Unique developmental trajectories of risk behaviors in adolescence and associated outcomes in young adulthood

This study aimed at assessing developmental trajectories of risk behaviors from adolescence into young adulthood and their associations with outcomes in young adulthood (i.e. education, employment). Data of the TRacking Adolescents' Individual Lives Survey (TRAILS) including 2,149 participants (mean age = 13.6, SD = 0.5, 51% girls) were used to examine the development of alcohol, cannabis, smoking, and externalizing behavior. The results showed that the associations between these risk behaviors varied with age, and revealed varying developmental patterns throughout adolescence. Most notably alcohol use did not covary strongly with the other risk behaviors. The often assumed peak in risk behavior in adolescence was only found in a small group, and only for alcohol (7.4%) and cannabis use (3.4%), but not for smoking or externalizing behavior. Most adolescents revealed only low involvement in risk behavior, with the largest differences between low and high trajectories emerging in late adolescence (> 19 years). Clustering of risk behavior throughout adolescence is rather the exception than the rule and depends on age and type of risk behavior. Differences in risk behavior between individuals become the largest in late adolescence, possibly influencing successful transition into adulthood visible in educational attainment and employment

Normative, Passionate, or Problematic? Identification of Adolescent Gamer Subtypes Over Time

Background and aims: For most youngsters, gaming is a fun and innocent leisure activity. However, some adolescents are prone to develop problematic gaming behavior. It is therefore important to have a comprehensive understanding of psychosocial and game-related characteristics that differentiate highly engaged gamers from problematic gamers. To that end, this study evaluated the stability and consistency of Internet gaming criteria (as suggested by the DSM-5) and psychosocial characteristics in a two-wave longitudinal study including 1928 young adolescents (mean age = 13.3 years, SD = 0.91, 57% boys). Methods: A confirmatory factor analysis revealed good stability of the Internet gaming disorder (IGD) construct over time. Latent class analyses revealed three classes for boys (recreational, engaged, and problematic) and two classes for girls (recreational and engaged). Results: Significant differences between classes emerged for problem criteria (conflict and problems in social life), gaming duration, impulsivity, social competence, and attention/hyperactivity. The absence of a problematic gaming class for girls suggests that girls are less likely to develop problematic gaming behavior. Discussion: The IGD criteria as proposed by the DSM-5 are a helpful tool to identify problematic gamers, although the results of this study suggest that using a strict cut-off point might result in false positives, particularly for boys. Problem criteria appeared to be the most sensitive and specific in identifying the problematic gamer, whereas escapism criteria were the least specific and sensitive. Careful consideration of the current proposed criteria to identify problematic gaming behavior could benefit the research and clinical field

Educational level and alcohol use in adolescence and early adulthood-The role of social causation and health-related selection-The TRAILS Study

Both social causation and health-related selection may influence educational gradients in alcohol use in adolescence and young adulthood. The social causation theory implies that the social environment (e.g. at school) influences adolescents’ drinking behaviour. Conversely, the health-related selection hypothesis posits that alcohol use (along other health-related characteristics) predicts lower educational attainment. From past studies it is unclear which of these mechanisms predominates, as drinking may be both a cause and consequence of low educational attainment. Furthermore, educational gradients in alcohol use may reflect the impact of ‘third variables’ already present in childhood, such as parental socioeconomic status (SES), effortful control, and IQ. We investigated social causation and health-related selection in the development of educational gradients in alcohol use from adolescence to young adulthood in a selective educational system. We used data from a Dutch population-based cohort (TRAILS Study; n = 2,229), including measurements of educational level and drinking at ages around 14, 16, 19, 22, and 26 years (waves 2 to 6). First, we evaluated the directionality in longitudinal associations between education and drinking with cross-lagged panel models, with and without adjusting for pre-existing individual differences using fixed effects. Second, we assessed the role of childhood characteristics around age 11 (wave 1), i.e. IQ, effortful control, and parental SES, both as confounders in these associations, and as predictors of educational level and drinking around age 14 (wave 2). In fixed effects models, lower education around age 14 predicted increases in drinking around 16. From age 19 onward, we found a tendency towards opposite associations, with higher education predicting increases in alcohol use. Alcohol use was not associated with subsequent changes in education. Childhood characteristics strongly predicted education around age 14 and, to a lesser extent, early drinking. We mainly found evidence for the social causation theory in early adolescence, when lower education predicted increases in subsequent alcohol use. We found no evidence in support of the health-related selection hypothesis with respect to alcohol use. By determining initial educational level, childhood characteristics also predict subsequent trajectories in alcohol use

Variance constraints strongly influenced model performance in growth mixture modeling:a simulation and empirical study

BACKGROUND: Growth Mixture Modeling (GMM) is commonly used to group individuals on their development over time, but convergence issues and impossible values are common. This can result in unreliable model estimates. Constraining variance parameters across classes or over time can solve these issues, but can also seriously bias estimates if variances differ. We aimed to determine which variance parameters can best be constrained in Growth Mixture Modeling. METHODS: To identify the variance constraints that lead to the best performance for different sample sizes, we conducted a simulation study and next verified our results with the TRacking Adolescent Individuals' Lives Survey (TRAILS) cohort. RESULTS: If variance parameters differed across classes and over time, fitting a model without constraints led to the best results. No constrained model consistently performed well. However, the model that constrained the random effect variance and residual variances across classes consistently performed very poorly. For a small sample size (N = 100) all models showed issues. In TRAILS, the same model showed substantially different results from the other models and performed poorly in terms of model fit. CONCLUSIONS: If possible, a Growth Mixture Model should be fit without any constraints on variance parameters. If not, we recommend to try different variance specifications and to not solely rely on the default model, which constrains random effect variances and residual variances across classes. The variance structure must always be reported Researchers should carefully follow the GRoLTS-Checklist when analyzing and reporting trajectory analyses

Training Working Memory in Adolescents Using Serious Game Elements: Pilot Randomized Controlled Trial

Working memory capacity has been found to be impaired in adolescents with various psychological problems, such as addictive behaviors. Training of working memory capacity can lead to significant behavioral improvements, but it is usually long and tedious, taxing participants' motivation to train. This study aimed to evaluate whether adding game elements to the training could help improve adolescents' motivation to train while improving cognition. A total of 84 high school students were allocated to a working memory capacity training, a gamified working memory capacity training, or a placebo condition. Working memory capacity, motivation to train, and drinking habits were assessed before and after training. Self-reported evaluations did not show a self-reported preference for the game, but participants in the gamified working memory capacity training condition did train significantly longer. The game successfully increased motivation to train, but this effect faded over time. Working memory capacity increased equally in all conditions but did not lead to significantly lower drinking, which may be due to low drinking levels at baseline. We recommend that future studies attempt to prolong this motivational effect, as it appeared to fade over time. [Abstract copyright: ©Wouter J Boendermaker, Thomas E Gladwin, Margot Peeters, Pier JM Prins, Reinout W Wiers. Originally published in JMIR Serious Games (http://games.jmir.org), 23.05.2018.

Influence of extended dwell time during pre- and main compression on the properties of ibuprofen tablets

The low melting point, poor flow, physico-mechanical properties (particle size distribution, shape, particle surface roughness) and deformation mechanism of ibuprofen in combination with its high dose in tablets all contribute to the problems observed during the compaction of ibuprofen-based formulations. Since ibuprofen is plastically and elastically deforming, the rate of compaction plays an important role in both the final tablet properties and the risk of capping, laminating and sticking to the punches. While the compaction rate in most tableting machines is only determined by the tableting speed, the high speed rotary tableting machine used in this research project (MODUL (TM) P, GEA Process Engineering, Halle, Belgium) can adjust and control the dwell time independently from the tableting speed, using an air compensator which allows displacement of the upper (pre-) compression roller. The effect of this machine design on process parameters and tablet properties was investigated. Granules containing 80% ibuprofen were compressed into tablets at 250, 500 and 1000 tablets per minute via double compression (pre- and main compression) with or without extended dwell time. Prior to tableting, granule properties were determined. Process parameters and tablet properties were analyzed using Multivariate Data Analysis. Principal Component Analysis provided an overview of the main phenomena determining the tableting process and Partial Least Squares Analysis unveiled the main variables contributing to the observed differences in the tablet properties

Problematic gaming in young adolescence: The role of in-game rewards and individual vulnerabilities

Background: Rewarding characteristics in games may amplify the transition from recreational to more problematic gaming behavior. This research explored the association between typical rewarding game elements and adolescents’ problematic gaming behaviors and evaluated the interacting nature of individual vulnerabilities within this relationship. Method: In a two-cohort-design the impact of rewarding elements (e.g., random rewards, contingencies rewards, social rewards, and meta-achievements) on adolescents’ problematic gaming was investigated. Participants were 2708 (53.9% male, mean age 13.9 SD=1.20) and 2073 secondary school students in respectively in the first and second cohort (52.1% male, mean age 14.3 SD=1.49). Results: Results revealed that random rewards, social rewards, and contingencies rewards, were predictors of adolescents’ problematic gaming in both cohorts. Games including such type of rewards increased the risk for problematic game play. Regarding interactions with individual vulnerabilities, results indicated that for adolescents with attention deficit hyperactivity symptoms, the impact of contingencies rewards on problematic gaming behavior was amplified, while for adolescents with social problems the impact of social rewards on problematic gaming was amplified. Conclusion: The findings illustrate that certain rewarding elements in games can increase problematic gaming behavior, particularly among adolescents with individual vulnerabilities. Prevention strategies can benefit from integrating this knowledge in education and intervention strategies may be tailored towards those with attention-deficit hyperactivity symptoms and social problems as these adolescents are at the greatest risk for being affected by the rewarding elements in games

ADHD Symptoms and Educational Level in Adolescents:The Role of the Family, Teachers, and Peers

Few studies have explored the contribution of family and school factors to the association between ADHD symptoms and lower education. Possibly, having more ADHD symptoms contributes to poorer family functioning and less social support, and consequently a lower educational level (i.e., mediation). Moreover, the negative effects of ADHD symptoms on education may be stronger for adolescents with poorer family functioning or less social support (i.e., interaction). Using data of the Dutch TRAILS Study (N = 2,229), we evaluated associations between ADHD symptoms around age 11 and educational level around age 14, as well as between ADHD symptoms around age 14 and 16 years and subsequent changes in educational level around age 16 and 19, respectively. We assessed the potential mediating role of family functioning, and social support by teachers and classmates, all measured around ages 11, 14, and 16, while additionally evaluating interactions between ADHD symptoms and these hypothesized mediators. ADHD symptoms were associated with poorer family functioning, less social support by teachers and classmates, and lower education throughout adolescence. No conclusive evidence of mediation was found, because unique associations between family functioning and social support by teachers and classmates and education were largely absent. Furthermore, we found no interactions between ADHD symptoms and family functioning and social support by teachers and classmates. Although social support by teachers and classmates and good family functioning may benefit the wellbeing and mental health of adolescents with high levels of ADHD symptoms, they will not necessarily improve their educational attainment.</p

The role of social cognitions in the social gradient in adolescent mental health: A longitudinal mediation model

Purpose. The social gradient in adolescent mental health is well established: adolescents’ socioeconomic status (SES) is negatively associated with their mental health. However, de-spite changes in social cognition during adolescence, and theory and evidence that SES, so-cial cognitions, and adolescent mental health are associated, little is known about whether social cognitions mediate this gradient. Methods. This study used three data waves, each six months apart, from a socioeconomi-cally diverse sample of 1,429 adolescents (Mage = 17.9) in the Netherlands. With a longitu-dinal mediation model, we examined whether three social cognitions (self-esteem, sense of control, and optimism) mediated the associations between perceived family wealth and four indicators of adolescent mental health problems (emotional symptoms, conduct prob-lems, hyperactivity, and peer problems). Results. Adolescents with lower perceived family wealth reported more emotional symp-toms and peer problems concurrently and an increase in peer problems six months later. Adolescents with lower perceived family wealth reported a decrease in sense of control six months later, and lower sense of control predicted increases in emotional symptoms and hyperactivity six months later (though not in the multivariate model with all three social cognitions). Perceived family wealth predicted neither later self-esteem nor optimism, though we found concurrent positive associations between perceived family wealth and all three social cognitions, and concurrent negative associations between social cognitions and mental health problems. Conclusion. Our findings indicate that social cognitions may be an overlooked mediator of the social gradient in adolescent mental health. Future research on this social gradient may benefit from incorporating a focus on social cognition