Longitudinal associations between response-style strategies and abnormal eating behaviors/attitudes in adolescents: a cross-lagged panel model.

BACKGROUND: Previous studies have suggested that response-style strategies (rumination, problem-solving, and distraction) can be risk or protective factors for the development of abnormal eating behaviors/attitudes (AEB) during adolescence. However, due to limited empirical data regarding the prospective effects of these strategies on AEB, further research is needed to clarify their role in developing AEB in adolescence. METHODS: This study investigated the one-year lagged effects of response-style strategies on AEB in 24,883 fourth- to eighth-grade students in Japan between 2015 and 2019 using a cross-lagged panel model. Depressive symptoms and body mass index (BMI), which are reported to relate to AEB, were also included in the analytic model. The students self-reported their levels of response-style strategies, AEB, and depressive symptoms. We also evaluated BMI based on teachers' reports. RESULTS: We found that greater rumination significantly predicted more severe AEB in the following year among students from all grades, with small to moderate effect sizes. In addition, distraction significantly predicted more severe binge eating/purging behaviors, but with very weak small effect sizes. Problem-solving did not predict any level of AEB. Furthermore, we observed significant reciprocal relationships between response-style strategies, AEB, and depressive symptoms. Positive reciprocal associations between BMI and AEB were also found except for some intervals. CONCLUSIONS: We concluded that a decrease in rumination is critical to alleviating mental health problems, such as AEB and depressive symptoms, during adolescence. This suggests that interventions to reduce the level of rumination should be conducted in the early stages of adolescence. TRIAL REGISTRATION NUMBER: Not Applicable.

This study examines the effects of three response styles when faced with distress­rumination, problem-solving, and distraction­on unhealthy eating behaviors. In this study, we looked at how these coping strategies are linked to unhealthy eating behaviors in 24,883 students in grades four to eight in Japan between 2015 and 2019. We checked again at year-long intervals to see if the coping strategies had any effect on the students' unhealthy eating behaviors. In addition, we considered depressive symptoms and body mass index in our analysis because these variables might also be related to unhealthy eating behaviors. We found that more rumination (i.e., a repetitive negative thinking pattern) predicted the severity of unhealthy eating behaviors and depressive symptoms in the following year across all the grades. In addition, greater depressive symptoms also contributed to an increase in unhealthy eating behaviors in the following year. Therefore, we suggest that rumination is a key factor that influences mental health during adolescence.

A cross-sectional examination of the simultaneous association of four emotion regulation strategies with abnormal eating behaviours among women in Japan.

BACKGROUND: Research has suggested an association between emotion regulation strategies (ERSs) and abnormal eating behaviours/attitudes (AEB), and many studies have examined the association of one particular ERS with AEB. Additionally, different ERSs are reported to be strongly correlated with each other. Therefore, the associations between an individual ERS and AEB, reported previously, may be spurious. The present cross-sectional study aims to examine the simultaneous associations of four ERSs (brooding, reflection, expressive suppression, cognitive reappraisal) with AEB in a sample of women in Japan. METHODS: The participants comprised 1528 Japanese women (Mage = 40.65 years, SDage = 10.22 years, range 21-59). They self-reported the frequency at which they use these ERSs, their levels of AEB (i.e. drive for thinness, bulimic symptoms), and the confounding variables (e.g. psychological distress and BMI) online. AEB was measured using the Japanese version of the 91-item Eating Disorder Inventory; brooding and reflection were measured using the Japanese version of the Rumination Response Scale; individual differences in the use of reappraisal and expression suppression was measured using the Japanese version of the Emotion Regulation Questionnaire (J-ERQ); and participants' psychological distress was assessed using the Kessler 6 Japanese version (K6-J). RESULTS: Correlation analyses revealed that all ERSs were positively correlated with AEB. However, regression analyses revealed inconsistent findings. In the regression model, after controlling for the confounding variables, only brooding indicated a positive association with the drive for thinness. Regarding bulimic symptoms, all ERSs showed a positive association, except reappraisal, which had a weak, negative association. CONCLUSION: These results suggest that brooding is related to the symptom levels of both eating disorders among women, whereas, the other ERSs are related to those of bulimic symptoms only. However, further research is required to clarify the causal relations between AEB and ERSs.

Fine and gross motor skills predict later psychosocial maladaptation and academic achievement.

BACKGROUND: Difficulties in fine and gross motor skills are often overlooked as developmental problems, although approximately 6-13% of all school-age children have poor motor coordination. Understanding motor coordination is important from the perspective of school adaptation. This longitudinal cohort study aimed to determine whether fine and gross motor skills in preschool children predict later academic achievement and psychosocial maladaptation. METHODS & PROCEDURES: Participants were 2,501 children from nursery and elementary schools (5-13 years old). The motor skills of preschool children were assessed by their nursery teacher immediately before entering elementary school. The Strengths and Difficulties Questionnaire and a standardized Japanese test were administered annually throughout elementary school. RESULTS: Early motor difficulties in preschool children had significant effects on their academic achievement and psychosocial maladaptation up until the sixth grade. Gross motor difficulties in preschool were associated with the later peer problems and worsened emotional symptoms. CONCLUSIONS: Motor skills in preschool children are useful as a predictor of later psychosocial maladaptation and academic achievement.

Examining simultaneous associations of four emotion regulation strategies with abnormal eating behaviors/attitudes in early adolescents.

Previous research has suggested that emotion regulation strategies (ERSs) are associated with abnormal eating behaviors and attitudes (AEBs). Available data have demonstrated that frequent rumination, a major maladaptive ERS, is associated with elevated AEBs, whereas adaptive ERSs, such as problem-solving and cognitive reappraisal, showed negative associations with AEBs. Most previous studies examined the association of a single ERS with AEBs. Therefore, any significant associations between an individual ERS and AEB reported in previous research might stem from spurious correlations. The current cross-sectional study sought to examine simultaneous associations of four ERSs (rumination, problem-solving, distraction, and cognitive reappraisal) with two categories of ED symptoms (i.e., drive for thinness and bulimic symptoms) in early adolescents in Japan (ages 10-15, N = 5301). Participants self-reported their use of the different ERSs and the ED symptoms. We found certain ERSs were uniquely associated with levels of drive for thinness and bulimic symptoms even after controlling for body mass index, depression, and socioeconomic status. Particularly, frequent rumination in both boys and girls was associated with a severe drive for thinness and bulimic symptoms. Regarding adaptive strategies, frequent uses of problem-solving was associated with decreased bulimic symptoms only in girls, with the effect size being small. In addition, contrary to our expectation, greater use of distraction was associated with elevated AEBs, except the association with drive for thinness in boys. Although this study extended findings of previous research, prospective studies are required to clarify the causal relationship between ERSs and eating pathology.

Serum immunoglobulin levels do not affect antibody responses to influenza HA vaccine in preterm infants.

Antibody responses to two doses of influenza hemagglutinin (HA) vaccine were evaluated in 45 previously unimmunized preterm infants aged 6-11 months before the 2003/2004 influenza season. Twenty-three (51.1%), 21 (46.6%) and 2 (4.4%) of the subjects acquired protective (>or=1:40) hemagglutination inhibition (HI) antibody titers after vaccination for A/New Caledonia (H1N1), A/Panama (H3N2) and B/Shandong, respectively. Antibody responses to A (H1N1), A (H3N2) appeared to be comparable to those reported on full-term infants of similar ages vaccinated with the identical vaccine. Serum IgG levels at vaccination had no positive association with antibody responses on univariate or multivariate analysis, indicating that prolonged hypogammaglobulinemia after 6 months of age in preterm infants was not a factor to affect antibody responses to influenza HA vaccine.