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Jingyi Wang,1,&ast; Wei Zhang,1,&ast; Peige Song,2,&ast; Tingting Wang,3 Ye Yao,1 Yun Chen,4 Haijiang Lin,3 Xiaoqi Yang,1 Xiaoxiao Chen,1,3 Chaowei Fu1 1School of Public Health; NHC Key Laboratory of Health Technology Assessment, Fudan University, Shanghai, People’s Republic of China; 2School of Public Health and the Second Affiliated Hospital, Zhejiang University School of Medicine, Hangzhou, Zhejiang, People’s Republic of China; 3Taizhou City Center for Disease Control and Prevention, Taizhou, Zhejiang Province, People’s Republic of China; 4Yale School of Nursing, Orange, CT, 06477, USA&ast;These authors contributed equally to this workCorrespondence: Chaowei Fu, School of Public Health, NHC Key Laboratory of Health Technology Assessment, Fudan University, Shanghai, 200032, People’s Republic of China, Email fcw@fudan.edu.cn Xiaoxiao Chen, Taizhou City Center for Disease Control and Prevention, Taizhou, Zhejiang Province, 318000, People’s Republic of China, Email tzcdccxx@126.comBackground: COVID-19 threatened global health, however little is known about the long-term courses of loneliness and their effect on mental health in adolescents. This study aimed to explore the trajectories of loneliness among adolescents in Taizhou, Zhejiang Province, China, during the last phase of the pandemic. We also aimed to identify risk factors in each loneliness course and the impact of loneliness on emotional problems, peer problems, hyperactivity and conduct problems.Methods: The study employed multistage cluster sampling to collect four waves of data from 2347 Chinese adolescents (average baseline age of 14.7 years) covering a period of 20 months (October 2021 – May 2023). The UCLA 3-Item Loneliness Scale and the Strengths and Difficulties Questionnaire were utilized to assess loneliness and mental health problems, respectively. Growth mixture modelling was employed to identify latent classes of loneliness trajectories. Associated risk factors were investigated using multinomial logistic regression model. Mixed-effects logistic regression models were constructed to examine the long-term impact of loneliness classes on mental health outcomes.Results: The overall percentage of loneliness increased from 22.9% at baseline to 32.2% at the fourth wave in our sample. Three classes of loneliness were identified: Decreasing Low Loneliness (58.71%), Increasing Medium Loneliness (36.52%), and Increasing High Loneliness (4.77%). Risk factors for poorer loneliness trajectories included lack of physical exercise habits, poorer mental health literacy, medium or low perceived social support, having study difficulties, being female, higher grades, and lower economic status. Loneliness classes were associated with the severity and variability of emotional problems, peer problems, hyperactivity and conduct problems (ORs for the highest loneliness class: 10.24, 4.21, 3.87, 2.68, respectively). Individuals in the higher loneliness classes experienced a significant increase in these mental health problems over time (p < 0.05 for interactions between loneliness classes and time).Conclusion: During the last phase of the pandemic, a large proportion of adolescents in our study endured medium to high levels of loneliness with no signs of improvement. Both unfavorable loneliness trajectories adversely affected internalizing and externalizing problems and displayed an upward trend in these difficulties. Results highlight the importance of tackling loneliness and improving mental health in adolescents.Keywords: adolescents, loneliness, risk factors, internalizing problems, externalizing problems, COVID-19

BackgroundBehavioral and emotional problems in children with Developmental Coordination Disorder (DCD) are well documented. However, the heterogeneity of this group has been largely overlooked. Addressing this gap is important to develop individually-tailored interventions.AimsOur three aims were to assess: (i) behavioral and emotional problems in children with DCD; (ii) behavioral and emotional problems in subtypes of DCD, and (iii) the context-specificity of these problems (home/school).Methods and procedureData were extracted from the medical records of a large sample of 93 children with DCD (79 boys, mean age 8.3) referred to a rehabilitation center. Behavioral and emotional problems were assessed with the Child Behavior Checklist (CBCL) and the Teacher Report Form (TRF).Outcomes and resultsTwo-third of the children presented with behavioral and emotional problems according to both parents and teachers. The subtypes with generalized motor problems were most affected, while the subtype with gross-motor problems was least affected. Children presented with more problems at home than at school.Conclusion and implicationsGiven the frequent occurrence of behavioral and emotional problems, clinicians should tailor their interventions to these problems in DCD. Knowledge of subtypes can inform these decisions.

People experience more rapid physical, social, and emotional development in adolescence than in any other developmental stage. The dramatic changes may cause them volatile mental conditions and difficulties in overcoming various behavioral problems summarised as internalizing (IP) and externalizing problems (EP). One of the protective factors is emotional intelligence (EI) because someone with good emotional intelligence can control emotions when angry and adapt to unpleasant situations. This study aimed to determine the role of EI on IP and EP in Indonesian adolescents. This study used a quantitative research design with a simple random sampling technique. The research subjects were adolescents aged 15 to 18 years (N = 300) who attended nine high schools in East Java, consisting of 96 males and 204 females. The research instruments used were the Schutte Emotional Intelligence Scale (SEIS) and the Strength and Difficulties Questionnaire (SDQ). The results showed a significant negative role between emotional intelligence and internalizing problems (R2 =.391; F(1,298) = 191.649; p

The aim of the present study was to investigate the effect of parent-child conflict on symptoms of depression, internalizing problems, and aggression with regard to the mediator role of emotional security. The research method is descriptive of structural equations through path analysis. The statistical population of the research included all first and second grade students of Ahvaz city, of which 240 students were selected as a sample through multi-stage cluster sampling. The research tools included parent-child conflict questionnaire, emotional security scale, children's depression questionnaire, internalizing problems questionnaire and aggression questionnaire. The research data was checked to evaluate the conceptual model by the method of structural equations and the fit of the model was confirmed. The results of path analysis indicated the direct effect of parent-child conflict on emotional security, depression symptoms, internalizing problems, and aggression, and the direct effect of emotional security on depression symptoms, internalizing problems, and aggression. Also, the results showed that parent-child conflict had an indirect effect on symptoms of depression, internalizing problems, and aggression through emotional security. It was also suggested that parenting training courses be held by relevant authorities in order to create emotional security in the family.

Introduction: Although gifted children can express high cognitive skills, they can also show socioemotional difficulties. Drawing from Olson’s circumplex model, the present paper assessed the role of family functioning in internalizing and externalizing problems in gifted children. Materials and Methods: 362 mothers and their 362 gifted children were included. The unbalanced subscales of the FACES IV—disengagement, enmeshment, rigidity, and chaos—and the CBCL were administered to mothers. The children completed the WISC-IV. Results: The model predicting internalizing problems was significant and explained 5.6% of the variance. Only rigidity had an independent and positive effect on internalizing problems in gifted children over and above sociodemographic variables and QI, whereas disengagement, enmeshment, and chaos were not associated with internalizing problems. The model predicting externalizing problems was significant and explained 10% of the variance. Again, rigidity was the only variable that had an independent and positive effect on externalizing problems in gifted children over and above sociodemographic variables and QI, whereas disengagement, enmeshment, and chaos were not associated with externalizing problems in this population. Discussion: Rigid families with a low ability to change in conditions that require readjustment appear to increase the risk of both internalizing and externalizing problems in gifted children. Although further studies are needed to support these preliminary findings, parental support interventions aimed at increasing flexibility appear to be useful.

Adolescence is when individuals face various developmental tasks that require them to do extensive exploration. Drastic changes and exploration processes during this period can cause internalizing and externalizing problems commonly found in adolescents, particularly when they lack support from the surrounding environment, especially from their parents and family. Family communication patterns are one of the important factors that can help adolescents navigate various developmental tasks while exploring optimally. This study measures the effects of the differences in consensual, pluralistic, protective, and laissez-faire family communication patterns on adolescents' internalizing and externalizing problems. Using a simple random sampling method, this comparative quantitative study involved 408 Muhammadiyah Junior High School students in East Java. The instruments used are the Strengths and Difficulties Questionnaire (SDQ) and The Revised Family Communication Pattern Instrument (FCP-R). The results of the one-way ANOVA test showed that family communication patterns have significant differences in internalizing problems, namely consensual laissez-faire (0.000) and pluralistic-laissez-faire (0.000). Likewise, in externalizing problems, family communication patterns revealed notable differences, namely in consensual-laissez-faire patterns (0.000). Of the various family communication patterns, only consensual laissez-faire and pluralistic laissez-faire can predict internalizing and externalizing problems. They must be tested further to ascertain the extent of their effects.

Childhood emotional maltreatment (abuse and neglect) may contribute to the development of internalizing problems in adolescence. However, the mechanisms explaining this association should be examined further. This study explored the mediating role of insecure anxious attachment style in the relationship between emotional maltreatment and internalizing symptoms in a non-clinical sample of adolescents. Analyses were also conducted to determine whether gender moderated the direct and indirect pathways between emotional maltreatment and internalizing problems. We recruited 449 adolescents aged between 14 and 18 years old [(Mage)=16.46, standard deviation (SD)=1.38]. 60.8% of adolescents were female (Mage=16.51, SD=1.43), whereas 39.2% identified as male (Mage=16.39, SD=1.28). Participants completed a survey including socio-demographic information and three selfreport questionnaires: the Childhood Trauma Questionnaire-Short Form, the Attachment Style Questionnaire, and the Youth Self- Report for ages 11-18. Results showed that emotional abuse and neglect were related to internalizing problems both directly and indirectly through anxious attachment style. Girls who experienced higher levels of emotional abuse and who had an anxious attachment style reported more internalizing problems than boys, whereas higher levels of emotional neglect were associated with increasing levels of internalizing problems only for boys. This study expanded our knowledge of the role of anxious attachment in the onset of internalizing problems among adolescents with experiences of childhood emotional maltreatment.

Background: The current systematic review and meta-analysis aims to synthesize findings from Italian studies that have investigated emotional and behavioural problems in clinical and at-risk samples of adolescents, as assessed by the Achenbach System of Empirically Based Assessment (ASEBA) instruments, including Child Behaviour Checklist (CBCL), the self-report Youth Self Report (YSR) and the teacher-report Teacher Report Form (TRF). It also investigates possible effects of gender, age, and time of assessment (pre-post COVID-19 pandemic), and their link with other psychological factors. Methods: The latest PRISMA guidelines were followed, and this study was registered in PROSPERO (CRD42022299999). Scopus, EBSCO, PubMed, Web of Sciences, and ProQuest databases were used considering the time frame from January 2001 to November 2021. Two blinded investigators remove duplicates and double screened 7103 records. They selected and extract information from 40 eligible studies, which were also evaluated through the Newcastle-Ottawa Scale. Results: Overall, emotional-behavioural problems were mainly investigated through the CBCL 6-18 both in clinical samples (N = 2244), mostly composed of adolescents with a diagnosis of eating disorders and externalized disorders, and at-risk samples (N = 868), mostly of adolescents with a medical condition. As expected, adolescents from clinical samples had higher scores on the ASEBA scales than their peers belonging to the at-risk samples. No effect related to gender, time of assessment and study quality on emotional behavioural problems emerged. However, a significant effect of age was found in clinical samples, specifically a decrease in externalizing symptoms with the increase of age. Lastly, emotional-behavioural problems were mainly investigated in association with emotional regulation difficulties both in clinical and at-risk samples. Conclusions: For the first time, meta-analytic data on rates of emotional-behavioral problems in Italian clinical and at-risk adolescents are provided. Implications include the need of more data, especially with the TRF and from Centre e Southern Italy, to solve doubts emerged about the absence of moderators. The authors discuss limitations related to the heterogeneity of the studies, suggesting future research directions.

This study examined the protective roles of early prosocial behaviours (at age 4) on later internalizing and externalizing problems (at age 6) and to what extent emotion regulation skills (at age 5) mediated these longitudinal associations in children from Turkey.  Participants were 293 Turkish preschool children (M age = 49.01 months; 141 girls). Results showed that higher prosocial behaviours at age 4 were linked to higher emotion regulation at age 5, which, in turn, was linked to less internalizing problems at age 6. Additionally, prosocial behaviours at age 4 were negatively linked to emotional lability at age 5, which, in turn, was positively linked to externalizing problems at age 6. We also found that higher prosocial behaviours at age 4 were directly and negatively linked to both internalizing and externalizing problems at age 6. These results were robust for boys and girls and children who lived in big and small cities. Overall, there was supportive evidence on the protective roles of earlier prosocial behaviours on later internalizing and externalizing problems. These findings extend existing models of risk and resilience to a sample of children from a non-Western, relatively collectivist-oriented culture and inform our understanding of these posited relations in young children.

Jinghui Zhang,1 Chuanmei Dong,2 Yue Jiang,1 Qing Zhang,1 Hui Li,1– 3 Yan Li1 1Shanghai Institute of Early Childhood Education, Shanghai Normal University, Shanghai, People’s Republic of China; 2Macquarie School of Education, Macquarie University, Sydney, NSW, Australia; 3Faculty of Education and Human Development, the Education University of Hong Kong, Hong Kong, SAR, People’s Republic of ChinaCorrespondence: Yan Li, Shanghai Institute of Early Childhood Education, Shanghai Normal University, 100 Guilin Road, Xuhui District, Shanghai, People’s Republic of China, Email liyan@shnu.edu.cnIntroduction: Parental phubbing refers to the act of parents using mobile phones in the presence of their children instead of engaging with them. With increasing smartphone use in many households, parental phubbing is a potential threat to children’s healthy development. This meta-analysis synthesized the existing evidence on the impact of parental phubbing on children’s social-emotional development to examine the effect sizes and identify the moderators.Methods: Following the PRISMA guidelines, we conducted a systematic search across multiple electronic databases (Web of Science, EBSCO, ProQuest, Springer, and China National Knowledge Infrastructure) from 2012 to May 2023. Our search included both English and Chinese literature, encompassing published journal articles as well as thesis. To assess the risk of bias, we utilized the Quality Assessment Tool for Observational Cohort and Cross-Sectional Studies. Publication bias was evaluated using funnel plot interpretation and Egger’s regression intercept.Results: Our comprehensive search identified 42 studies with 56,275 children and 59 effect sizes. A random-effects meta-analysis revealed that parental phubbing was positively associated with children’s internalizing problems (r = 0.270; 95% CI [0.234, 0.304]) and externalizing problems (r = 0.210; 95% CI [0.154, 0.264]), while negatively correlated with children’s self-concept (r = − 0.206; 95% CI [− 0.244, − 0.168]) and social-emotional competence (r = − 0.162; 95% CI [− 0.207, − 0.120]). Furthermore, the parental phubbing group moderated the association between parental phubbing and internalizing problems, when both parents engage in phubbing, there is a stronger association with children’s externalizing problems compared to when only one parent is engaging in phubbing.Discussion: The findings of this meta-analysis provide strong evidence supporting the detrimental effects of parental phubbing on child social-emotional adjustment. Consequently, parents, researchers, and the government must collaborate to mitigate parental phubbing and promote the healthy development of children’s social-emotional abilities.Keywords: internalizing problems, externalizing problems, social-emotional competence, self-concept

The relations between shyness and internalizing problems have been mainly explored at the individual level, with little known about its dynamics at the group level. This study aims to examine the mediating effect of individual-level sport engagement and the moderating effect of class-level sport participation in the relations between shyness and internalizing problems. The participants were 951 children attending primary and middle school from grade 3 to grade 7 (Mage = 11 years, 509 boys) in urban areas of China. Cross-sectional data were collected using self-report assessments. Multi-level analysis indicated that (1) shyness was positively associated with internalizing problems; (2) sport engagement partially mediated the relations between shyness and internalizing problems; and (3) class sport participation was a cross-level moderator in the mediating relations between shyness, sport engagement, and internalizing problems. Shy children in classes with a higher level of sport participation tend to have less sport engagement and more internalizing problems than those in classes with a lower level of sport participation. These findings illuminate implications from a multi-level perspective for shy children’s adjustment in a Chinese context. The well-being of shy children could be improved by intervening in sport activity, addressing both individual engagement and group dynamics, such as class participation.

To explore the mediating effect of emotion regulation strategies on the correlation between parental emotion socialization and internalizing problems in adolescents, as well as the moderating effect of gender, a questionnaire survey was administered to 1078 junior high school students (Mage = 13.96 ± 1.00). The results revealed that supportive parental emotion socialization was negatively correlated with adolescents internalizing problems, whereas non-supportive parental emotion socialization was positively correlated with such problems. Cognitive reappraisal and expressive suppression strategies functioned as parallel mediators in the relationship between supportive parental emotion socialization and adolescent internalizing problems, while only expressive suppression mediated the correlation between non-supportive emotion socialization and adolescent internalizing problems. Gender did not exhibit a moderating effect on the mediation model. These findings suggest that supportive parental responses to adolescents’ negative emotions can reduce the incidence of depression and anxiety by cultivating increased utilization of cognitive reappraisal strategies and decreased reliance on expressive suppression strategies among adolescents, whereas non-supportive responses exacerbate the occurrence of depression and anxiety by promoting greater utilization of expressive suppression strategies. In addition, no significant gender differences were observed in the mediation effects. These findings emphasize the importance of prevention programs focusing on parental emotion socialization in adolescence.

The developmental association between disruptive behaviors (DBs: hyperactivity-impulsivity, non-compliance, physical aggression) and internalizing problems in early childhood is not well understood and has generated competing hypotheses and mixed results. Using a person-centered strategy, the present study aimed to examine concurrent trajectories of DBs and trajectories of internalizing problems from age 1.5 to 5 years in a population-representative sample (N = 2057; 50.7% boys). Six trajectories of DBs and three trajectories of internalizing problems, based on parent reports and obtained via latent growth modeling across five periods of assessment, were used as longitudinal indicators of each type of behaviors. Children following low or moderate trajectories served as the reference class. Compared to children in the reference class, those in trajectory classes characterized by high levels of co-occurring DBs (OR = 6.60) and, to a lesser extent, those in single high DB classes (OR = 2.78) were more likely to follow a high trajectory of internalizing problems simultaneously. These results support a multiple problem hypothesis regarding the association between DBs and internalizing problems, consistent with a developmental perspective that includes a general factor underpinning different psychopathologies. These findings highlight the importance of considering the co-occurrence between DBs and internalizing problems when studying either construct in children.

Introduction: Difficulties in emotional awareness (EA) are often linked to the risk of internalizing problems (IP). Most empirical studies have found this association but have not considered possible state- and trait-related fluctuations in EA and IP assessments. Aims: We tested the directionality of the state-level associations, that is, whether EA at Time 1 predicts IP at Time 2 or the other way around. In line with previous research, we hypothesized that low EA would predict a subsequent increase in IP, as difficulties in emotional awareness dispose one to emotional problems. As an alternative model, we tested the trait-level associations between EA and IP. We hypothesized that a negative latent correlation exists between EA and IP, as common factors may cause them to be associated at the trait level. Methods: Participants were 68 students who completed the Levels of Emotional Awareness Scale and the Strength and Difficulties Questionnaire at two-time points with a one-month interval. We used the Cross-lagged Panel Model to test the state-level associations and structural equation modeling to test trait-level effects. Results: Results displayed no directional effect of EA on IP, and neither did IP predict EA within one month. However, we found a trait-level correlation between EA and IP. We discuss the preliminary results between state and trait level EA and IP in the context of the early developmental environment. Conclusions: This study is a preliminary test of state- and trait-level associations between EA and IP, which could be valuable for practitioners and clinicians.

ObjectiveTo test a diathesis-stress model whereby self-criticism interacts with monthly perceived stress to predict same-month or next-month internalizing problems, including depression, anxiety, nonsuicidal self-injury (NSSI), and suicidal ideation, in students transitioning to university. Participants: 704 students (73% female, Mage = 17.97) were recruited during their first month of university in 2017 and 2018. Methods: Students completed surveys assessing self-criticism, perceived stress, and internalizing problems from September to April. Results: Self-criticism predicted higher depression and anxiety, as well as odds of NSSI and suicidal ideation, in students' first month on campus. Consistent with a diathesis-stress model, self-criticism strengthened the associations between stress and same-month depression and anxiety. Conclusions: Self-critical students are at elevated risk of internalizing problems during the transition to university, particularly when they feel more stressed than usual. These findings elucidate which students should be targeted in interventions and when interventions should be delivered to curtail internalizing problems. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

ObjectiveAchieving a clear self-view is a lifelong task that is particularly salient during adolescence. Theory and research suggest that close others' perceptions of individuals' personality may influence the formation and maintenance of coherent self-views. The degree to which adolescents develop a stable and coherent self-view, in turn, may have perennial influences on their mental health and well-being. This 1-year longitudinal study investigated the associations between the agreement of self- and other-rated Big Five personality traits and internalizing problems in adolescence.MethodParticipants were 570 Dutch adolescents (51% girls), their mothers, friends, and siblings. We examined the cross-sectional and longitudinal associations between self-other personality agreement and internalizing problems using polynomial regression analyses and response surface analyses.ResultsResults indicated strong main effects of self- and other-rated personality traits on internalizing problems but provided little evidence for longitudinal associations between self-other personality agreement and internalizing problems.ConclusionOur results cast doubt on the generalizability of the beneficial effects of self-other agreement documented in the adult literature to adolescents but highlight the importance of self- and other-rated personality in youth's mental health development. Discussion focuses on the theoretical implications and recommendations for future investigations of self-other agreement.

IntroductionChildren’s psychological adjustment to adverse events can be determined by multiple risk and resilience factors. This study explored multi-level protective factors against children’s internalizing problems and investigated the mechanism regarding how diverse environmental and child-level resources influence children’s mental health in the context of COVID-19.MethodsOur participants included a nationally representative sample of 2,619 young children (48.3% girls) and their primary caregivers (95.1% mothers) in Singapore. They were a subset of the participants in the Singapore Longitudinal Early Development Study (SG LEADS). Data were collected over two waves—before the outbreak of the COVID-19 pandemic (Wave 1) when these children aged 3 to 6, and during the second year of the pandemic (Wave 2). Primary caregivers completed measures of verbal cognitive ability, self-control, economic stress, and positive and negative parental control in Wave 1. Children’s self-regulation was assessed by the Delay of Gratification task in Wave 1, and their internalizing problems were rated by their primary caregivers in both waves. Other pre-pandemic family and community characteristics were collected as covariates. Structural equation modeling was performed.ResultsPre-pandemic parental resources (i.e., verbal cognitive ability, self-control, and low economic stress) predicted children’s fewer internalizing problems during the pandemic and less aggravation of internalizing problems from before to during the pandemic, through more positive parental control (i.e., limit setting) and less negative parental control (i.e., harsh discipline). Moreover, children’s self-regulation during early childhood was predicted by their primary caregivers’ verbal cognitive ability and self-control, as well as positive parental control. Early childhood self-regulation further alleviated the aggravation of internalizing problems over time. Among the covariates, parental education, family income, parental psychological well-being, living with both parents, having a live-in domestic helper, and neighborhood quality also longitudinally predicted fewer child internalizing problems.DiscussionOur findings underscore the importance of nurturing children’s emotional resilience under adverse and uncertain circumstances by boosting protective factors in their social-ecological system, including community-, family-, parent-, and child-level resources.

Abstract Background Sensory differences are related to the autistic traits, and previous studies have shown a positive correlation between sensory differences and internalizing problems. In this study, we hypothesized that sensory differences and suffering due to sensory differences mediates the relationships between autistic traits and internalizing problems. Methods A total of 346 female Japanese university students completed questionnaires regarding their autistic traits, suffering due to sensory differences, and internalizing problems. Moreover, 114 participants completed a questionnaire related to sensory differences. Results Autistic traits were correlated with Low Registration and Sensation Avoiding. These sensory differences were also correlated with suffering due to sensory differences and internalizing problems. Moreover, path analysis indicated that the higher the suffering due to Low Registration and Sensation Avoiding was, the greater the internalizing problems in those who showed these sensory differences. Conclusions Female university students with serious suffering due to sensory differences may need support in managing their suffering and internalizing problems. Further research will help suggest support that these people require, at school and elsewhere.

Abstract Background Prevention is essential to reduce the development of symptomology among children and adolescents into disorders, thereby improving public health and reducing costs. Therefore, easily administered screening and early assessment methods with good reliability and validity are necessary to effectively identify children’s functioning and how these develop. The Brief Problem Monitor (BPM) is an instrument designed for this purpose. This study examined the psychometric properties of the Norwegian version of the BPM parent (BPM-P) and teacher (BPM-T) versions, including internal reliability and construct validity at assessing children with internalizing problems. Methods Baseline data were collected from a national randomized controlled intervention study. Children aged 8–12 years with self-reported symptoms of anxiety and/or depression with one standard deviation above a chosen population’s mean were included in this study. Teachers (n = 750) and parents (n = 596) rated children using the BPM-T and BPM-P, respectively. Internal consistency was measured using Cronbach’s alpha, and multi-informant agreement between the BPM-P and BPM-T was measured using Spearman’s correlations. Construct validity was assessed via confirmatory factor analysis. Results Internal consistency was good throughout all domains for both the BPM-P and BPM-T, with a Cronbach’s alpha ranging from .763 to .878. Multi-informant agreement between the parents and the teacher was moderate on the externalizing, attention, and total scales and low on the internalizing scale. The model fit for the three-factor structure of the BPM was excellent for the BPM-P and good for the BPM-T. Conclusions Internal consistency was good, and the original three-factor solution of the BPM-P and BPM-T was confirmed based on our sample of school children at-risk for emotional problems. These promising results indicate that the BPM may be a valid short assessment tool for measuring attentional, behavioral, and internalizing problems in children. Trial registration in Clinical Trials: NCT02340637; June 12, 2014.

Emotional distress, such as symptoms of anxiety, depression, and withdrawal, is on the rise among teenagers today. These symptoms are generally grouped into internalizing problems. Based on research, a risk factor that contributes to internalizing problems is peer rejection. This study aims to determine the effect of peer rejection on adolescent internalizing problems. Research design is quantitative research with a multistage random sampling technique as a data collection technique. The subjects of this study were 252 adolescents aged 16-18 years who are currently studying in SMA in Bondowoso Regency, consisting of 103 boys (M = 40.068; SD = 13.283) and 149 girls (M = 40.893; SD =13.283). The instruments used were Social Peer Rejection Measure (21 items, α = .90) and Strengths and Difficulty Questionnaire (SDQ), just for internalizing problems (10 items, α = .72). The results of the analysis test using simple linear regression showed that there was a positive influence of peer rejection on internalizing problems in high school adolescents in Bondowoso Regency, adjusted R 2 = .278; F(4, 427) = 251, p = .000). This influence shows that the more often adolescents experience rejection from their peers, the higher the chances of experiencing internalizing problems.

In today’s digital world, children are exposed extensively to electronic media, making it an integral part of their daily lives. However, excessive use of electronic media during childhood has been associated with various internalizing problems. Moreover, parent–child conflict and children’s age may be closely associated with children’s problem behaviors. The current study employed a cross-sectional design and conducted a questionnaire survey of 711 parents to examine the association between children’s electronic media use and their internalizing problems. Furthermore, this study probed the mediating role of parent–child conflict within this association and the moderating effect of children’s age. The results of structural equation modeling showed a positive correlation between children’s use of electronic media and their internalizing difficulties. Parent–child conflict served as a mediating factor in this association. Results also showed that the association between parent–child conflict and internalizing problems becomes more pronounced as children grow older. These findings imply that parents should encourage their children to develop healthy habits in using electronic media while fostering positive relationships. Parents should also be mindful of the psychological changes as children age and provide guidance to help them become proficient digital citizens.

ObjectivePrevious research has shown that adolescents in single-mother households are at heightened risk for adjustment problems. However, limited studies have investigated the mechanisms leading to adolescent problem behaviors in single-mother households. To address this research gap, this study applied the Family Stress Model to examine how single mothers’ material hardship is linked to adolescent problem behaviors, focusing on the mediating roles of mothers’ depression and mother-adolescent closeness. The moderating role of adolescent school connectedness in the relationships between mother-adolescent closeness and school connectedness and between mothers’ depression and school connectedness was also investigated.Materials and methodsThe study analyzed data from 1,384 adolescents and their single mothers who participated in the Fragile Families and Child Wellbeing Study at Wave 6. The associations between study variables were analyzed using structural equation modeling by decomposing the direct, indirect, and total effects of material hardship on adolescent problem behaviors. School connectedness’s interactions with mother-adolescent closeness and mothers’ depression were also examined.ResultsResults showed a significant indirect relationship between material hardship and adolescent problem behaviors through sequential mediation of mothers’ depression and mother-adolescent closeness. Mothers’ depression also significantly mediated the relationship between material hardship and problem behaviors. Lastly, school connectedness moderated the relationship between mother-adolescent closeness and adolescents’ internalizing behaviors. The association between mother-adolescent closeness and adolescents’ internalizing behavior was weaker for adolescents with higher levels of school connectedness.ConclusionThe results indicate the important indirect effect of economic strain on adolescents’ problems behaviors in single-mother households, which has been less emphasized compared to the effects in earlier childhood. High rates of material hardship and adolescent problem behaviors in single-mother families call for multifaceted interventions focusing on family processes and protective factors, including school environment.

Sensory symptoms are common in autism spectrum disorder (ASD). Previous studies have shown a positive correlation between sensory symptoms and internalizing problems; however, the role of the suffering due to sensory symptoms is not well understood. In the present study, we hypothesized that the relationship between sensory symptoms and internalizing problems in children is mediated by children’s and surrounding people’s suffering due to sensory symptoms. Parents of 113 students aged 6–15 years with and without ASD completed questionnaires about their children’s autistic traits, sensory symptoms, suffering due to sensory symptoms, and internalizing problems. The results showed that autistic traits and sensory symptoms were distributed as a continuum throughout children with and without ASD. Therefore, we investigated the relationship among variables in children with and without ASD attending regular classes. Structural equation modeling indicated that those who scored higher on sensory symptoms demonstrated greater suffering due to sensory symptoms as predictors of internalizing problems. Our findings provide evidence for developing a support system that specifically reduces suffering due to sensory symptoms, especially for students in regular classes.

Background: Many studies have looked at the adverse effects of attention deficit / hyperactivity disorder and especially its comorbidity with other disorders. However, the findings of these disorders are contradictory and on the other hand, there is a research gap in the field of compound subgroups and also there is no study in this field considering the Iranian culture. Aims: The purpose of the present study was to investigate comparison of the internalizing and externalizing behavior problems in inattentive and combined subtypes of attention deficit / hyperactivity disorder. Method: The present study was of causal-comparative type. The statistical population of the present study included children with attention deficit / hyperactivity disorder who referred to Atieh Clinic in Tehran in 2016, of which 118 children included 28 girls and 30 boys in the inattentive subgroup and 30 girls and 30 boys in combined subgroup, were selected in available way. Under the compound group were selected in an accessible manner. Subjects were examined with Continuous Performance Test (1956), and Child Behavior Checklist (1991). Data were analyzed using two-way analysis of variance. Results: The results showed that the internalizing behavior problems and externalizing behavior problems are mostly overlooked in the subgroup of inattentive and the combined, respectively. Also, the internalizing behavior problems in girls were higher than that of boys. Conclusions: Based on the findings of this study, it seems that in each subgroup of attention deficit / hyperactivity disorder and in girls and boys, the behavioral problems of internalization and externalization are different and therefore need to be addressed. They have special interventions.

Background: Family functioning and attachment styles are important variables in children's behavioral problems. But the key question is, can internalization behavioral problems in students be predicted based on attachment styles and family functioning? Aims: To predict internalizing behavioral problems based on attachment styles and family functioning in elementary school students in Tehran. Method: This was a correlational study. The statistical population consisted of all elementary school students in Tehran in 1396-97 with their families, 341 (175 girls and 166 boys) using multistage cluster random sampling. Samples were selected. The tools included: of the Family Assessment Questionnaire (Epstein, Baldwin & Bishab, 1983), Child Behavior Inventory (Achenbach, 1) and Attachment Style Questionnaire (Collins & Reed, 2). Analysis was performed using Pearson correlation test and structural equations. Results: The results showed that family functioning directly and indirectly through attachment style predicts internalizing behavioral problems, and all three types of attachment styles are able to predict internalizing behavioral problems and attachment variable Safe has a negative impact on internalized behavioral problems (P≤0/05). Conclusions: Safe attachment and effective family functioning with empathetic behaviors and appropriate emotional involvement, protective care and positive parenting can be used to prevent internalizing disorders such as anxiety and depression

Adolescence is a period of several changes and a time when young people are confronted with some difficult tasks of dealing with a diversity of emotions and building their own identity. Therefore, it is a period of higher vulnerability for the development of internalizing problems. The present paper aims to study some constructs considered relevant to adolescents’ adjustment and/or internalizing disorders, emphasizing the role of well-being, emotional regulation and family environment. Therefore, this research aims to (1) test the mediating role of well-being in the relationship between emotional regulation difficulties, the family environment, and internalizing problems, and (2) understand the differences between adolescents with a higher and lower risk of presenting internalizing problems. In the study, 723 adolescents of both sexes (12–18 years old) from middle to high school completed self-report questionnaires. The results indicated that the mediating role of well-being was partially established between emotional regulation difficulties and internalizing problems, explaining 31% of the variance in these problems. Well-being was also considered a partial mediator between family environment (cohesion and support and conflict) and internalizing problems, explaining 19 and 26% of the variance, respectively. Furthermore, the group with a higher risk of developing internalizing problems (n = 130) revealed higher levels of emotional regulation difficulties and family conflict. In contrast, this group reported less family cohesion and support and lower levels of well-being. The main results of the present study provide relevant data in the context of clinical practice. Important implications are also discussed for the design of psychopathology prevention programs and the promotion of global well-being with adolescents. Considering the limitations of the present study, such as the nonrandom sampling process and the reduced number of participants included in the clinical group, these results need to be deepened in future research in this area.

Literature has well-documented the relation of family socio-economic status (SES) to children’s problem behaviors, yet the complex mechanisms underlying the relation are not well understood. Therefore, the primary goal of this one-year longitudinal study was to explore the mediating role of children’s sense of coherence and the moderating role of perceived maternal warmth in the association between family SES and externalizing and internalizing problems in Chinese children. The sample consisted of 913 children (493 boys; Mage = 11.50 years, SD = 1.04) in fourth to sixth grades in an urban area in mainland China. Data were obtained from multiple sources, including child self-reports, parental reports, and teacher ratings. The results indicated that children’s sense of coherence mediated the association between family SES and internalizing problem behaviors, but not externalizing problem behaviors. This mediating role was also moderated by maternal warmth and specifically, family SES was negatively associated with internalizing problem behaviors via the sense of coherence for children who perceived high maternal warmth. Generally, these results highlighted the possible roles of a sense of coherence and maternal warmth in the longitudinal implications of family SES for Chinese children’s internalizing problems.

While research has shown that sleep problems and substance use are reciprocally associated in adults, much less is known about this association in early adolescence. The main aim of the current longitudinal study was to explore bidirectional relationships between sleep problems, substance use, internalizing and externalizing problems in young adolescents. A prospective design was used incorporating two waves (approximately 1 year interval). A total of 555 young adolescents (290 females, M age = 13.96) participated in this study. All participants completed self-report measures in classrooms during regular school hours (questionnaires about sleep quality and sleep hygiene were used to measure sleep problems). The results indicated that sleep problems predicted changes in substance use, internalizing and externalizing problems over time, but problem behaviours did not predict changes in sleep problems, adjusted for gender, age and puberty. One exception was that alcohol use negatively predicted changes in sleep problems. This study suggests that sleep problems are important precursors of substance use, internalizing and externalizing problems in adolescence.

Abstract Internalizing problems (depression, anxiety, social anxiety, somatic complaints, post-traumatic symptoms, and obsession-compulsion) are very important in adolescents’ development. These problems can be related with people who lack social skills and poorly handle their emotions. This study assessed 1358 secondary education students (12–17 years) to analyze the relationship linking internalizing problems, emotional intelligence, and social skills. The results showed not only how these constructs were related, but how students’ internalizing problems varied according to their emotional intelligence and social skills. They also indicated that two in every three males, and just over one in every two females, obtained high scores for internalizing problems. The model showed a good fit: χ 2(85) = 201.161 p

Children’s readiness for school is often threatened by the occurrence of both externalizing and internalizing problems. Previous research has shown that Positive Behavioral Interventions and Supports (PBIS) is particularly effective for fostering children’s behavioral skills and reducing externalizing problems. However, whether PBIS can enhance children’s emotional skills and reduce internalizing problems is less clear. Therefore, TIME-IN was developed, which extends PBIS by also including emotional support systems. It was tested whether TIME-IN was effective for (a) improving emotion regulation and (b) reducing depressive symptoms. Furthermore, it was tentatively explored whether TIME-IN is accompanied by more than natural fluctuations in both children’s externalizing and internalizing problems. The effectiveness of TIME-IN was evaluated in a non-randomized study, in which an intervention group was compared with a matched control group. Both research questions were addressed in a sample consisting of 81 children between 8 and 12 years of age with special educational needs. Questionnaires for teachers (i.e., TRF), children (i.e., FEEL-KJ and CDI), and their parents (i.e., CBCL) were administered at the beginning (T0) and the end of the school year (T1) using multi-informant assessment. Only indicative evidence was found for the hypothesis that TIME-IN improved children’s emotion regulation. Practical implications, strengths, and limitations were discussed.Clinical Trial Registration: This work was retrospectively registered at International Standard Registered Clinical/soCial sTudy Number (ISRCTN) registry ISRCTN54456609 (Weymeis, 2017). Registered 28 March 2017.

Research has consistently found that poor family functioning is a risk factor for adolescents' internalizing problems. However, studies of the mediating and moderating mechanisms underlying this relation are insufficient. In this study, we explore the association between family functioning and adolescents' internalizing problems by testing the mediating roles of positive youth development (PYD) attributes and the moderating role of migrant status. A large cross-sectional sample of 11,865 Chinese adolescents (mean age = 14.45 years, standard deviation = 1.55 years) were used to measure internalizing problems, family functioning, PYD, migrant status, and other demographic information. After controlling for covariates (age, gender, grade, and socioeconomic status), the results revealed that PYD mediated the relation between family functioning and internalizing problems. Moreover, migrant status moderated the relationship between family functioning and internalizing problems. Specifically, the effects of family functioning on internalizing problems were stronger among local-born adolescents than among migrant adolescents. The findings indicate that improving family functioning and PYD attributes may be promising approaches to prevent/reduce adolescent internalizing problems.

IntroductionA framework for understanding the interrelationship of individual and environmental factors that influence adolescent health and well-being, as well as opportunities for policy-level interventions, is known as Positive Youth Development (PYD). The current study represents one of the largest studies of Croatian adolescents to date, and aimed to examine associations between school and family factors linked to PYD, and mental health outcomes experienced by Croatian youth.MethodsA multi-site survey study was conducted among adolescents (N = 9,655) residing in the five most populous cities in Croatia, with the aim of examining cross-sectional associations of family and school factors with adolescent mental health. The mean age of participants was 16.3 years (SD = 1.2), and 52.5% of participants were female. School and family factors included school attachment, school commitment, family communication, and family satisfaction. Depression, anxiety, and stress were assessed as outcomes. Multigroup structural equation modeling (SEM) was used to examine relations of interest among female and male adolescents.ResultsAmong school factors, increased school attachment was found to be significantly associated with reduced depression, anxiety, and stress for female adolescents, and with decreased depression and stress for male adolescents. Increased school commitment was significantly associated with decreased depression and anxiety for female adolescents; conversely, an increase in school commitment was associated with an increase in anxiety and stress for male adolescents. Increases in family communication were significantly associated with reduced depression, anxiety, and stress only for male adolescents, while increased family satisfaction was significantly associated with reduced depression, anxiety, and stress for female adolescents and with decreased depression and stress for male adolescents.ConclusionFindings suggest that interventions for mental health promotion and prevention of internalizing problems should address both school and family contexts, and may be more effective when accounting for differing developmental experiences of female and male adolescents.

The aim of the current study was to investigate pathways of the Environmental Stress Hypothesis concerning the role of peer relations in the context of poor motor skills. First, we examined (1) the mediating role of peer problems in the association between motor performance in daily activities and internalizing problems as a main pathway of the Environmental Stress Hypothesis. Furthermore, we explored the role of (2) children’s popularity as a mediator and (3) best friendship quality as a moderator path of the effect of motor performance on both peer problems and internalizing problems. The non-clinical sample of the present study consisted of 189 children (48.6% females) aged 9–11 years (Mage = 9.69, SDage = 0.46). Parents reported on their child’s motor performance in daily activities by completing the Developmental Coordination Disorder Questionnaire. The Strengths and Difficulties Questionnaire was used to assess peer problems as well as internalizing problems. The Self Description Questionnaire provided a measure of children’s self-reported popularity. The Friendship Quality Questionnaire was used to investigate children’s best friendship quality. Results of a structural equation model suggest that peer problems fully mediated the association between the motor performance in daily activities and both popularity and internalizing problems. However, no evidence for the mediating effect of popularity in the association between peer problems and internalizing problems was found. Further, best friendship quality had a non-significant moderating effect on the relation between peer problems and internalizing problems. The mediating role of peer problems highlights the importance of peer relations in the motor performance of daily activities. Schools and psychomotor interventions were suggested as practical implications to support children with poor motor performance in their relationship with their peers and to improve their motor performance in daily activities.

Inconsistencies exist regarding the relation between physical activity (PA) and internalizing symptomology in early adolescence, and there is need for investigation of potential moderators that may account for these discrepancies. The current study utilized a Self-Determination Theory Framework to investigate the main effects of five key motivations to exercise and their moderating effects between PA and internalizing problems in an underserved sample of adolescents (n = 167; mean age = 12.19 years; 73% African American). Analyses showed that intrinsic motivations were negatively related to internalizing problems and extrinsic motivations were positively related. PA was only protective against internalizing problems when intrinsic motivations were high and had iatrogenic effects when these were low. Exploratory analyses further delineated the unique effects of motivational orientations. Clinical implications and future research directions are discussed. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Although research has demonstrated that both parents and peers influence adolescent development, it is not clear whether these relationships also serve as contexts for emotion socialization. In the current longitudinal study, we investigated whether maternal and peer emotion socialization were related to adolescent girls' daily emotions, emotion regulation, and social and emotional adjustment. The sample included 160 adolescent girls from low-income families followed across 2 years. At Time 1 (T1), girls reported on maternal and peer emotion socialization practices during laboratory visits. At Time 2 (T2), girls reported on daily negative and positive affect using ecological momentary assessment across 2 weeks. Emotion regulation, internalizing problems, and prosocial behavior were assessed during laboratory visits at both T1 and 2 years later (Time 3 [T3]). Results demonstrated that higher levels of maternal and peer emotionally supportive socialization practices were associated with lower levels of girls' daily negative affect. Mothers' supportive practices also predicted increases in girls' emotion regulation over time. Both maternal and peer unsupportive practices predicted more internalizing problems, and peer unsupportive practices predicted less prosocial behavior over time. This study supports and expands Eisenberg's heuristic model by demonstrating that both maternal and peer emotion socialization are associated with adolescent girls' emotional and behavioral outcomes, and maternal and peer emotion socialization have differential effects. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Black South Africans are disproportionately affected by HIV compared with White counterparts. In their unique social context, South African families affected by HIV are vulnerable to adverse psychosocial effects. U.S.-based and emerging South African research suggests mothers living with HIV may experience compromised parenting. In the United States, mother-child relationship quality has been associated with internalizing (anxiety, depression) and externalizing (delinquency, acting out) child behaviors. This study adds to South African research with emphasis on the role of the mother-child relationship among HIV-affected South Africans from multiple communities. Structural equation modeling examined relationships between maternal health and child adjustment, operating through mother-child relationship. The best-fitting model suggested maternal health influences youth externalizing behaviors through the mother-child relationship, but that maternal health is directly related to child internalizing problems. Findings support and extend previous results. Further research would benefit from investigating ways the unique South African context influences these variables and their interactions. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Identifying factors that predict the maintenance of depression and loneliness in children is important for intervention design. Whilst emotional intelligence (EI) has been identified as a predictor of mental health, research examining how both trait and ability EI contribute to long-term patterns of symptomatology in children is markedly absent. We examined the impact of both TEI and AEI on the maintenance of loneliness and depressive symptoms over 1 year in children aged 9–11 years. Two hundred and thirteen children (54% male) completed the TEIQue-CF and the MSCEIT-YV at the first time point of the study, and the Child Depression Inventory and the Loneliness and Aloneness Scale for Children and Adolescents at Time 1 and, again, 1 year later. Findings indicate that emotional skills (AEI) are important for predicting the maintenance of depressive symptoms and loneliness in children over 1 year; emotional self-competency (TEI) is less influential, only contributing to long-term loneliness in girls. Moreover, whilst deficiencies in the ability to perceive and understand emotions were predictive of prolonged symptomatology, so, too, were proficiencies in using emotion to facilitate thinking and emotion management. Those findings carry important implications for EI theory and future research. They also indicate that EI interventions tailored to groups of “at risk” school children may be useful for reducing specific profiles of internalizing symptoms. Programs targeting AEI skills may be universally helpful for reducing the likelihood that depressive symptoms and loneliness will be maintained over time in middle childhood; girls at risk for prolonged loneliness would additionally benefit from opportunities to bolster TEI.

Physical and mental health problems are becoming more common among the general population. Studies examining mental and physical health often indicate that mental illness early in life is associated with more detrimental health outcomes later. However, additional work is needed to better identity which psychological problems may contribute to poorer health outcomes. Given recent increases in childhood anxiety and depression specifically, it is beneficial to further investigate the relationship between internalizing problems, both early and later in life, and related health problems. Furthermore, little work has focused on studying internalizing problems in children as young as preschool-aged. Therefore, the current project used a longitudinal design to assess the effects of preschool and adolescent internalizing problems on health-related problems in adolescence. We analyzed data from 70 youth (47% male) who had been tested in our lab when they were 5 years old and then were administered questionnaires over a telephone interview when they were adolescents, between the ages of 12 and 20 years old. We used multi-informant measures, including parent-report at age 5 and youth-report at follow-up, 7 to 15 years later. Parents reported on children’s internalizing behavior problems and negative emotionality (NE). Youth reported on their own internalizing behavior problems as well as health problems, physical activity, and overeating behaviors. Path modeling was used to examine predictions of internalizing and health behaviors. At age 5, parent-reported NE and internalizing problems were related, in addition to 5-year-old internalizing predicting health problems and overeating at follow-up. At follow-up, youth-reported internalizing was positively related to health problems and negatively related to physical activity, suggesting some similarities and differences between parent and youth responses. Additionally, girls reported significantly higher rates of internalizing and health problems at follow-up. These results indicate a significant relationship between preschool-aged and adolescent internalizing problems and related health outcomes experienced in adolescence.

According to Blatt's theory on personality development, adolescents with high levels of self-criticism and dependency are more vulnerable to diverse types of psychopathology. However, relatively little is known about intervening processes involved in this personality-based vulnerability. The goal of this study is to examine, on the basis of Self-Determination Theory, the explanatory role of the psychological needs for autonomy, competence, and relatedness in associations between self-criticism and dependency on the one hand and adolescents' internalizing and externalizing problems on the other hand. In this cross-sectional and multi-informant study, 284 adolescents (58,5% female; mean age = 14.15; SD =.93) and their parents reported about the adolescent's internalizing and externalizing problems. Adolescents also completed measures assessing self-criticism, dependency, and psychological needs experiences. Data were analyzed using structural equation modeling. Self-criticism and dependency were significantly related to higher levels of both internalizing and externalizing problems, with psychological need frustration fully mediating these associations. This study suggests that psychological need frustration is an important explanatory mechanism in personality-related vulnerability for adolescent psychopathology. More generally, it provides further evidence for the integration between two major theoretical approaches in the domain of adolescent development and psychopathology. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Abstract Previous studies suggested adolescents' bullying experiences to be related to risk behaviors, internalizing problems and less perceived social support. Swearer and Hymel (2015) proposed a diathesis-stress model regarding bullying experiences. We expected the diathesis variable adolescent's sex, and the stressors bullying perpetrator or victimization experiences to be related concurrently to risk behaviors, internalizing problems, talking to friends, and perceived peer support. In a cross-cultural trend study, we aimed to test these diathesis-stress relationships across three countries at three measurement times (T1–T3, World-Health-Organization data) to get new insights for future intervention approaches. The samples consisted of n = 3458 adolescents from the United States, Germany, and Greece at T1, n = 3441 adolescents at T2, and n = 4021 adolescents (about 16 years of age) at T3. We conducted latent multi-group structural equation modeling including sex, bullying experiences as perpetrator or victim, risk behaviors, internalizing problems, talking to friends, perceived peer support, and further relevant variables (e.g., school pressure). The results support in part the diathesis-stress model. Girls and boys self-reported similar frequent risk behaviors (smoking, drinking alcohol). Sex related to internalizing problems which were higher in girls than in boys. Bullying perpetration experiences or bullying victimization experiences positively related to internalizing problems across culture and time but not or even negatively with talking to friends and perceived peer support. Talking to friends is difficult for both bullying perpetrators and bullying victims. Easy communication (e.g., talking to friends) should be a central approach in further bullying prevention and intervention programs. Highlights • The results support a diathesis-stress model regarding bullying in part. • Sex and bullying experiences related stable to problems across culture and time. • Girls reported similar risk behaviors as boys across culture and time. • Talking to friends is generally not easy for bullying perpetrators and victims. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background Attachment is one of the more important developmental aspects for predicting a person’s level of adaptation and mental health. Previous research in this area suggests a relationship between insecure attachment and behavioural disorders, deviations as well as depression and other affective disorders. The goal of this study was to determine the relationships between adolescents’ attachment patterns and aggression as well as internalisation and externalisation of problems – expressed as a tendency to assume the role of the victim or the perpetrator. We hypothesised that insecure patterns of attachment foster both aggression (as a personality feature) and a tendency towards mental health issues, through increasing the frequency of entering the role of a victim or a perpetrator. participants and procedure One hundred and twenty individuals aged 14-19 took part in the study, mainly high school and university students. The study was conducted in groups, with the consent of participants and their parents. The following methods were used to assess the variables: The Inventory of Parent and Peer Attachment (IPPA), the Buss-Perry Aggression Questionnaire (BPAQ) and the Mini Direct and Indirect Aggression Inventory (Mini-DIA). Results Our results suggest that a relationship exists between aggressiveness and trust in the relationship with one’s mother, as well as between hostility and alienation with regards to one’s mother and father. Insecure attachment is a significant risk factor for mental health disorders, and it fosters both externalisation and internalisation behaviours. Conclusions We interpret the results as suggesting that attachment organisation plays an important role in a wide array of aspects of adolescent psychosocial development.

Background In the period of middle childhood, social experiences (both educational and social) may constitute a critical moment in time for the ultimate results of development in the case of an individual. Negative life events and coping skills may guarantee a positive or negative direction of development, exerting an influence on the mental health of children. In the study, a four-factor model of mental health was adopted, taking into consideration psychopathological symptoms within the scope of externalizing and internalizing disorders, the level of the performance of developmental tasks, and the sense of life satisfaction. The present study investigated the correlation between stress, coping and mental health in children in middle childhood. Participants and procedure The study included 182 individuals aged between 9 and 12 years. The following aspects were subjected to assessment: the level of mental health, the number and severity of negative life events, and the strategies of coping with stress. In order to determine the strongest predictors of the four dimensions of mental health of children, hierarchical regression analysis was applied. Results It was found that the strongest predictor of mental health of children in the period of middle childhood was individual and accumulated negative stress events. Lower significance was found for the subjective assessment of the severity of events being experienced. It was found that a factor protecting against disorders was active methods of coping. Conclusions The study suggests that it is not only psychopathological symptoms that constitute the negative consequence of the effect of stress. Negative stress events influence the positive dimensions of mental health, including the level of performance of developmental tasks and the sense of life satisfaction in children in the period of middle childhood. The obtained results show the specific character of the discussed period of development. However, these issues still need to be explored further.

Problem: The current study examines the relationship between the representation of attachment relationship with mother and internalizing problems in the developmental period of middle childhood. The purpose of the study was to analyze whether the quality of attachment predicts the intensity and seriousness of internalizing problems in middle childhood; and to examine whether the models are gender-specific. Methods: Participants in this study were 151 children aged 9-12 (M = 11.21), 77 boys and 74 girls, recruited from elementary schools in Nitra region. Children completed measures assessing the quality of attachment representation of the relationship with mother (selfreport questionnaire Security Scale), the tendency to react anxiously (self-report questionnaire Childen´s Manifest Anxiety Scale – CMAS), social anxiety (self-report questionnaire Scale of Classical Social Situational Anxiety – KSAT) and depression (self-report questionnaire Children´s Depression Inventory – CDI). Results: Regression analysis indicated that secure attachment representation is a significant negative predictor of children's internalizing problems – manifest anxiety (ß = -.324, p < .001), the total of depression symptoms (ß = -.377, p < .001) and all of the subcategories of depressive symptomathology (ß = -.230, p < .01 for Negative Mood; ß = -.253, p < .01 for Interpersonal Problems; ß = -.316, p < .001 for Inefectiveness; ß = .215, p < .01 for Anhedonia; and ß = -.461, p < .001 for Negative Self Esteem), except for social anxiety (ß = -.035, p = .717). The overall variance explained by attachment security ranged 4.6 to 21.3%. Results suggest that children, who perceive their mother as available and responsive in the situation of distress, are less prone to develop anxiety and depression. Small to middle effect size of the quality of attachment relationship indicates that attachment to mother is only one of the risk factors of internalizing behavior in middle chidlhood. Regression analysis revealed some gender-specific models according to the associations between attachment to mother and internalizing problems in boys and girls. In the sample of boys, negative mood and anhedony was not predicted by attachment to mother (ß = -.176, p > 0.05 and ß = -.194, p > 0.05, respectively), but in the sample of girls, secure attachment representation was a significant negative predictor of both depressive symptoms (ß = -.296, p < .05 for Negative Mood; and ß = -.285, p < .05 for Anhedony). Other models, except for social anxiety, were statistically significant for both samples. In the sample of girls, the predictor accounted for 26.3% of variance in Negative Self Esteem (ß = -.512; p < .001), 18.9% of variance of the total of depression symptoms (ß = -.435; p < .001), 10.9% of variance in Ineffectiveness (ß = -.331; p < .05) and 10.5% of variance in manifest anxiety (ß = -.324; p < .05). The results were similar for the sample of boys. Attachment security accounted for 17.4% of variance in Negative Self Esteem (ß = -.435; p < .001), 11.3% of variance of the total of depression symptoms (ß = -.377; p < .05) and 10.5% of variance in manifest anxiety (ß = -.332; p < .05). Representation of attachment relationship with mother accounted for less then 10% of variance when predicitng Negative Mood, Anhedony and Interpersonal Problems in both samples, and in addition Inefectiveness only in boys. Additional statistical analyses revealed that regression coefficients across models did not differ. Results suggest that mother is still a primary attachment figure in middle childhood for both, boys and girls, but the quality of attachment to father can also be an important factor of particular adaptive behavior, especially in boys. Because of lack of knowledge and empirical evidence, the future research in the field of gender-specific models of adjustment in middle childhood is needed. Discussion: When interpreting the results of this investigation, it is important to be aware of several limitations. The methodics used in the study are all based on the subjective self-report. The character of the assessment can lead to the tendency to react according to the social expectations. In future studies, it would be beneficial to gather reports about the internalizing problems from children as well as from significant others, and to use multiple attachment assessment (e.g. the combination of questionnaires and projective techniques. Conclusion: We can conclude that attachment representation to mother is an important factor of adaptive development in middle childhood. Our results are in concordance with attachment theory and empirical evidence of associations between violated confidence of availability of attachment figure resulting in insecure attachment representation and maladjustment.

General cognitive ability (IQ) and problem behavior (externalizing and internalizing problems) are variable and inter-related in children. However, it is unknown how they co-develop in the general child population and how their patterns of co-development may be related to later outcomes. We carried out this study to explore this. Using data from 16,844 Millennium Cohort Study children, we fitted three-parallel-process growth mixture models to identify joint developmental trajectories of internalizing, externalizing and IQ scores at ages 3-11 years. We then examined their associations with age 11 outcomes. We identified a typically developing group (83%) and three atypical groups, all with worse behavior and ability: children with improving behavior and low (but improving in males) ability (6%); children with persistently high levels of problems and low ability (5%); and children with worsening behavior and low ability (6%). Compared to typically developing children, the latter two groups were more likely to show poor decision-making, be bullies or bully victims, engage in antisocial behaviors, skip and dislike school, be unhappy and have low self-esteem. By contrast, children (especially males) in the improver group had outcomes that were similar to, or even better than, those of their typically developing peers. These findings encourage the development of interventions to target children with both cognitive and behavioral difficulties. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The current study aimed to investigate the intergenerational transmission of parenting and internalizing problems in children. Serial mediation models were used to assess parental psychological control and child emotion regulation as mediators in linking grandparents’ parenting (care or overprotection) and children’s internalizing problems. The sample consisted of 150 Chinese children (Mage = 8.54, SD = 1.67) and their parents. The parents reported the grandparents’ parenting and children’s internalizing problems, and the children reported on their emotion regulation. Both the children’s ratings and behavioral observations were used to assess the parents’ psychological control. The results showed that grandmothers’ parenting was significantly associated with children’s internalizing problems, and this relationship was mediated by perceived (but not observed) parental psychological control and children’s emotion regulation. These results highlighted the differential role of children’s perceptions of parental control and the observed parental psychological control on internalizing symptoms in children. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

We investigated the bidirectional associations between mother-child discrepancies in their perceptions of maternal rejection and children's internalizing problems over 10 years from pre/early adolescence to early adulthood. Mothers' reports of rejection and involvement in the parent-child relationship, the children's perception of the mother's rejection, and children's self-report of internalizing problems were collected from a sample of 360 low-income ethnically diverse urban mother-child dyads at three time points (T1, T2, and T3) with 5-year intervals. Children were on average 12.6 years old at T1 (54% girls). Using a series of nested path analyses, we found that mother-child discrepancies while reporting maternal rejection at T1 were predictive of lower ratings of maternal involvement at T2 (β = -.14), which predicted higher levels of internalizing problems at T3 (β = -.16). The presence of mother's affective disorder was related to T1 mother-child discrepancies (β = .14). Regarding bidirectional associations, children's internalizing problems predicted maternal involvement across all time points, whereas T2 maternal involvement predicted T3 child internalizing problems. Discrepancies showed small associations with child internalizing problems both concurrently and over time. The findings highlight the importance of early discrepancies in the perception of maternal rejection for child internalizing symptoms. (PsycINFO Database Record [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]