Quality of Life in Adolescents and Young Adults With a Chronic Medical Condition: The Role of Perceived Maturity and Transition Readiness.

INTRODUCTION: Adolescents and young adults (AYA) with a chronic medical condition (CMC) attending college must learn to manage their own healthcare (i.e., transition readiness). Maturity has been linked to positive outcomes in AYAs. Research has established a positive relationship between transition readiness and quality of life. The current study aimed to examine a model of perceived maturityàtransition readinessàmental and physical quality of life. METHOD: AYA (N = 153) with a CMC completed self-report questionnaires. RESULTS: The perceived maturity→transition readiness→mental quality of life indirect path was significant (ab = 1.96, 95% CI = 0.53 to 3.62). The perceived maturity→transition readiness→physical quality of life direct and indirect paths were not significant. DISCUSSION: Results showed that maturity and transition readiness are positively associated. Transition readiness may be one mechanism by which maturity results in enhanced quality of life. PRACTICE IMPLICATIONS: Findings highlight the value of enhancing strengths such as maturity to promote AYA independence/autonomy.

Illness stigma, health anxiety, illness intrusiveness, and depressive symptoms in adolescents and young adults: A path model

Adolescents and young adults (AYAs) with a chronic medical condition (CMC) transition to adulthood with the burden of independently managing their health care. AYAs with a CMC are at elevated risk for depression, and available research suggests that illness-related cognitive appraisals play a critical role in this risk. Bakula et al. (2019) demonstrated that illness stigma and illness intrusiveness are two particularly salient cognitive appraisals (illness stigma -> illness intrusiveness -> depressive symptoms). The present study replicated and extended those findings by testing health anxiety as a mediator between stigma and illness intrusiveness in the serial mediation model (illness stigma -> health anxiety -> illness intrusiveness -> depressive symptoms). College students (N = 97) with a CMC completed self-report measures of illness-related stigma, health-related anxiety, illness intrusiveness, and depressive symptoms. The illness stigma -> illness intrusiveness -> depressive symptoms simple mediation path was significant, ab = .50, 95% CI [0.27-0.73]. The illness stigma -> health anxiety -> illness intrusiveness -> depressive symptoms serial mediation path was also significant, a1d21b2 = 0.16, 95% CI [0.05-0.31]. Illness stigma indirectly related to depressive symptoms through the consecutive influence of illness stigma on health anxiety and health anxiety on illness intrusiveness. The present study replicated and extended findings by Bakula et al. by identifying that illness stigma may elicit anxiety about health and amplify perceived illness intrusiveness, thus increasing depressive symptoms in AYAs with a CMC. These findings further confirm the importance of assessing cognitive appraisals among AYAs with a CMC. When working with AYAs with a CMC who endorse depression, it may be particularly important to assess health anxiety, illness stigma, and illness intrusiveness. (PsycInfo Database Record (c) 2022 APA, all rights reserved)

Dating anxiety during the global COVID-19 pandemic: Implications for college students

Dating anxiety (i.e., anxiety experienced when initiating and/or maintaining a romantic connection) is prevalent in the college student population. Dating anxiety may contribute to psychological distress and diminished life satisfaction and has been found to be associated with depressive symptoms. The COVID-19 pandemic has necessitated preventative strategies that may negatively impact college students' ability to socialize and thus potentially worsen their mental health. The current study examined whether the relationship between dating anxiety and depressive symptoms was moderated by perceived impact of COVID-19. Participants included college students (N = 225) enrolled at a large Midwestern university and were 18-23 years of age (Mage = 18.95). Participants completed self-report measures of demographics, dating anxiety, perceived impact of COVID-19, and depressive symptoms. Depressive symptoms were significantly associated with dating anxiety, beta = .40, 95% CI [.292, .513], and COVID-19 impact, beta = .33, 95% CI [.220, .436]. The interaction term (Dating Anxiety x COVID-19 Impact) was significant, beta = .15, 95% CI [.062, .240], such that the relationship between higher dating anxiety and greater depressive symptoms strengthened as COVID-19 impact increased. Our findings demonstrate that increased dating anxiety is related to increased depressive symptoms, which are worsened by the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic. College students more strongly impacted by COVID-19 may have increased dating anxiety because of decreased exposure to social situations. (PsycInfo Database Record (c) 2022 APA, all rights reserved) Impact Statement The current results have particular implications for mental health services provided to college students. Clinicians providing care to college students should consider the substantial challenges the COVID-19 pandemic presents for daily living, including dating, particularly for individuals who reported higher perceived impact of the COVID-19 pandemic. (PsycInfo Database Record (c) 2022 APA, all rights reserved)