73 research outputs found

    The changing faces of autism: The fluctuating international diagnostic criteria and the resulting inclusion and exclusion—A Norwegian perspective

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    The common understanding of autism spectrum disorders (ASD) has gone through a number of permutations since the first description in 1943. Throughout these shifting understandings, there have been a number of behaviors and diagnostic criteria associated with the condition, many of which are missing in the most recent classifications. The rates of diagnoses of autism have increased greatly. However, there is no reason to think there has been any change in occurrence over the last 70 years, suggesting rather an increase in our knowledge and awareness. Autism has been the subject of several misapprehensions and misrepresentations throughout history. This might be due to heterogeneity of the cases. In addition, the diagnosing of autism spectrum disorders is mainly based on observation and behavioral interpretation, and thus dependent on subjective perceptions of the clinicians themselves. This current scoping review article intends to provide a view on the evolution of the concept of autism and the current stance within Norwegian scholarship, and how it is shaped by international discourses and cultural diversities Such changing concepts especially impacts people with the diagnosis, as it can affect their access to social services, as well as their self-identification as people with ASD

    Running to get “lost”? Two types of escapism in recreational running and their relations to exercise dependence and subjective well-being

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    Escapism is a fundamental motivation in many forms of activity engagements. At its core, escapism is “a habitual diversion of the mind … as an escape from reality or routine”. Accordingly, escapism may entail many adaptive and maladaptive psychological antecedents, covariates, and outcomes. However, few studies have been conducted on escapism as a motivational mindset in running. Here, in a sample of recreational runners (N = 227), we applied a two-dimensional model of escapism, comprising self-expansion (adaptive escapism) and self-suppression (maladaptive escapism), and examined how they were related to exercise dependence and subjective well-being. First, confirmatory factor analyses showed that the escapism dimensions were highly diversifiable in the sample. Then, correlational analyses showed that self-expansion was positively correlated to subjective well-being, whereas self-suppression was negatively related to well-being. Self-suppression was more strongly related to exercise dependence compared to self-expansion. Finally, path analyses evidenced an explanatory role of self-expansion and self-suppression in the inverse relationship between exercise dependence and well-being. In conclusion, the present findings support escapism as a relevant framework for understanding the relationship between exercise dependence in running and subjective well-being

    Longitudinal relations between gaming, physical activity, and athletic self-esteem

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    Background: Youth are increasingly engaged in digital games; while physical activity rates are declining. This study examines whether the amount of time children spend on gaming is related to physical activity and athletic self-esteem. Method: At ages 8, 10, 12, and 14, a community sample of children (n = 751, 379 girls) was interviewed about how often they played digital games, completed questionnaires regarding their athletic self-esteem and wore an accelerometer to measure physical activity. Results: A random intercept cross-lagged panel model using the participants as their own controls adjusting for all time-invariant potential confounding factors, revealed that increased gaming predicted reduced athletic self-esteem (B = −0.17, 95% CI: 0.26 to −0.10). Among boys aged 10 years, increased moderate and vigorous physical activity (MVPA) predicted decreased gaming (B = −0.64, 95% CI: 1.12 to −0.16) whereas increased gaming predicted reduced MVPA at the age of 12 (B = −0.08, 95% CI: 0.12 to −0.03). These effects remained evident two years later via stability in gaming and MVPA. Conclusions: Findings suggest a developmental window for boys in middle childhood during which changes in physical activity and gaming result in longer-term cascades that endure into adolescence: increased gaming predicts reduced MVPA, whereas reduced MVPA predicts increased gaming.Longitudinal relations between gaming, physical activity, and athletic self-esteempublishedVersio

    The co-occurrence between symptoms of internet gaming disorder and psychiatric disorders in childhood and adolescence: prospective relations or common causes?

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    Background: Internet gaming disorder (IGD) is highlighted as a condition for further study in the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders Fifth Edition (DSM‐5). Some studies indicate that IGD appears comorbid with other psychiatric disorders. We examine concurrent and prospective links between symptoms of IGD and symptoms of common psychiatric disorders in childhood and adolescence to determine whether observed comorbidity is a result of (a) reciprocal relations or (b) common underlying causes. Methods: A community sample (n = 702) of Norwegian children completed the Internet Gaming Disorder Interview (IGDI) to assess DSM‐5 defined IGD symptoms at ages 10, 12 and 14 years. The Child and Adolescent Psychiatric Assessment (CAPA) assessed symptoms of depression, anxiety, attention‐deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD), oppositional defiant disorder (ODD) and conduct disorder (CD) at the same time points. Results: A Random Intercept Cross‐lagged Panel Model (RI‐CLPM), which captures pure within‐person changes and adjusts for all unmeasured time‐invariant factors (e.g., genetics, parent education) revealed no associations between IGD symptoms and psychopathology, except that increased IGD symptoms at ages 10 and 12 predicted decreased symptoms of anxiety two years later. Conclusions: No support emerged for concurrent or prospective relations between IGD and psychiatric symptoms, except in one case: increased IGD symptoms forecasted reduction in anxiety symptoms. Observed co‐occurrence between IGD symptoms and mental health problems can mainly be attributed to common underlying factorspublishedVersio

    Psychiatric problems and quality of life in a clinical sample of adolescents: The role of peer relations

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    Background: The quality of peer relations is linked to mental health in childhood and adolescence, but few studies have investigated its clinical relevance. In particular, the potential mediating role of peer functioning in the associations between different dimensions of symptoms and quality of life (QoL) has not been sufficiently examined. Objective: In a clinical sample of adolescents, we examined peer relations in light of psychiatric diagnoses, as well as QoL and symptoms of mental health problems, with particular focus on symptoms of anxiety, depression, and ADHD. We also examined the potential mediating role of peer problems in the relationship between such symptoms and QoL. Methods: The sample consisted of 603 adolescents (ages 13-18) referred to clinical assessment. Psychiatric diagnoses according to the criteria of the International Statistical Classification of Diseases and Related Health Problems, 10th revision, were collected from participants’ clinical charts. Symptoms of disorders, QoL, and quality of peer relations were measured by self-report questionnaires. Results: Adolescents diagnosed with anxiety/depressive disorder reported more peer problems and lower QoL than adolescents with attention deficit/hyperactivity disorder. These findings were supported with symptom ratings. A path model with bootstrapping was used to assess the potential mediating role of peer problems in the association between symptoms and QoL, showing that peer problems partly mediated the relationship between emotional symptoms and QoL, but not the relationship between ADHD-symptoms and QoL. Conclusion: Improvement of peer relations may be a fruitful path for enhancing QoL among adolescents with symptoms of anxiety and depression

    Childcare Providers’ Nominations of Preschool Children at Risk for Mental Health Problems: Does it Discriminate Well Compared to the Caregiver-Teacher Report Form (C-TRF)?

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    This is the accepted version of an article from Scandinavian Journal of Educational Research. The published article can be found here: https://doi.org/10.1080/00313831.2020.1869089.Childcare providers are vanguards in identifying children at risk for mental health problems. Thus, the aim of the current study was to investigate the accuracy of childcare providers’ nominations of children at risk for mental health problems against a well-established comparator, the CaregiverTeacher Report Form. Findings from the present study, including 1430 children aged one to six years old and 169 childcare providers from 57 childcare centers, indicates that nominations in the form of concerns should be taken seriously and followed up with additional screening or assessment and consideration for referral. However, nominations also created a considerable portion of false positives. These results suggest that when childcare providers become concerned about a child, it may be beneficial to apply a psychometrically sound screening instrument to decrease the rate of false positive nominations. This may help childcare providers to act more promptly by confirming or discarding their initial concerns.acceptedVersio
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