ABSTRACT
INTRODUCTION: Research focused on the association between peer cybervictimization and declining health-related quality of life (HRQoL) is scarce. Currently, few longitudinal studies find an association between these phenomena, and none focus on cybervictimization profiles. The main objectives are: (1) to analyze the point and period prevalence, and incidence of cybervictimization profiles (uninvolved, new, ceased, intermittent, and stable cybervictims); (2) to study the relationship between cybervictimization and HRQoL over time; (3) to determine the longitudinal impact on the HRQoL of each type of profile. METHODS: A prospective study was conducted in three waves over 13 months. A total of 1142 adolescents aged 11-18 years participated in all the waves (630 girls, 55.2%). RESULTS: The prevalence of victimization for the three waves was 21.6% (Wave 1; W1), 23.5% (W2), and 19.6% (W3), respectively. The period prevalence was 41.3%, and the accumulated incidence was 25.1%. It was found that 24% of the participants were new victims, 5.9% were intermittent victims, and 6% were stable victims. Being a cybervictim at W1 poses a relative risk of 1.73 [1.29-2.32], that is, a twofold increased risk of presenting a low HRQoL 13 months later compared to those who are not cybervictims. CONCLUSION: One in four adolescents became a new cybervictim during the 13 months of the study. The adolescents who presented poorer HRQoL were the stable cybervictims.
Subject(s)
Adolescent Behavior , Bullying , Crime Victims , Cyberbullying , Female , Humans , Adolescent , Quality of Life , Prospective StudiesABSTRACT
Resilience could moderate the impact of bipolar disorder (BD) on patients quality of life (QoL) and psychosocial functioning. This study aimed to (1) explore the relationships between bipolar disorder mood episodes (depression, [hypo]mania, and euthymia) and mental health outcomes of QoL, personal recovery, impaired work, and psychosocial functioning in individuals with BD; and (2) determine whether resilience domains were moderators of these associations. A clinical adult sample of 97 individuals diagnosed with BD (63.90% female, mean age = 45.02 years) completed a battery of BD-specific measures of resilience and mental health-related variables. Multiple regression showed that self-management of BD resilience domain moderated the negative relationship between (hypo)manic episode and personal recovery. Furthermore, self-confidence moderated the positive relationships between (hypo)manic and depressive episodes and impaired functioning. We suggest that BD patients experiencing (hypo)manic or depressive episodes may improve their mental health and wellbeing through interventions that promote disorder-specific resilience factors. (AU)
La resiliencia podría moderar el impacto del trastorno bipolar (TB) en la calidad de vida (CV) y funcionamiento psicosocial de los pacientes. Los objetivos del presente estudio fueron: (1) explorar la asociación entre los episodios anímicos bipolares (depresión, [hipo]manía y eutimia) y los resultados de la CV en cuanto a salud mental, la recuperación personal y el deterioro del funcionamiento laboral y psicosocial de personas con TB y (2) determinar si los dominios de resiliencia moderaban esta asociación. Una muestra clínica de 97 personas adultas diagnosticadas de TB (63.90% mujeres, edad media = 45.02) cumplimentaron una batería de medidas específicas de TB sobre resiliencia y variables relacionadas con la salud mental. La regresión múltiple mostró que el dominio de la resiliencia de autogestión del TB moderó la relación negativa entre el episodio (hipo)maníaco y la recuperación personal. Además, la confianza en uno mismo moderó la asociación positiva entre los episodios (hipo)maníacos y depresivos y el deterioro del funcionamiento. Se sugiere que la salud mental y bienestar de los pacientes con TB en episodios (hipo)maníacos o depresivos podrían mejorar mediante intervenciones que desarrollen aspectos de resiliencia específicos de este trastorno mental. (AU)
Subject(s)
Humans , Young Adult , Adult , Middle Aged , Resilience, Psychological , Mental Health , Bipolar Disorder , Affect , Surveys and Questionnaires , Spain , Quality of LifeABSTRACT
This study examines two indicators of developmental level (testosterone and grade) as moderators of the effects of a single-session incremental theory of personality intervention on both traditional and online aggressive behaviors. A sample of 535 Spanish adolescents (boys: 50%; age: 12-17 years) participated in a double-blind, randomized controlled trial. Participants were randomized to receive the incremental theory of personality intervention or an alternative educational control condition. The intervention consisted of teaching the belief that people can change. Aggressive behaviors were measured at baseline, one-week posttest, and six-month and twelve-month follow-ups. Testosterone level moderated the effectiveness of the intervention for online aggressive behavior so that, among adolescents with low and medium testosterone levels, those in the control group increased online aggressive behavior, whereas adolescents receiving the intervention remained at similar levels of perpetration. Grade moderated the effectiveness of the intervention on both forms of aggressive behavior, being only effective in Grade 8. Overall, the findings indicate that some preventative interventions can be more effective among adolescents with lower levels of development.
Subject(s)
Personality Disorders , Personality , Adolescent , Aggression , Child , Female , Humans , Male , TestosteroneABSTRACT
The development of brief and inexpensive interventions that reduce risky behaviors in adolescence constitute a challenge for current research. This study addresses the prevention of two online behavior problems in adolescents (cyberbullying and online grooming). Two pilot studies evaluated the effects of a 1-hour intervention, which combined self-affirmation (SA) with the incremental theory of personality (ITP), for cyberbullying and online grooming. Study 1 involved 339 adolescents (51% male, mean age = 14.12 years, SD = 0.70), who were randomly assigned to the SA + ITP intervention or one of two control conditions. Hierarchical regression analyses indicated that the SA + ITP intervention reduced the reciprocity between sexual solicitation and sexualized interaction with adults, as well as between cyberbullying victimization and perpetration. Study 2 included 214 adolescents (50.3% male, mean age = 14.06 years, SD = 0.96), who were randomly assigned to the SA + ITP or a control condition. Hierarchical linear modeling analyses indicated that the SA + ITP reduced the reciprocity between sexual solicitation and sexualized interaction with adults, and reduced cyberbullying perpetration. The studies provided preliminary evidence of the benefits of the SA + ITP intervention. (AU)
El desarrollo de intervenciones breves y económicas que reduzcan las conductas de riesgo en la adolescencia constituye un desafío para la investigación actual. Este estudio aborda la prevención de dos problemas de comportamiento online en adolescentes (ciberacoso y grooming en Internet). Dos estudios piloto evaluaron los efectos de una intervención de una hora que combinó autoafirmaciones (AA) con la teoría incremental de la personalidad (TIP) en el ciberacoso y el grooming. En el estudio 1 participaron 339 adolescentes (51% chicos, edad media = 14.12 años, DT = 0.70), que fueron asignados aleatoriamente a la intervención AA + TIP o una de dos condiciones de control. Los análisis de regresión jerárquica indicaron que la intervención AA + TIP redujo la reciprocidad entre la solicitud sexual y la interacción sexualizada con adultos, así como entre la victimización y la perpetración de ciberacoso. El estudio 2 incluyó a 214 adolescentes (50.3% chicos, edad media = 14.06 años, DT = 0.96), que fueron asignados aleatoriamente a AA + TIP o a una condición de control. Los análisis de modelos lineales jerárquicos indicaron que AA + TIP redujo la reciprocidad entre la solicitud sexual y la interacción sexualizada con adultos y redujo la perpetración de ciberacoso. Los estudios aportaron evidencia preliminar de las ventajas de la intervención AA + TIP. (AU)
Subject(s)
Humans , Adolescent , Bullying , Cyberbullying , PersonalityABSTRACT
Adolescence is often accompanied by an increase in stress and depression. Although there is considerable consensus about the benefits of mindfulness-based interventions to reduce these problems, the results for the role of dispositional mindfulness facets have been mixed. Recent studies have contributed to clarifying this role by identifying subtypes of individuals according to their profiles in mindfulness facets and examining the functioning of these profiles in relation to several self-reported indicators of wellbeing and health. The current study extends previous research by exploring mindfulness profiles in adolescents and by providing several sources of indicators (self-reports, parent-reports, and hypothalamic-pituitary-adrenal axis hormones) to examine the adaptive role of these profiles. A sample of 571 adolescents (50.61% girls; 12-17 years old) completed measures of mindfulness, depression, maladaptive schemas, and temperament (neuroticism, extraversion, and effortful control), and provided salivary samples for cortisol and dehydroepiandrosterone sulfate. In addition, 331 adolescents' parents completed measures of their children' temperaments. The results of latent profile analyses supported a three-profile solution: (1) moderate mindfulness (65.5%), (2) judgmental observing (24.2%), and (3) nonjudgmentally aware (10.3%). The judgmental observing profile was associated with a worse adjustment, indicated by higher depressive symptoms, maladaptive schemas, perceived stress, stress-associated hormones, and neuroticism, as well as lower scores on extroversion and effortful control. This profile was more frequent among the oldest adolescents. In contrast, the nonjudgmentally aware group presented a better adjustment and was more frequent among the youngest adolescents. These findings have implications for preventive interventions. Analyzing the specific profile of each adolescent can help improve individual intervention, taking into account the strengths and weaknesses of each adolescent.
Subject(s)
Depression/metabolism , Mindfulness/methods , Personality , Stress, Psychological/metabolism , Adolescent , Female , Humans , Hypothalamo-Hypophyseal System/metabolism , Male , Neuroticism , Pituitary-Adrenal System/metabolism , Self ReportABSTRACT
Interest is increasing in developing universal interventions to prevent depression in adolescents that are brief enough to be scaled up. The aim of this study was to test the effects on depressive symptoms, cognitive schemas, and Hypothalamic-Pituitary-Adrenal Axis Hormones of an intervention focused on teaching an element of an incremental theory of personality, namely, the belief that people can change. We also examined whether grade level moderated the effects of the intervention. A double-blind, randomized, controlled trial was conducted with 867 Spanish adolescent participants (51.9% boys, Grades 8-10) randomly assigned to an incremental theory intervention (n = 456) or an educational control intervention (n = 411). The adolescents completed measures of depressive symptoms and negative cognitive schemas at pretest, at 6-month follow-up, and at 12-month follow-up. A subsample of 503 adolescents provided salivary samples for cortisol and DHEA-S testing. In 8th grade, adolescents who received the incremental theory intervention displayed a greater decrease in depressive symptoms and cognitive schemas and a lower increase in DHEA-S. Moreover, in adolescents who received the intervention, the rate of adolescents with high depression scores decreased by almost 18% whereas in the control group, the rate increased by 37%. Surprisingly, the effects of the intervention were in the opposite direction among adolescents in 9th grade. These data indicate that a brief universal intervention could prevent depressive symptoms under some conditions, but developmental characteristics can moderate the effectiveness of this approach.
Subject(s)
Attitude , Cognitive Behavioral Therapy , Depression/physiopathology , Depression/therapy , Hypothalamo-Hypophyseal System/metabolism , Outcome Assessment, Health Care , Thinking/physiology , Adolescent , Double-Blind Method , Female , Follow-Up Studies , Humans , MaleABSTRACT
The aim of the current study was to validate the Work and Social Adjustment Scale (WSAS), a measure of psychosocial functional impairment, in Spanish-speaking individuals with bipolar disorder. A sample of 120 patients with bipolar disorder and 97 healthy individuals completed the WSAS to analyze its factor structure and reliability. Patients also completed measures of personal recovery and quality of life (QOL). Confirmatory factor analysis indicated that a one-factor model explained data adequately, with all factor loadings proving to be significant. Cronbach's alphas indicated excellent internal consistency in the sample of individuals with bipolar disorder and the sample of healthy individuals. Significant negative correlations between the WSAS and personal recovery and QOL demonstrated good concurrent validity. Impairment on the WSAS was higher for the patient sample, confirming known-group validity of the scale. Thus, Spanish validation of the WSAS demonstrated it to be a sound self-reported measure of psychosocial functioning impairment in individuals with bipolar disorder. [Journal of Psychosocial Nursing and Mental Health Services, 57(5), 44-51.].
Subject(s)
Bipolar Disorder/rehabilitation , Employment , Social Adjustment , Surveys and Questionnaires , Translations , Adult , Female , Humans , Male , Middle Aged , Psychometrics , Reproducibility of Results , SpainABSTRACT
The goal of this research project was to develop a new questionnaire to assess resilience in Bipolar Disorder (BD), the Resilience Questionnaire for Bipolar Disorder (RBD). To examine its psychometric properties, a sample of 125 patients diagnosed with BD and a comparison sample of 107 people completed the new RBD and established measures of generic resilience and health-related outcomes. Exploratory factor analysis for the RBD yielded a 23-item 5-factor solution, and confirmatory factor analysis indicated adequate fit indices. Internal consistency, stability, concurrent validation and known-groups' validity were also supported. The RBD obtained higher responsiveness (6-month follow-up) than the generic resilience scale (BD sample). The RBD is a robust measure to monitor resilience in BD.
