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Child and Youth Mental and Brain Health
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Child and Youth Mental and Brain Health

A special issue of International Journal of Environmental Research and Public Health (ISSN 1660-4601). This special issue belongs to the section "Mental Health".

Deadline for manuscript submissions: closed (31 March 2023) | Viewed by 20061

Special Issue Editors

Prof. Dr. Regina Lai Tong Lee

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Guest Editor
Nethersole School of Nursing, Faculty of Medicine, The Chinese University of Hong Kong, Hong Kong
Interests: child and adolescent care; school health; adolescents and children with neurodevelopmental disorders; role development of school nurses; behavioral and risk factors; mental health; lifestyle health behaviors; primary health care
Special Issues, Collections and Topics in MDPI journals
Prof. Dr. Michael Brown

E-Mail Website
Guest Editor
School of Nursing and Midwifery, Queen’s University Belfast, Belfast BT7 1NN, UK
Interests: psychosocial concerns; health needs; health inequalities; intellectual disabilities; access to care; service outcomes
Special Issues, Collections and Topics in MDPI journals
Prof. Dr. Wai Tong Chien

E-Mail Website
Guest Editor
Nethersole School of Nursing, Faculty of Medicine, The Chinese University of Hong Kong, Hong Kong
Interests: mental health; family intervention; psychosis; mindfulness-based intervention; randomized controlled trial
Prof. Dr. Sally Chan

E-Mail Website
Guest Editor
Tung Wah College, Kwai Chung, Hong Kong
Interests: mental health and psychosocial interventions

Special Issue Information

Dear Colleagues,

Mental health is important through the developmental stage from childhood to adolescence. The emotional wellbeing of children and youth is just as important as their physical health, as it affects how they think, feel, and act as they cope with life. Good mental health allows children and youth to develop the resilience to cope with whatever life throws at them and grow into well-rounded, healthy adults.

Brain health is the preservation of optimal brain integrity and mental and cognitive function at a given age in the absence of overt brain diseases that affect normal brain function. Children with neurodevelopmental disorders such as autism and attention deficit/hyperactivity disorder have disrupted brain function and affect human health. This affects how they handle stress, relate to others, and make choices.

Prof. Dr. Regina Lai Tong Lee
Prof. Dr. Michael Brown
Prof. Dr. Wai Tong Chien
Prof. Dr. Sally Chan
Guest Editors

Manuscript Submission Information

Manuscripts should be submitted online at www.mdpi.com by registering and logging in to this website. Once you are registered, click here to go to the submission form. Manuscripts can be submitted until the deadline. All submissions that pass pre-check are peer-reviewed. Accepted papers will be published continuously in the journal (as soon as accepted) and will be listed together on the special issue website. Research articles, review articles as well as short communications are invited. For planned papers, a title and short abstract (about 100 words) can be sent to the Editorial Office for announcement on this website.

Submitted manuscripts should not have been published previously, nor be under consideration for publication elsewhere (except conference proceedings papers). All manuscripts are thoroughly refereed through a single-blind peer-review process. A guide for authors and other relevant information for submission of manuscripts is available on the Instructions for Authors page. International Journal of Environmental Research and Public Health is an international peer-reviewed open access monthly journal published by MDPI.

Please visit the Instructions for Authors page before submitting a manuscript. The Article Processing Charge (APC) for publication in this open access journal is 2500 CHF (Swiss Francs). Submitted papers should be well formatted and use good English. Authors may use MDPI's English editing service prior to publication or during author revisions.

Keywords

  • mental health
  • brain health
  • children
  • youth
  • neurodevelopmental disorders
  • emotional wellbeing
  • cognitive function
  • mental function
  • coping
  • resilience

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Published Papers (5 papers)

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Research

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11 pages, 1064 KiB  
Article
From Exposure to Violence between Mother and Her Intimate Partner to Suicidality Experienced by Urban Adolescents in Chicago’s Southside
by Jun Sung Hong, Saijun Zhang, Viktor Burlaka, Mieko Yoshihama, Yueqi Yan and Dexter R. Voisin
Int. J. Environ. Res. Public Health 2021, 18(15), 7870; https://doi.org/10.3390/ijerph18157870 - 25 Jul 2021
Cited by 4 | Viewed by 2638
Abstract
Although the relationship between exposure to intimate partner violence and youths’ psychological and other wellbeing has been widely studied, there is limited research about how youths’ exposure to violence between mother and her intimate partner may be related to youth psychological wellbeing. The [...] Read more.
Although the relationship between exposure to intimate partner violence and youths’ psychological and other wellbeing has been widely studied, there is limited research about how youths’ exposure to violence between mother and her intimate partner may be related to youth psychological wellbeing. The study used a sample of urban adolescents in Chicago Southbound to examine whether youths’ exposure to verbal conflict between mother and her intimate partner is related to their suicidality and whether youth depression and aggression may be in between such a linkage. Our findings indicated that one-third of the youth had suicidal thoughts or suicidal/self-hurting attempts. Youths’ exposure to verbal conflict between mother and her intimate partner was associated with their depressive and aggressive symptoms, and depressive symptoms subsequently were linked to suicidality. The findings also showed that youth depressive symptoms and aggressive symptoms were positively correlated, which may influence their associations with suicidality. We concluded that youth exposure to parental intimate partner violence, even comparatively mild forms such as a verbal conflict between mother and her intimate partner, may increase their risk of suicidality by worsening psychological wellbeing. The findings highlight the importance of tackling youth suicidality risks while accounting for their exposure to intimate partner violence including verbal conflicts between parents. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Child and Youth Mental and Brain Health)
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12 pages, 357 KiB  
Article
Self-Rated Health and Psychological Distress among Emerging Adults in Italy: A Comparison between Data on University Students, Young Workers and Working Students Collected through the 2005 and 2013 National Health Surveys
by Isabella Giulia Franzoi, Fabrizio D’Ovidio, Giuseppe Costa, Angelo d’Errico and Antonella Granieri
Int. J. Environ. Res. Public Health 2021, 18(12), 6403; https://doi.org/10.3390/ijerph18126403 - 13 Jun 2021
Cited by 17 | Viewed by 4540
Abstract
Background. The present study aimed at comparing self-reported physical health and mental health among university students, workers, and working students aged between 19 years and 29 years. Method. Using data from National Health Surveys held in 2005 and 2013, a cross-sectional study was [...] Read more.
Background. The present study aimed at comparing self-reported physical health and mental health among university students, workers, and working students aged between 19 years and 29 years. Method. Using data from National Health Surveys held in 2005 and 2013, a cross-sectional study was conducted on 18,612 Italian emerging adults grouped into three groups: university students, workers, and working students. The odds ratios of self-reported anxiety or depression, poor general health, and poor mental health and physical health (as assessed through SF-12) were estimated through logistic regression models adjusted for potential confounders. Results. Compared with workers, students showed an increased risk of anxiety or depression and a lower risk of poor general health. Students and working students showed an increased risk of reporting weak mental health compared with that in workers, while students displayed a lower risk of poor physical health. Significant differences were not found between the 2005 and 2013 surveys. Conclusions. These results are of considerable importance for psychologists as well as educational and occupation-based institutions for planning prevention programs and clinical interventions. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Child and Youth Mental and Brain Health)

Other

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15 pages, 12357 KiB  
Study Protocol
Comparing the Effect of Methylphenidate and Anodal tDCS on Inhibitory Control and Working-Memory in Children and Adolescents with Attention Deficit/Hyperactivity Disorder: A Study Protocol for a Randomized, within-Subject Trial
by Barbara D’Aiello, Andrea Battisti, Giulia Lazzaro, Pierpaolo Pani, Pietro De Rossi, Silvia Di Vara, Italo Pretelli, Floriana Costanzo, Stefano Vicari and Deny Menghini
Int. J. Environ. Res. Public Health 2022, 19(8), 4575; https://doi.org/10.3390/ijerph19084575 - 11 Apr 2022
Cited by 5 | Viewed by 3707
Abstract
Attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) is a neurodevelopmental disorder characterized by inappropriate levels of attention, hyperactivity, and impulsivity that interfere with individual functioning. The international guidelines recommend targeting ADHD-related neurochemical brain abnormalities by intervening via drug treatment, such as methylphenidate (MPH), as first choice. Drug [...] Read more.
Attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) is a neurodevelopmental disorder characterized by inappropriate levels of attention, hyperactivity, and impulsivity that interfere with individual functioning. The international guidelines recommend targeting ADHD-related neurochemical brain abnormalities by intervening via drug treatment, such as methylphenidate (MPH), as first choice. Drug treatments are usually associated with a huge amount of cost for families and the healthcare system, suspension for low compliance, poor long-term efficacy, and side effects. Transcranial direct current stimulation (tDCS) has been suggested as a possible noninvasive means to safely manipulate brain activity and, in turn, improve behavior and cognition in developmental ages. Several studies have shown that tDCS has the potential to improve ADHD-related cognitive deficits, but the effect of tDCS compared with MPH has never been evaluated. The aim of the present within-subject, sham-controlled, randomized proof-of-concept study is to demonstrate the positive effect of one-session anodal tDCS analogous to the MPH drug on inhibitory control and working memory in children and adolescents with ADHD. We strongly believe that this study protocol will serve to accelerate research into low-cost, drug-free, feasible interventions for ADHD. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Child and Youth Mental and Brain Health)
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15 pages, 1409 KiB  
Study Protocol
An Internet-Based Multi-Approach Intervention Targeting University Students Suffering from Psychological Problems: Design, Implementation, and Evaluation
by Marlene De Fabritiis, Federica Trisolini, Gloria Bertuletti, Ionut Daniel Fagadau, Davide Ginelli, Katiuscia Pia Lalopa, Lisa Peverelli, Alessia Pirola, Gaia Sala, Marta Maisto, Fabio Madeddu, Jorge Lopez-Castroman, Daniele Romano, Alessandro Gabbiadini, Emanuele Preti, Daniela Micucci and Raffaella Calati
Int. J. Environ. Res. Public Health 2022, 19(5), 2711; https://doi.org/10.3390/ijerph19052711 - 25 Feb 2022
Cited by 4 | Viewed by 4196
Abstract
Despite the widespread prevalence of mental health problems, most psychological distress remains untreated. Internet-based psychological interventions can be an essential tool for increasing treatment availability and accessibility. The main objective of the MindBlooming project is to design and implement an innovative Internet-based multi-approach [...] Read more.
Despite the widespread prevalence of mental health problems, most psychological distress remains untreated. Internet-based psychological interventions can be an essential tool for increasing treatment availability and accessibility. The main objective of the MindBlooming project is to design and implement an innovative Internet-based multi-approach treatment for university students suffering from psychological or physical problems. The intervention will focus on symptoms of depression, anxiety, sleep problems, self-destructive thoughts, job- and study-related stress and burnout, and chronic pain. It will be based on different approaches, primarily psychoeducation, Cognitive-Behavioral Treatment (CBT), and third-wave CBT. At the end of the treatment, user satisfaction and usability will be assessed. In addition, two further aims will be evaluating the treatment efficacy through a randomized controlled trial and tuning a predictive model through Machine Learning techniques. The intervention consists of a 7-week treatment on two problematic areas according to each students’ personal needs, identified through an initial assessment. Besides the treatment assigned following the initial screening, participants will also be assigned to a different module to improve their relational skills. The treatment, which can be accessed through a mobile app, consists of psychoeducational videos followed by related exercises. We expect MindBlooming to be a remarkable tool for promoting the mental health of university students. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Child and Youth Mental and Brain Health)
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18 pages, 10790 KiB  
Study Protocol
Boosting Numerical Cognition in Children and Adolescents with Mathematical Learning Disabilities by a Brain-Based Intervention: A Study Protocol for a Randomized, Sham-Controlled Clinical Trial
by Giulia Lazzaro, Andrea Battisti, Cristiana Varuzza, Laura Celestini, Pierpaolo Pani, Floriana Costanzo, Stefano Vicari, Roi Cohen Kadosh and Deny Menghini
Int. J. Environ. Res. Public Health 2021, 18(20), 10969; https://doi.org/10.3390/ijerph182010969 - 19 Oct 2021
Cited by 3 | Viewed by 3376
Abstract
Numbers are everywhere, and supporting difficulties in numerical cognition (e.g., mathematical learning disability (MLD)) in a timely, effective manner is critical for their daily use. To date, only low-efficacy cognitive-based interventions are available. The extensive data on the neurobiology of MLD have increased [...] Read more.
Numbers are everywhere, and supporting difficulties in numerical cognition (e.g., mathematical learning disability (MLD)) in a timely, effective manner is critical for their daily use. To date, only low-efficacy cognitive-based interventions are available. The extensive data on the neurobiology of MLD have increased interest in brain-directed approaches. The overarching goal of this study protocol is to provide the scientific foundation for devising brain-based and evidence-based treatments in children and adolescents with MLD. In this double-blind, between-subject, sham-controlled, randomized clinical trial, transcranial random noise stimulation (tRNS) plus cognitive training will be delivered to participants. Arithmetic, neuropsychological, psychological, and electrophysiological measures will be collected at baseline (T0), at the end of the interventions (T1), one week (T2) and three months later (T3). We expect that tRNS plus cognitive training will significantly improve arithmetic measures at T1 and at each follow-up (T2, T3) compared with placebo and that such improvements will correlate robustly and positively with changes in the neuropsychological, psychological, and electrophysiological measures. We firmly believe that this clinical trial will produce reliable and positive results to accelerate the validation of brain-based treatments for MLD that have the potential to impact quality of life. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Child and Youth Mental and Brain Health)
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