Pandemic-Related Stress Symptoms Among Norwegian Parents of Adolescents in Grades 6 to 8

We investigated pandemic-related stress symptoms during the first COVID-19 lockdown period in spring 2020 among parents of adolescents that were 11 to 13 years old in the study period. We also investigated whether parental stress symptoms were associated with family situation and family activities during lockdown. Altogether 147 couples reported about their own trauma-related stress symptoms following the outbreak of the pandemic. Among the respondents, 9.5% of the mothers and 10.2% of the fathers had scores over cutoff on the screener (IES-6) measuring stress symptoms, a non-significant gender difference. Scores on the screener were not associated with family contamination or lockdown consequences. Family activities during lockdown did not impact the pandemic stress symptom levels. Whereas, the experience of the COVID-19 pandemic pose a stressor to most people, it is unlikely to be a criterion A event for other than directly affected families.publishedVersio

Bullying Victimization and Trauma

Bullying victimization and trauma research traditions operate quite separately. Hence, it is unclear from the literature whether bullying victimization should be considered as a form of interpersonal trauma. We review studies that connect bullying victimization with symptoms of PTSD, and in doing so, demonstrate that a conceptual understanding of the consequences of childhood bullying needs to be framed within a developmental perspective. We discuss two potential diagnoses that ought to be considered in the context of bullying victimization: (1) developmental trauma disorder, which was suggested but not accepted as a new diagnosis in the DSM-5 and (2) complex post-traumatic stress disorder, which has been included in the ICD-11. Our conclusion is that these frameworks capture the complexity of the symptoms associated with bullying victimization better than PTSD. We encourage practitioners to understand how exposure to bullying interacts with development at different ages when addressing the consequences for targets and when designing interventions that account for the duration, intensity, and sequelae of this type of interpersonal trauma

Problemas de Conducta y Depresión entre Refugiados no Acom-pañados: La asociación entre el impacto del trauma pre-migratorio y la aculturación

There is scarce knowledge about the long term adaptation of children who migrate without the company of their legal guardians to apply for asylum in a foreign country. The present study investigated the combined effects of impact of premigratory war-related trauma, and indices of current acculturation (culture competence and ingroup / outgroup hassles) on conduct and depression problems. Participants were 566 refugees who had arrived in Norway as unaccompanied minor asylumseekers, were granted residence and resettled all over the country. They had a mean length of stay in Norway of 3.7 years and a mean age of 18.9 years. They gathered in groups in their home towns, and filled in questionnaires with information about pre- and post-migration experiences and mental health. The findings imply that while this group of young refugees reports few conduct problems, the level of depression is high. At the same time, their acculturation process is progressing, as they are achieving necessary culture competence to integrate into majority society and maintain contact with their culture of origin. A model assessing effects of culture competence and ingroup/outgroup hassles in combination with impact of war-related traumatic events, did not account for much of the individual differences in conduct problems. In contrast, when depressive problems were concerned, the included acculturation indices explained substantial variation in depression problems, over and above effects of impact of war-related traumatic events. It is concluded that ethnic and host culture competence should be the focus of interventions to promote socio-cultural integration and mental health.Hay escaso conocimiento sobre la adaptación a largo plazo de los niños menores de edad que emigran sin ser acompañados por sus padres para pedir asilo en un país extranjero. El presente estudio investigó los efectos combinados del impacto de haber tenido experiencias traumáticas relacionadas con la guerra antes de emigrar y los índices del proceso de aculturación actual (competencia cultural y problemas con endogrupos / exogrupos) sobre la depresión y los problemas conductuales.Los participantes fueron 566 refugiados menores no acompañados que habían llegado a Noruega buscando asilo y a los que se concedió la residencia y que estaban domiciliados por todo el país. Su estancia media en Noruega era de 3,7 años y su edad media era de 18,9 años. Se reunían en grupos en sus lugares de residencia y rellenaban cuestionarios con información acerca de sus experiencias pre y post- migratorias y de su salud mental.Los resultados encontrados indican que, aunque este grupo de jóvenes refugiados informa de pocos problemas de conducta, el nivel de depresión es alto. Sin embargo, a pesar de los problemas de depresión, su proceso de aculturación hace progresos, ya que están adquiriendo la competencia cultural necesaria para integrarse en la sociedad mayoritaria y mantener el contacto con su cultura de origen. Un modelo para evaluar los efectos de la competencia cultural y de los problemas con endogrupos/exogrupos en combinación con el impacto de experiencias traumáticas relacionadas con la guerra no explicaba gran parte de las diferencias individuales en los problemas de conducta. En cambio, los índices de aculturación explicaban una variación sustancial de los problemas de depresión, por encima de los efectos del impacto de experiencias traumáticas relacionadas con la guerra. Se concluye que la competencia cultural étnica y de la sociedad de acogida debe ser el enfoque  a seguir en las intervenciones para impulsar la integración socio-cultural y la salud mental

Bullying and PTSD Symptoms

Abstract PTSD symptoms related to school bullying have rarely been investigated, and never in national samples. We used data from a national survey to investigate this among students from grades 8 and 9 (n0963). The prevalence estimates of exposure to bullying were within the range of earlier research findings. Multinomial logistic regression showed that boys were 2.27 times more likely to be exposed to frequent bullying than girls. A latent variable secondorder model demonstrated an association between frequency of bullying exposure and PTSD symptoms (beta00.49). This relationship was not moderated by gender. However, the average levels of PTSD symptoms as well as clinical range symptoms were higher for girls. For all bullied students, 27.6% of the boys and 40.5% of the girls had scores within the clinical range. A mimic model showed that youth who identify as being both a bully and a victim of bullying were more troubled than those who were victims only. Our findings support the idea that exposure to bullying is a potential risk factor for PTSD symptoms among students. Future research could investigate whether the same holds for PTSD through diagnostic procedures, but this will depend on whether or not bullying is decided to comply with the DSM-IV classification of trauma required for diagnosis. Results are discussed with regard to their implications for school interventions

Conduct Problems and Depression among Unaccompanied Refugees: The Association with Pre-Migration Trauma and Acculturation

Hay escaso conocimiento sobre la adaptación a largo plazo de los niños menores de edad que emigran sin ser acompañados por sus padres para pedir asilo en un país extranjero. El presente estudio investigó los efectos combinados del impacto de haber tenido experiencias traumáticas relacionadas con la guerra antes de emigrar y los índices del proceso de aculturación actual (competencia cultural y problemas con endogrupos / exogrupos) sobre la depresión y los problemas conductuales. Los participantes fueron 566 refugiados menores no acompañados que habían llegado a Noruega buscando asilo y a los que se concedió la residencia y que estaban domiciliados por todo el país. Su estancia media en Noruega era de 3,7 años y su edad media era de 18,9 años. Se reunían en grupos en sus lugares de residencia y rellenaban cuestionarios con información acerca de sus experiencias pre y post- migratorias y de su salud mental. Los resultados encontrados indican que, aunque este grupo de jóvenes refugiados informa de pocos problemas de conducta, el nivel de depresión es alto. Sin embargo, a pesar de los problemas de depresión, su proceso de aculturación hace progresos, ya que están adquiriendo la competencia cultural necesaria para integrarse en la sociedad mayoritaria y mantener el contacto con su cultura de origen. Un modelo para evaluar los efectos de la competencia cultural y de los problemas con endogrupos/exogrupos en combinación con el impacto de experiencias traumáticas relacionadas con la guerra no explicaba gran parte de las diferencias individuales en los problemas de conducta. En cambio, los índices de aculturación explicaban una variación sustancial de los problemas de depresión, por encima de los efectos del impacto de experiencias traumáticas relacionadas con la guerra. Se concluye que la competencia cultural étnica y de la sociedad de acogida debe ser el enfoque a seguir en las intervenciones para impulsar la integración socio-cultural y la salud mental

Additional file 1: of Study protocol for a randomized controlled trial of a group cognitive-behavioral course for depressed adolescents

SPIRIT 2013 Checklist: Recommended items to address in a clinical trial protocol and related documents. (DOC 121 kb

Pandemic-Related Stress Symptoms Among Norwegian Parents of Adolescents in Grades 6 to 8

We investigated pandemic-related stress symptoms during the first COVID-19 lockdown period in spring 2020 among parents of adolescents that were 11 to 13 years old in the study period. We also investigated whether parental stress symptoms were associated with family situation and family activities during lockdown. Altogether 147 couples reported about their own trauma-related stress symptoms following the outbreak of the pandemic. Among the respondents, 9.5% of the mothers and 10.2% of the fathers had scores over cutoff on the screener (IES-6) measuring stress symptoms, a non-significant gender difference. Scores on the screener were not associated with family contamination or lockdown consequences. Family activities during lockdown did not impact the pandemic stress symptom levels. Whereas, the experience of the COVID-19 pandemic pose a stressor to most people, it is unlikely to be a criterion A event for other than directly affected families