Adult Separation Anxiety and Childhood Traumas: The Mediating Role of Cognitive Distortions.

While there are many studies on the relationship between anxiety disorders and childhood traumas in the literature, there are limited studies on the relationship between separation anxiety disorders and traumatic experiences in early life. It is widely known that trauma and negative cognitive processes are important factors in the etiology and prognosis of psychiatric disorders. In this study, it was aimed to determine the relationship between adult separation anxiety levels and childhood traumas and cognitive distortions, and to examine the mediating role of cognitive distortions in the relationship between childhood traumas and separation anxiety. A total of 366 students attending a private university were included in the study. The scales, which were converted into online questionnaires by the researchers, were sent to the students via e-mail, and were administered online. The participants were evaluated using "Adult Separation Anxiety Questionnaire", "Childhood Trauma Questionnaire", and "Cognitive Distortions Scale". The results of the study indicated that there was a positive and significant relationship between adult separation anxiety levels and childhood sexual abuse while there was no statistically significant correlation between adult separation anxiety levels and physical and emotional abuse, or physical and emotional neglect. A positive and significant relationship was found between separation anxiety levels and the sub-dimensions of cognitive distortions' self-image, self-blame, helplessness, hopelessness, and preoccupation with danger. In addition, it was determined that the helplessness and preoccupation with danger sub-dimensions of cognitive distortions had a full mediator effect on the relationship between sexual abuse and separation anxiety. Our results show that there is a positive relationship between separation anxiety disorder and childhood sexual abuse, and cognitive distortions play a mediating role between both variables.

The mediating role of cognitive distortions in the relationship between problematic social media use and self-esteem in youth.

Self-esteem expresses the individual's approach to himself and affects the whole life in terms of mental health. Another important factor affecting self-esteem, which has a critical importance for the youth period, is social media. In the literature, there are many studies examining the relationship between social media use and self-esteem of young people. In this study, it was aimed to investigate the relationship between problematic social media use and self-esteem in university students and to test the mediating role of cognitive distortions in the relationship between these two variables. The sample of the study consisted of 239 young individuals, 197 (82.4%) female, and 42 (17.6%) males, with a mean age of 20.62 ± 1.92 years, studying at a private university. Participants were evaluated by administering the "Rosenberg Self-Esteem Scale (RSES)", "Social Media Disorder Scale (SMD-9)", and "Cognitive Distortions Scale (CDS)". The scales were administered via an online survey. Results revealed that there was a negative significant relationship between the problematic social media use levels of the participants and their self-esteem. In the model established to evaluate the mediating role of cognitive distortions in the relationship between problematic social media use and self-esteem levels, in the first step, it was found that problematic social media use directly predicted self-esteem negatively. In the second step, it was determined that the use of problematic social media negatively predicted the mediating variable cognitive distortions. In the third step, when cognitive distortions, which are mediator variables, are added to the model in the relationship between problematic social media use and self-esteem; it was determined that cognitive distortions played a partial mediating role in the sub-dimensions of "self-perception", "self-blame", "hopelessness" and "seeing life as dangerous", while the sub-dimensions of "helplessness" and "total scale scores" played a full mediator role. Our findings show that there is a negative relationship between the problematic social media use of young people and their self-esteem levels, and cognitive distortions play a mediating role in the relationship between both variables.

Self-esteem and social media addiction level in adolescents: The mediating role of body image.

Background: There are many studies examining the relationship between social media and self-esteem. Studies examining the relationships between the self-esteem, social media use, and body image of adolescents are limited in the literature. Aim: This study aimed to examine the relationship between self-esteem and social media addiction levels in adolescents and the mediating role of body image in the relationship between these two variables. Methods: The sample of the study consisted of 204 adolescents, 67 (32.8%) girls and 137 (67.2%) boys, with a mean age of 15.90 ± 1.20 years, who were high school students. The self-esteem levels of the participants were evaluated with the "Rosenberg Self-Esteem Scale", their social media dependency levels were measured with the "Social Media Use Disorder Scale", and their body images were measured using the "Multidimensional Body-Self Relations Questionnaire". Results: No significant relationship was found between the self-esteem levels of the participants and their ages or the education levels of their parents. There was a negative moderate significant relationship between the self-esteem levels of the participants and their social media addiction levels, and a positive moderate significant correlation was found between their self-esteem levels and body images. It was found that the social media addiction levels of the participants negatively predicted their self-esteem and body image levels. It was determined that body image had a partial mediator effect on the relationship between the social media addiction and self-esteem levels of the participants. Conclusion: Our results revealed that there is a negative correlation between self-esteem and social media addiction levels in adolescents. Body image has a partial mediating role in the relationship between social media addiction and self-esteem levels.

[Optical Coherence Tomography Findings in Cannabis Users]. / Kannabis Kullanan Olgularda Optik Koherens Tomografi Bulgulari.

OBJECTIVE: In this study, we aimed to evaluate the effects of cannabis use on the retinal nerve fiber layer (RNFL) and the macular ganglion cell - inner plexiform layer GCL-IPL using optical coherence tomography (OCT). METHOD: This prospective, comparative study included 26 cannabis users who were evaluated at the Psychiatry Outpatient Unit of Mus State Hospital and 27 age and gender matched healthy controls. OCT was performed on both groups. The RNFL and GCL - IPL thicknesses, measured automatically by OCT, were recorded and compared between the groups. RESULTS: The sociodemographic parameters of the two groups did not differ. The mean retinal nerve fiber thickness and thickness at the superior, nasal, inferior quadrants were not significantly different; but there was a significant difference at the temporal quadrant (p=0,022). In the analysis of macular ganglion cell - inner plexiform layer, the mean values as well as the infetotemporal, inferior, inferonasal and superonasal quadrants did not show significant differences. But there was a statistically significant decrease in the superior and superotemporal quadrants (p=0,006, p=0,027). CONCLUSION: These findings suggest that cannabis use leads to the thinning on retinal layers. As it is an easily observable part of the brain, evaluating retinal nerve fiber and ganglion cell layer with OCT may be important for monitoring toxic and degenerative effects in cannabis users.