Search Results (110)

Background/Objectives: In 2022, 2.2 million adolescents were diagnosed with substance use disorders, including 265,000 with opioid use disorder. The National Survey on Drug Use and Health revealed that 130,000 adolescents misused prescription pain medications, often obtaining them from friends or relatives. This age group perceives weekly heroin use as less risky than those younger or older. Methods: A questionnaire was developed for 7th to 12th graders in a rural Texas school district as part of a fentanyl awareness curriculum. The questionnaire included Likert scale, multiple choice, and yes/no questions. The participants were categorized into younger (grades 7th and 8th) and older students (grades 9th through 12th), and associations were explored between demographic characteristics, responses, and grade groups using chi-square tests. To assess confidence, behavior, and the impact of education, we used chi-square and Fisher’s exact tests. Results: The participants (n = 94; 85.11%) identified as Hispanic or Latino, with a smaller percentage identifying as White or more than one race. An association was found between feeling more in control of actions related to substances and fentanyl (p-value = 0.04) after receiving education. No association was found between education and confidence in identifying fentanyl. Conclusions: This study aligns with a surge in fentanyl-related overdose deaths in a high-intensity drug trafficking region. Recent fentanyl overdoses among school-age children prompted legislative changes in 2023, making this study valuable for understanding the epidemic within the geographical context. These results suggest that school-based education may play a role in strengthening adolescents’ behavioral intentions to fentanyl exposure, though additional efforts are needed to improve risk identification. Full article

Background: Adolescence and young adulthood are critical periods during which psycho-emotional factors can significantly influence disease management and increase the risk of complications. This systematic review aims to examine the impact of body image, self-image, self-perception, and other psycho-emotional variables on the management of type 1 diabetes mellitus (T1DM) in this population. Methods: This review follows the Cochrane Handbook, PRISMA 2020 guidelines and the JBI Checklist for Systematic Reviews and Research Syntheses. A comprehensive search was conducted across both general and discipline-specific databases (PubMed, Web of Science, Scopus, Embase, CINAHL, APA PsycInfo, APA PsycArticles) between March and April 2025. The inclusion criteria focused on studies involving adolescents with T1DM that addressed relevant emotional or psychological aspects. Methodological quality was assessed using JBI tools. Data extraction was performed independently by four reviewers, with discrepancies resolved by consensus. A total of 25 studies met the inclusion criteria. Results: Body image concerns were found to be highly prevalent among adolescents and young adults with T1DM, and were associated with adverse outcomes such as disordered eating behaviors and suboptimal glycemic control. Gender differences were consistently reported, with adolescent girls and young women displaying greater body dissatisfaction and engaging more frequently in risky weight management practices, including insulin omission. Other factors, such as self-perception, diabetes-specific stress, and identity formation, also played significant roles in treatment adherence and psychosocial adaptation. Notably, this review reveals a lack of interventions specifically designed to address the psychological dimensions of T1DM. Conclusions: Body image and self-concept exert a substantial influence on T1DM management in adolescents and young adults, affecting both glycemic outcomes and psychosocial well-being. There is a pressing need for gender-sensitive and developmentally appropriate interventions that address body image, self-concept, and disease acceptance. Future research should prioritize longitudinal designs and the development and evaluation of targeted psycho-emotional support strategies. Full article

Adolescents’ pervasive use of social media has been increasingly linked to aggression, including cyberbullying and hostile online interactions. While this association is well documented, the psychological and contextual mechanisms that mediate or moderate it remain unclear. This scoping review maps quantitative evidence on mediators and moderators between social media use and aggression among adolescents. A comprehensive search using ProQuest’s Summon platform was conducted across PsycINFO, Scopus, PubMed, and Web of Science, following the PRISMA 2020 guidelines. Eligible studies, published between January 2020 and March 2025, included adolescents aged 11–18 and reported at least one statistical mediation or moderation analysis. Forty-four studies from 19 countries (N > 90,000) were thematically synthesized. Key mediators included problematic use, moral disengagement, depression, attention-seeking, and risky digital behaviors. Moderators included gender, body satisfaction, cultural setting, school type, and family attachment. Most of the studies used structural equation modeling or PROCESS macro, although cross-sectional designs predominated. Limitations included reliance on self-reports and inconsistent social media measures. The findings suggest that social media–aggression links are indirect and shaped by emotional, cognitive, and ecological factors. Multi-level interventions targeting digital literacy, moral reasoning, and resilience are needed. This review was not registered and received no external funding. Full article

Background: From 1 January 2024, Poland legally banned the sale of energy drinks (EDs) containing caffeine and taurine to minors under 18. EDs are rich in stimulants, making them particularly popular among adolescents and young adults seeking energy boosts. Their consumption is associated with adverse health effects and engagement in risky behaviors. This descriptive snapshot study explores energy drink consumption, motivations, and risk perception among Polish adults. Methods: A cross-sectional, nationwide survey (N = 1121) was conducted over a three-day period using the computer-assisted web interviewing (CAWI) method. The sample was representative of the adult Polish population in terms of gender, age, and geographical location. Data collection occurred 14 months after the implementation of legal restrictions on ED sales to minors. Results: Among 1121 adults (54.3% female), 15.1% reported weekly ED consumption, 9.7% monthly, 13.3% less than monthly, and 62.0% never. Younger age (p < 0.05), male gender (aOR = 1.63 [1.25–2.13]; p < 0.001), and active occupational status (aOR = 1.63 [1.19–2.24]; p = 0.002) were significantly associated with ED use. Overall, 83.0% of respondents perceived EDs as harmful, and 87.2% supported the sales ban to minors, although only 45.6% considered the ban effective. Additionally, 31.8% had observed minors consuming EDs in the past 30 days. Sociodemographic characteristics were associated with risk perception and support for regulation: women (aOR = 1.50), individuals with higher education (aOR = 1.44), and those with good financial status (aOR = 2.35) were more likely to perceive EDs as harmful and endorse regulatory measures. Conclusions: Educational interventions should prioritize young adults, particularly males, who constitute the primary consumers. There is also a need to enhance enforcement mechanisms to limit minors’ access to energy drinks and curb their marketing and availability, thereby improving public health protection. Full article

Background/Objectives: Alcohol consumption in young persons is a growing phenomenon, with significant implications for physical and mental health. This behavior exposes adolescents and young adults to multiple risks, such as affecting cognitive functions, the development of emotional disorders, and social integration difficulties. The present study sets out to investigate the way alcohol consumption influences emotionality in young people, focusing on the emotional changes (anxiety and irritability), cognitive changes (attention deficit and memory disorder), and behavioral changes (impulsivity and aggressiveness). Methods: The methodology involved collecting quantitative data from a sample of young people who consume and do not consume alcohol, using standardized questionnaires and advanced statistical software (processed in MATLAB version 9.11_R2021b). We analyzed variables such as consumption frequency and intensity, affective scores, and demographic factors to highlight the correlations between consumption level and the intensity of affective modifications. Results: The results revealed a significant association between alcohol consumption and the rise in anxiety and depression symptoms or a tendency toward impulsive behaviors. Additionally, we observed that psychosocial factors, including group pressure, family climate, and stressful contexts, can exacerbate emotional vulnerability. Conclusions: This study suggests the need for early psychological interventions and prevention programs to approach emotional and cognitive dimensions and the social influences associated with consumption. Implementing support and counseling strategies, as well as education and awareness campaigns, can contribute to reducing risky behavior and promoting young people’s harmonious development. Full article

Fear of missing out (FoMO) creates a strong urge to stay continuously connected and informed about peers’ activities, identified as a risk factor for problematic social media use and risky behaviors. Sexting is generally defined as the exchange of sexually suggestive or explicit photos, videos, or text messages through cell phones or other technologies. Despite its social relevance, the link between FoMO and sexting remains underexplored. This study examines their relationship in young adults—an understudied group compared to adolescents—while controlling for age, sex, and sexual orientation. The study surveyed 911 Italian young adults (18–30 years, M_age = 22.3, SD_age = 2.57, 74% women, 70.4% heterosexual) through an online questionnaire. The results indicate that FoMO predicts only risky sexting behaviors (sexting under substance use and sexting for emotion regulation) while not influencing experimental sexting (sending one’s own sexts). Additionally, the link between FoMO and sexting for emotion regulation is stronger among LGB individuals. Therefore, FoMO has proven to be strongly related to the two kinds of risky sexting but not to experimental sexting. Understanding this relationship can inform prevention and intervention programs on relationships, online communication, and sexting in young adults. Full article

Introduction: The American Academy of Pediatrics (AAP) published in 2017 new guidelines for the screening and management of hypertension in children containing different nomograms compared to the European guidelines, leading to a reclassification of blood pressure values, the consequences of which are still little investigated. The aim of our study was to evaluate the prevalence of high blood pressure values estimated with both the most recent American and European guidelines and to analyze the relationship of blood pressure increases with lifestyles and potentially risky behaviors in a school population in Western Sicily. Methods: On the occasion of the XV World Hypertension Day, blood pressure values of 1301 students aged between 13 and 18 were measured. Two questionnaires were administered, one relating to anamnestic data and anthropometric parameters and a second aimed at investigating lifestyle. For the diagnosis of increased blood pressure, both ESH and AAP criteria were considered. Results: The prevalence of elevated blood pressure was 7.5% according to ESH criteria and nearly twice as high using AAP criteria, with a more pronounced discrepancy in females. Individuals with elevated blood pressure were younger, exhibited higher body weight and BMI, and had an increased prevalence of overweight and obesity. Classification based on ESH criteria revealed higher alcohol and drug consumption among normotensive individuals. AAP criteria identified a higher proportion of males and greater height in the hypertensive group. Systolic blood pressure correlated significantly with height, weight, and BMI, with stronger associations in males, while diastolic pressure correlated with weight and BMI. Conclusions: To the best of our knowledge, our study is the only one to analyze the prevalence of increased blood pressure and its relationship with lifestyle factors and anthropometric data in adolescence in our region. Our study confirms that elevated blood pressure is common in adolescence, with higher prevalence using the 2017 AAP criteria than ESH guidelines. Full article

Background/Objectives: This study aimed to investigate the lifestyle and the behavioral factors that influence the nutritional status of adolescents from Transylvania, Romania. Methods: The Global School-Based Student Health Survey (GSHS) was used to collect data from 900 adolescents between 11 and 18 years old from the Transylvania region, Romania. This study assessed nutritional status by calculating BMI indicators adjusted to Z-Score, cut-off points according to the World Health Organization (WHO), using self-reported weight and height; perceived health status; food vulnerability; physical activity; addictive behaviors (cigarette, alcohol and drug consumption); number of hours spent in front of the computer/phone; hand and oral hygiene; sitting time/day; and sleep. Multivariate logistic regression was used to establish the lifestyle factors that influenced nutritional status. Results: The results showed that 8.7% (n = 78) of girls and 15.2% (n = 137) boys were overweight and obese. In total, 75% of the respondents were engaged in sedentary behaviors, and 65.8% (n = 592) had more than 2 h/day of screen exposure, considering that 98.7% of the study population had a mobile phone. The Romanian adolescents had poor dietary behaviors: over 80% of them did not meet the recommended amount of vegetable and fruit intake per day. Increased BMI was associated with higher-strength physical exercise and with being a boy. Conclusions: While some positive trends are evident, such as good oral and hand hygiene and low prevalence of smoking and drug use, significant challenges remain in areas like nutrition, physical activity, alcohol consumption and screen time. Full article

Background/Objectives: Although ADHD in adults has become visible and inclusive in recent years in diagnostic manuals, research is still limited regarding the long-term outcomes of patients with this disorder. The main objective of this research was to address the many facets of predictor variables in girls with ADHD facing unplanned pregnancies at young ages in order to improve the management of pre-, peri-, and postnatal complications that may occur, as well as for early psychiatric diagnosis and effective intervention. Methods: PubMed and Web of Science Databases were used to perform literature research, and a total of 27 records were selected and used for data extraction. Results: Related articles have included the persistence of ADHD symptoms comorbid with other disorders among girls with ADHD as a risk factor for teenage pregnancies. Conduct disorders and substance use disorders are the main co-occurrent diagnoses that increase the likelihood for teenage childbirth. Unplanned pregnancies at young ages are associated with unfavorable psychosocial trajectories both for the mother and the child. Conclusions: In this review, we emphasize the importance of predisposing factors for risky sexual behaviors and unplanned pregnancies in cases of girls with ADHD. The topic of the article draws attention to the need for uniform national individualized care of girls with ADHD, the implementation of programs to prevent academic failure and early parenthood as well as addressing comorbid obstetrical and psychiatric conditions, especially in regions where the rate of adolescent births continues to be high. Full article

Adolescence is a phase characterized by reckless and risky behaviors, including the initiation and use of various illicit substances such as cannabis and alcohol. When ingested or administered, these substances affect mental processes by delivering pleasure, inner peace, and satisfaction. The aim of this study was to determine the prevalence and associated factors of psychoactive substance (PAS) use among adolescents. A cross-sectional study was conducted, including 300 participants surveyed using a structured questionnaire. Data were collected using the Mediterranean School Survey Project on Alcohol and Other Drugs (MedSPAD) to assess substance use, the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders (DSM-5) to diagnose substance use disorders (SUDs), and the Early Trauma Inventory Self-Report Short Form (ETISR-SF) to identify childhood maltreatment, as well as socio-demographic characteristics. During the study period, 300 secondary school students participated. Their mean age was 17.92 ± 1.40 years, ranging from 15 to 22. There were slightly more males (56.7%) than females. A total of 40.67% of participants admitted to using at least one PAS at least once, while the prevalence of current use was 26%. Tobacco was the most commonly used substance (22.1%), followed by cannabis (7.33%). According to the DSM-5, 40.2% of users met the criteria for severe addiction. Factors associated with PAS use included the father’s level of education; place of use (e.g., home); poor relationships with parents, siblings, and teachers; and childhood maltreatment. Psychoactive substance use was found to be prevalent among adolescents in this study. Full article

The literature provides empirical evidence that family economic hardship can increase the likelihood of adolescents engaging in non-suicidal self-injury (NSSI). However, the mechanisms underlying this relationship remain unclear. Guided by the risky families model, this study aimed to investigate whether relative deprivation mediates the link between family economic hardship and adolescent NSSI, and whether self-esteem moderates this indirect link. A combined 673 adolescents (45.9% female; M_age = 12.81 years) completed measures of family economic hardship, relative deprivation, self-esteem, and NSSI. The results verified that relative deprivation mediated the positive link between family economic hardship and NSSI. Additionally, self-esteem moderated the effect of family economic hardship on relative deprivation. Adolescents possessing high self-esteem reported lower relative deprivation compared to those possessing low self-esteem, regardless of their level of family economic hardship. Notably, the mitigating effect of high self-esteem diminished with high family economic hardship. These findings provide deeper insights into the mechanisms by which family economic hardship affect adolescent NSSI, and have practical implications for prevention and intervention strategies targeting this behavior. Full article

Background: Driving adolescents to more correct food habits and physical activity is crucial to promoting health and avoiding the increase in morbidity and mortality in adulthood. Literature has focused on these behaviors in the adult population, while studies on adolescents are more limited. This study aims to explore the level of knowledge, attitudes, and behaviors regarding nutrition and physical activity to acquire insight into adolescents and identify the associated predictors. Methods: A cross-sectional study was conducted among adolescents aged 10 to 19 years from public middle and high schools randomly selected in the Campania Region, Southern Italy. A self-administered questionnaire, including closed and open-ended questions, assessed socio-demographic and health-related characteristics, dietary habits, physical activity, and sources of health information. Results: Regarding socio-demographic and health-related characteristics, among 1433 adolescents who completed the survey, the mean age was 15.2 years, 50.5% were boys, 16.8% reported having a non-communicable disease, and 18% were overweight or obese. Multivariate analysis showed that older age, male gender, daily breakfast with at least one parent, higher self-rated knowledge on nutrition, awareness of fruit and vegetables consumption recommendations, correct dietary attitudes (daily breakfast, consumption of fruit and vegetables at least once a day, of legumes at least twice a week, and of carbonated sugary drinks less than once a day), the need for additional dietary information, meeting WHO physical activity recommendations, and less than two hours of daily screen time are determinants of a high quality diet score. Conversely, living with a single family member and current smoking were negatively associated with high quality diet. Older age, male gender, risk of alcohol abuse, higher quality diet, and lower mobile phone use are associated with meeting WHO physical activity recommendations. Since we investigated risky behaviors, potential limitations of this study could include social desirability and recall bias. Conclusions: Many adolescents lead unhealthy lifestyles, but younger adolescents and girls appear to be at higher risk of unhealthy behaviors. Targeted initiatives promoting regular physical activity and balanced diets in schools, involving parents and teachers in a collaborative plan, are essential to improving adolescents’ health and well-being. Full article

Childhood maltreatment experiences are an important public health issue associated with a variety of short- and long-term social and psychological outcomes. Despite the negative impact of these experiences, little research has examined the mechanisms underlying the relationship between childhood maltreatment and adolescent risky behavior, which is a critical step in developing intervention services to prevent such behavior during adolescence. The present study aimed to examine the mediating role of parent–adolescent conflict and violent tendency in the relationships between childhood maltreatment and adolescent risky behavior in adolescence. Participants were 303 high school students, 60.1% female (n = 182) and 39.9% (n = 121) male, from four different high schools in Türkiye. It was found that childhood maltreatment was significantly and positively associated with adolescent risky behavior. In addition, that parent–adolescent conflict and violent tendencies mediated the relationship between childhood maltreatment and adolescent risky behavior. And also parent–adolescent conflict mediated the relationship between childhood maltreatment and violent tendencies and adolescent risky behavior. The results of this study suggest that parent–adolescent conflict and violent tendencies are important in increasing the impact of childhood maltreatment on adolescent risky behavior. In order to reduce the impact of maltreated childhood experiences on risky behavior, interventions can be designed to increase positive adolescent–parent relationships and reduce violent tendencies. Full article

Background/Objectives: Test efficacy of the social emotional learning (SEL)-based Mighty Girls program, a program culturally tailored for English-speaking Hispanic/Latino girls in seventh grade comprised of classroom sessions and a virtual reality computer game. We hypothesized that the curriculum would decrease risky sexual behaviors in a program that can be used as part of a comprehensive sex education curriculum or as a stand-alone program. Methods: A randomized group trial was conducted in which 22 low-income, predominately Hispanic schools within the Miami-Dade County Public School System were randomly assigned to intervention (consented n = 335) and control (consented n = 217) conditions. All study activities occurred after school. Primary outcome measures were resistance self-efficacy, acceptance of dating violence, sexual intentions, and sexual behavior. Assessments occurred at baseline, immediately post-intervention, 3-, 12-, and 24-months post-intervention. Changes in outcomes from baseline to 24 months were modeled using multi-level models to account for nesting of students within schools with full information maximum likelihood to account for missing data and baseline school attendance and enrollment in free and reduced lunch as covariates. Analyses are also controlled for multiple testing. Results: The program had a significant effect on reducing acceptance of dating violence at 24 months post-intervention (estimate = −0.083, p ≤ 0.05), but no effect on resistance self-efficacy, sexual intentions, or sexual behavior (p ≥ 0.58). Conclusion: Study findings demonstrate that a social emotional learning (SEL) curriculum can impact sexual behaviors such as susceptibility to dating violence. Low baseline levels for sexual intentions and behaviors as well as a high baseline of efficacy may have impacted findings for the other outcomes. Full article

Background/Objectives: Adolescence is a critical period for experimenting with a wide range of risky behaviors, which are often influenced by family dynamics, including parental monitoring. This study aims to analyze the patterns of exposure to multiple substances and bullying among Croatian students by age and gender in 2022 and examine the association of exposure to multiple substances and bullying with maternal and paternal monitoring. Methods: The data were obtained from the 2022 Health Behaviour in School-aged Children (HBSC) study conducted in Croatia among students aged 11, 13, and 15. Two multinomial logistic regressions were performed separately by age and gender. Results: Exposure to multiple instances of bullying is more common among boys than girls in all three age groups, while exposure to multiple substances varies depending on age. The analysis revealed the strong protective effect of maternal monitoring against both substance use and bullying. Paternal monitoring showed less consistent effects but still indicated that lower paternal monitoring was associated with higher exposure to multiple substances and bullying, particularly at age 13. Conclusions: The patterns of multiple substance use and bullying vary by gender and age, emphasizing the need for tailored intervention strategies. Programs that strengthen parental monitoring, particularly maternal monitoring, should be prioritized. Full article