Symptomatology of attention deficit, hyperactivity and defiant behavior as predictors of academic achievement.

BACKGROUND: It is essential to understand the factors that affect the academic achievement of schoolchildren, both in general and in terms of the major subsectors of each grade. Although symptoms of Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD) and Negative Defiant Disorder (NDD-which are commonly recognized as externalizing problems in childhood and adolescence-have been associated with lower academic achievement in the international literature, few studies have addressed this problem in Latin America. This study aimed to analyze the possible predictive relationship of attention problems, hyperactivity, and defiant behavior on academic achievement. METHODS: We recruited a sample of 4580 schoolchildren (50.9% female, 1754 belonging to primary school, and 2826 to secondary school, ranging from 9 to 18 years old). This cross-sectional study used the scales pertaining to attention problems, hyperactivity, and challenging behavior from the Child and Adolescent Evaluation System. RESULTS: The analysis showed that attention problems significantly affected all academic achievement areas, while hyperactivity and challenging behavior affected only some of them. The regression models explained 24% of the variability in overall academic achievement in primary school and 17% in secondary school. Other predictors included sex, age, socioeconomic level, and school attendance. CONCLUSIONS: It is important to consider this symptomatology in the design of educational interventions.

Psychiatric disorders in children and adolescents in a middle-income Latin American country.

BACKGROUND: Child and adolescent mental health has scarcely been studied in developing countries, though it is an important aspect of health. Mental health problems in youth often continue into adulthood if not diagnosed or treated in time. METHODS: The Sistema de Evaluación de Niños y Adolescentes (SENA) [Child and Adolescent Evaluation System] was used to evaluate mental health indicators in a sample of students in Northern Chile. Two age-appropriate versions of the assessment were applied to a total sample of 5043 students, which included an elementary education sample of 1953 schoolchildren from fourth grade through sixth grade (ages 8 to 13 years), and a Secondary School sample of 3090 schoolchildren from seventh grade (the last year of elementary school) through the last year of Secondary school (senior high school) (ages 12 to 19 years). For each group, the version of the assessment used was determined by the students' grade level. Both samples included municipal, government-subsidized, and private schools. RESULTS: In this student population, depression, anxiety, and behavioral disorders were the main mental health problems identified, and indicators revealed a progressive increase in cases over the years, coinciding with the global epidemiological scenario. Males showed a greater presence of externalizing behaviors related to mental health problems associated with aggression and defiant behavior. However, females showed the highest number of mental health issues overall, especially regarding problems related to internalization. There are significant differences between school types. CONCLUSIONS: Our sample population analysis indicates that early intervention is necessary for the diagnosis and treatment of youth, with the goal of reducing the probability that psychiatric disorders will be prolonged, evolving, and worsening in adulthood.

Pre and Post Pandemic Depressive and Anxious Symptoms in Children and Adolescents in Northern Chile.

The psychological effects of the COVID-19 pandemic still represent a focus of concern, especially in children and adolescents who are a group particularly vulnerable to the psychological consequences of the COVID-19 pandemic, mainly due to the loss of socialization and leisure spaces. The aim of the study is to determine the variation in the levels of depressive and anxious symptomatology in children and adolescents in the North of Chile. METHODS: A Repeated cross-sectional design (RCS) was used. The sample consisted of a total of 475 students aged 12 to 18 years (high school) from educational establishments in the city of Arica. To evaluate the changes in the mental health of students associated with the COVID-19 pandemic, the same mental health measures applied to students were compared in two waves (2018-2021). RESULTS: An increase in the symptomatology levels of depression, anxiety, social anxiety, and problems with the family, while a decrease in problems with school and peers was observed. CONCLUSIONS: The results show that there is an increase in mental health problems associated with the periods of time in which the COVID-19 pandemic transformed the social relation spaces and classrooms of secondary school students. The observed changes point to future challenges, which include that it may be important to improve the coordination and integration of mental health professionals in educational centers and schools.

Mental Health in Indigenous Children and Adolescents: The Contribution of Cultural Backgroud.

The purpose of this study is to describe and compare the prevalence of mental health problems in Aymara and non-Aymara children and adolescent. The study sample comprised 1839 students from 8 to 19 years, from educational institutions of Northern Chile. Forty-nine percent of students identified with the Aymara ethnic group. The Child and Adolescent Evaluation System was used to evaluate internal and external problems. In Elementary school, Aymara students showed significantly lower scores in externalized problems and in high school, there were significantly lower scores in interiorized, exteriorized and other problems than Non-Aymara students. It seems that the legacy of the Aymara culture has favored the development of protective factors in relation to the mental health of these students. In a context of growing recognition and appreciation of this culture, greater involvement with Aymara culture could promote better mental health of school children.

Effectiveness of Self-Affirmation Interventions in Educational Settings: A Meta-Analysis.

School and university can be stressful contexts that can become an important source of identity threats when social prejudices or stereotypes come into play. Self-affirmation interventions are key strategies for mitigating the negative consequences of identity threat. This meta-analysis aims to provide an overview of the effectiveness of self-affirmation interventions in educational settings. A peer-reviewed article search was conducted in January 2023. A total of 144 experimental studies that tested the effect of self-affirmation interventions in educational contexts among high school and university students from different social and cultural backgrounds were considered. The average effect of self-affirmation interventions was of low magnitude (dIG+ = 0.41, z = 16.01, p < 0.00), with a 95% confidence interval whose values tended to lie between 0.36 and 0.45 (SE = 0.0253). In addition, moderators such as identity threat, participants' age, and intervention procedure were found. Through a meta-analysis of the impact of self-affirmation interventions in educational contexts, this study suggests that interventions are effective, resulting in a small mean effect size. Thus, self-affirmation interventions can be considered useful, brief, and inexpensive strategies to improve general well-being and performance in educational settings.

Well-Being and Mental Health in Teachers: The Life Impact of COVID-19.

The impact of the pandemic on teachers' mental health has also been an important issue. The aim of the study was to analyze the vital impact of COVID-19, spirituality, and the use of social-emotional strategies on teacher well-being, mediated by mental health. The sample was non-random, inviting all teachers in a city North of Chile to participate in the study. The sample consisted of 624 teachers. A total of 74.4% were women and 25.6% were men. The mean age was 44.1 and the standard deviation was 11.9. A total of 56.4% belonged to public schools and 43.6% belonged to subsidized schools. Structural equations were used to analyze the data, finding a mental health mediating effect between the death of a close person, affected areas and family history with life satisfaction. Spirituality and the use of socio-emotional strategies self-applied by the teachers had no direct relationship with their mental health, so their mediating effect in relation to life satisfaction was discarded. Teachers who used social-emotional strategies, as well as those who reported higher levels of spirituality, obtained greater satisfaction with life, both general and specifically. Women had higher levels of depression, anxiety and stress symptomatology, but also higher levels of life satisfaction. The implications are discussed.

The Mediating Role of Contextual Problems and Sensation Seeking in the Association between Substance Use and Mental Health in Adolescents from Northern Chile.

Substance use is a risk behavior that has been associated with adverse mental health outcomes in adolescence. The aim of this study was to determine the relation between behavioral problems, emotional problems, and substance use as well as the mediating role of contextual problems and sensation seeking in this relation. A cross-sectional study of 2277 adolescents from Northern Chile was conducted. The System for the Evaluation of Children and Adolescents (SENA) was used to assess substance use, contextual problems, sensation seeking, and emotional and behavioral problems. Through a mediational model, it was observed that substance use has a positive indirect effect on emotional and behavioral problems when both contextual problems and sensation seeking act as mediating variables. An indirect effect of substance use on contextual problems with sensation seeking as a mediator was also observed. The results suggests that context and sensation seeking are a relevant source of information in understanding adolescents and their propensity to use drugs. Interventions based on addressing contextual problems (problems with school, peers, and family) and enhancing personal resources should be implemented in order to reduce substance use in adolescents as well as the consequences it can generate in the short, medium, and long term.

Internalizing Problems and Resilience in Primary School Students in Low and High Socioeconomic Vulnerability Establishments in Chile.

BACKGROUND: The processes involved in this study were 2-fold. First, we analyzed the levels of resilience and internalized problems (defined as group of emotional symptoms) in children aged 9 to 12 years. Second, we examined whether the relationship between them varies according to the low or high vulnerability of school communities. METHODS: About 1460 students from schools in northern Chile participated. A total of 52.6% were girls, and 47.4% were boys. The scales of internalizing problems of the System of Evaluation of Children and Adolescents (SENA) and the short scale of resilience (CYRM-12) were applied. Correlations in each group and differences between groups were analyzed using a MANOVA. A 2-level path analysis was also performed. RESULTS: Resilience was higher in the context of low vulnerability while depression, social anxiety, and posttraumatic stress symptomatology were greater in the context of high vulnerability. A 2-level path analysis showed that the slope of gender, anxiety, and depression symptomatology varies between schools and an interaction effect between vulnerability and anxiety symptomatology. CONCLUSION: There are differences in the relationship between internalized problems and resilience according to whether the students belong to low or high vulnerability establishments. This study contributes to a better understanding of the relationship between internalizing problems and resilience.

The Real-World Experience of the Biosimilar (Grastofil®) to the Reference Biologic (Neupogen®) in Breast Cancer and Lymphoma: A Canadian Single-Centre Retrospective Study.

Febrile neutropenia (FN) is a common side effect of cytotoxic chemotherapy that may result in poor treatment outcomes. The short acting granulocyte colony stimulating factors (G-CSF) act to stimulate granulocytes to increase production of white blood cells. The filgrastim biosimilar is useful, as it may provide a cheaper and equally effective treatment to FN. This study explored the usage of the filgrastim biosimilar (Grastofil®) and the reference biologic (Neupogen®) in breast cancer and lymphoma patients. A retrospective chart review of patients receiving Grastofil® from January 2017 to June 2019 or Neupogen® for primary prophylaxis of FN from January 2013 to December 2017 was conducted. The endpoints included the incidence of FN and the occurrence of dose reduction (DR) and dose delay (DD). One hundred and fifty-three Grastofil® patients were matched to 153 Neupogen® patients. This cohort was further split into breast cancer (n = 275) and non-Hodgkin's lymphoma (n = 31) cohorts. After adjusting for chemotherapy cycles, the biosimilar filgrastim was non-inferior to the reference biologic based on FN incidence in addition to related outcomes including DR and DD.

Children's Mental Health: Discrepancy between Child Self-Reporting and Parental Reporting.

(1) Background: Discrepancies between children's self-reports and their parents' reports on mental health indicators are associated with measurement errors or informant bias. However, they are a valuable tool in understanding the course of child psychopathology. This study aims to determine the level of discrepancies between parents' perceptions and children's self-reports in mental health indicators in Northern Chile. (2) Methods: A System of Evaluation of Children and Adolescents self-report (Sistema de Evaluación de Niños y Adolescentes, SENA) was responded to by 408 students between 8 and 13 years old and their parents. (3) Results: Children reported a significantly higher frequency of emotional problems, defiant behavior, and executive functions as compared to their parents' responses. (4) Conclusions: There is a disjunction between the report of parents and children, which could originate in poor family communication.

Perceived discrimination and contextual problems among children and adolescents in northern Chile.

Discriminatory behaviors among inter-ethnic relations in schools have long been noted and studied, but there are several correlations between discriminatory behaviors and other constructs that need further investigation. As an example, the relation between perceived discrimination and contextual problems-which include family, school and peer problems-among children and adolescents in Latin America has received little attention from previous studies. Further, the mediating role of ethnic identification and collective self-esteem in this relation also needs to be considered as they could be proven as protective factors for discriminatory behavior and its outcomes. Therefore, this study aimed to, first, establish the relationship between perceived discrimination and contextual problems in inter-ethnic students aged 8-19 years living in Arica, Chile; and second, to identify the role that ethnic identification and collective self-esteem play within this relation. In order to investigate this matter, a cross-sectional study was carried out with 3700 students in 29 schools between the fourth year of primary education and the last year of secondary education, aged between 9-18 years, with 48.4% men and 51.6% women. The sample was divided into primary and secondary school groups. The scales utilized were the Everyday Discrimination Scale, Multi-Group Ethnic Identity Measure-Revised Scale, Collective Self-Esteem Scale and the dimensions of contextual family, school and peer problems, as well as the general index of contextual problems of the Child and Adolescent Assessment System. For data analysis, we tested a path analytic model at both the within and between levels to account for the relations between variables. In each group the models obtained an optimal fit. We found that perceived discrimination and ethnic identification were directly related to contextual problems (.23-.39), and collective self-esteem had only a mediating role. This study showed that strategized interventions focusing on ethnic identification and perceived discrimination should be utilized by schools to create a better developing environment.

Relationship between eating disorders and internalized problems in chilean adolescents.

BACKGROUND: Eating disorders (ED) are associated with internalized problems (INTP), such as depression and anxiety. Evidence shows that ED and INTP are associated with comorbidities. The relationship between these variables has not been the focus of studies on young people from Northern Chile. Children and adolescents are considered as an at-risk group, since they have been found to experience greater vulnerability to psychological problems than other age groups within the population and given the scarcity of studies in Chile, it is necessary to study the relationship between these variables. METHODS: This study analyzed the relationship between ED and INTP in Chilean high school students aged 12 to 18 years using Pearson's correlation. This is a non-experimental and transactional correlational study. We included 2277 students belonging to the public, government-subsidized, and private educational establishments in Northern Chile. The Child and Adolescent Evaluation System [Sistema de Evaluación de Niños y Adolescentes (SENA)] was used to detect a range of INTP, as well as ED. The Brief Self-Control Scale was used in this study. RESULTS: A strong and direct correlation of the eating disorder variable with depression and anxiety was found. Additionally, significant differences were observed with sex, highlighting females with a higher presence of INTP and ED. CONCLUSIONS: There is a need to establish strategies in the school setting for detecting frequent symptomatology in adolescents with INTP and ED to achieve a timely and accessible intervention. Since the symptomatology of ED is more prevalent in adolescents, this research evaluated relationships between ED and INTP in young people from Northern Chile. This research is relevant because the evidence on this topic in Chile is scarce and the relationships found could be the first research on the subject and serve to design an intervention plan at the school level in the medium and long terms. It is a non-experimental and transactional correlational study because all variables were measured at a single moment, and it sought to establish relationships between variables without assuming causality. The sample of secondary school students consisted of 2277 students, belonging to the public, subsidized, and private schools. Strong relationships were observed between INTP and ED, the strongest correlations being with the variables depression and anxiety. In addition, female participants presented greater problems in ED and INTP.

Mental Health in Immigrant Children and Adolescents in Northern Chile Mental Health in Immigrant Children and Adolescents.

Approximately 1.251.225 foreign-born migrants reside in Chile, including 183.315 children. This study compares mental health indicators in immigrant and non-immigrant children to understand the mental health effects of migration. A cross-sectional study of 634 students from Chilean schools was conducted. Fifty percent of the students were immigrants. The System for the Evaluation of Children and Adolescents was used to evaluate mental health. No significant differences were observed in mental health indicators between immigrant and non-immigrant children. At both elementary and secondary levels, immigrant students had higher rates of contextual problems (family problems and problems with peers) and lower scores in integration and social consequence. Immigrant students in elementary schools scored lower in self-esteem. The higher rates of contextual problems in immigrant children should be addressed through structural changes in migration policies, such as providing support for employment of parents, welfare assistance, and access to health systems.

Relationship between Everyday Discrimination and Substance Use among Adolescents in Northern Chile.

Substance use is a public health problem that affects the normal physical, neurological, and psychological development of adolescents. Apparently, discrimination is an important variable for explaining the initiation and continued use of alcohol and marijuana. Since most research focused on discrimination based on factors, such as race, ethnicity, sexual orientation, or gender faced by minority groups, studies on discrimination faced by the general population remain scarce. This cross-sectional study described the relationship between everyday discrimination and alcohol and marijuana use-related behaviors among Chilean adolescents. It included 2330 students between 12 and 20 years of age from educational establishments in the city of Arica. To evaluate substance use, specifically alcohol and marijuana, the Child and Adolescent Evaluation System (SENA) was used. The Everyday Discrimination scale was used to evaluate discrimination. Age and everyday discrimination can predict up to 11% of the variance in substance use. Reducing the incidence of everyday discrimination may help reduce heavy alcohol and marijuana consumption among adolescents.

Effects of Resilience and Acculturation Stress on Integration and Social Competence of Migrant Children and Adolescents in Northern Chile.

Migration in Chile has increased exponentially in recent years, with education being one of the main focuses of attention in this cultural transformation. Integration and social competence in the migrant population are determined by several factors. The aim of this study is to evaluate the potential effects of resilience and acculturation stress on the levels of integration and social competence in migrant students in Northern Chile. In total, 292 school children of both genders aged 8 to 18, from the fourth grade to senior year of high school, participated in the investigation. A subscale of the Child and Adolescent Assessment System (Sistema de evaluación de niños y adolescentes SENA) was used to assess integration and social competence. Additionally, the Child and Youth Resilience Measure (CYRM-12) and the Acculturation Stress Source Scale (FEAC) were used. The results show that integration and social competence have statistically significant and direct associations with resilience (p < 0.001) and indirect associations with acculturation stress (p = 0.009). Both constructs could be defined as protection and risk factors, respectively, and should be considered in educational contexts to favor adaptation in the integration of migrant children and adolescents.

Locus of Control, Self-Control, and Gender as Predictors of Internalizing and Externalizing Problems in Children and Adolescents in Northern Chile.

BACKGROUND: Both the control that people attribute to themselves over a situation (locus of control) and the control they attribute to themselves (self-control) have been proposed as aspects that can have an effect on internalizing problems in young people. There is little evidence of this relationship in the infantile-juvenile population in Latin America. OBJECTIVE: To establish whether there is a significant predictive relationship of locus of control and self-control over internalizing and externalizing problems in the infantile-juvenile population, both at a general level and dimension-specific. These include depression, anxiety, social anxiety, somatic complaints, and post-traumatic stress. METHODS: A cross-sectional-correlational study was carried out to establish if there was a possible predictive relationship in 3,664 schoolchildren of both primary (4th-6th grade) and secondary (7th-12th grade) in northern Chile, using the short version of the Nowicki-Strickland scale to measure locus of control, the Tangney scale to measure self-control, and the Child and Adolescent Evaluation System (SENA) to measure the dimensions of internalized problems. HYPOTHESES: (1) Greater self-control is associated with lower levels of internalizing and externalizing problems. (2) Higher external locus of control is associated with higher levels of internalizing and externalizing problems. (3) Self-control, locus of control, and gender can together significantly predict each of the internalizing and externalizing problems. RESULTS: Evidence is found to support the first two hypotheses fully and partially support the third, since gender did not function as a predictor in all models. CONCLUSION: The results confirm previous international research in that both locus of control and self-control appear to have a significant influence on internalizing and externalizing problems. Implications for mental health promotion in this population are discussed.

Problemas de regulación emocional y salud mental en adolescentes del norte de Chile / Emotional regulation problems and mental health in adolescents in northern Chile

Resumen El propósito de este estudio fue evaluar la asociación entre los problemas de regulación emocional e indicadores de salud mental en adolescentes de la ciudad Arica al Norte de Chile, además de describir y comparar los niveles de problemas interiorizados y exteriorizados entre hombres y mujeres. Participaron 2331 estudiantes de 11 a 20 años provenientes de establecimientos educacionales. Para medir los problemas de regulación emocional y los indicadores de salud mental, se utilizó el Sistema de Evaluación de Niños y Adolescentes (SENA). Los resultados muestran que los problemas de regulación emocional poseen efectos grandes y significativos sobre los problemas interiorizados y exteriorizados. Asimismo, se observó que las mujeres presentan mayor sintomatología depresiva, ansiosa, de ansiedad social y problemas de regulación emocional que los hombres. Pareciera ser que los adolescentes que manifiestan problemas para regular sus emociones son más vulnerables a experimentar estados de ánimos disfóricos, preocupaciones recurrentes o comportamientos disruptivos.

Abstract The aim of this study was to assess the relationship between emotional regulation problems and mental health outcomes in adolescents from the city of Arica in northern Chile, in addition to describing and comparing the levels of internalized and externalized problems between men and women. A total of 2331 students from 11 to 20 years old from educational establishments participated in the study. To measure emotional regulation problems and mental health indicators, the System of Evaluation of Children and Adolescents (SENA) was used. The results show that emotional regulation problems have large and significant effects on both internalized and externalized problems. Likewise, it was observed that women show more depressive, anxious, social anxiety and emotional regulation problems than men. It seems that adolescents who manifest problems in regulating their emotions are more vulnerable to experience dysphoric moods, recurrent worries or disruptive behavior.

Discriminación percibida en escolares migrantes en el Norte de Chile / Perceived discrimination in migrant schoolchildren in Northern Chile

Resumen La migración en Chile ha trascendido enormemente, siendo la educación uno de los principales focos de atención en miras de la transformación. El objetivo de este estudio es describir la discriminación percibida por escolares migrantes de la ciudad de Arica al Norte de Chile, analizando además la relación entre esta última y el estrés por aculturación. Participaron 678 estudiantes de ambos sexos entre Cuarto Básico a Cuarto Medio, entre los 8 y 19 años. Se utilizó la Escala de Discriminación en la Vida Cotidiana (eds) y la Escala de fuentes de estrés por aculturación (feac). Se encontraron diferencias significativas en la discriminación percibida entre escolares migrantes y no migrantes con una puntuación más alta en los migrantes en todas las edades. Se observa también una relación significativa entre discriminación percibida y estrés por aculturación. Se discuten los resultados y sus implicaciones, para el mejoramiento políticas públicas en el ámbito escolar.

Abstract Migration in Chile has transcended enormously, with education being one of the main focuses of attention in the face of transformation. The aim of this study is to describe the perceived discrimination by migrant school students from the city of Arica in the North of Chile, also analyzing the relationship between the latter and acculturation stress. 678 schoolchildren of both sexes participated between the Fourth grade to senior year at High School, with ages between 8 and 19. The Everyday Discrimination Scale (eds) and the Acculturation Stress Source Scale (feac) were used. Significant differences were found in perceived discrimination between migrant and non-migrant schoolchildren with a higher score among migrants at all ages. There is also a significant relationship between perceived discrimination and acculturation stress. The results and their implications are discussed, for the improvement of public policies in the school environment.

Predictores de prejuicio sutil y manifiesto en el norte de Chile

El propósito del presente estudio es examinar la relación entre diversas variables como predictores del prejuicio racista (sutil y manifiesto) y proponer un modelo de ecuaciones estructurales que exprese adecuadamente su relación. Estas variables incluyen: el autoritarismo, la orientación a la dominancia social, el conservadurismo y el hetero-estereotipo. Se busca establecer si todas ellas presentan una relación directa, indirecta o nula con el prejuicio. Como resultado se constató el prejuicio racista, se proponen y presentan evaluación del ajuste, de dos modelos predictivos del prejuicio, a los datos obtenidos. El estudio propone un modelo unifactorial y otro bifactorial, ambos con buenos indicadores de bondad de ajuste. Esta investigación cobra relevancia, considerando la situación de ciudad fronteriza de Arica y el aumento de inmigrantes latinoamericanos en los últimos años, hacia Chile.

The purpose of this study is to examine the relationship between various variables as predictors of racist prejudice (subtle and manifest) and propose a model of structural equations that adequately expresses their relationship. These variables include: authoritarianism, orientation to social dominance, conservatism and hetero-stereotype. It seeks to establish whether all of them have a direct, indirect or null relationship with prejudice. As a result, the racist prejudice was verified, and the evaluation of the data obtained from two predictive models of prejudice is proposed and presented. The study proposes a unifactorial and a bifactorial model, both with good indicators of goodness of fit. This research becomes relevant, considering the situation of the border city of Arica and the increase of Latin American immigrants in recent years, towards Chile.

O objetivo deste estudo é examinar a relação entre várias variáveis como preditores de preconceito racista (sutil e manifesto) e propor um modelo de equações estruturais que expressem adequadamente sua relação. Essas variáveis incluem: autoritarismo, orientação ao domínio social, conservadorismo e heteroestereótipo. Ele procura estabelecer se todos eles têm uma relação direta, indireta ou nula com o preconceito. Como resultado, foi encontrado o preconceito racista, e dois modelos de avaliação do preconceito são propostos e apresentam ajuste aos dados obtidos. O estudo propõe um modelo unifatorial e um modelo bifatorial, ambos com bons indicadores de qualidade de ajuste. Esta pesquisa se torna relevante, considerando a situação da cidade fronteiriça de Arica e o aumento de imigrantes latino-americanos nos últimos anos, em direção ao Chile