Socio-emotional strengths against psychopathology and suicidal ideation in fear of COVID-19.

Coronavirus disease (COVID-19) has caused a global health crisis. It also leads to different types of psychosocial problems in society as a result of preventive health measures and the disease itself. Among others, psychopathological symptoms and suicide behaviors have increased. The PsicorecurSOS COVID-19 online protocol was designed. At baseline, 1020 Spanish adults were assessed, during confinement, for sociodemographics, fear of COVID-19, anxious-depressive symptoms, covitality, and suicidal ideation. Reliability, descriptive, and frequency analyses were carried out, and the computer tool SPSS PROCESS was used to carry out a conditional process analysis (model 59). A total of 595 participants were included (58.30% response rate from baseline; mean age = 37.18 [SD = 13.30]; 72.44% female). Regarding suicidal ideation, 12% responded differently to "never," 19.3% exceeded the cutoff point on the anxiety scale, and 24% on the depression scale. Moderate mediation analysis explained 27% of the variance in suicidal ideation. In addition, the indirect effect of moderate mediation was significant (b = -.004, SE = .002 with the presence of covitality; and b = .01, SE = .003 absence of covitality). Sex and age did not influence the overall outcome of the model. The data from this study can serve as a starting point for generating social and health treatment initiatives based on self-examination of anxiety-depressive symptoms and increasing socio-emotional skills in order to prevent and alleviate the psychosocial effects of the pandemic.

DetectaWeb-Distress Scale: A Global and Multidimensional Web-Based Screener for Emotional Disorder Symptoms in Children and Adolescents.

Emotional disorder symptoms are highly prevalent and a common cause of disability among children and adolescents. Screening and early detection are needed to identify those who need help and to improve treatment outcomes. Nowadays, especially with the arrival of the COVID-19 outbreak, assessment is increasingly conducted online, resulting in the need for brief online screening measures. The aim of the current study was to examine the reliability and different sources of validity evidence of a new web-based screening questionnaire for emotional disorder symptoms, the DetectaWeb-Distress Scale, which assesses mood (major depression and dysthymic disorder), anxiety (separation anxiety, generalized anxiety, social phobia, panic disorder/agoraphobia, and specific phobia), obsessive-compulsive disorder, post-traumatic stress disorder, suicidality (suicidal ideation, plans, and attempts), and global distress. A total of 1,499 participants (aged 8-18) completed the DetectaWeb-Distress Scale and specific questionnaires for emotional disorder symptoms, suicidal behaviors, and well-being through a web-based survey. Results indicated that a structural model of 10 correlated factors fits reasonably better in comparison to the remaining models; measurement invariance for age and gender; good internal consistency (McDonald's ω ranging from 0.65 to 0.94); and significant positive correlation with other measures of anxiety, depression, PTSD, or distress, and negative correlation with well-being measures, displaying support for convergent-discriminant validity. We also found that girls scored higher than boys on most of the subscales, and children had higher scores for social anxiety, specific phobia, panic disorder, and obsessive-compulsive symptoms, whereas adolescents scored higher on depressive symptoms, suicidality, and generalized anxiety, but the effect sizes were small to medium for all comparisons. The DetectaWeb-Distress Scale is a valid, innovative, and useful online tool for the screening and evaluation of preventive programs for mental health in children and adolescents.

Relación entre conducta suicida y síntomas interiorizados en niños y adolescentes / Relationship between suicide behaviors and internalizing symptoms in children and adolescents

El suicidio en niños y adolescentes es un grave problema de salud. La presencia de sintomatología interiorizada está asociada con conducta suicida. El objetivo de este estudio fue investigar la relación entre esta sintomatología y las conductas de suicidio en esa población. 1499 participantes (8-18 años) completaron un protocolo online. Se aplicaron análisis de regresión y análisis de procesos de mediación (modelo 4). El 11,90% de niños y el 21,30% de los adolescentes presentaron conductas de suicidio. Los mayores valores de odd ratio se encontraron con las variables de depresión mayor (DM) (OR = 3,56; IC 95% = 2,53-4,10) y trastorno de pánico/agorafobia (TPA) (OR = 3,09; IC 95% = 2,05-4,66). El modelo 4 con DM mediando entre TPA y la conducta suicida, explicó un 17% de la varianza de la conducta suicida en adolescentes. Según los datos, los adolescentes con sintomatología interiorizada (en concreto síntomas de TPA y DM) tienen mayor riesgo de conducta suicida. Por tanto, es necesario impulsar programas para detectar de forma temprana la sintomatología emocional ansiosa y depresiva para prevenir el suicidio

Suicide in children and adolescents is a serious health problem. The presence of internalizing symptomatology is associated with suicidal ideation and behavior. Our aim was to investigate this association. A total of 1499 participants completed an online questionnaire. Regression analysis was used to investigate the association between internalizing symptomatology and suicidal behavior and conditional process analysis (model 4). The prevalence of suicidal behavior in Spanish children and adolescents was 11.9% and 21.3%, respectively. In multivariate analysis, the highest odd ratio values were found for major depression (MD) (OR = 3.56, 95% CI = 2.53-4.10) and panic disorder/Agoraphobia (PDA) (OR = 3.09, 95% CI = 2.05-4.66). The regression model with DM showed that PDA symptoms had a significant indirect effect, through depression symptoms, on suicide behaviors, accounting for 17% of the total variance explained in adolescents. Therefore, it is necessary to implement early identification and intervention programs to address anxious and depressive symptomatology and prevent suicide in adolescents

Social Emotional Health Survey-Secondary (SEHS-S): A Universal Screening Measure of Social-Emotional Strengths for Spanish-Speaking Adolescents.

The Social Emotional Health Survey-Secondary (SEHS-S), which is a measure of core psychological assets based on a higher-order model of Covitality, is comprised of 36 items and four latent traits (with three measured subscales): belief in self (self-efficacy, self-awareness, and persistence), belief in others (school support, family coherence, and peer support), emotional competence (emotional regulation, behavioral self-control, and empathy), and engaged living (gratitude, zest, and optimism). Previous international studies have supported the psychometric properties of the SEHS-S. The present study extended this research by examining the psychometric properties of a Spanish-language adaptation with a sample of 1042 Spanish adolescents (Mage = 14.49, SD = 1.65.). Confirmatory factor analyses replicated the original factorial structure, with hierarchical omega between 0.66-0.93, with 0.94 for the total score. Factorial invariance across genders revealed small latent mean differences. A path model evaluated concurrent validity, which revealed a significant association between Covitality and bidimensional mental health (psychological distress and well-being). Specifically, correlational analyses showed a negative association with internalizing/externalizing symptoms, and positive associations with subjective well-being, health-related quality of life, and prosocial behaviors. This study provides an example of a culturally relevant adaptation of an international tool to measure student strengths, which is critical to planning school programming and policy.

The Revised Mental Health Inventory-5 (MHI-5) as an ultra-brief screening measure of bidimensional mental health in children and adolescents.

The Mental Health Inventory-5 (MHI-5) is a brief, valid, and reliable international instrument for assessing mental health in adults. The aim of the present study is to examine the psychometric properties of the MHI-5 in children and adolescents. A sample of 595 students (10-15 years old) completed the MHI-5 Spanish version adapted for this study, as well as another measure of anxiety and depression symptoms, and a clinical interview as a gold standard. The overall coefficient obtained indicate good internal consistency. A unique factor solution explaining a 53.70% and a two-factor structure explaining 69.20% of the total variance were obtained. The correlations with total and subscale scores of anxiety and depression were significant. A ROC analysis showed good properties as a screening test to predict anxiety and depressive diagnoses in children and adolescents. The Revised MHI-5 presents two essential changes: a simplified 4-point response format and a new factor solution including distress and well-being. These outcomes show that the Revised MHI-5 is a brief, valid, and reliable measure to bidimensionally assess mental health and screening emotional disorders in children and adolescents.

DetectaWeb Project: study protocol of a web-based detection of mental health of children and adolescents.

INTRODUCTION: Traditionally, research and practice addressing mental health has been conducted within a unidimensional model, explaining mental health as the presence/absence of psychological problems (distress or psychopathological symptoms). More recently, accumulative evidence has supported a bi-dimensional model, which conceptualises psychological problems and psychological strengths (well-being) as related-yet-distinct continua that, when considered together, yields a more comprehensive understanding of individuals. The DetectaWeb Project is a web-based early detection assessment of the mental health continuum (MHC) for children and adolescents and aims to: develop a web-based platform for screening of the MHC, including both psychological problems (anxiety, depression and suicidality) and personal strengths (emotional, cognitive/psychological and social aspects); examine the prevalence of the MHC among children and adolescents; and analyse key determinants (risk and protective factors) of the MHC. METHODS AND ANALYSIS: We will conduct an ongoing, multicentre observational, cross-sectional study of Spanish children and adolescents. Participants will be assessed through a web-based platform. In order to validate the web-based screening system, a clinical reappraisal will be completed among a subsample of respondents. To elucidate youth's levels of subjective distress and well-being, we will include measures of anxiety, depression, suicidality, well-being, externalising problems and socio-demographic variables. ETHICS AND DISSEMINATION: Ethical approval has been obtained at all sites. All participants will sign a free and informed consent form before the assessment. Results of the study will be communicated during national and international meetings in the field of clinical and health psychology with children and adolescents. Publications will be sought in journals usually read by psychologists or psychiatrists involved in the development of epidemiological studies and interventions for mental health promotion based on resilience building for children and adolescents.