Parental technoference and adolescents' mental health and violent behaviour: a scoping review.

PURPOSE: The term 'technoference' refers to habitual interferences and disruptions within interpersonal relationships or time spent together due to use of electronic devices. Emerging evidence suggests associations between parental technoference and young people's mental health and violent behaviours. This scoping review sought to summarise the existing literature. METHODS: A scoping review was undertaken across six databases (APA PsycINFO, MEDLINE, ASSIA, ERIC, Social Sciences Premium Collection, SciTech Premium). Searches included articles examining the association between parental technoference and adolescent mental health and violent behaviours. All included studies provided empirical findings. RESULTS: Searches retrieved 382 articles, of which 13 articles met the eligibility criteria. A narrative approach was applied to synthesise the eligible findings. Across all studies, adolescent perceptions of parental technoference were negatively associated to adolescent mental health and positively related to adolescent violent behaviours. Parental cohesion and mental health were identified as significant mediating factors. CONCLUSION: Findings suggest that parents should be aware of the environment in which they use electronic devices as their use can potentially, directly and indirectly, influence adolescent mental health and violent behaviours. Further research into the potential caveats of parental technoference could support the development of evidence-informed guidelines for parental management of electronic devices.

Comparison of COMLEX-USA scores, medical school performance, and preadmission variables between women and men.

CONTEXT: Previous studies by the author showed differences in preadmission variables and Comprehensive Osteopathic Medical Licensing Examination-USA (COMLEX-USA) scores between women and men at the New York Institute of Technology College of Osteopathic Medicine (NYIT-COM). It is pertinent to reexamine the preadmission variables, medical school performance, and COMLEX-USA scores of women and men to determine whether these differences still exist. OBJECTIVE: To examine the relationship between student sex and performance on COMLEX-USA Level 1 and Level 2-Cognitive Evaluation (CE), performance during medical school, and preadmission academic variables at NYIT-COM. METHODS: Scores on COMLEX-USA Level 1 and COMLEX-USA Level 2-CE, grades in all courses taken during the first 2 years of medical school, the National Board of Osteopathic Medical Examiners' clinical science subject examination scores, Medical College Admission Test (MCAT) scores, and undergraduate grade point averages (GPAs) were compared between women and men in the classes graduating between 2009 and 2012. RESULTS: Data from 748 students were analyzed. Men had statistically significantly higher scores than women on COMLEX-USA Level 1 in 2009 (540 vs 500; P<.001) and 2010 (537 vs 496; P<.001). No statistically significant difference in COMLEX-USA Level 2-CE scores was found between women and men. The performance of women and men was comparable during the first 2 years of medical school and on clinical science subject examinations in years 3 and 4. Men had statistically significantly higher MCAT scores than women, but no statistically significant differences were found between women's and men's undergraduate GPAs. CONCLUSION: Men were found to have higher scores than women on COMLEX-USA Level 1 and the MCAT. However, the reasons behind these data have yet to be elucidated. Although a stronger background in basic science could explain the discrepancy in scores between women and men, women were found to have equally high science GPAs and performed comparably to men in osteopathic medical school. The results were in agreement with previous studies at NYIT-COM.

Prediction of Osteopathic Medical School Performance on the basis of MCAT score, GPA, sex, undergraduate major, and undergraduate institution.

CONTEXT: The relationships of students' preadmission academic variables, sex, undergraduate major, and undergraduate institution to academic performance in medical school have not been thoroughly examined. OBJECTIVES: To determine the ability of students' preadmission academic variables to predict osteopathic medical school performance and whether students' sex, undergraduate major, or undergraduate institution influence osteopathic medical school performance. METHODS: The study followed students who graduated from New York College of Osteopathic Medicine of New York Institute of Technology in Old Westbury between 2003 and 2006. Student preadmission data were Medical College Admission Test (MCAT) scores, undergraduate grade point averages (GPAs), sex, undergraduate major, and undergraduate institutional selectivity. Medical school performance variables were GPAs, clinical performance (ie, clinical subject examinations and clerkship evaluations), and scores on the Comprehensive Osteopathic Medical Licensing Examination-USA (COMLEX-USA) Level 1 and Level 2-Clinical Evaluation (CE). Data were analyzed with Pearson product moment correlation coefficients and multivariate linear regression analyses. Differences between student groups were compared with the independent-samples, 2-tailed t test. RESULTS: A total of 737 students were included. All preadmission academic variables, except nonscience undergraduate GPA, were statistically significant predictors of performance on COMLEX-USA Level 1, and all preadmission academic variables were statistically significant predictors of performance on COMLEX-USA Level 2-CE. The MCAT score for biological sciences had the highest correlation among all variables with COMLEX-USA Level 1 performance (Pearson r=0.304; P<.001) and Level 2-CE performance (Pearson r=0.272; P<.001). All preadmission variables were moderately correlated with the mean clinical subject examination scores. The mean clerkship evaluation score was moderately correlated with mean clinical examination results (Pearson r=0.267; P<.001) and COMLEX-USA Level 2-CE performance (Pearson r=0.301; P<.001). Clinical subject examination scores were highly correlated with COMLEX-USA Level 2-CE scores (Pearson r=0.817; P<.001). No statistically significant difference in medical school performance was found between students with science and nonscience undergraduate majors, nor was undergraduate institutional selectivity a factor influencing performance. CONCLUSION: Students' preadmission academic variables were predictive of osteopathic medical school performance, including GPAs, clinical performance, and COMLEX-USA Level 1 and Level 2-CE results. Clinical performance was predictive of COMLEX-USA Level 2-CE performance.

Relation between variables of preadmission, medical school performance, and COMLEX-USA levels 1 and 2 performance.

The purpose of this study was to investigate the relation between preadmission academic variables, osteopathic medical school performance in the first 2 years, and performance on the Comprehensive Osteopathic Medical Licensing Examination (COMLEX-USA) Levels 1 and 2. The study group comprised 174 students in the class of 2001 of the New York College of Osteopathic Medicine of the New York Institute of Technology, Old Westbury. Preadmission academic variables were the Medical College Admission Test (MCAT) subscores and undergraduate grade point averages (UGPAs). Physical sciences (physical MCAT) and biological sciences MCAT (biological MCAT) subscores were significantly correlated with COMLEX-USA Level 1 performance, and verbal reasoning, physical, and biological MCAT subscores were correlated with Level 2 performance. COMLEX-USA Level 1 performance was correlated with the year 1 grade point average (GPA) (0.78) and the year 2 GPA (0.83). COMLEX-USA Level 2 performance was correlated with the year 1 GPA (0.64) and the year 2 GPA (0.68). Strong correlations existed between all year 1 and most year 2 course grades and COMLEX-USA Level 1 scores. School-specific regression models that were highly predictive of school performance and COMLEX-USA Level 1 performance were developed. COMLEX-USA Level 1 predictive models used preadmission variables combined with the year 1 and year 2 course grades. The year 2 courses' model had a higher predictive value for COMLEX-USA Level 1 performance (R2 = 0.81) than the year 1 courses' model (R2 = 0.77). Significant predictors of COMLEX-USA Level 1 performance in the combined year 1 and 2 courses' model were the pharmacology II, neuropathology, and pulmonary pathology grades, and the verbal and physical MCAT subscores (R2 = 0.820).

Is there a causal link between maltreatment and adolescent pregnancy? A literature review.

CONTEXT: Despite a sizable amount of research addressing the relationship between violence and women's reproductive health, it has not been shown whether there is sufficient evidence of a causal link between childhood maltreatment and subsequent adolescent pregnancy. METHODS: Three databases (Medline, PsychiNFO and SocioFile) were searched for studies published between 1980 and 2000 relating maltreatment and adolescent pregnancy. The review was limited to empirical studies; theoretical articles and those with no women who were aged 21 or younger during the research period or when they experienced maltreatment were excluded. RESULTS: Fifteen articles on the topic were found All were published after 1989; all but one were cross-sectional, were retrospective and relied on recall. All of the studies dealt with sexual maltreatment, either alone or in combination with other types of maltreatment; few covered emotional abuse or neglect. The studies lacked consistent definitions of the various types of maltreatment. Only one examined adolescent mothers' relationships with men, and none examined relationships with perpetrators. Few dealt with racial and ethnic differences related to violence. All lacked a specific theoretical approach. Ten of the studies supported a link between maltreatment and adolescent pregnancy, and five eitherdid not support a link or qualified the relationship. Substance abuse, poor mental health and promiscuity were among the mediating variables examined. CONCLUSIONS: Because recent studies have reached conflicting findings, had methodological weaknesses and lacked theoretical grounding, whether a causal link exists between maltreatment and adolescent pregnancy remains an unanswered question.