Association between childhood emotional abuse and non-suicidal self-injury among Guangxi adolescents in China: A moderated mediation model.

BACKGROUND: Childhood Emotional Abuse (CEA) is a known risk factor for Non Suicidal Self-injury (NSSI), which could have devastating repercussions. This study aimed to establish whether Parent-Child Attachment (PCA) and depressive symptoms mediated the CEA-NSSI relationship, as well as whether school connectedness moderated both the direct and indirect relationships between CEA and NSSI. METHODS: Between November and December 2022, 7447 Chinese adolescents in high schools were surveyed through multi-stage cluster random sampling. The participants completed self-reported questionnaires that assessed CEA, PCA, depressive symptoms, school connectedness, and NSSI. Relationships between these variables were examined through moderated mediation analysis using SPSS macro-PROCESS. RESULTS: After controlling for sociodemographic variables, we found that CEA correlated positively with NSSI through two different pathways: the mediating role of depressive symptoms and the chain-mediating role of both PCA and depressive symptoms. Moreover, school connectedness could moderate the direct and indirect relationships between CEA and NSSI. LIMITATIONS: The study's cross-sectional design does not allow for causal inferences. CONCLUSIONS: Overall, PCA, depressive symptoms, and school connectedness could affect the CEA-NSSI relationship.

Identification of colorectal cancer progression-associated intestinal microbiome and predictive signature construction.

OBJECTIVE: The relationship between intestinal microbiome and colorectal cancer (CRC) progression is unclear. This study aims to identify the intestinal microbiome associated with CRC progression and construct predictive labels to support the accurate assessment and treatment of CRC. METHOD: The 192 patients included in the study were divided into stage I-II and stage III-IV CRC patients according to the pathological stages, and preoperative stools were collected from both groups for 16S rDNA sequencing of the intestinal microbiota. Pearson correlation and Spearman correlation coefficient analysis were used to analyze the differential intestinal microbiome and the correlation with tumor microenvironment and to predict the functional pathway. XGBoost model (XGB) and Random Forest model (RF) were used to construct the microbiome-based signature. The total RNA extraction from 17 CRC tumor simples was used for transcriptome sequencing. RESULT: The Simpson index of intestinal microbiome in stage III-IV CRC were significantly lower than those in stage I-II CRC. Proteus, Parabacteroides, Alistipes and Ruminococcus etc. are significantly enriched genus in feces of CRC patients with stage III-IV. ko00514: Other types of O - glycan biosynthesis pathway is relevant with CRC progression. Alistipes indistinctus was positively correlated with mast cells, immune activators IL-6 and IL6R, and GOBP_PROTEIN_FOLDING_IN_ENDOPLASMIC_RETICULUM dominantly. The Random Forest (RF) model and eXtreme Gradient Boosting (XGBoost) model constructed with 42 CRC progression-associated differential bacteria were effective in distinguishing CRC patients between stage I-II and stage III-IV. CONCLUSIONS: The abundance and diversity of intestinal microbiome may increase gradually with the occurrence and progression of CRC. Elevated fetal abundance of Proteus, Parabacteroides, Alistipes and Ruminococcus may contribute to CRC progression. Enhanced synthesis of O - glycans may result in CRC progression. Alistipes indistinctus may play a facilitated role in mast cell maturation by boosting IL-6 production. Alistipes indistinctus may work in the correct folding of endoplasmic reticulum proteins in CRC, reducing ER stress and prompting the survival and deterioration of CRC, which may owe to the enhanced PERK expression and activation of downstream UPR by Alistipes indistinctus. The CRC progression-associated differential intestinal microbiome identified in our study can be served as potential microbial markers for CRC staging prediction.

Epidemiology of childhood trauma and its association with insomnia and psychotic-like experiences in Chinese Zhuang adolescents.

Background: Adolescents who have experienced childhood trauma are more likely to have insomnia and psychotic-like experiences (PLEs) than adolescents from other ethnic groups. However, little is known about the youth of ethnic minorities. This study aimed to investigate the epidemiology of childhood trauma and its relationship with insomnia and PLEs in Chinese Zhuang adolescents, focusing on the role of a specific type of trauma and accumulation. Methods: A questionnaire of Childhood Trauma Questionnaire-Short Form (CTQ-SF), Athens Insomnia Scale (AIS), and Chinese Version Community assessment psychic experiences-8 (CCAPE- 8) were all completed by 1,493 Chinese Zhuang adolescents. Chi-square and multivariate logistic regression analyses examined the association between childhood trauma and insomnia/PLEs. Results: The incidences of emotional abuse (EA), physical abuse (PA), sexual abuse (SA), emotional neglect (EN), and physical neglect (PN) occurred at rates of 5.63, 5.02, 6.56, 23.98, and 33.15%, respectively. EA, SA, EN, and PN were all positively related to insomnia (OR: 1.314-7.720, all p < 0.05). EA and SA were positively associated with PLEs (OR: 2.131-3.202, all p < 0.001). Adolescents who had experienced three or more types of traumas were more likely to have insomnia (OR = 6.961, p < 0.001) and PLEs (OR = 3.558, p < 0.001). Conclusion: The most common type of childhood trauma is PN. Childhood trauma has the primary effect on insomnia/PLE. A significant dose-response relationship was found between Childhood trauma and insomnia/ PLEs. This association varied depending on the type and accumulation of exposure.

The relationship between childhood trauma and depressive symptom among Zhuang adolescents: Mediating and moderating effects of cognitive emotion regulation strategies.

Background: Not all adolescents who have endured childhood trauma will develop depressive symptom, nor will they all experience the same level of depressive symptom. According to previous research, cognitive emotion regulation strategies may explain a portion of the variance. Observe the connection between childhood trauma and depressive symptom and investigate whether cognitive emotion regulation strategies mediate or moderate this association. Methods: In October 2019, a cross-sectional study measuring childhood trauma, cognitive emotion regulation strategies, and depressive symptom among Zhuang adolescents was done in one senior high school and two junior highs in Chongzuo, Guangxi, China, using a self-report questionnaire. To examine the hypothesis of mediating and moderating effects, SPSS PROCESS was utilized. Results: In this study, there was a positive relationship between childhood trauma and depressive symptom, whereas there were positive correlations between expressive suppression and childhood trauma and depressive symptom (r = 0.380, 0.246, and 0.089, respectively, p < 0.01). The 5,000-sample bootstrap procedure revealed that the indirect relationship between the independent variable (childhood trauma or emotional abuse) and the dependent variable (depressive symptom) was statistically significant (ß = 0.0154 95% CI: 0.0019, 0.0165, ß = 0.0442 95% CI: 0.0008, 0.0117). The statistical significance of the interaction effect enhanced the R-square value of the moderating effect when the independent variable was the total childhood trauma score (ΔR2 = 0.0044, 0.0089). Conclusions: Our findings corroborated the conclusion of prior research that cognitive emotion regulation strategies mediate and moderate the development of depressive symptom. Although we demonstrate that cognitive emotion regulation strategies play a mediating and moderating role in the relationships between childhood trauma and depressive symptom, the mediating effects on the relationships between the other types of childhood traumas, including physical abuse and neglect, sexual abuse, emotional neglect, and depressive symptom, did not emerge.

Epidemiology of gaming disorder and its effect on anxiety and insomnia in Chinese ethnic minority adolescents.

BACKGROUND: The growing popularity and frequency of online game use have resulted in a large number of studies reporting various mental problems associated with game abuse in adolescents. In this article, we examined the prevalence of gaming disorder (GD) and explored the associations of GD with anxiety and insomnia symptoms in minority youth in China. METHODS: A total of 1494 students completed the Problematic Online Gaming Questionnaire Short-Form (POGQ-SF), the Generalized Anxiety Disorder 7-item questionnaire (GAD-7), and Athens Insomnia Scale (AIS). Chi-square and binary logistic regression analyses were used to explore the associations between gaming disorder and anxiety/insomnia. RESULTS: A total of 356 (23.83%) respondents reported that they had gaming disorder. Chi-square analysis showed that gender, grade, marital status of parents and exercise situation were significantly associated with GD. Binary logistic regression analysis showed that those who had GD were at significantly higher risk for anxiety and insomnia than those without GD. CONCLUSION: We found a high incidence of GD and a positive association among anxiety, insomnia and GD. Thus, special attention should be paid to those who have suffered from GD. It is worth addressing the adverse effects of GD on anxiety and insomnia.

Association between schizotypal personality traits and emotional instability: mediation and moderation analysis among Chinese college students.

BACKGROUND: Previous studies identified an association between schizophrenia and emotional instability. However, the relationship between schizotypal personality traits and emotional instability has not been explored to date. Furthermore, both mediating and moderating factors need to be identified. METHODS: A total of 2936 students completed the Schizotypal Personality Questionnaire (SPQ), the Affective Lability Scale-Short Form (ALS-SF), and the Davos Assessment of Cognitive Biases Scale (DACOBS). RESULTS: 1) The total scores of DACOBS (and all dimensions) and ALS-SF (and all dimensions) in the high schizotypal personality trait group were higher than in the low schizotypal personality trait group (all P < 0.05). 2) SPQ score and DACOBS social cognition problems, subjective cognitive problems, jumping to conclusions bias, and external attribution bias subscale scores positively predicted the total score of ALS-SF (or the dimensions of ALS-SF) in both male and female populations (all P < 0.05). 3) In the male population, DACOBS social cognition problems, subjective cognitive problems, jumping to conclusions bias, and external attribution bias subscale scores mediated the relationship between SPQ score and ALS-SF total score (or its subscales). In the female population, DACOBS attention for threat bias, external attribution bias, jumping to conclusions bias, social cognition problems, and subjective cognitive problems subscale scores mediated the relationship between SPQ score and ALS-SF total score (or its subscales). 4) Gender exerted a moderating effect on this relationship between SPQ score and ALS-SF total/anxiety-depression score (all P < 0.05). CONCLUSIONS: Schizotypal personality traits might influence emotional instability through cognitive biases, and the degree of this influence varies depending on gender.

Insomnia partially mediates the relationship between pathological personality traits and depression: a case-control study.

BACKGROUND AND OBJECTIVE: Personality disorders are frequently associated with insomnia and depression, but little is known about the inter-relationships among these variables. Therefore, this study examined these inter-relationships and the possible mediating effect of insomnia on the association between specific personality pathologies and depression severity. METHODS: There were 138 study participants, including 69 individuals with depression and 69 healthy controls. The main variables were measured by the Hamilton Depression Rating Scale-24 (HAMD-24), Athens Sleep Insomnia Scale (AIS), and the Personality Diagnostic Questionnaire (PDQ-4+). Multivariate linear regression and mediation analysis were conducted. RESULTS: With the exception of the antisocial personality score, all the PDQ-4+ scores and AIS scores were significantly higher in the depression group than in the healthy control group (p < 0.001). In the total sample, all personality pathology scores (p < 0.001), except the antisocial personality score, had significant positive correlations with the AIS scores and HAMD-24 scores, and the AIS scores and HAMD-24 scores were positively correlated (r = 0.620, p < 0.001). Regression analysis revealed that borderline personality, passive-aggressive personality, and insomnia positively predicted the severity of depression, after adjusting for sociodemographic covariates, and that insomnia partially mediated the associations of borderline personality and passive-aggressive personality with depression severity. CONCLUSIONS: Borderline personality, passive-aggressive personality, and insomnia tend to increase the severity of depression, and the effect of borderline and passive-aggressive personality on depression severity may be partially mediated by insomnia. This is the first study to report these findings in a Chinese sample, and they may help researchers to understand the pathways from specific personality pathologies to the psychopathology of depression better, which should be useful for designing interventions to relieve depression severity, as the impact of specific personality pathology and insomnia should be considered.

Prevalence of Childhood Sexual Abuse Among Women Using the Childhood Trauma Questionnaire: A Worldwide Meta-Analysis.

Childhood sexual abuse (CSA) is a common form of childhood maltreatment. Several studies have shown that CSA adversely affects the physical and mental health. Numerous studies have evaluated the prevalence of CSA among females using various instruments. In this meta-analysis, we estimated the rate of CSA among women using the short form of the Childhood Trauma Questionnaire for the first time. Four databases (PsycINFO, PubMed, Cochrane Library, and Embase) were systematically searched for studies published as of April 2, 2018. Forty-eight articles (53 groups of samples) covering 22,224 individuals, including women, from 16 countries were selected. Using the random-effects model, the pooled overall rate of CSA was 24% (95% confidence interval [21%, 27%]). On subgroup analyses, the rate of female CSA in people with mental illness was higher than that in the general group; this result showed variability among different geographical regions.

Prevalence of childhood trauma measured by the short form of the Childhood Trauma Questionnaire in people with substance use disorder: A meta-analysis.

BACKGROUND: Substance use disorder is known to be associated with childhood trauma, yet prevalence estimates have varied markedly due to methodological differences. The meta-analysis presented here aimed to estimate prevalence rates of childhood trauma for people with substance use disorder using the short form of the Childhood Trauma Questionnaire (CTQ-SF). METHODS: Four major public databases (PubMed, Embase, The Cochrane Library and PsycINFO) were searched for eligible studies until April 2nd, 2018. RESULTS: Ten studies were included with a total sample size of 1,310 across six countries. The prevalence estimates of each subtype of childhood trauma across all substance use disorder samples were: emotional abuse (38%, 95% CI: 28%-48%); physical abuse (36%, 95% CI: 27%-45%); sexual abuse (31%, 95% CI: 23%-41%); emotional neglect (31%, 95% CI: 18%-45%) and physical neglect (32%, 95% CI: 25%-40%). Subgroup analysis by continent demonstrated that the highest prevalence rates of emotional abuse were found in North America and South America (45%). Compared with other continents, the prevalence rates of North America were the highest for physical abuse, sexual abuse, emotional neglect and physical neglect (39%-44%). CONCLUSIONS: Childhood trauma is prevalent among substance use disorder samples compared to the general population. Different continents have different levels of prevalence of childhood trauma, which may be due in part to socioeconomic, cultural and definitional variations.

Effects of the neuropeptide S receptor gene on the mediating effect of somatization on the association between life-event scores and psychological distress.

BACKGROUND: The mechanisms underlying the relationship between life events and psychological distress are unclear. However, evidence of genetic involvement, including the neuropeptide S receptor gene (NPSR1), exists. METHODS: A total of 600 Chinese adults were enrolled in this cross-sectional study using random cluster sampling. Demographic information, measures of life events and psychiatric symptoms, and fasting blood samples were collected. RESULTS: Significant correlations were observed among life-event scores, somatization, and psychological distress (i.e., anxiety and depressive symptoms). Regression revealed life-event scores and somatization predicted anxiety, depressive symptoms, and psychological distress, while controlling for sex, age, income, education, and marital status. Structural equation modeling indicated that somatization mediated the association between life-event scores and psychological distress. Moreover, the mediating effect was influenced by the NPSR1 gene, suggesting that the NPSR1 polymorphisms rs324981, rs6947841, and rs6972158 influenced the association between life-event scores and somatization (ps < 0.05). The NPSR1 polymorphisms rs12673132 significantly affected the relationship of somatization with psychological distress (p < 0.05). CONCLUSIONS: In conclusion, somatization mediated the association between life-event scores and psychological distress. The current study is the first to demonstrate this relationship with a Chinese sample, whereby the NPSR1 gene affects the mediating effect of somatization on the association between life-event scores and psychological distress.

Associations Between Gene Polymorphisms and Psychological Stress in the Guangxi Minority Region of China.

To investigate whether there is an association between gene polymorphisms, genetic and environmental interactions, and psychological stress reactivity in Chinese subjects living in the Guangxi minority region. This cross-sectional study enrolled subjects older than 18 years, living in Nandan county, Guangxi minority region, China for at least 1 year. All participants were healthy, without any mental diseases, and were able to communicate. Eligible participants were randomly selected. The Life Event Scale Questionnaire, Simplified Coping Style Questionnaire, and Social Support Rating Scale were used to measure the physiological stress, coping style, and social support, respectively, in individuals. A total of 600 participants were recruited. A decreased risk of psychological stress was only found in TT of NPSR1 (rs324981): A allele carriers vs. TT genotype (OR 1.64, 95% CI 1.11, 2.42), and AT genotype vs. TT genotype (OR 1.76, 95% CI 1.17, 2.65). The overall coping style was positively associated with psychological stress, and no significant interactions between genetics and environment were found. We found that the NPSR1 (rs324981) T/T genotype decreased the risk of psychological stress, while the overall coping style was a risk factor for psychological stress. However, there was no interactive effects of genes and environment on psychological stress. Our findings will improve understanding of the biological basis underlying psychological stress if the results can be replicated in further research.

Mental Health Status and Coping Behaviors of the Guangxi Baiku Yao Population in Response to Life Events.

BACKGROUND Ethnic minorities present specific mental health characteristics that are based on their unique cultural background. We aimed to investigate the mental health status and coping behaviors in the Guangxi Baiku Yao population, an ethnic minority in China. MATERIAL AND METHODS A total of 121 Baiku Yao, 149 Zhuang, and 141 Han from Nandan Guangxi were enrolled in a survey using stratified random cluster sampling. The questionnaires included general information, a simplified mental symptom checklist, life events, coping behaviors, and social support. RESULTS The number of stimulating life events in Baiku Yao, particularly in males, was higher than that in the other two groups. Anxiety, depression, and mental symptom scores in Baiku Yao were higher than those in the other two groups. After adjusting for demographic variables, variation in mental health that could be explained by negative coping and life events increased by 40.5% and 7.6%, respectively. All path coefficients were significant (P<0.01); the ratio of the fitting value and the degree of freedom was 1.496, and the root mean square error of approximation was 0.035. CONCLUSIONS Mental symptoms of the Baiku Yao population in Nandan (Guangxi) were more severe than those in other Chinese ethnic groups. Life events affected mental symptoms through negative coping.