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Anxiety disorders are highly prevalent globally and it is much more prevalent among adolescents because of their exposure to a variety of stressors. Research shows that emotional and biopsychosocial well-being changes over the course of their schooling, with a general increase in anxiety, highlighting the need to further investigate the risk factors that contribute to worry and anxiety symptoms among college student populations. In Mauritius, there has been a rise in the number of adolescents who are recipients of psychiatric treatments at the local government hospitals as well as an increase in the number of cases reported to the school authorities. The present study aimed to identify the causal factors of anxiety among adolescents, and its effects in the educational context. Further, the role of educational social workers in overcoming anxiety was explored and the aim was achieved using the exploratory approach. A focus group discussion using a semistructured questionnaire was conducted with ten (10) people including educational social workers and educational psychologists recruited through convenience sampling. A thematic analysis of the data shows academic anxiety as an emerging factor, followed by bullying and lastly, family issues. The findings revealed impacts at the school level such as students' inability to concentrate in class, non-participative and also showing emotional distress. While educational social workers provide counselling to students and parents, a need for teacher empowerment and peer counselling are proposed as future avenues.

Little is known about OCD in people with learning disabilities (LD) in general and in terms of current and professional support. In this study, we examined caregivers' perceived challenges and strategies practiced in institutionalized settings in managing OCD in people with LD and derived implications for research and practice. We studied individual cases of people with LD (n = 7). Each case included group discussions (n = 28) and semistructured interviews with caregivers (n = 20). We used qualitative content analysis to analyze the data. Our findings reveal the following challenges for caregivers: recognizing and classifying ambiguous behaviors, recognizing emotional well-being and needs through nonverbal signals, finding and applying effective strategies, being unqualified regarding additional needs, managing inappropriate institutionalized conditions, and lacking external specialization. We identified five strategies for dealing with compulsive behavior: tolerating and allowing, accepting and supporting, involving, limiting the compulsive act, and stopping the act. Collaboration among psychiatric, therapeutic, and caregivers in institutionalized settings is critical for early identification and support of OCD. Challenges arise from caregivers' lack of training on the additional needs of people with LD and OCD, highlighting the urgent need for disorder-specific guidelines for identification and support.

This article aimed to investigate the relationship between technostress and anxiety disorder in Brazilian public higher education students during the COVID-19 pandemic. The quantitative study was based on primary data (n = 1981) collected through the structured questionnaire of a population of Brazilian public higher education students. Partial least squares structural equation modelling method and multigroup analysis were used for data analyses and to compare the constructs. Of the five dimensions of technostress analysed, techno-uncertainty and techno-complexity did not influence generalized anxiety disorder. Nonetheless, the results demonstrated that technostress was present in the lives of the students studied, demonstrating significant relationships with generalized anxiety disorder. Therefore, this study presents relevant reflections regarding prolonged exposure and additional factors that technology influenced students' quality of life, thus generating strategic alignments to improve the mental health of students who went through the remote teaching process imposed by the COVID-19 pandemic.

This study examined the relationships between current anxiety problems and school engagement, community service or volunteer work, and paid work among U.S. adolescents. The 2018-2019 National Survey of Children's Health (NSCH) dataset was analyzed and included 24,609 adolescents ages 12-17 years. We conducted unadjusted and adjusted logistic regression analyzes. A total of 12.6% of adolescents had healthcare provider-confirmed current anxiety problems. Adolescents with current anxiety were at decreased odds of engaging in school (aOR = 0.35, 95%CI = 0.29, 0.41) and participating in community service or volunteer work (aOR = 0.72, 95%CI = 0.59, 0.86) compared to adolescents without current anxiety. Adolescents with current anxiety were at increased odds of participating in paid work (OR = 1.18, 95%CI = 1.01, 1.38). This study reports that U.S. adolescents with anxiety were less likely to engage in school and participate in community service or volunteer work, but were more likely to participate in paid work compared to their peers without anxiety. Results should inform future interventions targeting adolescents.

This research focuses on ego-focused self-image goals as central to understanding the vulnerability inherent in perfectionism and the link that perfectionism has with poorer health and emotional well-being. The present study expands theory and research on perfectionism from a unique motivational perspective through a longitudinal investigation of perfectionism, the pursuit of self-image goals related to self-improvement, and mental and physical health among 187 university students. Our central finding was that trait and self-presentational perfectionism were associated longitudinally with self-image goals and poorer mental and physical health. Longitudinal analyses showed that perfectionistic self-presentation predicted subsequent self-image goals, controlling for initial self-image goals. Additionally, self-image goals were associated with worse mental and physical health and greater loneliness and social anxiety. Collectively, our results illustrate the benefits of assessing problematic personal goals in perfectionism and the need to revise existing motivational accounts by recognizing the important role ego-involved goals play in guiding much of what perfectionists do and how they act in their daily lives.

Background: The aim of this feasibility study was to adapt and model a behavioural intervention for anxiety with autistic adults with moderate to severe intellectual disabilities. Method: Twenty-eight autistic adults with moderate or severe intellectual disabilities, 37 carers, and 40 therapists took part in this single-group non-randomised feasibility study designed to test intervention feasibility and acceptability, outcome measures, and research processes. Results: The intervention was judged as feasible and acceptable by autistic adults with intellectual disabilities, carers, and therapists. Minor intervention revisions were suggested. Carers completed 100% of outcome measures and the missing data rate was low. Complying with legislation governing the inclusion of participants who lack capacity to decide whether they wanted to take part in this study led to an average 5-week enrolment delay. Conclusion: The intervention and associated study processes were judged to be feasible and acceptable and should now be tested within a larger randomised trial.

Emphasis on continuous infant sleep overnight may be driven by parental concern of risk to child mental health outcomes. The Mercy Pregnancy and Emotional Wellbeing Study (MPEWS) examined whether infant sleep at 6 and 12 months postpartum predicts anxiety disorders at 2-4 years, and whether this is moderated by maternal depression, active physical comforting (APC) or maternal cognitions about infant sleep. Data included 349 women and infants. Infant sleep was measured using the Brief Infant Sleep Questionnaire and child anxiety disorders by the Preschool Age Psychiatric Assessment. The risk of developing generalised anxiety or social phobia disorders at 3-4 years was reduced by 42% (p = 0.001) and 31% (p = 0.001), respectively, for a one standard deviation increase in total sleep at 12 months. No other infant sleep outcomes were associated. Maternal depression, APC and cognitions about infant sleep did not significantly moderate these relationships. Focus may need to be on total infant sleep, rather than when sleep is achieved.

The Kessler Psychological Distress Scale (K-10) is widely utilized to assess non-specific psychological distress. However, when applied to COVID-19 pandemic experiences, its psychometric properties have not been examined. This study investigated the factor structure, reliability, and latent profile of K-10 using data from 3032 Filipino teachers who reflected on their pandemic-related adversity prior to completing K-10. Confirmatory factor analyses were conducted to evaluate five extant models of the K-10's structure, supporting the two-factor model (i.e., anxiety and depression) as best fitting the data. Both factors showed excellent internal reliability, and criterion-related validity was supported by correlations with anxiety and depression measures. Latent profile analysis revealed a four-class solution, identifying four distinct levels of distress severity. Overall, the contextualized K-10 demonstrated sound psychometric properties, which corroborates and extends its reliability and validity as a measure of pandemic-related distress. Further, the results offer insights into the dimensionality and distress profiles of the K-10 among teachers. Broadly, the findings highlight the importance of valid instruments in assessing contextualized psychological distress.

Despite widespread evidence-based treatments for addressing internalizing concerns, many youth do not demonstrate reliable or clinically meaningful improvement. Regular progress monitoring, consisting of measurement and feedback, offers the opportunity to improve outcomes in real time. The 21-item Depression Anxiety and Stress Scales (DASS-21; Lovibond & Lovibond, 1995) has potential as a progress-monitoring tool for internalizing concerns in youth; however, limited psychometric data are available to support this use. The purpose of this study was to investigate the dependability of data obtained from the DASS-21 when completed by adolescents in a clinical setting. This study also aimed to understand the feasibility and utility of using the DASS-21 as a progress-monitoring tool from youth and clinicians' perspectives. Generalizability and dependability analyses were conducted to determine the number of ratings needed to obtain a dependable estimate of youth functioning within 1 week. Whereas two daily ratings were needed to dependably estimate total distress, results for the depression, anxiety, and stress subscales indicated that two to five data points would be needed over the course of the week. Finally, results demonstrate the usability of the DASS-21 from both youth and clinician perspectives when used in a progress-monitoring context.

It is known that individuals use the internet more to escape from the psychological problems they encounter in daily life during the pandemic. Besides, it is also known that individuals with personality traits such as neuroticism and extraversion might be prone to internet addiction due to poor communication skills. It is important to determine the relationship between the internet usage characteristics and the mental state of nursing students so that students can provide better quality health services in their education and professional processes. The present study aimed to determine the relationship between internet addiction and personality traits, stress, and obsessive-compulsive symptoms among nursing students during the pandemic. This study includes 528 nursing students. The Young's Internet Addiction Test (YIAT), the Vancouver Obsessive-Compulsive Inventory (VOCI), the Eysenck Personality Inventory (EPI), and the Perceived Stress Scale (PSS) were used for data collection between August and October 2021. It was found that there was a statistically significant and positive correlation between the students' YIAT mean scores and the EPI neuroticism sub-dimension, VOCI all sub-dimensions, and PSS mean scores (p < 0.05). In addition, the mean scores of the PSS and EPI were predictors of the YIAT total score (R = 0.550, R[superscript 2] = 0.233, p < 0.05). Considering these results, it is necessary to prevent the negative effects of the COVID-19 pandemic on the psychosocial health of individuals. Psychological counseling can be offered to provide protective factors during the pandemic period.

Anxiety disorders are common and negatively impact students' social, behavioral, and academic functioning. However, most students with anxiety do not receive needed assistance. The current study evaluated the feasibility and preliminary impact of a brief school-home elementary teacher-administered intervention for reducing student anxiety. Seventy-eight elementary teachers in New England were randomly assigned to be trained and deliver the Teacher Anxiety Program for Elementary Students (TAPES; a five-meeting school-home intervention) or a control condition (Teacher Anxiety Training, TAT). Students (N = 54) were ages 5-11 (mean age 8.0; 78% White; 46% female). Feasibility results indicated that 72% of trained teachers enrolled a student and teachers assigned to TAPES completed a modal number of 5/5 school-home meetings. Teacher fidelity ratings across the five TAPES meetings were adequate. Students in TAPES versus TAT demonstrated greater improvements in anxiety at post-intervention (but not follow-up) based on independent evaluator ratings. On student, teacher, and parent-report measures, students in both groups showed significant improvement over time. Findings suggest that training teachers to identify and assist students with anxiety using a brief intervention appears feasible and shows promise for reducing anxiety and related impairment. Addressing barriers to teacher training and intervention implementation are paramount.

Purpose: Using data from a randomized clinical trial evaluating cognitive behavioral therapy (CBT) for children with autism and co-occurring anxiety, this study examined the relationship between autism features and anxiety symptoms throughout CBT. Methods: Two multilevel mediation analyses were run which examined the mediating role of changes in anxiety for changes in two core features of autism: (a) repetitive and restrictive behaviors (RRBs); and (b) social communication/interaction impairments, between pre- and post-treatment. Results: Indirect effects between time and autism characteristics were significant for both models, indicating that as anxiety changes, so do RRBs and social communication/interaction as the outcomes respectively. Conclusion: Findings suggest a bidirectional relationship between anxiety and autism features. Implications of these findings are discussed.

Currently, self-report measures are the primary assessment tool for anxiety disorders. Since they have some limitations, alternative measurements, such as language-based measures, are worth investigating. This paper explores which language markers signal anxiety in fictitious stories written in response to four Thematic Apperception Test (TAT) cards. Participants (n = 492) from a non-probabilistic convenience sample were asked to write a short story next to each TAT card after completing the Generalized Anxiety Disorder-7. We used RoLIWC2015 to conduct the text analysis and applied the LASSO method to identify which language markers predict anxiety. The results showed that the respondents scoring high on anxiety also tend to use more words expressing negative emotions, and fewer words expressing positive emotions. Moreover, their language contained a higher frequency of words that implied semantic differentiation (i.e., but, else) and a lower frequency of words indicating leisure. In conclusion, this paper aims to shed new light on the multimethod assessment of anxiety, mainly focused on specific language signatures as reliable predictors of anxiety symptoms. Further research using more extensive text data is recommended to discover more linguistic markers and improve prediction accuracy.

Objective: To use a family genetic study to evaluate familial risk of obsessive compulsive disorder (OCD) and common comorbid illnesses in first-degree relatives of pediatric-onset probands with primary OCD. Method: One hundred and thirty youth with OCD and their 133 siblings and 241 parents and 49 pediatric controls were directly evaluated along multiple domains including psychopathology using structured diagnostic interviews and clinical corroboration. Results: Rates of anxiety, mood, disruptive behavior, and tic disorders were markedly elevated in the probands while rates in siblings were elevated at rates between the probands and controls. Twenty six percent of first-degree relatives had clinical OCD, 9% had chronic tics or Tourette's disorder, and 21% met criteria for ADHD. Conclusion: Rates of familial transmission of OCD and common comorbid illnesses were significantly higher in our pediatric-onset probands than rates reported in the literature in relatives of those with adult-onset OCD.

Objective: We examined the relative contribution of parental bipolar disorder (BPD) and psychiatric comorbidities (disruptive behavior disorders [DBD] and anxiety disorders) in predicting psychiatric symptoms and disorders in 2-5-year-old offspring. Methods: Participants were 60 families with a parent with BPD and 78 offspring and 70 comparison families in which neither parent had a mood disorder and 91 offspring. Parent and offspring diagnoses and symptoms were assessed using standardized diagnostic interviews and measures, with offspring assessors masked to parental diagnoses. Results: Offspring of parents with BPD had significant elevations in behavioral, mood and anxiety disorders and symptoms. Both parental BPD and DBD contributed to elevations in child disruptive behavioral symptoms, whereas child anxiety symptoms were more strongly predicted by comorbid parental anxiety. Parental BPD was a stronger predictor than comorbid DBD of child DBDs. Conclusion: Some of the elevated risk for disorders in preschoolers is accounted for by parental comorbidity.

The role of the parents is crucial in the children's effective functioning, having a long-term effect on the physical, mental and social health of the individuals. Sense of coherence is one of the most important elements of mental health, having a significant effect on the various aspects of life. So do parental goal emphasis by setting the main directions for the children. The current survey aimed to study the impact of sense of coherence and the perceived parental goal emphasis for teenagers' anxiety disorder. 80 of these students (40 suffering from anxiety disorder and 40 normal individuals) were selected due to a questionnaire about anxiety and sampling method, considering the goal of the research. The sense of coherence questionnaire was filled by students' mothers, and to understand parents, the perceived parental goal emphasis questionnaire was filled by the students themselves. The results were calculated and analysed by a statistical program called SPSS (V.20) with MANOVA on the Dependent variables test. The results indicate that the sense of coherence was different in two groups of mothers and students than anxiety disorder and normal individuals. It shows that sense of coherence had a higher rate in normal students' mothers. Also, the orientation senses of parents and its component had a huge superiority over students with an anxiety disorder than normal.

This research aims to determine the social anxiety levels of pre-service teachers who use social media using latent profile analysis (LPA) and to reveal whether the covariates (Gender, age, socio-economic status, place of residence, membership durations to social media sites, daily social media usage time, and the number of friends in social media environments) determined in the research are related to profiles. In the descriptive survey study, 249 pre-service teachers formed the study group. The data were obtained using the Social Anxiety Scale for Social Media Users. The social anxiety of pre-service teachers using social media was determined as two profiles: Profile-1 (n = 191; 77%: Low Anxiety) and Profile-2 (n = 58; 23%: High Anxiety). Multinomial logistic regression analysis was performed to determine how covariates differ in profile memberships. As a result of the analysis showed that age, socio-economic status, membership durations to social media sites, daily social media usage times, and the number of friends in social media environments did not differentiate profile memberships. On the other hand, according to gender, it is seen that males experience less social media anxiety than females. In addition, pre-service teachers living in metropolitan cities have less social media anxiety.

Mental health concerns among K-12 students are prevalent, including students who present with complex conditions such as Obsessive-compulsive disorder (OCD) (Moon et al., 2017). The Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders (DSM-5-TR) explains that "characteristic symptoms of OCD are the presence of obsessions and/or compulsions" (American Psychological Association [APA], 2022, p. 263). The DSM defines obsessions as "repetitive and persistent thoughts, images, or urges. Compulsions (or rituals) are repetitive behaviors or mental acts" (APA, 2022, p.267). To examine school mental health, this study uses a multi-disciplinary lens including both education and mental health to investigate teachers' understanding of OCD, their perceived abilities to teach and support students with OCD, and factors that impact their potential abilities. Using a quantitative approach to provide interpretations of teachers' perceptions, results highlight implications for both in-service and pre-service development related to mental illness and potential collaboration between general and special education teachers, school counselors, and school psychologists.

Psychological Distress Comorbid with Suicidal Episodes (PDCSE) is one of the most common occurrences among college students. Protocols could guide the treatment of such disorders. Therefore, this study developed and provided parameters for assessing the effectiveness, acceptability, and feasibility of Cognitive Resilience Training (CRT) using a parallel Group Randomized Trial (GRT) among students with symptoms of anxiety, depression, and suicidal ideation. This protocol study adopted a one-year, single-blind, parallel group-randomized trial (GRT). A total of 60 students were enrolled using randomized block calculations in the Servicios de Atención Psicológica Universitario (SUAPSI) of the Universidad Autónoma de Ciudad Juárez (UACJ), Juárez, Mexico. Data will be collected using a questionnaire pack comprising the general anxiety disorder-2, patient health questionnaire-2, Plutchik suicide risk scale, brief resilience scale, competence scale for psychoeducation, and psychotherapy-specific treatment satisfaction scales. The expected results of this study are that participants will improve in cognitive resilience skills while reducing PDCSE. Additionally, CRT feasibility and acceptability will be ascertained using indicators such as client satisfaction scores, attendance, retention, and dropout rates of participants. This study has determined the pathway to confirm the feasibility, acceptability, and effectiveness of a cognitive resilience intervention among college students with psychological distress comorbid with suicidal episodes.

This study examines the reliability of parental concern (PC) as an indicator for mental disorders in preschool-aged children in a clinical setting, aiming to establish sensitivity and specificity, evaluate PC's predictive value for specific diagnoses, and explore the influence of child age on predictions. The sample comprises 574 children referred to child psychiatry services (mean age 47 months, 73% boys). Analyses of sensitivity and specificity for five distinct PC were conducted, while logistic regressions explored the predictive value of PC for corresponding diagnoses, accounting for child age. Language-related concerns emerged as the most frequent and accurate. Sensitivity ranged from 7% to 72%, while specificity ranged from 57% to 97%. PC demonstrated predictive validity for their corresponding diagnoses, except for motor disorders. Child age did not substantially influence these predictions. Findings suggest that systematically incorporating PC into the assessment process for preschool-aged children consulting in child psychiatry is warranted.

Autism spectrum disorder (ASD) is strongly associated with socio-cognitive impairments that may result in vulnerability to other mental health conditions, particularly anxiety disorders. This study examined the relationship between anxiety disorders and two key socio-cognitive impairments (cognitive empathy, affective empathy) in 60 adolescents (aged 11-18 years) with and without ASD. Adolescents with ASD showed cognitive empathy was negatively associated with separation anxiety disorder, whereas positive associations between affective empathy and generalized anxiety disorder, and positive marginal associations between affective empathy, social phobia, total anxiety, and separation anxiety disorder were observed. These findings suggest that cognitive and affective empathy show different patterns of associations with anxiety-related issues in ASD, and these differences should be considered for interventions and treatment programs.

Background: Children and adolescents with Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD) often experience symptoms of various mental disorders along with the characteristics that define ASD. High rates of several psychiatric disorders have been reported in people with ASD such as anxiety, depression, cognitive problems, emotional regulation difficulties and related behavioral problems can occur in children of all ages with ASD. There are many treatment programs that can help autistic persons cope with these symptoms. Cognitive and Behavioral Therapy (CBT), Information and Communication Technology (ICT) and more are treatment programs that can help people with autism recognize and manage their symptoms. Aim: This paper examines through bibliographic sources of the last 15 years the possible mental disorders that a child or adolescent with ASD may experience, as well as the therapeutic interventions that can help to manage them. Methodology: For the present bibliographic research, 15 scientific articles from English journals were used. The databases from which the scientific articles were found were PubMed, PsycINFO, MEDLINE, and Google Scholar. Results: According to the results of various studies, children and adolescents with autism show various symptoms of psychological disorders such as Anxiety Disorders, Depression and Obsessive-Compulsive Disorder. The combination of CBT and ICT can help people with autism recognize and manage their symptoms. Discussion: The various symptoms of disorders that children and adolescents with autism experience can have a major impact on their family, their daily life, their schooling, and their future work. It is of the utmost importance that these children enter into a treatment program in order to better manage and treat their symptoms. The support of the school is also very important.

Social anxiety disorder (SAD) is characterized by significant distress and avoidance surrounding social and performance situations with marked interpersonal and academic impairment. This review paper highlights cultural considerations relevant to the conceptualization, identification and treatment of SAD in Black youth. Research evaluating the utility of evidence-based measures to assess SAD suggest they are culturally relevant; however, gaps in knowledge regarding psychometric properties of even the most widely used instruments are evident. In regards to intervention, Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT) approaches hold promise, yet there is a lack of research on the use of CBT with Black adolescents. Recommendations to incorporate cultural factors into CBT are provided and future work investigating culturally adapted interventions are needed. Finally, given significant disparities in access and utilization of mental health services with Black youth, strategies to increase treatment engagement, such as school-based services, are important to consider.

Objective COVID-19 forced third-level students to transition to online learning (OL). Many students encountered issues with OL, such as accessibility. However, the relationship between OL issues and mental health during this time remains poorly understood. Participants: Third-level students in Ireland (N = 268) completed an online questionnaire examining experiences with OL and mental health during COVID-19. Methods: OL social, lecturer, accessibility, individual skills, and environment issues, were entered into logistic regression analyses to examine whether these variables predicted mental health outcomes and/or preference to keep OL. Results: Students reporting more individual skills issues were more likely to attain a probable diagnosis of posttraumatic stress disorder, complex posttraumatic stress disorder, and depression (p < 0.0083); students who reported more environment issues were less likely to report preference to keep OL (p < 0.0005). Conclusions: Given individual skills issues associated with worse mental health, future research should examine improving student perceptions of their own OL skills.

Objective: College students with disordered eating (DE) are at increased risk of body focused repetitive behaviors (BFRBs). Both DE and BFRBs are described as impulsive and compulsive. However, the associations of impulsive DE with impulsive BFRBs and compulsive DE with compulsive BFRBs have not been examined. Methods: 191 college-aged students completed a survey of BFRBs and DE. Results: Participants who reported hair pulling were twice as likely to report clinically significant DE than those who denied hair pulling (p = 0.022). Participants who endorsed distressing hair pulling (p = 0.026), skin picking (p =0.052), and nail biting (p = 0.094) were twice as likely to report clinically significant DE than those who were not distressed by these behaviors. Evidence did not support the association of BFRBs and DE along an impulsive/compulsive continuum. Conclusions: Results suggest that BFRBs and DE often co-occur, and the role of impulsivity and compulsivity in these behaviors is complex.

Objective: We provide a step-by-step guide for developing, administering, evaluating, and acting on a survey-based study of graduate student mental health. Methods: Blueprint focuses on forging student-faculty collaboration and is based on Harvard University's Graduate Student Mental Health Initiative (GSMHI). The survey tool we use includes validated screening instruments for depression, anxiety, imposter phenomenon, self-esteem, alcohol consumption, exercise and sleep habits, and loneliness. It also includes environmental questions that collect epidemiologic data, as well as ratings of advising relationships and student dynamics. Results: After 6 years, GSMHI has analyzed data from 30 different PhD programs and 4,866 students, overseen the implementation of more than 60 departmental action plans, and performed 9 follow-up surveys to assess progress. It has achieved high response rates (60-90%), discovered wide variation in mental health and environmental factors across departments, and supported experiments with interventions. Conclusion: We hope this blueprint helps other universities run similar initiatives.

This study explored the relationship between mental health, i.e., depression and anxiety, and reading difficulties (RD) in Chinese elementary school children. Participants were 1535 grades 3, 4, and 5 students from three elementary schools in Xi'an, China. Children with and without RD were compared to their depression and anxiety. Additionally, children's self-ratings, parents' ratings, and teachers' ratings of depression and anxiety were compared to better understand mental health issues of Chinese children with RD. The findings showed that Chinese children with RD experienced more depression but not anxiety compared to their typically developing peers across all three grade levels. Reports from all three informants consistently reflected that children with RD experienced more depression. However, some inconsistencies were found between self-reported levels of depression and anxiety and the observations made by parents and teachers. Children reported experiencing more depression than their parents and teachers observed but less anxiety than their parents reported. This study emphasizes the importance of understanding the links between RD and mental health and the need for appropriate intervention programs to help children with RD cope with the mental health challenges.

The present study examined whether literacy difficulties in both grades 2 and 3 are associated with social and generalized anxiety within the school environment in grade 5 and if children with different literacy difficulties differ in anxiety levels compared to typically developing children in grade 5 after controlling for inattention. Sixty-nine Greek children with literacy difficulties and fifty-two children with typical literacy development were assessed at the beginning of grade 2 and at the end of grade 3 on standardized literacy measures (reading accuracy, text-reading fluency, reading comprehension, and spelling). In grade 5, teachers were asked to rate their children's social and generalized anxiety levels and inattentive behavior in the school context. Results of one-way ANCOVAs showed that children with literacy difficulties were experiencing more social anxiety than typically developing children. Furthermore, children with both reading and spelling difficulties, but not those with single reading or spelling difficulties, had more social anxiety. These findings suggest that there is a close connection between early literacy difficulties and social anxiety in upper elementary grades and particularly among children with both reading and spelling difficulties. Implications for both teachers and other professionals who support children's socioemotional development will be discussed.

Studies of the association between dyslexia and mental health have typically tried to minimise the influence of dyslexia comorbidities on the outcomes. However, in the "real world", many children with dyslexia have these comorbidities. In this study, we tested (1) if children with dyslexia with three common comorbidities -- inattention, hyperactivity, language difficulties -- experience more anxiety than children with dyslexia without these comorbidities; and (2) if any type of comorbidity is related to a certain type of anxiety (reading, social, generalised, or separation). The data of 82 children with dyslexia (mean age = 9 years and 4 months; 25 girls) were analysed using Fisher exact tests, which revealed that those with inattention (40.54%) or hyperactivity (42.30%) were statistically significantly more likely to experience elevated anxiety than children with dyslexia without these comorbidities (8.11 and 14.28%, respectively). This was not the case for language difficulties (24.5% versus 30%). Spearman ? correlations ([alpha] = 0.05) indicated significant moderate relationships between inattention and reading anxiety (0.27), social anxiety (0.37), and generalised anxiety (0.24); and between hyperactivity and social anxiety (0.24) and generalised anxiety (0.28). There were no significant correlations between language and anxiety. Examination of highly inter-correlated variables suggested a specific relationship between one type of comorbidity (inattention) and one type of anxiety (reading anxiety).

Generalized Anxiety Disorder 7-item Scale (GAD-7) has been found to accurately assess the presence of generalized anxiety disorder (GAD) in various populations. However, despite showing good psychometric properties in assessing GAD symptoms, there is a need to further validate GAD-7 in milieu of the pandemic, considering that recent cross-sectional studies have utilized this scale in understanding GAD prevalence and risk factors. The present study aimed to contextualize the GAD-7 scale into the present condition through investigating its (1) factor structure, (2) measurement invariance, and (3) latent classes. This study utilized 1922 (63.4%) secondary and 1110 (36.6%) tertiary Filipino teachers. Confirmatory factor analyses showed that the scale is best represented by two factors: cognitive-emotional experiences and somatic experiences. Moreover, the results revealed that while the two-factor GAD model showed good measurement equivalence across teacher groups, measurement non-invariance was observed in gender groups. Lastly, the latent class analysis yielded a three-class solution best fitting to the data. It specifically grouped GAD symptom intensity as low, moderate, and severe anxiety groups. These findings provide evidence of the scale's validity, supporting the utilization of the GAD-7 scale in assessing pandemic-related generalized anxiety.

Data from the National Survey of Children's Health 2016-2019 was used to examine the co-occurrence of autism and ADHD and the impact on anxiety and depression among adolescents age 12-17. Rates of anxiety and depression were up to ten-fold the prevalence of adolescents not diagnosed with autism or ADHD. Over half of autistic females (57%) and nearly half of autistic males (49%) are also diagnosed with ADHD. Autistic females with ADHD had the highest co-occurrence of anxiety at 72% followed by autistic males with ADHD at 69%. The prevalence of depression was highest among autistic adolescents with ADHD yet was consistent across genders (male/female) at 38-39%. Adolescents diagnosed with autism and/or ADHD are at heightened risk for anxiety and depression.

Objective: Online racial discrimination (ORD) is rampant; however, little is known about its associations with mental health among undergraduates. This study explored the relations between ORD and mental health among Black undergraduates. It also investigated gender differences in these relations. Participants: Two hundred seventy-eight Black, cisgender men and women enrolled in a minority-serving public university in the Northeast U.S. Methods: Participants completed measures of ORD, depression, generalized anxiety (GA), and social anxiety (SA) via a Web-based survey. Results: Eighty-five percent of participants experienced at least one ORD incident in the last year. Men and women reported comparable exposure. Gender moderated the relations between ORD and depression and SA, respectively; these associations were stronger for women. Conclusions: Exposure to ORD is prevalent among Black undergraduates and is associated with adverse mental health outcomes, especially for women. Campus mental health interventions should address online discrimination in the context of students' intersecting identities.

Background: Feeding behaviors adopted by parents influence children's eating, and parent mental health may affect feeding interactions. Anxiety disorders are the most prevalent mental disorders among adults; thus, there is a need to comprehensively understand the relationship between parent anxiety symptomatology and feeding behaviors. Objective: This systematic review provides the first comprehensive overview that focuses solely on parent anxiety and nonresponsive feeding. Based on PRISMA guidelines, the goal of this review is to elucidate current literature gaps and to inform future interventions that aim to reduce the risk of childhood obesity. Methods: PubMed and APA PsycInfo were searched with an extensive keyword combination to identify empirical studies from peer-reviewed journals that focus on parent anxiety and feeding behaviors that are utilized with typically developing children of ages 6 months or older. After independent and masked screening rounds of 925 articles, 10 studies were included for data extraction. In accordance with the PRISMA guidelines, the independently extracted data included the following: authors, year of publication, sample characteristics, study design, anxiety and feeding measures, study goal, main findings, and methodological limitations. Results: Of the 10 studies included in this systematic review, 70% indicated an association between parent anxiety symptomatology and nonresponsive feeding behaviors of restriction, control, and emotional feeding. Ninety percent of the included studies had a mother-only sample. Conclusions: Parents with anxiety symptomatology tend to use nonresponsive and obesogenic feeding practices. Given this relationship, parent anxiety is a potential area for inclusion in interventions that aim to reduce children's risk for obesity.

Brain age, a measure of biological aging in the brain, has been linked to psychiatric illness, principally in adult populations. Components of socioeconomic status (SES) associate with differences in brain structure and psychiatric risk across the lifespan. This study aimed to investigate the influence of SES on brain aging in childhood and adolescence, a period of rapid neurodevelopment and peak onset for many psychiatric disorders. We reanalyzed data from the Healthy Brain Network to examine the influence of SES components (occupational prestige, public assistance enrollment, parent education, and household income-to-needs ratio [INR]) on relative brain age (RBA). Analyses included 470 youth (5-17 years; 61.3% men), self-identifying as White (55%), African American (15%), Hispanic (9%), or multiracial (17.2%). Household income was 3.95 ± 2.33 (mean ± SD) times the federal poverty threshold. RBA quantified differences between chronological age and brain age using covariation patterns of morphological features and total volumes. We also examined associations between RBA and psychiatric symptoms (Child Behavior Checklist [CBCL]). Models covaried for sex, scan location, and parent psychiatric diagnoses. In a linear regression, lower RBA is associated with lower parent occupational prestige (p = 0.01), lower public assistance enrollment (p = 0.03), and more parent psychiatric diagnoses (p = 0.01), but not parent education or INR. Lower parent occupational prestige (p = 0.02) and lower RBA (p = 0.04) are associated with higher CBCL anxious/depressed scores. Our findings underscore the importance of including SES components in developmental brain research. Delayed brain aging may represent a potential biological pathway from SES to psychiatric risk.

Anxiety disorders commonly occur in autism. Existing studies implicate intolerance of uncertainty, alexithymia, sensory processing differences and emotion regulation difficulties as influencing factors of anxiety in autism. To date, a few studies have considered the combination of these factors within the same sample. This study used structural equation modelling to test the prediction that intolerance of uncertainty and emotion regulation constitute more direct causes of anxiety in autism that mediate the influences of sensory processing difference and alexithymia as more sequential contributing factors. Autistic (n = 86) and non-autistic adults (n = 100) completed a battery of self-report questionnaires. Only when applied to each group separately, the broad predictions of the model were confirmed for the autistic group following data-driven additions of paths between sensory processing difference and anxiety and alexithymia implying that sensory processing difference contribute indirectly as well as directly to individual differences in anxiety. For the non-autistic group, model fit could only be achieved after removing autism-related traits and sensory processing differences as predictors of anxiety. These results suggest that aetiology and expression of anxiety in autism partially overlap with what is observed in the general population except that sensory processing differences appear to play a relatively unique role in the context of autism.

Objectives: This case study examined multi-level social-ecological supports in promoting well-being through college students impacted by one of the deadliest wildfires in U.S. history. Participants: College students attending a large public university were surveyed (N = 354, M[subscript age] = 22.7, 76.2% female, 61% white).Methods: Measures included demographics, individual factors (mindfulness, sleep problems), social support (emotional support, family support, and friendship), and sense of community. Multiple linear regression models on well-being were constructed. Results: Findings indicated that mindfulness, sleep disturbances, emotional support, family support, number of close friends, and sense of community were significant predictors of well-being. Conclusion: Findings highlight the importance of universities in proactively bolstering critical social-ecological needs of college students living in communities vulnerable to climate-change accelerated environmental disasters.

Pediatric acute-onset neuropsychiatric syndrome (PANS) is an increasingly studied disorder that has been linked to negative neuropsychiatric outcomes, with the most frequently cited consequence being rapid onset of obsessive-compulsive symptoms. Little is known, however, about the educational impacts of this disorder on school-aged children. This study aimed to learn (1) what school-related problems do parents report in children with PANS?; (2) with what frequency do school-aged children with PANS receive formal special services at school?; (3) what types and severity of obsessions and compulsions are exhibited by school-aged children with PANS?; and (4) does OCD symptom severity classification predict the presence of a school special service plan? Parents (n = 208) of children with PANS participated in this study by completing a survey that included the "Children's Yale-Brown Obsessive-Compulsive Scale Parent Report" (CY-BOCS-PR) and additional questions regarding child school performance and participation in formal special services at school. Anxiety and inattention, among a variety of other school-based problems, are reported at school in this population. Approximately 60% of the children received some form of school special services across their educational career. A variety of mild to severe obsessive-compulsive behaviors were reported in the children, though the severity of those behaviors did not predict the existence of a school special services plan. School psychologists must be prepared to evaluate children with PANS and recommend evidence-based interventions.

Objective: This study examined provisional prevalence rates of generalized anxiety disorder (GAD) along with psychosocial correlates among U.S. college students during the first year of the pandemic. Participants: There were 1,793 undergraduate college student participants recruited from a public university. Methods: Using the Patient Health Questionnaire for GAD (GAD-7), a provisional diagnosis of GAD was determined and participants with GAD (N = 347;19.4%) and without GAD (N = 1446; 80.6%) were compared on stress, coping, loneliness, individual strength, pandemic concerns, and substance use behaviors. Results: Students with GAD symptomology reported significantly higher rates of perceived stress, greater loneliness, more fatigue, and more pandemic-related concerns. Further, those with GAD had a significant increase in substance use behaviors. Conclusions: It is important for college mental health providers to be aware of GAD symptomology among college students, and to further recognize the importance of early screening and detection, especially during traumatic stressor events.

Mental health issues are prominent among gender minorities; however, research examining these issues among college campuses is limited, and has often overlooked individuals who identify outside of transgender or cisgender identities. Our findings indicated that transgender participants reported the highest rates and frequencies of non-suicidal self injury, suicidal thoughts, and suicide attempt compared to cisgender peers; followed closely by gender-expansive participants. Gender minority participants reported higher rates of family distress and social anxiety.

Objective: The long-term consequences of the COVID-19 pandemic on college students' mental health remains unknown. The current study explored self-reported Obsessive-Compulsive symptomatology among college student cohorts from pre-, peak-, and later-pandemic time points. Participants: Undergraduate college students (N = 524) who volunteered for course credit. Methods: Self-report responses on the Dimensional Obsessive-Compulsive Scale (DOCS), which includes subscales for contamination, unacceptable thoughts, harm responsibility, and symmetry, were collected from November 29, 2016 through April 27, 2021 and assessed for differences between the pre-, peak-, and later-pandemic cohorts. Results: Peak-pandemic responders reported higher symptomatology for contamination and unacceptable thoughts compared to pre-pandemic responders (and for pre- vs. later-pandemic for contamination), with no significant effects for symmetry or harm responsibility. Conclusions: Although the longer-term consequences of the COVID-19 pandemic on students remains unknown, a greater shift in college mental health services from prevention to assessing and addressing more immediate challenges may be necessary.

The Person-in-the-Rain (PITR) drawing scoring system primarily assesses stress, excluding consideration of color usage. In contrast, the Formal Elements Art Therapy Scale (FEATS) effectively evaluates psychopathological disorders and provides a comprehensive assessment of color usage. This study aimed to: (1) develop an alternative scoring system for PITR by modifying FEATS, (2) explore the clinical significance of color in PITR by examining its relationship with Depression Anxiety Stress Scales (DASS-21), and (3) determine if color mediates the relationship between DASS-21 and FEATS-based PITR ratings. We recruited 61 college students who completed PITR and DASS-21. PITR drawings were coded using modified FEATS. Findings suggest that the modified FEATS scoring system provides clinically meaningful information for assessing stress, coping mechanisms, anxiety, and depression.

Objective: The aim of the present study was to test the factorial invariance and convergent validity evidence of scores on the Somatic Symptom Scale (SSS)-8 with a national sample of adults living in the United States. Method: A data collection contracting service was hired to recruit a national, non-clinical sample (N = 821) of adults in the United States stratified by the census data for age, gender, ethnicity, and geographic location. Results: Factorial invariance testing via multiple-group confirmatory factor analysis revealed strong factorial invariance evidence (configural, metric, and scalar) of SSS-8 scores across gender, ethnicity, help-seeking history, education, and income. Convergent validity testing displayed strong correlations between SSS-8 scores and the following established measures: Patient Health Questinaire-9, Generalized Anxiety Disorder-7, and Mental Health Inventory-5. Conclusion: Collectively, the results suggest that professional counselors can use the SSS-8 to enhance somatic symptomology screening efforts with adults living in the United States.

How mental health disorders such as obsessive compulsive disorder (OCD) manifest in high ability youth has received little empirical attention, and differentiating OCD from other diagnoses like autism spectrum disorder (ASD) can be challenging. The purpose of this study was to examine clinical profiles among OCD, ASD, or no diagnosis for those of high ability and not high ability. Results indicated those with high ability only tended to obtain higher ability and achievement scores than those with a co-occurring disability. Youth in the high ability/OCD and high ability/ASD groups had lower working memory and processing speed scores than the high ability alone group, but also had frequent comorbid attention-deficit hyperactivity disorder diagnoses. The high ability/OCD and high ability/ASD groups were the most divergent on the anxiety and atypicality Behavioral and Emotional Screening System (BASC) subtests, but an anxiety disorder was often comorbid with OCD.

Describing neural connectivity between pre-frontal and parietal brain regions and anxiety in children and adolescents with Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD) has the potential to inform diagnosis and treatment decisions. This study aimed to identify the neural connectivity patterns between the prefrontal cortex (PFC) and parietal regions in young autistic males, and to determine if Generalised Anxiety Disorder (GAD) was associated with these communication patterns. Forty-one males with ASD aged between 6 and 18 yr (M age = 10.76 yr, SD = 3.14 yr) and their mothers were recruited as volunteer participants from the Gold Coast region, Australia. After assessments, participants received 3 min of eyes-closed and 3 min of eyes-opened EEG data-collection under resting conditions. EEG data from the frontal and parietal regions were investigated for their connectivity via Granger Causality (GC). There were significant correlations between the PFC-to-parietal region GC connectivity indices and total GAD scores, and also for the core components of GAD, but these were restricted to the alpha-wave frequency with only minimal beta-wave significant results. No significant correlations between parietal-to-PFC regions and GAD were present. Communication from the decision-making region (PFC) to the spatial reasoning (parietal) regions appeared to be aimed at instigating increased motor activity associated with GAD.

Social media propagation carries the capacity for global communication and societal wellbeing, digital trading, entertainment, and the centre of engagement. The consequences of over-engagement in social media lead to depression, stress, and low performance. This study unfolds tendencies of excessive use of social media towards general anxiety and individuals' traits of emotional intelligence. The researcher adopted a questionnaire to collect data from participants (n = 340) through the Generalized Anxiety Disorder scale by Spitzer et al. (2006), Trait Emotional Intelligence Questionnaire--Short Form by Cooper & Petrides (2010), Social Media Addiction Scale by Young (2009), and Social Media Engagement Questionnaire (SMEQ) by Przybylski, Murayama, DeHaan, and Gladwell (2013). The findings demonstrated that social media addiction diffuses general anxiety disorder with positive and strong relationships. A weak association is found between obsessive use of social media applications and emotional intelligence. Though, Social media engagement lightens emotional intelligence traits of personality at a moderate level. An obsessive behaviour towards social media can predict general anxiety disorder more than emotional intelligence. While social media engagement with proper management can benefit emotional intelligence.

Group social skills interventions (GSSIs) are among the most commonly used treatments for improving social competence in youth with ASD, however, results remain variable. The current study examined predictors of treatment response to an empirically-supported GSSI for youth with ASD delivered in the community (N[subscript total]=75). Participants completed a computer-based emotion recognition task and their parents completed measures of broad psychopathology, ASD symptomatology, and social skills. We utilized generalized estimating equations in an ANCOVA-of-change framework to account for nesting. Results indicate differential improvements in emotion recognition by sex as well as ADHD-specific improvements in adaptive functioning. Youth with both co-occurring anxiety and ADHD experienced iatrogenic effects, suggesting that SDARI may be most effective for youth with ASD without multiple co-occurring issues. Findings provide important directions for addressing variability in treatment outcomes for youth with ASD.

Although anxiety is commonly researched in autism, the focus has predominantly been on anxiety disorders and not upon general levels of anxiousness or trait anxiety. This review summarises research investigating trait anxiety in autism. Systematic searches yielded 1099 records, with 23 studies meeting inclusion criteria. Study participants were mainly males from Western countries, with no representation of older adults or individuals with intellectual disability. All articles used self-report questionnaire trait anxiety measures. Anxiety measure psychometric details were absent in most studies, with 21 using subjective measures that are not validated for use in autism. Results showed higher trait anxiety scores in autism versus control groups, and correlations between trait anxiety scores and other study outcomes.

Anxiety is commonly experienced by children on the autism spectrum, and can negatively impact their lives. Family accommodation has been linked to the impact of anxiety on the child's life in non-autistic children. This study tested whether the same relationship holds for children on the autism spectrum. A community sample (n = 118) of parents of children on the spectrum completed questionnaires on their child's autism characteristics and severity and impact of their child's anxiety, their own anxiety and family accommodation behaviours. Family accommodation was associated with the impact of child anxiety, over and above anxiety severity of the child and parent. Findings support the involvement of parents in psychosocial support for children on the autism spectrum experiencing anxiety.