Adolescence internalizing problems as a mediator between autism diagnosis in childhood and quality of life in emerging adults with and without autism: a 10-year longitudinal study.

BACKGROUND: Individuals with autism tend to have a reduced quality of life across their lifespan. This reduced quality of life may be a result of autism traits, mental distress, and poor person/environment fit. In this longitudinal study, we looked at the role of adolescence internalizing and externalizing problems in mediating the relationship between having an autism diagnosis from childhood and perceived quality of life as emerging adults. METHODS: A total of 66 participants in a group of emerging adults with autism (mean age 22.2 years), and without autism (mean age 20.9 years) were assessed in three assessment waves (T1 at 12 years, T2 at 14 years, and T3 at 22 years of age). Parents filled out the Child Behavior Checklist at T2 and participants filled out the Perceived Quality of Life Questionnaire at T3. Total and indirect effects were tested in serial mediation analysis. RESULTS: The results showed that internalizing problems fully mediated the association between childhood autism diagnosis and the quality of life in emerging adulthood, while externalizing problems did not. CONCLUSION: Our findings suggest that attention to adolescent internalizing problems is important to improve the later quality of life for emerging adults with autism.

Attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder persistence from childhood into young adult age: a 10-year longitudinal study.

INTRODUCTION: The aim of this study was to estimate ADHD persistence in a European clinical sample of children diagnosed with ADHD and followed prospectively for 10 years into young adulthood. METHODS: We assessed 85 children with ADHD at baseline (Mage = 11.6, SD = 2.1, 54% male) and re-assessed 59 at 10-year follow-up (Mage = 21.4, SD = 2.3, 54% male). ADHD symptoms at baseline were assessed with a semi-structured clinical interview (Kiddie-Schedule for Affective Disorders and Schizophrenia/Present and lifetime version) and parent rating scales (ADHD Rating Scale IV, Child Behavior Checklist). ADHD symptoms at 10-year follow-up were assessed with a semi-structured clinical interview (MINI-Plus) and self-report scales (ADHD Self-Report Scale version 1.1 screener, Adult Self Report). Functional impairment at 10-year follow-up was assessed with the Global Assessment of Functioning scale. RESULTS: At 10-year follow-up, 39% met ADHD symptom thresholds based on clinical evaluation using MINI-Plus or the ADHD Self-Report Scale version 1.1 screener or the Adult Self Report together with clinicians' rating of functional impairment. CONCLUSION: ADHD persistence rates in this European clinical sample match previous estimates and indicate that a significant proportion of those diagnosed with ADHD as children still exhibit clinical levels of ADHD symptoms in adulthood.

Consumption of energy drinks among adolescents in Norway: a cross-sectional study.

BACKGROUND: Energy drink (ED) consumption is increasing all over the world. We sought to describe the consumption of EDs among adolescents in Norway, and to explore the determinants of daily and high consumption. METHODS: Population-based cross-sectional data were collected from a sample of 31,091 secondary school students in grade 8-13 aged 12-19 years. School grade, residency, socioeconomic status (SES), physical activity and leisure screen time were included in multiple regression analyses, in order to investigate their associations with daily and high (≥four times weekly) ED consumption. RESULTS: 52.3% of the respondents were ED consumers and 3.5% were high consumers. Boys consumed twice as much ED as girls (boys: 36.3 ml/day, girls: 18.5 ml/day, geometric means), and the proportion of male high consumers was 3.7-times higher than that of females. The adjusted odd ratio (OR) of upper secondary school (grades 11-13, ages 15-19) students being high ED consumers were higher than for lower secondary school (grades 8-10, ages 12-15) students (OR 1.1(confidence interval (CI):1.0-1.3)), as well as higher for rural than urban residents (OR 1.3 (CI: 1.1-1.5)). Gradients for the increased ORs of being a high ED consumer were found for decreased SES, decreased frequency of physical activity and increased daily leisure screen time. CONCLUSIONS: More than half of the respondents reported that they were ED consumers. Daily and high consumption were independently associated with male gender, physical inactivity, high leisure screen time, low socioeconomic status and rural residency.

The association between use of electronic media in bed before going to sleep and insomnia symptoms, daytime sleepiness, morningness, and chronotype.

This study investigated whether the use of a television, computer, gaming console, tablet, mobile phone, or audio player in bed before going to sleep was associated with insomnia, daytime sleepiness, morningness, or chronotype. 532 students aged 18-39 were recruited from lectures or via e-mail. Respondents reported the frequency and average duration of their in-bed media use, as well as insomnia symptoms, daytime sleepiness, morningness-eveningness preference and bedtime/rise time on days off. Mean time of media use per night was 46.6 minutes. The results showed that computer usage for playing/surfing/reading was positively associated with insomnia, and negatively associated with morningness. Mobile phone usage for playing/surfing/texting was positively associated with insomnia and chronotype, and negatively associated with morningness. None of the other media devices were related to either of these variables, and no type of media use was related to daytime sleepiness.

Predictors of Quality of Life and Functional Impairments in Emerging Adults With and Without ADHD: A 10-Year Longitudinal Study.

OBJECTIVE: We tested the hypotheses that (1) a diagnosis of ADHD in childhood or adolescence is associated with reduced quality of life (QoL) and everyday functioning in emerging adulthood, and (2) executive function (EF) deficits, internalizing difficulties, and ADHD symptoms predict reduced QoL and more functional impairments. METHOD: We assessed 85 children and adolescents with ADHD and 50 typically developing (TD) peers at baseline (Mage = 11.6 years, 58% males), 2-year follow-up, and 10-year follow-up with neuropsychological tests of EF and self-reports. RESULTS: Individuals with ADHD reported lower QoL and functional impairments in emerging adulthood compared to TD peers. More internalizing difficulties and ADHD symptoms at baseline and 2-year follow-up significantly predicted lower QoL and more functional impairments at the 10-year follow-up. CONCLUSION: ADHD and internalizing difficulties in childhood or adolescence have a negative impact on QoL and everyday functioning in emerging adulthood.

Childhood executive functions and ADHD symptoms predict psychopathology symptoms in emerging adults with and without ADHD: a 10-year longitudinal study.

Deficits in executive functions (EFs) are theorized to play an important role in causing functional impairment and associated psychopathology in individuals with ADHD. The objective of this study was to examine the role of EFs and ADHD symptoms as longitudinal predictors of psychopathology symptoms in individuals with ADHD and typically developing individuals. We assessed individuals with and without ADHD (N = 135) with neuropsychological tests of EFs and scales of ADHD symptoms and psychopathology symptoms at baseline (T1; Mage = 11.59, 57.8% boys), 2-year follow-up (T2; Mage = 13.63, 97% retention), and 10-year follow-up (Mage = 21.18, 75% retention). Baseline EFs predicted psychopathology symptoms at the 2- and the 10-year follow-up, explaining 17% and 12% of the variance, respectively. Baseline EFs predicted both internalizing and externalizing symptoms, and the predictive value of EFs on psychopathology symptoms at 10-year follow-up was accounted for by cognitive flexibility. Baseline ADHD symptoms were a significant predictor of all symptom domains at all time points. Thus, childhood EFs, in particular cognitive flexibility, can predict psychopathology symptoms in emerging adulthood beyond the effect of ADHD symptoms. This supports dominating theories of ADHD stating that executive dysfunction contributes to the observed phenotype, including associated psychopathology symptoms, and suggests that EFs are important targets of interventional efforts.

Childhood Executive Function Predicts Internalizing and Externalizing Symptoms in Emerging Adults With and Without Autism: A 10-Year Longitudinal Study.

Individuals with autism spectrum disorder (ASD) and typically developing individuals were assessed on three neuropsychological tests of executive function (EF) and on scales of autism symptoms and co-occurring internalizing and externalizing symptoms at baseline (T1; N = 88, Mage = 11.8 years, 73% males), 2-year (T2; 99% retention, Mage = 13.9 years), and 10-year follow-ups (T3; 75% retention, Mage = 21.4 years). An EF composite score from T1 significantly predicted internalizing symptoms at T2 (ß = .228) and internalizing and externalizing symptoms at T3 (ß = .431 and .478, respectively), when controlling for age and autism symptoms. OThe findings suggest that EF difficulties are a long-term risk factor for more co-occurring symptoms. .

Decision-making and Risky Behavior in Individuals with Attention-Deficit/Hyperactivity Disorder: A 10-year Longitudinal Study.

We assessed 85 children with Attention-Deficit/Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD) and 50 typically developing children (TD) (Mage = 11.59, 57.8% boys) with the Hungry Donkey Task (HDT) at baseline and 2-year follow-up, and the Iowa Gambling Task at 10-year follow-up (75% retention). Improvement in the proportion of advantageous choices was observed from two- to 10-year follow-up, but the ADHD group improved less and was outperformed by the TD group at the 10-year follow-up. More advantageous choices on the HDT at baseline predicted less risky behavior at 10-year follow-up. Male sex and more inattentive or externalizing symptoms at baseline predicted more risky behavior.

Development of executive functioning from childhood to young adulthood in autism spectrum disorder and attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder: A 10-year longitudinal study.

OBJECTIVE: This 10-year longitudinal study investigated the developmental trajectories of executive functioning (EF) in individuals with autism spectrum disorder (ASD) or attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder (ADHD), compared to typically developing (TD) individuals from childhood into young adulthood. METHOD: There were 173 participants at baseline (T1; ASD = 38 (eight with co-occurring ADHD), ADHD = 85, TD = 50; Mage = 11.7 years, SD = 2.1), 168 at 2-year follow-up (T2) and 127 at 10-year follow-up (T3). Participants were assessed with three neuropsychological tests aimed at capturing central components of EF: working memory/Letter-Number Sequencing Test (LNS), inhibition/Color-Word Interference Test, Condition 3 (CWIT3), and flexibility/Trail Making Test, Condition 4 (TMT4). Test results were analyzed using linear mixed models (LMM). RESULTS: At baseline, the TD participants outperformed the ASD and ADHD participants on all three tests. From T1 to T2, the ASD participants had less improvement than the ADHD and TD participants on the LNS test (p = .007 and .025, respectively), while having more improvement on the CWIT3 relative to the TD participants (p = .027). From T2 to T3, the ADHD participants had less improvement on the LNS test than the ASD and TD participants (p = .004 and .021, respectively). CONCLUSIONS: The ASD and ADHD groups mainly displayed similar maturation on the neuropsychological measures, and displayed continuous impairment relative to the TD group. The need for support and facilitation of EF in school, workplace, and social arenas might continue into young adulthood among certain individuals with ASD and ADHD. (PsycInfo Database Record (c) 2021 APA, all rights reserved).

Declining Trajectories of Co-occurring Psychopathology Symptoms in Attention-Deficit/Hyperactivity Disorder and Autism Spectrum Disorder: A 10-Year Longitudinal Study.

Objective: Our objective was to examine developmental trajectories of co-occurring psychopathology symptoms from childhood to young adulthood in individuals with Attention-Deficit/Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD), individuals with Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD), and typically developing (TD) individuals. Method: We assessed co-occurring psychopathology symptoms in 61 individuals with ADHD, 26 with ASD, and 40 TD individuals at baseline (T1; Mage = 11.72, 64% boys), 2-year follow up (T2; Mage = 13.77), and 10-year follow up (T3; Mage = 21.35). We analyzed trajectories of internalizing behaviors, externalizing behaviors, and total problems with linear mixed models. Results: From T1 to T3, the ADHD group displayed a small decline in internalizing behaviors (d = -0.49) and large declines in externalizing behaviors (d = -0.78) and total problems (d = -0.71). The ASD group displayed large declines in internalizing behaviors (d = -0.79), externalizing behaviors (d = -0.80), and total problems (d = -0.89). From T1 to T2, the decline in externalizing behaviors and total problems were significantly smaller in the ADHD group compared with the ASD group. The ADHD and the ASD group displayed more co-occurring symptoms compared with the TD group at T3. Conclusion: Individuals with ADHD and ASD, respectively, displayed declines in co-occurring symptoms from childhood to young adulthood. Individuals with ASD displayed an earlier decline compared with individuals with ADHD. Compared with TD individuals, individuals with ADHD and ASD, respectively, continued to display elevated levels of co-occurring symptoms in young adulthood.

A Cross-Sectional Study of the Relationship Between Mental Health Problems and Overweight and Obesity in Adolescents.

Background: There is a suggested coexistence between obesity and mental health discomfort in adolescence. The objective of this study was to explore if mental health indices covaried with body mass index (BMI) in adolescence and if there were gender-related disparities. Methods: Data were collected in two cross-sectional surveys of 10th-grade students (15 to 16 years old) carried out in 2002 and 2017. The questionnaires included self-reported height and weight, questions covering mental health using the Strengths and Difficulties Questionnaire (SDQ), lifestyle, and sociodemographic variables. We estimated the associations between SDQ subscale scores and BMI and the prevalence of overweight and obesity in linear and logistic multivariable models. We also estimated the extent to which gender modified these associations. Results: BMI was positively associated with peer problems [beta (ß): 0.08, (95% confidence interval 0.01, 0.14)], indicating that for every point increase in peer problems subscore, BMI increased by 0.08 kg/m2. The association between internalizing (i.e., peer and emotional) problems and BMI and conduct problems and BMI was different for boys and girls (p < 0.05 for all effect modifications). Conclusion: In this repeated cross-sectional study across 15 years, we found that peer problems were associated with BMI in Norwegian adolescents. We also found that there is a possibility that adolescent boys and girls report different mental health symptoms related to increased BMI. This finding implicates a need for gender-specific attention when assessing risk factors for increased BMI in adolescents.

Attentional bias in snus users: an experimental study.

The use of nicotine in the form of "snus" is substantial and increasing in some geographic areas, in particular among young people. It has previously been suggested that addictions may operate through a mechanism of attentional bias, in which stimuli representative of the dependent substance increase in salience, thus increasing the addictive behavior. However, this hypothesis has not been tested for the case of snus. The current experiment used a modified Stroop task and a dot-probe task to investigate whether 40 snus users show an attentional bias towards snus-relevant stimuli, compared to 40 non-snus users. There were no significant differences between the two groups on reaction times or accuracy on either Stroop or dot-probe task, thus failing to show an attentional bias towards snus-relevant stimuli for snus users. This could imply that other mechanisms may contribute to maintenance of snus use than for other addictions. However, this is the first experimental study investigating attentional bias in snus users, and more research is warranted.

Effects of shift and night work in the offshore petroleum industry: a systematic review.

Shift and night work are associated with several negative outcomes. The aim of this study was to make a systematic review of all studies which examine effects of shift and night work in the offshore petroleum industry, to synthesize the knowledge of how shift work offshore may affect the workers. Searches for studies concerning effects on health, sleep, adaptation, safety, working conditions, family- and social life and turnover were conducted via the databases Web of Knowledge, PsycINFO and PubMed. Search was also conducted through inspection of reference lists of relevant literature. We identified studies describing effects of shift work in terms of sleep, adaptation and re-adaptation of circadian rhythms, health outcomes, safety and accidents, family and social life, and work perceptions. Twenty-nine studies were included. In conclusion, the longitudinal studies were generally consistent in showing that adaptation to night work was complete within one to two weeks of work, while re-adaptation to a daytime schedule was slower. Shift workers reported more sleep problems than day workers. The data regarding mental and physical health, family and social life, and accidents yielded inconsistent results, and were insufficient as a base for drawing general conclusions. More research in the field is warranted.

Personality factors predict sleep-related shift work tolerance in different shifts at 2-year follow-up: a prospective study.

OBJECTIVES: The aim of the present study was to investigate whether the personality variables morningness, flexibility, languidity and hardiness could predict sleep-related shift work tolerance for the day, evening and night shifts, respectively. DESIGN: Prospective study design with questionnaires administered in winter 2008/2009 (wave 1) and 2 years later in spring 2011 (wave 3). SETTING: Different healthcare institutions in Norway. PARTICIPANTS: The sample comprised in all 700 nurses working a three-shift rotating schedule. PRIMARY AND SECONDARY OUTCOME MEASURES: The personality variables were assessed at wave 1, as were the demographic, lifestyle and work-related variables. Sleep-related shift work tolerance, assessed at wave 3, was measured separately for the day, evening and night shifts with the Bergen Shift Work Sleep Questionnaire. RESULTS: Morningness was positively associated with sleep-related day shift tolerance (p<0.001). Flexibility was positively associated with sleep-related tolerance for the evening as well as night shift (p<0.001). Furthermore, languidity was negatively associated with sleep-related shift tolerance for the day, evening and night shifts (p<0.001, <0.01, <0.05, respectively). Hardiness was positively associated with sleep-related tolerance for the day, evening and night shifts (p<0.001, <0.01, <0.05, respectively). Age was negatively associated with sleep-related shift tolerance for the day, night (p<0.01) and evening shifts (p<0.001). CONCLUSIONS: The findings indicate that hardiness and languidity predict sleep-related shift work tolerance across all shift types among shift working nurses. The effects of flexibility and morningness seem to depend on the shift schedule. By and large, our results are in accordance with previous studies; however, we have now demonstrated the prospective importance of personality in relation to sleep-related shift work tolerance across different shifts.