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Digital technology enables parents and adolescents to communicate anywhere and anytime. Knowledge of parent–adolescent online communication, however, is mainly based on cross‐sectional studies. In this preregistered 100‐day diary study, 479 adolescents (Mage = 15.98, 54.9% girls; 96.9% Dutch) reported daily if they had communicated with their parents online, how long (i.e., duration), and what they discussed (i.e., topics). Parent–adolescent online communication took place on 43% of days, for an average of 20 min a day, and predominantly concerned micro‐coordination. Five profiles of parent–adolescent online communication were identified, with most adolescents (55.4%) communicating relatively infrequently and briefly. Boys and younger adolescents communicated longer than girls and older adolescents. Although parent–adolescent online contact is possible all day, very few adolescents do so. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

ABSTRACT Objective Method Results Conclusions Anorexia nervosa and borderline personality disorder are often associated and share some core elements, including emotional dysregulation and affective instability. Nevertheless, the association of these two conditions in adolescence is still little studied.The present study aims at investigating, through a multidimensional assessment, the psychopathological characteristics of adolescents affected by anorexia nervosa in comorbidity with borderline personality disorder on a sample of 127 female adolescents, through the comparison with adolescents with borderline personality disorders and adolescents with anorexia nervosa. All participants completed a validated psychometric battery assessing alexithymia (Toronto Alexithymia Scale‐20), depression (Children's Depression Inventory), psychological symptoms (Symptom Checklist‐90–Revised) and psychological symptoms relevant in eating disorders (Eating Disorders Inventory‐3).Adolescents with anorexia nervosa in comorbidity with borderline personality disorder show intermediate features between the two disorders individually in the general psychopathological profile, but a peculiar psychological profile regarding the eating symptomatology, with worse features compared to adolescents with the sole anorexia nervosa.Results suggest a peculiar clinical and psychopatological endophenotype in adolescents with anorexia nervosa in comorbidity with borderline personality disorders, indicating the need to define specific and tailored treatment for this population. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

ABSTRACT Objective Method Results Discussion Eating disorders (EDs) represent a significant public health concern, with a high prevalence among adolescent girls. The COVID‐19 pandemic has led to a marked increase in EDs, underlining the need for a brief screening tool in clinical settings. The present study compared ICD‐10‐based ED‐diagnoses with SCOFF‐identified at‐risk female patients in a clinical setting and assessed the tool's reliability.Routine data (n = 955 participants) from a child and adolescent psychiatric hospital were evaluated regarding the incidence of ED‐diagnoses before (n = 312) and during the pandemic (n = 643) and compared with SCOFF results. The SCOFF's sensitivity and specificity were examined.ED‐diagnoses significantly increased, almost doubling from before to during the pandemic. The number of at‐risk patients identified by the SCOFF likewise differed between the two time points. The SCOFF showed high sensitivity at cut‐offs of 2 (pre‐pandemic) and 3 (peri‐pandemic) but low specificity. Internal consistency was poor.The findings align with previous research indicating an elevated rate of admission to clinical care for ED‐diagnoses during the pandemic, a trend also reflected in the SCOFF results. However, the SCOFF's low specificity and poor internal consistency raise concerns about its applicability among adolescent psychiatric inpatients. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This study aimed to assess the relationship between menstruation‐related attributes and mental distress in adolescent girls. A cross‐sectional study was conducted in Rangeli Municipality, Nepal, among 270 adolescent girls. Data were collected using a self‐administered questionnaire. Unadjusted and adjusted odds ratios (aOR) were calculated at a 5% level of significance to identify factors associated with depression, anxiety and stress. Of 270 adolescent girls, 28.9% (95% CI: 23.5%–35.2%) experienced anxiety, 14.4% (95% CI: 10.0%–18.5%) experienced stress and 32.2% (95% CI: 26.6%–37.4%) experienced depression. Low perceived family support during menstruation (aOR: 2.87, 95% CI: 1.03–7.97), low perceived support from friends during menstruation (aOR: 4.09, 95% CI: 1.66–10.07) and experiencing moderate/severe dysmenorrhea (aOR: 2.31, 95% CI: 1.105–5.08) were associated with anxiety. Those with moderate/severe dysmenorrhoea had higher odds (aOR: 5.60, 95% CI: 1.56–20.05) of experiencing stress. Low perceived family support (aOR: 3.07, 95% CI: 1.08–8.67), low perceived support from friends (aOR: 2.77, 95% CI: 1.11–6.89) and experiencing moderate to severe dysmenorrhoea (aOR: 3.56, 95% CI: 1.63–7.79) were associated with depression. The findings underscore the importance of proper management of dysmenorrhoea and need for social support from both family and friends during menstruation as these factors are associated with psychological distress among adolescent girls. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The prevalence of common mental disorder (CMD) and anemia is observed to be on the rise over time, adversely affecting the health and overall quality of life among adolescents. Extensive literature corroborates the significant impact of anemia on cognitive development, intelligence and developmental milestones. Nevertheless, the linkage between hemoglobin level and CMD emerging during adolescence remains relatively unexplored. Thus, the objective of this study was to investigate the association between hemoglobin level and CMD as well as the mediating factor among school adolescent girls residing in Central Ethiopia. A cross‐sectional study design was conducted among adolescent girls attending schools in Silti Woreda, Central Ethiopia, comprising a total sample size of 516 individuals during the period from October 2–20, 2023. Hemoglobin level was adjusted for altitude, while CMD was evaluated utilising the summation score of a 20‐item Self‐Reporting Questionnaire. Data were analysed through fitting Structural Equation Model and the maximum likelihood estimation method. Goodness of fit was assessed using the χ2The ‐test statistic, Comparative Fit Index, Root Mean Square Error of Approximation, Standardised Root Mean Square Residual, Non‐Normed Fit Index, Pclose and coefficient of determination (R2). The prevalence of CMD was 22.3% (95% CI: 18.6%–25.8%). Hemoglobin level (UTE = −0.73, CI: −0.93, −0.53) and experience of morbidity symptoms (UTE = 1.05; CI: 0.74, 1.38) were significantly associated with CMD. Furthermore, hemoglobin level is significantly influenced by morbidity frequency symptoms (UDE = −0.63, CI = −0.77, −0.49) and animal source food (ASF) (UDE = 0.09, CI = 0.01, 0.17). Hemoglobin level has been identified as a significant mediator of the experience of morbidity symptoms and ASF on CMD. However, household food insecurity and wealth index had no significant association with CMD. A significant proportion of adolescent girls face CMD, often linked to a lower hemoglobin level. Having a significant association with CMD, the hemoglobin level is found to mediate a significant effect of morbidity symptom experience and ASF on CMD. Hence, addressing early infection prevention, promoting ASF and treating anemia are promptly needed. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Objective: The primary objective of the present study is to validate the Difficulty in Emotion Regulation Scale‐Short Form (DERS‐SF) in a sample of Italian adolescents. Additionally, we aim to evaluate its factorial structure by examining the contribution of each subscale (i.e., Nonacceptance, Clarity, Awareness, Goals, Impulse, Strategy) on the general factor using bi‐factor models by replicating a past study. Method: The sample comprises N = 704 adolescents aged 11–17 years (M = 13.38, SD = 1.37; 53.12% females). To establish external validity, correlation and path analyses were conducted between the DERS‐SF sub‐scales, the total score, and measures of internalizing and externalizing symptoms, as well as Problematic Smartphone Use (PSU). Measurement invariance was tested comparing males versus females and pre‐adolescents and adolescents. Results: Overall, results supported the multidimensional nature of the DERS‐SF, confirming its original six‐factor structure. However, bi‐factor models analysis revealed that the Awareness subscale should be excluded when calculating the total score. Furthermore, findings indicated that the Strategy subscale variance is largely accounted for by the general factor rather than the specific subscale. In terms of external validity, significant positive associations between the DERS‐SF sub‐scales, the total score, and PSU, internalizing and externalizing symptoms were observed. Measurement invariance was supported. Conclusions: Altogether, findings support the validity of the DERS‐SF among Italian Adolescents and provide insights relevant to the understanding of the multifaceted facets of emotion regulation, emphasizing its relevance as a transdiagnostic process. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

ABSTRACT Objective Method Results Conclusions Studies suggest that adolescents reported more eating problems during the pandemic. Using a population‐based sample, we compared eating problems—and how they associate with a range of personal characteristics and genetic factors—among adolescents before (June 2017–April 2020) versus during (April 2020–December 2022) the pandemic.Based on a preregistered analysis plan, we used cross‐sectional data collected from 22,706 14–16‐year‐olds over 6 years (55% during the pandemic) in the Norwegian Mother, Father, and Child Cohort. We used measurement invariance analyses to compare the level of eating restraint and body concern before and during the pandemic, and multi‐group structural equation models to estimate pre‐pandemic and pandemic patterns of associations.Pandemic responders generally reported more eating problems than pre‐pandemic responders, specifically on dieting and body dissatisfaction. However, after adjusting for a general linear increase in eating problems across all 6 years of data collection, the pandemic itself seems to be associated with more eating problems only among girls, reporting more eating restraints (meanΔ = 0.14 [CI: 0.07, 0.20]) and body concern (meanΔ = 0.17 [CI: 0.11, 0.23]). Associations between eating problems and a range of other characteristics did not differ across the pandemic and pre‐pandemic groups.There was a general increase in eating problems among 14–16‐year‐olds over time. Adjusting for this trend, the pandemic seems to exacerbate problems among girls. Although the mechanisms are unclear, our results point to factors susceptible to change that could have been intensified during the pandemic (e.g., screen time, mental distress). Our results highlight the importance of recognizing sex‐specific differences in eating problems. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

ABSTRACT Objective Design and Methods Results Conclusions To measure a multivariate analysis of social media addiction and cognitive‐behavioral physical activity associated with several sociodemographic characteristics in adolescent girls.A cross‐sectional study. The sample consisted of adolescent girls studying in a vocational high‐school in the Middle‐Black‐Sea region in Türkiye (n = 333). A questionnaire, Social Media Addiction Scale‐for‐Adolescents (SMAS‐A), and Cognitive‐Behavioral Physical Activity Questionnaire (CBPAQ) were used to collect the data.The mean age was 15.35 (SD = 1.15), and 29.4% were the ninth‐class students. Of the adolescent girls, 85.9% were social‐media users, 59.8% used the internet 2‐hours‐or‐more/daily, 67.9% declared themselves as moderately‐active. The mean scores of the SMAS‐A and the CBPAQ were 3.40 (SD = 1.61) and 21.03 (SD = 7.64), respectively. There was a significantly‐negative correlation between cognitive‐behavioral physical activity and social‐media addiction levels. The One‐Way MANOVA results showed significant differences in the academic level, family income, mother education, and physical activity measurement application usage affected to cognitive‐behavioral physical activity. Social media usage habit affected to the social media addiction level.Daily internet usage time and self‐declared physical activity level were the mutually affected factors. School nurses should act to improve healthy social media usage habits to promote well‐being and encourage the positive attitudes towards regular physical activity in this population. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

ABSTRACT Objective Method Results Discussion The present longitudinal study examined sex‐specific, symptom‐level relationships among emotion regulation (ER), interpersonal problems (IP), and eating disorder (ED) psychopathology in a large sample of Chinese adolescents.Data were from a project with four waves of data collection (N = 1540; 710 boys and 830 girls) at 6‐month intervals over 18 months. Questionnaires assessed ED psychopathology, ER, and IP at each wave of data collection. Longitudinal network analyses were conducted separately for boys and girls. Sex differences in the network structures were also examined.The results revealed pronounced heterogeneity in the presentation of ED psychopathology, ER, and IP across Chinese adolescent boys and girls longitudinally and intra‐individually. For example, weight/shape preoccupation in ED psychopathology and awareness in ER emerged as important nodes in the temporal network for boys. However, weight/shape preoccupation and dissatisfaction in ED psychopathology were identified as the most important nodes in the temporal network for girls. Regarding bridge strength, awareness in ER emerged as the node with the highest connectivity in the temporal network for boys. At the same time, weight/shape dissatisfaction in ED psychopathology was the node with the highest connectivity for girls.The current study extended network theory to better understand the longitudinal interplay among ER, IP, and ED psychopathology in Chinese adolescents and their sex differences in the importance of symptoms. Such insights may pave the way for developing targeted prevention and treatment strategies for adolescent boys and girls in China. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

To address the widespread mental health crisis facing adolescent girls, this study examined whether a growth emotion mindset lesson can enhance emotional competence. During 2018–2022, adolescent girls (Mage = 15.68 years; 66.3% White) were randomized to a growth mindset (E‐MIND; N = 81) or brain education (control; N = 82) lesson, completed the Trier Social Stressor Test, and reported on various aspects of emotional competence. Compared with the control group, the E‐MIND group reported more adaptive emotion mindsets, higher emotion regulation self‐efficacy, and more proactive in vivo and daily efforts to regulate emotions (effect sizes = small‐to‐medium to medium), with several differences remaining 4‐month later. Findings provide novel insight into one promising approach for cultivating emotional resilience among adolescent girls. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: In the context of rural Bihar where few women work outside the home, what scope do adolescent girls and young women have to transition into wage work and careers? While the mobility of girls is still widely restricted to secure their marriageability, the spread of higher schooling and the internet has inflated aspirations and levelled them out across boys, girls and social classes. Methods: The present study drew on 45 focus group discussions and 73 in‐depth interviews among adolescent girls and young women and related stakeholders to develop 32 cases of transitioning girls across four districts of rural Bihar in India. The qualitative data were collected in 2022 and analysed using a combination of thematic and comparative narrative analyses. Results: The analysis identified some common features of transitioning girls and their pathways. Many girls had been forced by circumstance—household shocks or chronic poverty—to earn money, thereby building their skills and self‐efficacy. Others were from families where progressive values ensured their mobility and exposure. Yet others transitioned "by stealth." But all girls had the backing of at least one parent and all had to learn to navigate public space while safeguarding their reputations. By researching actual pathways (rather than distant dreams), the study identifies a variety of transition outcomes, including "good" jobs as teachers, nurses, and police officers, "low entry" jobs in factories and new services, and full‐time businesses built from scratch. Conclusion: The paper suggests that interventions be designed separately for these distinct outcomes and that efforts are best directed towards girls already "self‐transitioning" and demonstrating the requisite resolve and self‐efficacy. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The available theories of evacuation movements are primarily founded on data gathered from adults, making them potentially unsuitable for children, especially in schools. Consequently, it is necessary to undertake further research to collect data on how children move during evacuations to understand their unique characteristics and disparities compared to adults. In this context, this paper aimed to explore the movement of school children and adolescents as they moved over stairs and through exit doorways during evacuations. The evacuation drill involved 295 school children and adolescents, whose behavior was closely monitored using a series of cameras. During the drill, their movement patterns, including flow and speed, were analyzed over stairs and through doorways. The observations revealed that children exhibited frequent interactions and contact with one another, unlike adults, who tend to maintain personal space. The findings of this study indicated that the average traveling speed over stairs was comparable to previous research, although female adolescents had a lower average speed compared to other groups. The speed and flow of participants passing through doorways were found to vary depending on their age and differed from estimates based on adult data. This study highlights that existing evacuation models fall short of adequately accounting for the dynamics of children, indicating the need for further research to improve the generalizability of evacuation models. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Objective: To assess whether there is an association between an individual's sex and social judgements made by lay persons regarding untreated cleft lip. Materials and Methods: Lay individuals over 18 years old were recruited through an application to respond online to two questionnaires: a sociodemographic survey and the Brazilian Version of Lay Persons' Social Judgements about Cleft‐lip Scale (B‐LSojCleft‐S). B‐LSojCleft‐S comprises 14 items evaluating social judgements made by laypersons concerning different types of untreated cleft lips in teenagers. The 14 items are linked to 8 images featuring untreated cleft lips and 1 image without a cleft (control). Higher scores represented more favourable social judgements. Independent samples t‐test, paired, and multiple linear regression were conducted (P < 0.05). The study assessed judgements of untreated cleft lips in male and female adolescents using the B‐LSojCleft‐S. Results: The mean age of the 217 participants was 37.78 ± 12.39 years, predominantly women (72.7%), married (47.7%), with a monthly income below three minimum wages (35.6%) in the majority of cases. Significantly higher social judgement scores were observed in the control group (no cleft) compared to any type of cleft (P < 0.001), with similar scores obtained for the same types of clefts with female or male images (P > 0.05). The participant's sex is associated with social judgement scores (F [1, 214] = 6.318, P = 0.013; adjusted R2 = 0.024), with females making more favourable judgements than males (P < 0.05). Conclusions: Individuals with cleft lips receive more negative social judgement scores, regardless of their own sex. Women make better social judgements than men. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

ABSTRACT Objective Method Results Discussion Assessment of the longer‐term outcome of anorexia nervosa (AN) in female adolescent inpatients (N = 132).A follow‐up (mean 8.2 years) after treatment was conducted. A subsample of 39 patients with at least 10 years of follow‐up (mean 14 years) was defined.Over the 8‐year follow‐up period, the body mass index (BMI) increased from 14.33 (1.65) to 19.04 kg/m2 (2.97; t[112] = 17.33, p < 0.001, d = 1.63), and BMI percentiles increased from 0.50 (1.14) to 24.96 (26.81; t[112] = 9.83, p < 0.001, d = 0.92). Remission was found in 32.5% (8‐year total sample) and 48.6% (14‐year subsample). In the 8‐year total sample, 15.1% still had AN or had relapsed (8.1% in the 14‐year subsample). A cross‐over from AN to binge‐eating disorder was rare. The main cross‐over occurred from AN to an eating disorder not otherwise specified (37.5% and 27.0%, respectively). The standardized mortality ratio was 21.7.In the long run, eating disorder diagnoses decreased significantly. Although a considerable proportion of patients recovered from their eating disorder, the number of recovered patients remained limited, with long‐term negative consequences in a large proportion of patients. Standardized mortality was excessive, calling for ever‐better therapies. Additional studies are needed to show if improved therapies lead to a better long‐term outcome. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Melatonin (N‐acetyl‐5‐methoxytryptamine) is reported to improve mood disorders in perimenopausal women and gut microbiome composition is altered during menopausal period. The possible role of microbiome in the treatment effect of melatonin on menopausal depression remains unknown. Here, it is shown that melatonin treatment reverses the gut microbiota dysbiosis and depressive‐like behaviors in ovariectomy (OVX) operated mice. This effect of melatonin is prevented by antibiotic cocktails (ABX) treatment. Transferring microbiota harvested from adolescent female mice to OVX‐operated mice is sufficient to ameliorate depressive‐like behaviors. Conversely, microbiota transplantation from OVX‐operated mice or melatonin‐treated OVX‐operated mice to naïve recipient mice exhibits similar phenotypes to donors. The colonization of Alistipes Inops, which is abundant in OVX‐operated mice, confers the recipient with depressive‐like behaviors. Further investigation indicates that the expansion of Alistipes Inops induced by OVX leads to the degradation of intestinal tryptophan, which destroys systemic tryptophan availability. Melatonin supplementation restores systemic tryptophan metabolic disorders by suppressing the growth of Alistipes Inops, which ameliorates depressive‐like behaviors. These results highlight the previously unrecognized role of Alistipes Inops in the modulation of OVX‐induced behavioral disorders and suggest that the application of melatonin to inhibit Alistipes Inops may serve as a potential strategy for preventing menopausal depressive symptoms. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

What might it mean to reimagine brown‐girl‐as‐failure to brown‐girl‐as‐success? This article draws on findings from an empirical research study of academically successful teenage girls from Aotearoa New Zealand. In this paper we focus on what it means to be an intelligent and successful young brown woman in the context of the contemporary white‐centering of meritocratic success, and the oppressive narrative that brown girls are not bright. Using a creative methodology, Laurel Richardson's collective storying and Patricia Leavy's fiction‐based research, the paper engages in forms of creative analytic practice and new knowledge representation, which prioritize authentic voice and understanding of the young women participants' lived experiences. Collective stories were used in the study to challenge existing public discourses of girls and success, including the white‐centering of such depictions, and to create narratives that participants could identify with, particularly those that were often unspoken but widely experienced. Using collective stories in the study offered a space of resonance with participants who could engage with the stories during the research process and contribute to their (re)storying. The interplay between the theoretics of methodological creativity and the symbolic violence of a colonial positioning of successful girlhood offers a novel contribution to girlhood studies. Through collective storying and a further interweaving of poetic voice, the disruption of the narrative of deficit offers remembering and revalidation of brown success. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Obesity has become a global epidemic and is associated with comorbidities, including diabetes, cardiovascular, and neurodegenerative diseases, among others. While appreciable insight has been gained into the mechanisms of obesity‐associated comorbidities, effects of age, and duration of obesity on the female brain remain obscure. To address this gap, adolescent and mature adult female mice were subjected to a high‐fat diet (HFD) for 13 or 26 weeks, whereas age‐matched controls were fed a standard diet. Subsequently, the expression of inflammatory cytokines, neurotrophic/neuroprotective factors, and markers of microgliosis and astrogliosis were analyzed in the hypothalamus, hippocampus, and cerebral cortex, along with inflammation in visceral adipose tissue. HFD led to a typical obese phenotype in all groups independent of age and duration of HFD. However, the intermediate duration of obesity induced a limited inflammatory response in adolescent females' hypothalamus while the hippocampus, cerebral cortex, and visceral adipose tissue remained unaffected. In contrast, the prolonged duration of obesity resulted in inflammation in all three brain regions and visceral adipose tissue along with upregulation of microgliosis/astrogliosis and suppression of neurotrophic/neuroprotective factors in all brain regions, denoting the duration of obesity as a critical risk factor for neurodegenerative diseases. Importantly, when female mice were older (i.e., mature adult), even the intermediate duration of obesity induced similar adverse effects in all brain regions. Taken together, our findings suggest that (1) both age and duration of obesity have a significant impact on obesity‐associated comorbidities and (2) early interventions to end obesity are critical to preserving brain health. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The article provides a summary of the latest report on the progress towards the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) set by the UN's 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development. The report reveals that the world is severely off track to achieve the SDGs, with progress stalling or regressing in many areas. The Covid pandemic has been a major setback, and global efforts have faced challenges due to conflicts, trade tensions, climate change, and economic shortcomings. Specific areas of concern include poverty, food security, health, education, and gender equality. The report emphasizes the urgent need for acceleration and investment to address these challenges and protect vulnerable populations. [Extracted from the article]

Background: This study aimed to determine the risk factors of hallux valgus angle among preprofessional adolescent dancesport athletes. Methods: A total of 275 athletes, (73 males and 202 females) aged between the ages of 11 and 18 years, participated in this study. A cross‐sectional questionnaire was used to survey their demographic characteristics (sex and age), training information (starting age, weekly training time, and athletic career [number of years of training at this specific dancesport school]), and measured their height and weight. The hallux valgus angle was measured based on foot photographs. The chi‐square test was used to compare the difference with prevalence of hallux valgus between male and female athletes. A normal distribution test was performed, and based on the test results, unpaired t‐test and multiple logistic regression were conducted to identify training factors for the hallux valgus in this cohort. Results: Chi‐square test showed higher prevalence of hallux valgus in female elite adolescent dancesport athletes than males. The t‐test results did not show any significant differences between the hallux valgus group and non‐hallux valgus groups with start age, athletic career, and weekly training time. Multiple logistic regression analysis with hallux valgus as the dependent variable revealed that the female sex was a strong predictor of a higher prevalence of hallux valgus (odds ratio [OR]: 3.954, 95% confidence interval 95% CI: 2.193–7.131, and p < 0.001). Weekly training time was also entered into the multiple logistic regression model (OR: 1.033, 95% CI: 1.001–1.067, and p = 0.041). Conclusions: Our findings revealed that the prevalence of hallux valgus in adolescent dancesport athletes was higher in females than in males. Longer weekly training time was also a risk factor for hallux valgus. Training factors should be considered in preventive programs for elite adolescent dancesport athletes, and special attention should be paid to female athletes. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Child labor remains a concern in sub‐Saharan Africa. Yet, evidence‐based preventive efforts are limited. We analyzed longitudinal data from Ghanaian adolescent girls in a pilot randomized clinical trial testing the preliminary impact of a combination intervention on family cohesion as a protective factor against child labor and school dropout. While there was no statistical difference between the control and intervention groups at 9 months, the results show that family cohesion scores improved significantly from baseline to 9 months for the ANZANSI intervention group. Qualitative results indicated improved family cohesion in the intervention group. Hence, future studies should further examine this promising social work intervention. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This study used a longitudinal sample of early adolescent boys and girls (ages 10–12; N = 1113) to test a theoretically and empirically informed model suggesting that exposure to peer sexual harassment (age 10) predicts more emotional problems (age 12), and that lower appearance esteem (age 11) mediates this relation. On the within‐person level, which is the level on which the processes theoretically should play out, we found no support for the proposed mediation model for boys or for girls. Unexpectedly, we found that following times of more exposure to peer sexual harassment than usual, early adolescents instead experienced higher appearance esteem and fewer emotional problems than usual. More research is needed to replicate and understand these unexpected findings. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Introduction: Fertility after cancer is a top concern for adolescents and young adults with cancer (AYAs) (15–39 years old at diagnosis). The authors characterized live births after cancer by race and ethnicity ("race/ethnicity") in a population‐based sample of female AYAs. Methods: This study used Texas Cancer Registry data linked to birth certificates (1995–2016) to estimate cumulative incidence of live birth, based on first live birth after cancer, and compared differences by race/ethnicity. Proportional subdistribution hazards models were used to estimate associations between race/ethnicity and live birth, adjusted for diagnosis age, cancer type, stage, year, and prior live birth, overall and for each cancer type. Results: Among 65,804 AYAs, 10‐year cumulative incidence of live birth was lower among non‐Hispanic Black AYAs than other racial/ethnic groups: 10.2% (95% confidence interval [CI], 9.4–10.9) compared to 15.9% (95% CI, 14.1–17.9) among Asian or Pacific Islander, 14.7% (95% CI, 14.2–15.3) among Hispanic, and 15.2% (95% CI, 14.8–15.6) among non‐Hispanic White AYAs (p <.01). In the adjusted overall model, Black AYAs were less likely to have a live birth after cancer than all other groups. In adjusted models for each cancer type, live birth was significantly less likely for Black AYAs with gynecologic cancers or lymphomas (compared to White AYAs) or thyroid cancers (compared to Hispanic AYAs). Conclusion: Black AYAs are less likely than AYAs of other races/ethnicities to have a live birth after cancer, in contrast to patterns of live birth in the general population. Research and action to promote childbearing equity after cancer are imperative. The authors used Texas Cancer Registry data linked to live birth certificates (1995–2016) to characterize live births after cancer by race and ethnicity ("race/ethnicity") among females diagnosed with cancer as adolescents and young adults (AYAs) (15–39 years old at diagnosis). Overall and within certain cancer types, Black AYAs were less likely than AYAs of other races or ethnicities to have a live birth after cancer, in contrast to general population birth patterns. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: There are no trend studies on various health risk behaviours among adolescents in Uruguay. Therefore, this study looked at trends in a number of health‐risky behaviours among adolescents in Uruguay from three separate surveys. Methods: Data from 9272 adolescents (age range: 11–16 years), who took part in three cross‐sectional national in‐school surveys in Uruguay in 2006, 2012 and 2019 were analysed. A self‐administered survey was used to evaluate 24 health risk behaviours. By using logistic regression analyses to treat the study year as a categorical variable and adjusting food insecurity and age, linear trends were examined. Results: We found a significant increase in the prevalence of being overweight, having obesity, inadequate fruit intake, sedentary behaviour in leisure‐time, physical inactivity, bullying victimisation, loneliness, suicidal ideation, and sexual activity. We found a significant decrease in current cigarette use, physical fighting and current alcohol use. Among males, a significant increase of non‐condom use, and a decrease in current other tobacco use (other than cigarettes), being physically attacked and the number of sexual partners. Among females, we found an increase in food insecurity, trouble from alcohol use, multiple sexual partners, and sleep problems. Conclusion: Overall, from 2006 to 2019, there was a decrease in seven health risk behaviours among boys and/or girls. Among boys, there was an increase in 10 health risk behaviours and among girls, 15 health risk behaviours increased, highlighting adolescent girls' greater vulnerability, thereby perpetuating further gendered health inequalities. In Uruguay, school health programmes for adolescents are recommended. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Highlights Female soccer players have been identified as presenting with low energy availability (LEA), though the prevalence of LEA may be overestimated given inaccuracies associated with self‐reporting dietary intakes. Accordingly, we aimed to quantify total daily energy expenditure (TDEE) via the doubly labelled water (DLW) method, energy intake (EI) and energy availability (EA). Adolescent female soccer players (n = 45; 16 ± 1 years) completed a 9–10 day ‘training camp’ representing their national team. Absolute and relative TDEE was 2683 ± 324 and 60 ± 7 kcal kg−1 fat free mass (FFM), respectively. Mean daily EI was lower (P < 0.01) when players self‐reported using the remote food photography method (RFPM) (2047 ± 383 kcal day−1) over a 3‐day period versus DLW derived EI estimates accounting for body mass (BM) changes (2545 ± 518 kcal day−1) over 7–8 days, representing a mean daily Δ of 499 ± 526 kcal day−1 and 22% error when using the RFPM. Estimated EA was different (P < 0.01) between methods (DLW: 48 ± 14 kcal kg−1 FFM, range: 22–82; RFPM: 37 ± 8 kcal kg−1 FFM, range: 22–54), such that prevalence of LEA (<30 kcal kg−1 FFM) was lower in DLW compared with RFPM (5% vs. 15%, respectively). Data demonstrate the potential to significantly underestimate EI when using self‐report methods. This approach can therefore cause a misrepresentation and an over‐prevalence of LEA, which is the underlying aetiology of ‘relative energy deficiency in sport’ (REDs). What is the central question of this study? Do self‐reported dietary intakes (via remote food photography method, RFPM) overestimate low energy availability (LEA) prevalence in female soccer players compared with energy intake evaluation from the doubly labelled water (DLW) method? What is the main finding and its importance? Estimated energy availability is greater with the DLW method compared with RFPM, such that the prevalence of LEA is greater when self‐reporting dietary intakes. Accordingly, data demonstrate the potential to misrepresent the prevalence of LEA, an underlying factor in the aetiology of ‘relative energy deficiency in sport’ (REDs). What is the central question of this study?Do self‐reported dietary intakes (via remote food photography method, RFPM) overestimate low energy availability (LEA) prevalence in female soccer players compared with energy intake evaluation from the doubly labelled water (DLW) method?What is the main finding and its importance?Estimated energy availability is greater with the DLW method compared with RFPM, such that the prevalence of LEA is greater when self‐reporting dietary intakes. Accordingly, data demonstrate the potential to misrepresent the prevalence of LEA, an underlying factor in the aetiology of ‘relative energy deficiency in sport’ (REDs). [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Whether trace metals modify breast density, the strongest predictor for breast cancer, during critical developmental stages such as puberty remains understudied. Our study prospectively evaluated the association between trace metals at Tanner breast stage B1 (n = 291) and at stages both B1 and B4 (n = 253) and breast density at 2 years post‐menarche among Chilean girls from the Growth and Obesity Cohort Study. Dual‐energy x‐ray absorptiometry assessed the volume of dense breast tissue (absolute fibroglandular volume [FGV]) and percent breast density (%FGV). Urine trace metals included arsenic, barium, cadmium, cobalt, cesium, copper, magnesium, manganese, molybdenum, nickel, lead, antimony, selenium, tin, thallium, vanadium, and zinc. At B1, a doubling of thallium concentration resulted in 13.69 cm3 increase in absolute FGV (β: 13.69, 95% confidence interval [CI]: 2.81, 24.52), while a doubling of lead concentration resulted in a 7.76 cm3 decrease in absolute FGV (β: –7.76, 95%CI: −14.71, −0.73). At B4, a doubling of barium concentration was associated with a 10.06 cm3 increase (β: 10.06, 95% CI: 1.44, 18.60), copper concentration with a 12.29 cm3 increase (β: 12.29, 95% CI: 2.78, 21.56), lead concentration with a 9.86 cm3 increase (β: 9.86, 95% CI: 0.73, 18.98), antimony concentration with a 12.97 cm3 increase (β: 12.97, 95% CI: 1.98, 23.79) and vanadium concentration with a 13.14 cm3 increase in absolute FGV (β: 13.14, 95% CI: 2.73, 23.58). Trace metals may affect pubertal breast density at varying developmental stages with implications for increased susceptibility for breast cancer. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Objective Methods Results Conclusions An increasing demand for inpatient treatment for adolescents with anorexia nervosa (AN) during and after the Covid‐19 pandemic contrasts with limited capacity and long waiting times. The current pilot study evaluated an outpatient group therapy (GT) as early intervention for adolescents with AN prior to inpatient treatment.Seventeen female adolescents who participated at the GT (intervention group, INT) were compared to 16 adolescents without GT (treatment‐as‐usual, TAU). BMI, eating disorder psychopathology and motivation of change (MoC) were assessed at three timepoints.Comparing pre‐ versus post‐ group participation, we identified a significant increase of MoC and a trend towards a decreased AN‐specific psychopathology. Comparing INT with TAU adolescents, we found a significant lower AN psychopathology at inpatient admission for the INT group and a trend for different BMI courses: While the BMI of the TAU group decreased during waiting time, the INT group did not show a decrease during GT resulting in a higher BMI at admission.Results of the current pilot study suggest positive effects of an early outpatient intervention in a group setting for adolescents with AN prior to inpatient treatment. Further research with larger sample sizes is necessary to validate the current pilot results. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

ABSTRACT BACKGROUND METHODS RESULTS CONCLUSIONS Physical activity is beneficial to physical, social, and emotional well‐being, and schools are required to provide opportunities to engage in physical activity. While physical education and school sport have been extensively researched, little is known about the value of informal, unstructured, exercise opportunities.This study involved interviews with 19 adolescent girls who attended “extra” exercise opportunities provided by their school. The 3 opportunities were: (1) informal before‐school exercise sessions at school, (2) before‐school sport training, and (3) externally provided exercise sessions in a community setting during school hours.Students perceived all opportunities as valuable with benefits to confidence, social well‐being, and emotional well‐being. The informal exercise sessions held greater benefits to confidence as confidence transferred from the physical activity context into the academic classroom more so than for those participating in sport. Social benefits were greater for those exercising before school as this opportunity created new relationships with teachers and with students from other classes and year groups.The opportunity to engage in informal exercise with peers before school widened social networks, increased confidence, changed the overall school climate, and increased attendance. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Characterizing the timing of menarche and the factors that are associated with it is important for understanding a population's reproductive health needs and long‐term health trajectories. We estimated the age at the menstrual onset among adolescent girls and the association between dietary and nutritional factors and menarche in four sub‐Saharan African urban sites. We used cross‐sectional school‐based data from 2307 female adolescents aged 10–14 years collected by the Africa Research, Implementation Science, and Education (ARISE) Network in Ouagadougou, Burkina Faso; Addis Ababa, Ethiopia; Khartoum, Sudan; and Dar es Salaam, Tanzania. Logit models were used to estimate the median age at menarche at each site. Associations between menarche and BMI‐for‐age, stunting, dietary quality and food insecurity across settings were assessed using Poisson regression models adjusted for country and school levels. The estimated median age at menarche was 13.1 years (95% confidence interval: 12.7, 13.5) in Ouagadougou; 12.9 (12.6, 13.2) in Addis Ababa; 13.3 (12.7, 13.6) in Khartoum; and 13.2 (12.3, 14.0) in Dar es Salaam. Between 18% and 49% of the girls in each setting had already menstruated. Based on the pooled multivariable models, underweight participants were 42% less likely (adjusted prevalence ratio [PR] 0.58 [0.44, 0.77]) to have experienced menarche in comparison to normal‐weight individuals. The likelihood of experiencing menarche increased for overweight [PR 1.47 (1.30,1.66)] and obese [PR 1.57 (1.35,1.82)] in comparison to normal‐weight girls. Those stunted were 47% less likely to have experienced menarche [PR 0.53 (0.41, 0.69)] than their nonstunted counterparts. A lower likelihood of menarche among those experiencing moderate/severe hunger when compared to those with no/little hunger was also observed (PR 0.78 [0.63,0.96]). No evidence of association with dietary quality was found. Further research is needed to strengthen the body of evidence and inform evidence‐based initiatives in low‐ and middle‐income settings. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

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Adolescents, especially female youth, who have more family meals tend to be at lower risk for substance use. The present study tested whether family meals relate to substance use count and frequency during high school, whether associations differ by gender, and whether other family‐related variables explain these associations. A community sample of 316 adolescents (Mage = 16.40, SD = 0.74; 56.96% female; 41.77% Latine, 23.10% Asian American, 29.11% European American, 6.01% from other ethnic backgrounds including Middle Eastern and African American) reported the number of substances they have ever used and how often they used alcohol, marijuana, and cigarettes, and completed measures of parental support and family cohesion. Across 15 days, they reported whether they had a family meal, got along with parents, and spent leisure time with their family each day. Regression models tested associations between frequency of family meals and substance use, whether associations differed by gender, and whether associations were explained by other family‐related variables. Results indicated that more frequent family meals were associated with lower substance use count and less frequent alcohol, marijuana, and cigarette use among female adolescents but not male adolescents. Other daily family experiences were unrelated to substance use, and family meal frequency was independently related to lower substance use after accounting for parental support and family cohesion. Taken together, more frequent family meals in high school may reduce substance use risk for female adolescents, and interventions could consider promoting family meals in addition to other positive family values. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper explores teenage girls' engagement with digital images on social media. Using new feminist materialism, we foreground digital images as an assemblage of materialities (human and more‐than‐human) filled with affective potentials that materialise in/capacities. Drawing from interviews and focus group discussions, we show how the production and sharing of selfies through posting and sexting unlocked new ‘becomings’ through expressions of heterosexual desirability and pleasure but also generated fear through sexual objectification, sexual double standards and harassment. A recognition of digital images as materially embodied through which unequal gender power relations materialise is vital to addressing online sexual risk. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Introduction: The HIV Prevention 2025 Roadmap, developed by UNAIDS, recommends the adoption of a precision prevention approach focused on priority populations and geographies. With reduction in new HIV acquisitions in many countries, designing a differentiated HIV prevention response, using a Programme Science approach, based on the understanding of the epidemic and transmission dynamics at a sub‐national level, is critical. Methods: To support strategic planning, an epidemic appraisal at the sub‐national level across 47 counties, with the 2019 population ranging from 0.14 million in Lamu to 4.40 million in Nairobi City, was conducted in Kenya using several existing data sources. Using 2021 Spectrum/EPP/Naomi model estimates of national and sub‐national HIV incidence and prevalence, counties with high HIV incidence and prevalence were identified for geographic prioritization. The size of local key population (KP) networks and HIV prevalence in key and general populations were used to define epidemic typology and prioritize populations for HIV prevention programmes. Analysis of routine programme monitoring data for 2021 was used to assess coverage gaps in HIV prevention programmes, including prevention of vertical transmission, anti‐retroviral therapy, KP programmes, adolescent girls and young women programme, and voluntary male medical circumcision programme. Results: Ten counties with more than 1000 incident acquisitions in 2021 accounted for 57% of new acquisitions. Twenty‐four counties were grouped into the concentrated epidemic type—due to their low prevalence in the general population, high prevalence in KPs and relatively higher density of female sex workers and men who have sex with men populations. Four counties reflected a generalized epidemic, where HIV prevalence was more than 10% and 30%, respectively, among the general and key populations. The remaining 19 counties were classified as having mixed epidemics. Gaps in programmes were identified and counties where these gaps need to be addressed were also prioritized. Conclusions: The HIV burden in Kenya is unevenly distributed and hence the mix of prevention strategies may vary according to the epidemic typology of the county. Prioritization of programmes based not only on disease burden and epidemic typology, but also on the prevailing gaps in coverage for reducing inequities is a key aspect of this appraisal. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Introduction: Adolescent girls and young women (AGYW) who may benefit from HIV pre‐exposure prophylaxis (PrEP) face high levels of common mental disorders (e.g. depression, anxiety). Common mental disorders can reduce PrEP adherence and increase HIV risk, yet mental health interventions have not been well‐integrated into PrEP delivery. Methods: We conducted a four‐phase human‐centred design process, from December 2020 to April 2022, to understand mental health challenges among AGYW in Johannesburg, South Africa and barriers to integrated mental health and PrEP services. In the "Discover" phase, we conducted in‐depth interviews with AGYW and key informants (KIs) in Johannesburg. We conducted a rapid qualitative analysis, informed by the Consolidated Framework for Implementation Research (CFIR), to identify facilitators and barriers of integrated mental health and PrEP services and mapped barriers to potential implementation strategies. In the "Design" and "Build" phases, we conducted stakeholder workshops to iteratively adapt an evidence‐based mental health intervention, the Friendship Bench, and refine implementation strategies for South African PrEP delivery settings. In the "Test" phase, we piloted our adapted Friendship Bench package. Results: Interviews with 70 Discover phase participants (48 AGYW, 22 KIs) revealed the importance of integrated mental health and PrEP services for South African AGYW. Interviewees described barriers and implementation strategies for mental health and PrEP services around the CFIR domains: intervention characteristics (e.g. challenges with AGYW "opening up"); outer Johannesburg setting (e.g. community stigma); inner clinic setting (e.g. judgemental healthcare providers); characteristics of counsellors (e.g. training gaps); and the implementation process (e.g. need for demand creation). The Design and Build workshops included 13 AGYW and 15 KIs. Implementation barriers related to the quality and accessibility of public‐sector clinic services, lay counsellor training, and community education and demand creation activities were prioritized. This led to 12 key Friendship Bench adaptations and the specification of 10 implementation strategies that were acceptable and feasible in initial pilot testing with three AGYW. Conclusions: Using a human‐centred approach, we identified determinants and potential solutions for integrating mental health interventions within PrEP services for South African AGYW. This design process centred stakeholders' perspectives, enabling rapid development of an adapted Friendship Bench intervention implementation package. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Issues Addressed: The increase of youth vaping in Australia has raised concerns, especially with increasing promotions of vaping products. We observed the visibility of vaping products near high‐adolescent‐traffic areas. Methods: We examined stores within walking distance of high schools and the central business district (CBD) in Brisbane, Australia, observing the number and proportion of stores selling or displaying vaping products. Using an observational approach, we analysed advertisements and open displays of vaping products at tobacconists, vape stores, and convenience stores. Results: We identified 61 eligible stores located near schools or in the CBD. Overall, 20% of stores displayed vaping products externally, with higher proportions among vape stores (78%) compared to tobacconists (36%). Additionally, 46% of stores had visible interior displays, with vape stores (89%) displaying them more frequently than tobacconists (71%). Among the 28 stores displaying vaping products, 57% included warnings, one store featured only flavoured products, and 25% showcased nicotine‐containing products. Youth‐appealing features were present in all but one store, with cartoons (61%) as the most common feature. Conclusion: Vapes were displayed near high schools and in the city, often featuring youth‐appealing features, such as colours and flavours. So What?: The exposure to such promotions could normalise vaping and contribute to increased youth uptake. Continued monitoring of vaping product promotions is essential, particularly considering recent policy changes. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Aim: Type 1 diabetes (T1D) increases the risk of morbidity and mortality from cardiovascular disease, and insufficient sleep is prevalent. Emerging evidence suggests a link between sleep and cardiometabolic health, but this has not been examined across the lifespan in individuals with T1D. We aimed to examine associations between sleep and cardiometabolic health in adolescents and adults with T1D in a secondary analysis of data from a 4‐week double‐blind, random‐order, placebo‐controlled crossover trial of bromocriptine quick release (BCQR) therapy with a 4‐week washout in between conditions. Materials and Methods: Forty‐two adults (19‐60 years) and 42 adolescents (12‐18 years) with T1D >9 months completed 1 week of home monitoring with wrist‐worn actigraphy to estimate sleep duration and continuous glucose monitoring, anthropometrics, arterial stiffness, magnetic resonance imaging (adolescents only), and fasting laboratory testing at each treatment phase. Results: Sixty‐two per cent of adolescents and 74% of adults obtained <7 h of sleep per night at baseline. After adjustment for age, sex and diabetes duration, baseline sleep <7 h per night was associated with a higher body mass index, a higher waist circumference, a higher systolic blood pressure, worse arterial stiffness and a lower estimated insulin sensitivity (all p <.05). When examined by age group, associations between sleep duration and cardiometabolic health outcomes remained significant, predominantly for adolescents. In adolescents only, wake time was significantly later (p =.027) and time in bed was significantly longer with BCQR versus placebo (p =.049). Conclusions: Objectively measured sleep <7 h per night was prevalent in adolescents and adults with T1D and associated with poorer cardiometabolic health markers. Small changes in sleep were seen following BCQR treatment in adolescents only. Sleep may be an important and novel target for improving cardiometabolic health in individuals with T1D. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Adolescence is marked by the onset of puberty, which is associated with an increase in mental health difficulties, particularly in girls. Social and self‐referential processes also develop during this period: adolescents become more aware of others' perspectives, and judgements about themselves become less favourable. In the current study, data from 119 girls (from London, UK) aged 9–16 years were collected at two‐time points (between 2019 and 2021) to investigate the relationship between puberty and difficulties in mental health and emotion regulation, as well as the role of self‐referential and social processing in this relationship. Structural equation modelling showed that advanced pubertal status predicted greater mental health and emotion regulation difficulties, including depression and anxiety, rumination and overall difficulties in emotion regulation, and in mental health and behaviour. Advanced pubertal status also predicted greater perspective‐taking abilities and negative self‐schemas. Exploratory analyses showed that negative self‐schemas mediated the relationships between puberty and rumination, overall emotion regulation difficulties, and depression (although these effects were small and would not survive correction for multiple comparisons). The results suggest that advanced pubertal status is associated with higher mental health and emotion regulation problems during adolescence and that negative self‐schemas may play a role in this association. Research Highlights: This study investigates the relationship between puberty, mental health, emotion regulation difficulties, and social and self‐referential processing in girls aged 9–16 years.Advanced pubertal status was associated with worse mental health and greater emotion regulation difficulties, better perspective‐taking abilities and negative self‐schemas.Negative self‐schemas may play a role in the relationships between advanced pubertal status and depression, and advanced pubertal status and emotion regulation difficulties, including rumination. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Throughout his career, John Schulenberg challenged us to understand adolescent development as the confluence of distal and proximal experiences along with critical transitions. Heeding this call, we examined whether chronic childhood peer victimization predicted adolescents' depressive symptoms via early‐emerging depression growth trajectories, continued victimization into adolescence, and stress‐amplification at the middle school transition. Self‐reported depressive symptoms and teacher‐reported and self‐reported peer victimization were obtained from 636 youth (338 girls; Mage = 7.96 years, 66.7% White, 21.7% Black, 11.6% other) in the 2nd–9th grades. Latent growth curve analyses revealed that, by 7th grade, chronic childhood peer victimization was associated with depressive symptoms only through an indirect association with peer victimization in adolescence, underscoring how interrelated historical and ongoing interpersonal stressors contribute to adolescent psychopathology. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

There is a research gap in understanding the relationship between nutrient deficiency and food insecurity among adolescent girls in Afghanistan. The objective of this study was to investigate the associations between nutrient deficiencies and food insecurity among middle and high school‐aged girls in Kabul. We conducted a cross‐sectional study of 380 randomly selected 11–18‐year‐old girls attending public schools in grades 6–12. We assessed girls' food insecurity, food and nutrient intake, socioeconomic status, and physical activity. Nutrient consumption was calculated using Nutritionist IV software. Statistical analyses, including one‐way analysis of variance, Chi‐square tests, and t‐tests, were used to assess the association between dietary intake and food insecurity. More than half (52.9%) of the participants were food insecure, with 35.8% experiencing hunger and 17.1% without hunger. Vitamin B3, C, selenium, and iron had the highest sensitivity, specificity, and accuracy and were the best indicators of food insecurity with and without hunger. The most prevalent nutrient deficiencies were vitamin B9 and E, calcium, magnesium, and zinc inadequacies. Food security was positively associated with fruit, vitamins E and K, dairy products (e.g., milk, yogurt, and cheese), meat products (e.g., chicken, meat, red meat, and egg), and nut intake. Our findings suggest that adolescent girls in Kabul may benefit from food programs that enrich nutrients such as B9 and E, calcium, magnesium, and zinc, which were found to be the most prevalent nutrient deficiencies. These findings highlight the importance of addressing food insecurity and nutrient deficiencies among adolescent girls in Afghanistan. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Aim: To evaluate changes in body mass index (BMI) in girls during and after treatment for idiopathic central precocious puberty (iCPP). Methods: We studied 123 girls receiving gonadotropin‐releasing hormone analogue (GnRHa)treatment for iCPP from 2009 to 2019. Pubertal and anthropometric measurements were monitored at routine clinical visits. BMI standard deviation scores (SDS) were estimated at baseline and followed in two stages from baseline to end of treatment (median 18.9 months) and from end of treatment to end of follow‐up (median 18.2 months). The influence of baseline BMI SDS and the frequency and dose of treatment was evaluated using BMI trajectories and latent class mixed models. Results: The median age at treatment initiation was 8.5 years. The median BMI SDS at baseline was 0.7, corresponding to a median BMI of 17.4 kg/m2. Overall, no changes in BMI SDS were observed during treatment. According to baseline BMI subgroups, an increasing trend in BMI trajectories during treatment was observed for girls in the lowest BMI group. After treatment, most girls maintained stable BMI levels. Conclusion: Our retrospective study did not provide evidence that GnRHa treatment for iCPP had a significant impact on BMI trajectories in girls. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Objective: During the process of transition from paediatric to adult health care, counselling concerning fertility is an important issue and is based mainly on serum markers of gonadal function. Here, we analysed these markers in adolescents with various underlying endocrine diseases at the time of transition. Methods: After reaching near adult height and late puberty (girls: bone age [BA] ≥14 years, and boys: BA ≥16 years), we assessed stages of puberty according to Tanner and measured testes or ovarian volumes and serum markers of gonadal function (anti‐Mullerian hormone [AMH], inhibin B, 17β‐estradiol, testosterone). Results: One hundred and ten patients (56 females and 54 males) were included from May 2010 to March 2016 with multiple pituitary hormone deficiency (MPHD; n = 17), growth hormone deficiency (GHD; n = 35), Turner syndrome (TS; n = 27), short stature after being born small for gestational age (SGA; n = 20) and Klinefelter syndrome (KS; n = 11). Female and male adolescents exhibited mature secondary sexual characteristics. The levels of serum inhibin B and AMH were lower in TS and female MPHD than in GHD and SGA, each independently (p < 0.05). The levels of serum AMH were higher whereas serum inhibin B were lower in male MPHD and KS (p < 0.05). Ovary volumes were significantly smaller in patients with TS, and testicular volumes were smaller in patients with KS. Conclusions: After current established treatments with sex steroids, the development of secondary sexual characteristics was mature. However, impaired markers of fertility have been identified in patients with TS, KS and MPHD, reflecting gonadal dysgenesis in TS and KS, but gonadal immaturity in MPHD as gonadal gonadotropin stimulation is lacking throughout development. Consequently, in patients with MPHD, these markers cannot reliably predict individual fertility, which warrants consideration and incorporation in future treatment concepts. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The article discusses a rare case of isolated fallopian tube torsion in a 14-year-old girl presenting with acute pelvic pain. The patient underwent emergency laparoscopy, where the right fallopian tube was untwisted successfully. The diagnosis and treatment of isolated tubal torsion in adolescent girls can be challenging due to misleading clinical presentations, emphasizing the importance of early recognition and management to preserve fertility. The study highlights the need for increased awareness among healthcare providers to improve the care of young patients with this condition. [Extracted from the article]

This study aimed to examine the processes of intergenerational transmission of attitudes toward migrant integration policies in families with adolescents. Participants included 809 adolescents (Mage = 15.61, range: 13.87–20.04 years), 545 fathers (Mage = 51.19, range: 38–77 years), and 716 mothers (Mage = 48.11, range: 33–68 years) involved in a longitudinal study with two assessments and a time‐lag of 1 year between them. Each family member completed the Attitudes towards Migrant Integration Policies scale. In addition, adolescents reported their perception of discussion of current events with parents and the level of support they receive from them. The cross‐lagged model highlighted a unidirectional transmission, with fathers' but not mothers' attitudes toward migrant integration policies influencing adolescents' attitudes. Furthermore, it has been examined which factors can either amplify or reduce the strength of intergenerational transmission processes considering individual characteristics of both adolescents (i.e., sex, age) and their parents (i.e., political orientation), and cultural (i.e., family, ethnic background) and relational (i.e., discussion of current events, perceived support from fathers and mothers) family characteristics. Individual factors (i.e., fathers' political orientation) and family relational characteristics (i.e., perceived support from fathers) moderated the transmission processes. The transmission was bidirectional when fathers reported being left‐wing and politically oriented and stronger when adolescents reported high support from their fathers. Thus, this study underscores the complexity of the family context, highlighting that the transmission of inclusive attitudes does not always operate in one way (e.g., from parents to children) or another, but in some cases, simultaneously. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Introduction: Early life stress is linked to childhood obesity. As children enter adolescence, early life stress may be associated with increased rejection sensitivity, resulting in activation of behavioral and physiological changes that contribute to higher body mass index (BMI). Understanding the potential influence of rejection sensitivity on the association between early life stress and BMI is important to examine in female adolescents. For this secondary data analysis, we hypothesized that female adolescents with greater early life stress and greater rejection sensitivity would exhibit higher BMI‐for‐age 12 months later. Methods: Seventy‐eight adolescents (Mage = 13.1 years; 100% female sex; MBMI = 23.2 kg/m2) in the United States completed study procedures from 2012 to 2016. Among these procedures, the Psychosocial Schedule was used to assess cumulative early life stress and the Children's Rejection Sensitivity Questionnaire was used to assess anger and anxiety in response to rejection. Twelve months later, height and weight were measured to derive BMI‐for‐age. Results: Higher early life stress was associated with higher BMI‐for‐age among female adolescents with low rejection‐provoked anger (1 SD below the mean). However, this association was not observed among female adolescents with high rejection‐provoked anger (1 SD above the mean). Finally, there was no significant interaction between early life stress and rejection‐provoked anxiety in predicting BMI‐for‐age. Conclusions: Experiencing early life stress may interact with rejection‐provoked anger, but not anxiety, to predict BMI‐for‐age. Findings inform a developmental perspective of how rejection sensitivity may influence the association between early life stress and early cardiometabolic risk. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Introduction: Research suggests that girls who reach menarche at an early age are at greater risk for negative sexual and reproductive health (SRH) outcomes than their later‐maturing counterparts, but very little research has examined this issue in sub‐Saharan Africa, especially in West Africa. The goal of the current study was to determine whether early menarche was associated with any SRH outcomes in a sample of Ghanaian girls. Methods: The study data were drawn from the baseline assessment of a longitudinal study involving two age cohorts (13–14 and 18–19 years) of 700 adolescent girls from Ghana. Logistic regressions were used to assess the association between early menarche (before age 13) and seven SRH outcomes (adolescent sexual activity, early sexual initiation, inconsistent condom use, transactional sex, sexual violence, multiple sexual partners, and adolescent pregnancy). Results: Early menarche was significantly associated with adolescent sexual activity (odds ratio [OR] = 6.4; 95% confidence interval [CI] 2.1–19.7), and sexual violence (OR = 3.2; 95% CI 1.6–6.2) in the younger cohort and early sexual initiation (OR = 3.2; 95% CI 1.19–8.61) and multiple sexual partners (OR = 3.7; 95% CI 1.39–9.87) in the older cohort. Early menarche was also associated with transactional sex and teen pregnancy in the full sample. Conclusions: These findings suggest the need for special attention to the needs of early‐maturing girls in SRH programming. Interventions are needed to delay adolescent sexual activity in girls with early menarche. Efforts to prevent sexual violence among adolescent girls in Ghana may benefit from targeting and addressing the specific needs of early‐maturing girls. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Clinical presentations of child and adolescent psychopathology can vary systematically for boys and girls. While network analysis is increasingly being applied to explore psychopathology in adults, there is a dearth of network studies considering differences in symptoms for boys and girls, particularly in developmental trauma‐related symptomatology. Methods: This study involves rural children (n = 375, 39.47% girls) and adolescents (n = 291, 51.20% girls) involved with child protection services in Ontario, Canada. Caregivers completed the Assessment Checklist for Children or Adolescents within the first 6 months of care. Psychometric network analyses were conducted using subscales for boys and girls. Differences were examined via network comparison permutation tests, moderated network models, and independent t‐tests. Results: Attachment‐related interpersonal difficulties were the most central nodes in the child and adolescent networks for both boys and girls. Emotional dysregulation also had high strength centrality for adolescents. While network comparison tests found the overall network structures and global network strength to be invariant between boys and girls for children and adolescents, moderated network models and independent t‐tests revealed several differences with regards to the expression of specific symptoms. Among children, girls exhibited more indiscriminate and pseudomature interpersonal behaviors, whereas boys expressed significantly more non‐reciprocal interpersonal behaviors and self‐injury. Adolescent girls exhibited more behavioral dysregulation and suicide discourse in the moderated network model; t‐tests also indicated higher levels of emotional dysregulation, negative self‐image, and other items considered clinically important complex trauma symptoms (e.g., distrust of adults, confused belonging). Discussion: This study supports evidence of differences in the expression of complex trauma symptomatology for boys and girls. Additionally, girls exhibit more symptoms, in general. Consistent with the transdiagnostic conceptualization of the consequences of developmental trauma, findings demonstrate the primacy of attachment‐specific difficulties and emotion dysregulation. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Girls of color are overrepresented in the juvenile legal system and experience high levels of unmet needs. Assessing and meeting girls' needs may prevent system contact or deeper involvement by providing for these needs in community‐based settings, rather than through juvenile legal systems. This study used a structured interview‐based assessment adapted from an advocacy intervention to examine girls' self‐identified needs and perceived effectiveness and difficulty of accessing resources for these needs. Descriptive analyses found that girls reported needing resources beyond those typically assessed and supported in existing programming, such as technology, extracurriculars, and employment. Latent class analysis revealed four subgroups of girls with distinct but overlapping areas of needs: (1) High Employment, Current School, and Logistical Needs, (2) Low Overall Needs, (3) High Employment Needs, and (4) High Employment, Current School, and Social/Emotional Needs. Girls also reported wide variation in their ability and difficulty accessing needed resources, with employment being most difficult to access and school and social/emotional resources being the easiest to access. These findings suggest that more comprehensive and individualized approaches to programming and community services for system‐impacted girls of color are essential. Highlights: System‐impacted girls of color have a wider variety of resource needs than previously examined.Almost half of girls needed employment resources, which are often missing from programming.All girls shared common needs, but subgroups reported distinct needs (e.g., legal).Girls reported wide variation in their ability to access different resources in their communities. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

While aspiring to be a diverse and global science, developmental science continues to be dominated by EuroAmerican epistemologies, researchers, and communities in its published scholarship. Adolescents in communities across Africa, Asia, the Middle East, and Latin America comprise 85% of the world's adolescent population, and yet their experiences and perspectives are marginalized in our science. Adolescents in the Majority World live in highly diverse social, cultural, political, economic, educational and healthcare contexts that contribute to their development, and we have much to learn from their experiences. This article situates the marginalization of the global majority within coloniality embedded in developmental science. The article describes the impetus for this special issue Towards a decolonial developmental science and the process of putting it together, along with providing an overview of the 18 articles in this collection that push us towards decoloniality. The special issue serves as a call to transform developmental science to be decolonial by empowering adolescent development in Majority World communities to take center stage. Adolescent development research from Majority World communities has the potential to challenge the knowledge base generated from Minority World samples, contributing to a science that is comprehensive, inclusive, and can inform prevention and intervention efforts to support the well‐being of adolescents globally. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The field of developmental science explores the rich interplay between individuals and their contexts, which dynamically shift across time and place. In Asia, context‐specific research and practice are essential for promoting culturally relevant program and policy approaches to improving adolescent well‐being. This involves critically examining how localized social structures and power dynamics shape individual experiences and outcomes. The landscape for Asian adolescents today differs significantly from that of previous generations due to rapid changes in these structures, and societal transformation has created the opportunity for traditional and modern values to coexist. This commentary draws across articles from this special issue to describe the dynamics of adolescent‐context relations across diverse Asian contexts using developmental science methods. This includes interrogating risk factors, opportunities, and trajectories for adolescents growing up in non‐Western settings while also questioning the application of Western, adult‐centric discourses on adolescent well‐being globally. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Research on adolescence from the Majority World possesses major hidden potential in contributing to global adolescent research and developmental science more broadly. In this commentary, the authors (1) describe the background and the process through which this special issue came into fruition, (2) introduce the emic approaches to study the influences of macro‐contextual variations on developmental science and provide several pertinent examples on the contributions of Majority World research, (3) elaborate on challenges and barriers that Majority World scholars often face in conducting and disseminating their research, and (4) a few actionable steps and recommendations in promoting the representation and inclusion of Majority World research into global developmental science. Only when our field fully integrates findings from all regions of the world will we be able to develop a fundamental scientific representation and understanding of what it means to be an adolescent, how adolescents develop over time, and what tasks or phenomena in adolescent development are truly universal or specific to particular groups, regions, or areas. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Exposure to risk factors and adversity may cause immediate, and sometimes prolonged, psychological symptoms in adolescents. Identifying universal and specific risk factors in a particular context and examining their cumulative effects is crucial for understanding the mechanisms underlying psychological symptoms and informing about strategies for intervention. Using concurrent measures, the current study aimed to examine the role of armed conflict experiences and cumulation of other risk factors (e.g., maternal psychological symptoms, socioeconomic indicators) in predicting adolescent psychological symptoms in an underresearched community. The sample included 161 adolescents (54.7% female) aged 11–14 years (M = 12.36, SD = 1.27) and their mothers living in the east of Turkey. The cumulative risk index was calculated by summing the standardized scores of the corresponding factors. Hierarchical multiple regression analyses were conducted to predict internalizing and externalizing symptoms among adolescents by introducing demographic variables (age, gender) in the first step, armed conflict experiences and cumulative risk in the second step, and their interaction in the final step. Results showed that the levels of internalizing and externalizing symptoms were predicted by gender, armed conflict experience and cumulative risk. Being a girl was associated with higher levels of internalizing symptoms and lower levels of externalizing symptoms. Higher levels of internalizing and externalizing symptoms were predicted by exposure to armed and cumulative risk. After controlling for other factors, the interaction of armed conflict experience and cumulative risk significantly predicted externalizing, but not internalizing symptoms. These findings suggested that cumulative risk was a stronger predictor of psychological symptoms, and further amplified the strength of the association between armed conflict experiences and externalizing symptoms. These findings can be used in the formulation of intervention strategies and policies to promote psychological well‐being in adolescents living in armed conflict zones under multiple risks. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]