An exploratory study on internet addiction, somatic symptoms and emotional and behavioral functioning in school-aged adolescents

Objective: In the last two decades there has been a significant transformation regarding the use of new technologies. Despite growing acknowledgement concerning the different activities and functions of digital technologies, there remains a lack of understanding on how technology overuse may negatively impact both physical and psychosocial well-being. Although researchers have begun to explore the meaning and implications of excessive Internet use in non-clinical populations of children and adolescents, there is still little consistent knowledge on the topic. This study aimed to extend existing knowledge on the excessive use of the Internet among school-aged adolescents, focusing on its association with recurrent somatic symptoms, depressive risk and behavioral and emotional problems. Method: Two hundred and forty adolescents (51.9% females) aged between 10 and 15, participated in this study. Data was collected using the Children’s Somatization Inventory, the Internet Addiction Test, the Children’s Depression Inventory, the Youth Self Report and the Emotion Regulation Questionnaire. Structural Equation Model analysis was used to analyse the data. Results: Approximately 21.8% of participants reported excessive Internet use based on Young’s criteria. Higher levels of Internet use were associated with somatic and depressive symptoms as well as emotional and behavioral problems. Depressive Symptoms predicted both Internet Addiction (b = 0.304, p < 0.001) and Internalizing (b = 0.542, p <0.001) and Externalizing problems (b = 0.484, p < 0.001). Internet Addiction also significantly predicted both Internalizing (b = 0.162, p = 0.02) and Externalizing problems (b = 0.183, p = 0.02). Finally, Structural Equation Modeling showed that the indirect effect of Depressive Symptoms (via Internet Addiction) on Internalizing or Externalizing problems were significant. Conclusions: Longitudinal studies are needed to confirm these findings and to identify the mechanisms linking Internet use, somatic symptoms and adaptive functioning

Autolesività non suicidaria e percezione della qualità dell’attaccamento verso i genitori e i pari in preadolescenza. Nonsuicidal Self-Injury (NSSI) and perception of quality of attachment with both parents and peers in preadolescence

Obiettivo del lavoro è stato quello di esaminare le caratteristiche dell’Autolesività Non Suicidaria (ANS), incluse frequenza, metodo di autoferimento e differenze di genere in una popolazione non clinica di preadolescenti. È stata, inoltre, analizzata la relazione tra ANS, percezione della qualità dell’attaccamento ai genitori e ai pari e life events. Metodo: Nel presente studio sono stati coinvolti 690 preadolescenti (Età media = 12.58; DS = 1.06) frequentanti la scuola secondaria di I grado. A tutti i partecipanti sono stati somministrati i seguenti questionari: Deliberate Self-Harm Inventory (DSHI); Inventory of Parent and Peer Attachment (IPPA); Life Stressor Checklist-Revised (LSCR). Risultati: I risultati hanno evidenziato che il 70.5% del campione dichiara di non aver mai messo in atto condotte autolesive, il 28.1% riferisce di aver attaccato intenzionalmente il proprio corpo da una a quattro volte nel corso della vita, mentre l’1.4% afferma di averlo fatto cinque o più volte. È stata osservata, inoltre, una correlazione statisticamente significativa tra il DSHI, l’IPPA e il LSCR. Conclusioni: L’associazione rilevata tra una più debole percezione della qualità di attaccamento ai genitori e ai pari, esperienze stressanti e/o traumatiche sperimentate nel corso della vita e una più alta frequenza di ANS, evidenzia l’importanza di implementare gli studi per valutare tale associazione nella prospettiva di fornire informazioni utili per la pianificazione di interventi preventivi anche nella popolazione più giovane.The aim of this study was to examine the characteristics of Nonsuicidal Self-Injury (NSSI) including frequency, method of self-injury and gender differences in a community sample of preadolescents. Additionally, the relationship between NSSI, parents and peers attachment and life events was explored. Little empirical research has directly focused on this topic. Method: The sample consisted of 690 preadolescents (Mean age = 12.58; SD = 1.06) attending public middle schools in the centre of Italy (Lazio). Participants were asked to complete the Deliberate Self-Harm Inventory (DSHI), the Life Stressor Checklist-Revised (LSCR) and the Inventory of Parent and Peer Attachment (IPPA). Results: Consistent with other studies, findings indicated that NSSI is moderately prevalent among preadolescent non-clinical population.Specifically, 70.5% of youth participants did not declared NSSI behaviour, 28.1% reported one or more lifetime histories of NSSI behaviours (< 5) while 1.4% reported engaging in repetitive NSSI (five or more lifetime episodes) using different methods. However, while a history of childhood trauma have been reported as a common risk factor for NSSI, the role of family, peer relationships and attachment has been little explored.Results provide evidence that a higher frequency of NSSI is associated with a greater number of negative life events. Moreover, preadolescents who engaged in NSSI showed a poor perception of quality of attachment with both parents and peers. This is consistent with literature indicating that early attachment relationships have important implications for mental health later in life. Conclusions: These findings add further information to little existing literature of NSSI and its relationships with attachment and life events. There is, therefore, a need for a more data to better understand this association in order to provide useful information for the planning of preventive interventions in younger populations

From attachment to parents to somatic symptoms in children: exploring the mediation role of anxiety, attachment to peers and depressive symptoms

Despite the fact that somatic symptoms are related to the quality of attachment, few studies have been conducted to explore the variables that mediate this relationship in childhood. The present study investigates the role of anxiety, attachment to peers, and depressive symptoms as mediators of the relationship between attachment to parents and somatic symptoms. 340 children (49.1% males) between the ages of 8-11 (Mean age=9.25, SD=0.89) participated in this study. They completed the Inventory of Parent and Peer Attachment-Revised (IPPA-R), the Screen for Child Anxiety Related Emotional Disorders (SCARED), the Children's Depression Inventory 2 (CDI-2) and the Children's Somatization Inventory (CSI-24). We analyzed whether the effect of attachment to parents on somatic symptoms could be explained through anxiety (mediator one), attachment to peers (mediator two) and depressive symptoms (mediator three) using the Macro PROCESS (model 6). Results show that half of the total sample (52.1%, n=177) report at least one somatic symptom during the last two weeks. According to the SCARED and CDI-2 cut-off, 34.7% (n=118) and 27.1% (n=92) of participants are at risk for anxiety and depressive disorder. The total effect of attachment to parents on somatic symptoms is significant (b=-.186, SE=.051; 95%C.I.=-.285;-.086, p&lt;.001, R2=.08). Three indirect effect are found: through anxiety symptoms (b=-.066, Bootstrap SE=.026, 5000 bootstrap samples 95%C.I.=-.123;-.022); through anxiety and depressive symptoms (b=-.005, Bootstrap SE=.004, 5000 bootstrap samples 95%C.I.=-.016;-.001); through attachment to peers and depressive symtpoms (b=-.008, Bootstrap SE=.006, 5000 bootstrap samples 95%C.I.=-.027;-.001). After controlling for the mediators, a nonsignificant total direct effect of attachment to parents is found. Serial multiple mediation help us to clarify the link between attachment and somatic symptoms in children. Findings from this study provide evidence that somatic symptoms are associated with the quality of attachment and internalizing symptoms. Longitudinal studies are needed to test the validity of the model

Sleep disturbances partially mediate the association between problematic internet use and somatic symptomatology in adolescence

The Internet is widely used among adolescents for different purposes, including social connections, entertainment and schoolwork. Nevertheless, research has demonstrated the negative impact of problematic internet use (PIU) on psychophysical wellbeing in adolescence. This study aims to investigate internet use and its association with somatic symptoms, exploring the specific role of sleep disturbances that affect overall sleep quality. A mediation model was used to demonstrate the link between PIU, somatic symptoms and sleep disturbances in a sample of 412 adolescents (52% of males) aged 10–17 (M = 14.12, SD = 1.46). We also investigated whether somatic symptoms were differently experienced and reported by participants at risk of developing internet addiction (n = 58) from those not-at risk (n = 354). Sleep disturbances partially mediated the relationship between PIU and somatic symptoms. Furthermore, PIU seems to lead to poorer sleep quality which may in turn result in physical problems with an increase in somatic symptoms. Findings of this study showed that adolescents at risk of developing internet addiction suffered from a specific somatic symptomatology respect to those not-at risk. Finally, PIU has a positive direct effect on somatic symptoms. These results highlight the role of sleep disturbances with implications for overall sleep quality in the association between PIU and somatic symptoms. When designing intervention programs, the associations between PIU, sleep quality and somatic symptoms in adolescence and the negative repercussions of PIU on psychophysical health should be kept in mind. Results are discussed within the context of recent scientific research

Narcissistic traits as predictors of emotional problems in children with oppositional defiant disorder: A longitudinal study

Background: Children's self-views encompass two independent dimensions: self-esteem and narcissism, which recently have received growing attention from researchers and clinicians. The current study sought to test whether these dimensions might predict the developmental course of children with Oppositional Defiant Disorder diagnosis. Method: The sample (N = 64, M age = 10.1 years, 57 boys) included children with Oppositional Defiant Disorder diagnosis. We examined longitudinal relationships between self-views (both self-esteem and narcissism) and parent-reported internalizing and externalizing behavioral problems. Results: The study spanned two time-points, spaced 12 months apart. None of the predictors were longitudinally associated with the levels of externalizing behavioral problems in children. However, narcissism predicted the levels of children's internalizing problems at the follow-up, whereas self-esteem did not. Limitations: The relatively small sample and the lack of assessing causality limit the generalizability of the findings. Results need to be replicated in larger samples. Conclusions: These findings illustrate the value of taking into account children's narcissistic traits in clinical assessment. By broadening knowledge of narcissistic traits in clinical samples of children, we hope to inform assessment procedures in standard clinical practice, as well as the development of tailored interventions to curb the emergence of later negative outcomes related to childhood narcissism, such as internalizing problems

Narcissistic traits as predictors of emotional problems in children with oppositional defiant disorder: A longitudinal study

Background: Children's self-views encompass two independent dimensions: self-esteem and narcissism, which recently have received growing attention from researchers and clinicians. The current study sought to test whether these dimensions might predict the developmental course of children with Oppositional Defiant Disorder diagnosis. Method: The sample (N = 64, M age = 10.1 years, 57 boys) included children with Oppositional Defiant Disorder diagnosis. We examined longitudinal relationships between self-views (both self-esteem and narcissism) and parent-reported internalizing and externalizing behavioral problems. Results: The study spanned two time-points, spaced 12 months apart. None of the predictors were longitudinally associated with the levels of externalizing behavioral problems in children. However, narcissism predicted the levels of children's internalizing problems at the follow-up, whereas self-esteem did not. Limitations: The relatively small sample and the lack of assessing causality limit the generalizability of the findings. Results need to be replicated in larger samples. Conclusions: These findings illustrate the value of taking into account children's narcissistic traits in clinical assessment. By broadening knowledge of narcissistic traits in clinical samples of children, we hope to inform assessment procedures in standard clinical practice, as well as the development of tailored interventions to curb the emergence of later negative outcomes related to childhood narcissism, such as internalizing problems