tested whether pubertal timing and tempo were associated with adolescent mental health symptoms and whether associations varied by ethnicity. Models were adjusted for childhood mental health symptoms, body mass index, and family income.ResultsEarlier breast development was associated with higher depressive symptoms among whites (β = -.19; p < .01) and higher anxiety symptoms among Latinas (β = -.26; p < .05), but lower depressive symptoms among Asians (β = .24, p < .05). Later pubic hair development (b = .24; p < .05) and faster pubic hair tempo (β = .26; p < .01) were associated with higher anxiety symptoms among Latinas. Faster pubic hair tempo was associated with lower depressive symptoms among Asians (β = -.34; p < .05). Tempo of breast development showed no associations.ConclusionsFindings confirmed that earlier breast development was associated with higher mental health symptoms for Latina and white girls but was protective among Asians. Results for pubic hair and pubertal tempo were inconsistent, requiring future examination. While targeted interventions to prevent mental health problems among early-maturing girls are critical, there is variability among who might benefit most.

An extracurricular activity is an activity, performed by students, that falls outside the realm of the normal curriculum of school. It is demonstrated that involvement in these activities have a positive impact on the participant’s life. Extracurricular activities instill key skills and personality traits that can be helpful in other walks of life. The purpose of the present study was to identify the comprehensive structure of extracurricular activities for female junior high school students in Yazd (District 1) in 2017-18 school year. This study had a mixed methods design (content analysis in the qualitative part and descriptive survey type in the quantitative part). The statistical population was comprised of three groups, i.e., school principals (28 individuals), female students (7000 individuals), and mothers (7000 individuals). In the qualitative part, ten school principals were selected through purposive sampling method and then interviewed based on saturation principle. In the next step, 375 students and 355 mothers were selected by random cluster sampling method and completed two researcher-made questionnaires. The qualitative and quantitative data were analyzed via content analysis and Friedman's ANOVA, respectively. The triangulation of the results showed that the extracurricular activities priorities for school principals, students and their mothers were sports activities, arts and cultural activities, skill-based and vocational activities, autonomous activities at home, educational and academic activities, and religious activities, respectively. The findings of this research can be utilized for designing and implementing extracurricular activities at schools.

Using family systems theory, this longitudinal study of middle school youth examined the effects of abuse, family conflict, and sibling aggression on sexual harassment perpetration (N = 1563; Mage 11.2, 51% boys; 39% Hispanic, 29% Black, and 19% White). Boys reported more sexual harassment than girls; perpetration increased for both. The association between a hostile home environment and sexual harassment perpetration was moderated by school experiences. School belonging buffered effects of hostile home environment on baseline sexual harassment perpetration for boys who experienced abuse and White adolescents with high sibling aggression. Academic grades moderated change in perpetration over time, but effects differed by sex and race. It is important to understand how early violence exposures relate to sexual violence perpetration during early adolescence. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Fruit juice consumption during childhood remains controversial. Here, we evaluated the association between preadolescent 100% fruit juice intake and later adolescent diet quality and body mass index (BMI). We used prospective data over 10 years from the National Growth and Health Study for 1921 black and white girls, ages 9–10 years at baseline, for analyses of diet quality, and 2165 girls for BMI analyses. Statistical analyses included repeated measures analysis of variance and logistic regression models. Girls who drank ≥1.0 cup/day of fruit juice in preadolescence consumed 0.44 cup/day more total fruit in later adolescence than non-juice-drinking girls (p < 0.0001). White and black girls who drank ≥1.25 cups/day in preadolescence were 2.62 (95% CI: 1.35–5.08) and 2.54 (1.27–5.07) times more likely, respectively, to meet the Dietary Guidelines for whole fruit by later adolescence than those with the lowest juice intakes. Further, fruit juice consumption was positively associated with diet quality scores. Overall, girls consuming ≥1.25 cups/day of juice had a BMI in late adolescence that was 1.7 kg/m2 lower than that of non-juice-drinking girls. In conclusion, early adolescent fruit juice intake was positively associated with subsequent whole fruit consumption, better diet quality, and lower BMI in later adolescence. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Shenzhen has made great efforts to address the tobacco epidemic in the past decade. This study aims to evaluate the current status of the tobacco epidemic among adolescent in Shenzhen, China. Methods: The multi-stage random cluster sampling method was used in the school-based cross-sectional study in 2019 and a total of 7,423 junior and high school (both senior and vocational) students were recruited. Information on cigarette use was collected by the electronic questionnaire. Logistic regression analysis was used to examine the associations between current cigarette use and associated factors. ORs with their 95% CIs were reported. Results: The prevalence of current cigarette use among adolescents was 2.3%, with boys (3.4%) significantly higher than girls (1.0%). Smoking rates in junior high schools, senior high schools, and vocational senior high schools were 1.0%, 2.7%, and 4.1%, respectively. The results of multivariate logistic regression analysis indicated that gender, age, parental smoking, teachers smoking in schools, friends smoking, exposure to tobacco marketing, and misconceptions about cigarette use were associated factors for adolescent smoking behaviour. Conclusions: The prevalence of current smoking was relatively low among adolescent in Shenzhen, China. Personal characteristics, family, and school were associated with current adolescent smokers. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Prior research suggests that the juvenile legal system does too little to address the sources and underlying reasons for girls' court referrals. Drawing on attribution theories, the current study examined perspectives that characterize the response of the system to girls' behaviors. Data from this study were derived from a multimethod, qualitative study on system-involved girls. We find that court actors hold gendered attributions of girls' delinquency, in turn informing their decision-making about how to treat and sanction girls. Paternalism remains a persistent feature in how the system locates, defines, and responds to girls through varying gendered attributions. The findings lend further support to attribution perspectives that suggest implicit gender-biases influence court actor decision-making, exacerbating the challenges girls face in and out of the juvenile legal system. By extension, this study offers concrete policy and practice implications for systems change and improving its response to girls. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Non-communicable diseases (NCDs) and poor mental health are key causes of morbidity and mortality around the world. Since the majority of NCD risk factors emerge during childhood and adolescence, this time period is critical for promoting a healthy future. Suicide is a leading cause of death among adolescents, emphasising the importance of collaboration between parents and children. Depression is a common mental health problem in adolescence, with serious consequences for overall well-being. Boys are more likely than girls to develop depression before puberty, but this trend reverses during adolescence, with females experiencing depression at nearly twice the rate of males. Depression in adolescents is linked to academic difficulties, substance abuse, and other negative outcomes. It also has a negative impact on social functioning and can have long-term consequences. Previously, depression was thought to be an adult disorder. However, new research has shed light on its development across the lifespan. The prevalence of depression varies by gender, with female depression increasing significantly during adolescence. Substance use, dieting, coping strategies, and sleep are all risk factors for depression that adolescents can change. Depressive symptoms in children and adolescents are predicted by parental mental health problems, while self-efficacy, a positive family climate, and social support act as protective factors. Family functioning is also linked to the onset of various adolescent difficulties. Maladaptive psychological profiles and disordered eating behaviours are two manifestations of depressive experiences in adolescents. Child maltreatment is a major public health issue that has been linked to negative mental health outcomes in children and adolescents, such as depression and suicide attempts. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Obesity in childhood is associated with several steroid changes, which result from excess body mass. The aim of this study was to evaluate steroid metabolism in children with obesity compared with those with normal weight, especially in relation to sex and puberty progress. We analyzed the clinical data of 191 children, aged between 5 and 18 years, with 115 affected (64 girls and 51 boys) and 76 unaffected (35 girls and 41 boys) by obesity. Routine clinical assessment and pubertal stage evaluation based upon Tanner's scale were performed. In addition, to evaluate the impact of puberty, children with pre-adolescence and advanced puberty were divided into separate subgroups. Then, 24 h urine steroid excretion profiles were analyzed by gas chromatography/mass spectrometry. Significant differences in the excretion of steroid metabolites were found between normal weight children and children with obesity, especially in the prepubertal cohort. In this group, we observed enhanced activity in all the pathways of adrenal steroidogenesis. Raised excretion of mineralocorticoid derivatives such as tetrahydro-11-deoxycorticosterone, tetrahydrocorticosterone, and 5α-tetrahydrocorticosterone supported increased activity of this track. No significant differences were detected in the excreted free forms of cortisol and cortisone, while the excretion of their characteristic tetrahydro-derivatives was different. In pre-adolescent children with obesity, α-cortol and especially α-cortolone appeared to be excreted more abundantly than β-cortol or β-cortolone. Furthermore, in children with obesity, we observed elevated androgen excretion with an enhanced backdoor pathway. As puberty progressed, remarkable reduction in the differences between adolescents with and without obesity was demonstrated. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background : Active school transport (AST) can increase children's and adolescents' physical activity. The proportion of children and adolescents who engage in AST has declined internationally in recent decades. This study examines the prevalence, correlates, and perceived barriers to AST in the city of Leipzig, Germany. Methods: The study sample includes 1070 participants, 364 children and 706 adolescents, aged between 6 and 18 years, as well as their parents. The parents as well as adolescents age 10 and above completed questionnaires concerning sociodemographic variables, means of transport/AST and perceived barriers to AST. The distance between home and school was calculated as the network distance from the home to school address using the Dijkstra algorithm. Based on these data, logistic models were fitted in a two-step variable selection process, using AST as the dependent variable. Results: Approximately half of the children (59%) and adolescents (51%) engaged in AST. The prevalence of AST exhibited a negative correlation with age (Odds Ratio (OR) = 0.94, 95% confidence interval (CI) = 0.9–0.99, p = 0.015) and did not significantly differ by gender (children: ORgirls = 1.5, CI = 0.95–2.25, p = 0.075, adolescents: ORgirls = 1.01, CI = 0.75–1.37, p = 0.924). A high socioeconomic status was positively correlated to AST on the morning trip (OR = 1.7, CI 1.3–2.21, p < 0.01) but negatively on the afternoon trip (OR = 0.7, CI = 0.53–0.9, p < 0.01) in the summer. Common barriers for children (from their parents' perspective) and for adolescents (from their own and their parents' perspective) were distance and a heavy load to carry. The parents of adolescents did not perceive any other specific barriers as a serious impediment. Further significant barriers perceived by the younger children's parents were adults giving a lift on the way to other errands, no other children to walk or cycle with, and too much traffic. Too much traffic was also a significant barrier for adolescents, as were taking too much time and bad weather conditions. Conclusions: Future interventions promoting AST in an urban environment should be guided by the identified perceived barriers. Trial registration: LIFE Child has been retrospectively registered with ClinicalTrials.gov (NCT02550236). [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Adverse childhood experiences (ACEs) are traumatic and stressful events that occur in childhood. These experiences at home, school, or in the community may damage the cognitive health and emotional skills of children and adolescents. Objective: The present study examines the association between Adverse childhood experiences and risky health behaviour indicators while controlling other background characteristics among boys and girls. This study also assesses outcomes in the aggregate to estimate the impact of cumulative adversity on various risky health behavioural factors among boys and girls among adolescents and young adults (age group 13–23) in India. Data and methods: Data were drawn from the second wave of the "Understanding the lives of adolescents and young adults (2018–2019)" survey. Bivariate and logistic regression analysis were conducted to fulfill the objective. Results: The findings show that nearly 30% of boys and 10% of girls had violent behaviour. Substance use prevalence was much higher among boys (34.11%) than girls (6.65%). More boys had negative gender attitudes. The majority of the study participants had multiple ACEs. Boys who experienced more than three or more childhood adversity had two times higher odds (OR: 2.04; CI: 1.01–4.16) of the early sexual debut, while the same figure for girls was thirteen times (OR: 13.13; CI: 3.95–43.69) than their male counterparts. Conclusion: The study findings underlined the need for implementing outcome-oriented approaches to adolescents' health care and behavioural risks. Therefore, identifying and intervening with adolescents and young adults who are at the highest risk of engaging in risky behaviors early in life may reduce the risk of these behaviors persisting into adulthood. In order to avoid health risk behavior in later stages among adolescents and young adults, policymakers need to focus on ACEs as risk factors and take action to reduce this burden. A potential model could be to create awareness among family members, caregivers, and communities to be more empathetic toward the children. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Introduction: A timely and accurate intervention regarding reproductive and sexual health in adolescent age group is expected to enhance their knowledge, change their attitudes, and strengthen their decision-making skills regarding their own reproductive health. This study was undertaken to assess the impact of felt need-based adolescent reproductive and sexual health education module, on knowledge, attitude, and practices of their menstrual hygiene. Materials and Methods: It is an interventional quantitative study done in 206 late adolescent girls residing at an urban slum. Focus Group Discussion was held in group of 8-12 girls to assess felt needs regarding puberty and menstrual knowledge. Baseline knowledge, attitude, and practices were assessed through a questionnaire. Analysis of menstrual hygiene practices was done after 3 months of health education intervention. A one-way repeated measures ANOVA was conducted to compare the effect of health education on knowledge score. Three paired sample t-tests were used to make post hoc comparisons. Results: Mean age of girls was 16.10 years, with majority from Hindu religion. Sanitary pad usage was 91.26%. Restrictions in attending religious events were observed in 96.12% and 84.47% attended school during menses. Mother's education and facility of sanitary latrine in house were significantly associated with menstrual hygiene practices (P < 0.05). ANOVA test to compare the effect of health education on knowledge score was significant, Wilks Lambda = 0.171, F (2,188) = 456.271, and P < 0.001. Maulchy's test for sphericity was insignificant. Conclusion: Sanitary pad is being used by large majority of adolescent girls, in urban slum setting now. Menstrual hygiene practices were better in daughters of more educated mothers and those who had sanitary latrine in house. Number of girls having good knowledge about puberty and menstruation increased significantly after health education intervention. Although the knowledge increased drastically after the education sessions, the girls could not retain all of it, indicating reinforcement of knowledge is a must. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Intolerance of Uncertainty (IU) is a transdiagnostic factor involved in several psychological disorders. Adolescence is characterized by elevated uncertainty and psychopathological vulnerability, but insufficient attention has been paid to IU at this age. This study aimed to investigate the factor structure and psychometric properties of the Intolerance of Uncertainty Scale-Revised (IUS-R) in Italian preadolescents and adolescents. 862 Italian students (57.3% girls) aged 11–17 (M = 14.8 ± 1.91) completed the IUS-R and measures of internalizing and externalizing symptoms, and psychological well-being. To test the factor structure of the IUS-R, one-factor, two-factor, and bifactor models were compared; measurement invariance, reliability, and validity were also addressed. Results showed that the bifactor model outperformed alternative factor models, and a general factor was needed to model the IUS-R. Bifactor model indices supported using the total score to assess IU reliably. Configural and metric invariance by age and sex were fully supported, while the IUS-R achieved partial scalar invariance. Significant correlations emerged for the IUS-R total score with psychopathological constructs, while no relationships with psychological well-being were found. Compared to adult normative data, higher total IUS-R scores were detected, suggesting that IU may be a phase-specific characteristic of adolescence. Our findings support using the IUS-R to measure IU across the lifespan. The recommended use of the total score and its associations with psychopathological dimensions highlight the transdiagnostic nature of IU in adolescence. Therefore, including IU when implementing interventions to prevent maladaptive outcomes in teenagers would be beneficial. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Gender differences in adolescent social media use are often documented in the research literature, yet few studies delve into why they occur. Accordingly, we investigated whether gender identification and gender ideologies are associated with five major purposes of social media use in adolescence (emotion and activity bonding with friends, social compensation, appearance validation, and bullying). Participants were 309 cisgender U.S. high school students (Mage = 15.74; 59% girls; 53% white) primarily using Instagram and Snapchat but also TikTok (more popular with girls) and Discord (more popular with boys) in 2019. Girls reported greater use of social media for emotion bonding, appearance validation, and social compensation compared to boys, who reported greater competitive activity bonding. Girls and boys did not differ in their use of social media for bullying. In linear regressions, masculinity ideology predicted purposes associated with girls (appearance validation, social compensation), as well as those associated with boys (competitive activity bonding), regardless of gender. Femininity ideology uniquely predicted emotion bonding and social compensation but only mediated the effect of gender for the latter. Findings illustrate that gender is important for understanding uses and gratifications of social media in adolescence, but traditional masculinity ideology is similar across genders and relates to multiple functions of social media in boys' and girls' lives. More work is needed to conceptualize gender beliefs and values in Gen Z, given recent challenges to gender binary ideology and low reliability of the scales in this study, which were developed before social media. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This study aims to explore the psychosocial and behavioral problems of children and adolescents in the early stage of reopening schools. In this national cross-sectional study, a total of 11072 students from U.P were naturally divided into two groups based on their schooling status: reopened schools (RS) and home schooling (HS) group. The psychosocial and behavioral functioning were measured by Achenbach Child Behaviour Checklist (CBCL) and compared in these two groups. Multivariable logistic regression analyses were conducted to explore the independent predictors associated with the psychosocial and behavioral problems. Our results showed that the students in the RS group had more adverse behaviors than that of HS group. The RS group had the higher rates of parent-offspring conflict, prolonged homework time, increased sedentary time and sleep problems (all p < 0.001). When separate analyses were conducted in boys and girls, the RS group had the higher scores for (1) overall behavioral problems (p = 0.02 and p = 0.01), internalizing (p = 0.02 and p = 0.02) and externalizing (p = 0.02 and p = 0.004) behaviors in the 6–11 age group; (2) externalizing (p = 0.049 and p = 0.006) behaviors in the 12–16 age group. Multivariable regression showed parent-offspring conflict and increased sedentary time were the most common risk factors, while physical activity and number of close friends were protective factors for behavioral problems in RS students (p < 0.01 or 0.05). The present study revealed that students’ psychosocial and behavioral problems increased in the early stage of reopening of schools unexpectedly. These findings suggest that close attention must be paid and holistic strategies employed in the school reopening process of post-COVID-19 period. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Drawing from G. Stanley Hall's reference to the Backfisch in his essay on "The Budding Girl" (1909) as someone who is "no longer a little girl, but by no means yet a young woman, ... something quite unique and apart" (42), Pfeiffer finds it helpful to draw from German language and German conceits because English "lacked a popular and consistent term for female adolescence until the beginning of the twentieth century. Transforming Girls: The Work of Nineteenth-Century Adolescence, by Julie Pfeiffer. [Extracted from the article]

Physical, psychological, emotional, and social maturity is one of the main challenges occurring during adolescence and is associated with dramatic changes in adolescents. However, these challenges are worsened when the adolescent has a disability in addition to pubertal changes. Accordingly, the present study aimed to explore the puberty challenges of female adolescents with visual impairment.This study is qualitative in terms of its design and an applied study in terms of its objectives and was conducted using a descriptive phenomenology. The research population included all female adolescents with visual impairment who were studying in high school in Tehran in 2020. The participants were blind and visually impaired girls who were selected from the Narjes educational Complex for Blind Girls using purposive sampling. The data were collected through semi-structured interviews and were saturated after interviewing 15 participants. All interviews were recorded, transcribed, and analyzed. The collected data were analyzed using Colaizzi's seven-step method of data analysis. The challenges faced by the female adolescents with visual impairment were categorized into four main themes including "worrying emotions experienced during puberty," "development of emotional and love needs," "redefining social relationships with family and others," and "lack of information resources on puberty." This study showed that the lack of information resources, awareness about puberty for female adolescents with visual impairment, the way others treat the puberty of girls, and adolescents' own reaction to the phenomenon of puberty affect their quality of life in this period. Therefore, paying attention to the experience of female adolescents with visual impairment about the phenomenon of puberty provides a true picture of the feelings, needs, and challenges for visually impaired female adolescents during puberty, their families, school health educators, health professionals, and school counselors. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]