Reward positivity moderates the association between pubertal status and social anxiety symptoms in nine-to-12-year-old youths.

The transition to adolescence is characterized by rapid development of puberty, reward processing, and internalizing psychopathology (i.e., depression and anxiety). More advanced pubertal status and altered reward processing are both known to be associated with elevated internalizing symptoms. However, it was unclear to what extent pubertal status and reward processing interacted with each other in predicting internalizing psychopathology. We examined how the puberty-psychopathology association was moderated by the reward processing indexed by ERPs, including the reward positivity (RewP) and the late positive potential (LPP). A-hundred-and-fifteen nine-to-12-year-old typically developing youths (66 girls; Mean age/SD =10.98/1.18 years) reported their pubertal status and symptoms of depression and social anxiety and completed an EEG Doors task that assessed monetary reward feedback processing. A principal component analysis of the ERP data identified a RewP, an anterior LPP, and a posterior LPP, elicited by the win and loss feedback of the task. The puberty-social anxiety relationship was moderated by the RewP, an identified neural marker of reward sensitivity. Specifically, more advanced puberty was associated with heightened social anxiety symptoms in the presence of a larger, but not smaller, RewP. We did not observe any moderating effect of the LPPs. Our study provided novel evidence that a hypersensitivity toward the reward stimuli (indexed by an enlarged RewP) further exacerbated the risks associated with more advanced pubertal status for social anxiety.

Pre-adolescence repeat exposure to sub-anesthetic doses of ketamine induces long-lasting behaviors and cognition impairment in male and female rat adults.

In pre-adolescence, repeated anesthesia may be required for therapeutic interventions. Adult cognitive and neurobehavioral problems may result from preadolescent exposure to anesthetics. This study examined the long-term morphological and functional effects of repeated sub-anesthetic doses of ketamine exposure on male and female rat adults during pre-adolescence. Weaned 48 pre-adolescent rats from eight mothers and were randomly divided into four equal groups: control group and the ketamine group of males and females (20 mg/kg daily for 14 days); then animals received care for 20-30 days. Repeated exposure to sub-anesthetic doses of ketamine on cognitive functions was assayed using Social discrimination and novel object tests. Besides, an elevated plus maze and fear conditioning apparatus were utilized to determine exploratory and anxiety-like behavior in adults. Toluidine blue stain was used to evaluate the number of dead neurons in the hippocampus, and the effects of ketamine on synaptic plasticity were compared in the perforant pathway of the CA1 of the hippocampus. Our study indicates that repeated exposure to sub-anesthetic doses of ketamine during pre-adolescence can result in neurobehavioral impairment in male and female rat adulthood but does not affect anxiety-like behavior. We found a significant quantifiable increase in dark neurons. Recorded electrophysiologically, repeat sub-anesthetic doses of ketamine resulted in hampering long-term potentiation and pair pulse in male adult animals. Our results showed that repeated exposure to sub-anesthetic doses of ketamine during pre-adolescence can induce hippocampus and neuroplasticity changes later in adulthood. This study opens up a new line of inquiry into potential adverse outcomes of repeated anesthesia exposure in pre-adolescent rats.

Trial-level ERPs predicted behavioral responses during self-referential processing in late childhood.

Self-referential information is uniquely salient and preferentially processed even in children. The literature has used the self-referent encoding task (SRET) combined with event-related potentials (ERPs) to study self-referential processing and its associations with youth psychopathology. However, it is unclear how the ERP and behavioral indices of SRET are associated with each other, although this knowledge can promote our mechanistic understanding of this construct and its role in psychopathology. We examined this question in 115 9- to 12-year-old children, a critical period for the development of self-related concepts. By applying a multilevel modeling approach to the trial-level data of SRET, we disaggregated the between- and within-person variability and observed within-person, but not between-person, effects of the P2 and late positive potential (LPP) on behavioral responses: a larger P2 on a given trial predicted a faster response in this trial; a larger LPP on a given trial predicted a higher likelihood of endorsing the word of this trial. We provided novel evidence on how the within-person variability of the ERPs predicted the overt responses of the SRET in children. These findings inform our mechanistic knowledge of self-referential processing and shed light on a better understanding of the role of self-referential processing in the development of psychopathology.

Non-specific and ski-specific performance development in peri-pubertal cross-country skiers.

PURPOSE: To evaluate non-specific and ski-specific performance development in male (M) and female (F) peri-pubertal cross-country skiers and to evaluate their relationship with cross-country skiing (XCS) performance and biological maturation within each age category and sex. METHODS: Twenty-one and 19 athletes under 14 and 16 years old, respectively (U14 and U16), were tested for biological maturation; non-specific speed, agility, strength, endurance, and balance; ski-specific speed, agility, and endurance. XCS index was considered as average percentage time-gap from the winner in four official races. Sex and age-category effects were verified and a model predicting XCS index was extrapolated for each group. RESULTS: Performance capacities raised across age categories (p < 0.05) except for non-specific speed, agility, balance, and relative arm strength (p > 0.05). F showed advanced biological maturation and greater balance than M (p < 0.05), while M showed higher performance capacities (p < 0.05). XCS index was not related to biological maturation within each group (p > 0.05); its variance was explained by non-specific speed and ski-specific upper-body endurance in M-U14 (p = 0.014), lower-limb strength and ski-specific agility in M-U16 and F-U14 (both p = 0.001), ski-specific upper-body endurance in F-U16 (p = 0.002). CONCLUSION: Ski-specific performance capacities still develop during peri-puberty, with peri-pubertal M overperforming with respect to F of comparable performance level. XCS index was not influenced by biological maturation withing each age category, but it was rather explained by specific parameters that commonly undergo the "adolescent spurts", accordingly to the average biological maturation level of M and F athletes of each age category.

Beyond the RewP: The reward feedback-elicited LPP and its potential associations with perceived stress and internalizing symptoms in late childhood.

Internalizing problems increase substantially during late childhood and early adolescence, which are known to be associated with elevated perceived stress as children transition into adolescence. One risk factor that may moderate the stress-symptom association is reward processing. While neurophysiological research in this field has focused on the reward positivity component (RewP) elicited during reward processing, little work has examined the reward feedback-elicited late positive potential (LPP) and its association with internalizing psychopathology. The present study examined the moderating roles of the RewP and feedback-elicited LPP in the relationship between perceived stress and internalizing symptoms in late childhood. A community sample of 115 nine-to-12-year-old children (66 girls, Mean age = 11.00 years, SD = 1.16) completed an EEG version of the reward feedback paradigm, the Doors task, and completed questionnaires on perceived stress and internalizing symptoms. A principal component analysis revealed three temporo-spatial factors that were temporally and spatially analogous to the RewP, anterior LPP, and posterior LPP, respectively. As expected, an enlarged RewP was found towards the win condition compared to the loss condition. We also observed a potentiated LPP towards loss relative to win feedback, which may reflect the evaluation and reappraisal processes following unsuccessful performance (i.e., loss). We did not, however, find significant moderating effects of any ERP components on the stress-symptom association. Our study was first to isolate the feedback-elicited LPP in a reward processing paradigm in children and provide initial evidence on the modulation of the ERP component by task conditions. Future research is warranted to further explore the functional significance of the reward feedback-elicited LPP in association with perceived stress and internalizing psychopathology in youths.

Clustering of cardiometabolic risk factors in Mexican pre-adolescents.

OBJECTIVE: To examine clustering of cardiometabolic markers in Mexican children at age 11 years and compare a metabolic syndrome (MetS) score to an exploratory cardiometabolic health (CMH) score. METHODS: We used data from children enrolled in the POSGRAD birth cohort with cardiometabolic data available (n = 413). We used principal component analysis (PCA) to derive a Metabolic Syndrome (MetS) score and an exploratory cardiometabolic health (CMH) score, which additionally included adipokines, lipids, inflammatory markers, and adiposity. We assessed reliability of individual cardiometabolic risk as defined by MetS and CMH by calculating % agreement and Cohen's kappa statistic. RESULTS: At least one cardiometabolic risk factor was present in 42 % of study participants; the most common risk factors were low High-Density Lipoprotein (HDL) cholesterol (31.9 %) and elevated triglycerides (18.2 %). Measures of adiposity and lipids explained the most variation in cardiometabolic measures for both MetS and CMH scores. Two-thirds of individuals were categorized in the same risk category by both MetS and CMH scores (κ = 0.42). CONCLUSIONS: MetS and CMH scores capture a similar amount of variation. Additional follow-up studies comparing predictive abilities of MetS and CMH scores may enable improved identification of children at risk for cardiometabolic disease.

Associations between parental and pre-adolescents' physical activity and diet quality: The role of parental child care involvement and child's sex.

BACKGROUND: Research has demonstrated the importance of the family environment in the eating and activity levels of offspring. We examined the cross-sectional associations between moderate-to-vigorous physical activity (MVPA) and diet quality of parents and the MVPA and diet quality of pre-adolescents. Interactions were tested to assess whether the child's sex and the parental level of involvement in daily child care moderated these associations. METHODS: Data from 2467 pre-adolescents (age 11.5 ± 0.2 years; collected in 2015-2016) and their parents or caregivers from a large-scale prospective birth cohort study in Amsterdam (ABCD-study) was used. Parents and pre-adolescents individually reported their diet quality and physical activity. Child care involvement was assessed using the Caregiver Child Interaction Scale. With hierarchical linear regression analyses, we assessed the independent contribution of fathers and mothers. RESULTS: An association between mother-child MVPA was found (ß = 0.013; 95 % CI: 0.006;0.021). The association between father-child MVPA was only significant for highly involved fathers (ß = 0.014; 95 % CI: 0.004;0.023). The child's sex did not change these MVPA associations. Regarding diet quality, associations were found between mother-child diet quality score (DQS) (ß = 0.254; 95 % CI: 0.192;0.316) and father-child DQS, with stronger associations between fathers and sons (ß = 0.234; 95 % CI: 0.169;0.298) than between fathers and daughters (ß = 0.114; 95 % CI: 0.047;0.181). Parental levels of involvement did not change these associations. CONCLUSION: These findings demonstrate that both parental behaviours represent an important factor in physical activity and diet quality in pre-adolescents in a sex-specific manner. As such, it is essential to include both parents in research to obtain the necessary insights for developing effective interventions to promote children's healthy eating and physical activity behaviours.

Behavioral and ERP indices of self-schematic processing show differential associations with emerging symptoms of depression and social anxiety in late childhood: Evidence from a community-dwelling sample.

Symptoms of depression and social anxiety elevate in late childhood. An identified cognitive risk to both depression and social anxiety is maladaptive self-schemas (or self-schematic processing). Beyond the behavioral indices of this construct, event-related potentials (ERPs) during self-schematic processing have also been observed to be associated with depression or depressive symptoms. However, no study has examined the ERPs underlying self-schematic processing in relation to social anxiety. More importantly, it was unclear to what extent behavioral and ERP indices of self-schematic processing were differentially associated with depression and social anxiety, especially in typical-risk youth with emerging symptoms. A hundred and fifteen community-dwelling children (66 girls; Mean age=10.91 years, SD=1.45) completed a self-referent encoding task (SRET) with EEG recorded. A Principal Component Analysis identified a late positive potential (LPP) component elicited in both the positive and negative SRET conditions. Multivariate multiple regression showed that in both conditions, behavioral SRET scores were associated with depressive symptoms while partialling out social anxiety symptoms, but not with social anxiety symptoms with depressive symptoms partialled out. The LPP amplitude elicited in both conditions showed marginally positive associations with social anxiety symptoms while partialling out depressive symptoms, but not with depressive symptoms while accounting for social anxiety. This study provides novel evidence concerning the ERP correlates of self-schematic processing in relation to social anxiety symptoms. More importantly, our findings for the first time speak to the differential associations between the behavioral SRET scores and SRET-elicited LPP and emerging symptoms of depression and social anxiety in late childhood.

From early birds to night owls: a longitudinal study of actigraphy-assessed sleep trajectories during the transition from pre- to early adolescence.

STUDY OBJECTIVES: Pre- and early adolescence are believed to constitute periods of important age-related changes in sleep. However, much of the research on these presumed developmental changes has used cross-sectional data or subjective measures of sleep, limiting the quality of the evidence. In addition, little is known about the development of certain features of the sleep-wake cycle pertaining to regularity (e.g. weekend-weekday differences and intra-individual variability) or circadian rhythms (e.g. sleep midpoint). METHODS: This study examined the sleep trajectories of 128 typically developing youth (69 girls) from ages 8 to 12 years on four sleep characteristics: sleep onset, sleep offset, total sleep time (TST), and sleep midpoint. For each of these characteristics, actigraphy-derived estimates of typical (i.e. mean) sleep and sleep regularity were obtained at each time point. Multilevel growth curves were modeled. RESULTS: Overall, the sleep-wake cycle significantly changed between 8 and 12 years. Mean sleep onset, offset and midpoint exhibited an ascending curvilinear growth pattern that shifted later with age, while mean TST decreased linearly. Weekend-weekday differences (social jetlag) for sleep offset and midpoint became more pronounced each year. Weekday TST was longer than weekend TST, though this difference became smaller over time. Finally, intra-individual variability increased over time for all sleep characteristics, with variability in TST ascending curvilinearly. Important between-person and sex differences were also observed. CONCLUSION: This study reveals the marked changes that occur in the sleep of typically developing pre- and early adolescents. We discuss the potential implications of these trajectories.

Neurocognitive Subgroups in Children at Familial High-risk of Schizophrenia or Bipolar disorder: Subgroup Membership Stability or Change From Age 7 to 11-The Danish High Risk and Resilience Study.

BACKGROUND AND HYPOTHESIS: Subgroups with distinct levels of neurocognitive functioning exist in children of parents with schizophrenia or bipolar disorder. However, studies investigating the temporal stability of subgroup membership are currently lacking. We hypothesized that a minority of children at familial high-risk of schizophrenia (FHR-SZ) or bipolar disorder (FHR-BP) would transition to a different neurocognitive subgroup from age 7 to 11 and that most transitions would be to a more impaired subgroup. STUDY DESIGN: Latent profile analysis was used to identify subgroups at two assessments (age 7 and 11) based on the performance of 320 children at FHR-SZ or FHR-BP across eight neurocognitive functions. Temporal stability in subgroup membership was evaluated with latent profile transition analysis. Population-based controls (age 7, n = 199; age 11, n = 178) were included as a reference group. Children transitioning to a more impaired subgroup were compared with nontransitioning children on sex, FHR-status, global functioning, and psychopathology. STUDY RESULTS: At both assessment points, we identified three subgroups based on neurocognitive performance: a moderately-severely impaired, a mildly impaired, and an above-average subgroup. A total of 12.8% of children transitioned to a different subgroup, of which the majority (85.2%) moved to a more impaired subgroup. Parental diagnosis of schizophrenia, but neither parental diagnosis of bipolar disorder, global functioning at age 7, psychopathology, nor sex significantly differentiated children transitioning to a more impaired subgroup from nontransitioning children. CONCLUSIONS: During pre-adolescence, neurocognitive developmental lag is associated with being at FHR-SZ. Close attention to these children's neurocognitive development is indicated.

Relações Entre Suporte Parental e Reconhecimento de Expressões Faciais Emocionais em Pré-Adolescentes / Relationships Between Parental Support and Recognition of Emotional Facial Expressions in Pre-Adolescents

Resumo Este estudo analisou a relação entre suporte parental e habilidade de reconhecer expressões faciais emocionais em pré-adolescentes através de uma revisão integrativa de pesquisas empíricas dos últimos dez anos. Foram encontradas 12 publicações, as quais utilizaram principalmente tarefas computadorizadas para avaliar o reconhecimento de expressões faciais, sendo a maioria estudos transversais. Houve uma associação de práticas parentais positivas com uma melhor habilidade de reconhecimento de expressões faciais dos filhos, assim como aspectos negativos da parentalidade estiveram associados a um pior reconhecimento de expressões faciais e a um favorecimento do reconhecimento de expressões negativas, sendo que alguns resultados foram contraditórios. Discute-se a importância desta habilidade para o desenvolvimento infanto-juvenil e destacam-se lacunas metodológicas e sugestões para avançar os estudos na área.

Abstract This study analyzed the relationship between parental support and the ability to recognize emotional facial expressions in pre-adolescents through an integrative review of empirical research in the last ten years. Twelve publications were found, which mainly used computerized tasks to evaluate the recognition of facial expressions, most of which were cross-sectional studies. There was an association of positive parental practices with better ability to recognize children's facial expressions, as well as negative aspects of parenting were associated with worse recognition of facial expressions and favoring the recognition of negative expressions, with some of these results presenting contradictions. It discusses the importance of this ability for the development of youth, highlights methodological gaps and suggestions to advance studies in the area.

Gross motor coordination in relation to weight status: a longitudinal study in children and pre-adolescents.

Introduction: Gross Motor Coordination (GMC) is crucial for the adequate development of motor competence. Our purpose in this semi-longitudinal study was to evaluate the influence of BMI on GMC in children and pre-adolescents of both sexes, across school years (classes). Methods: We evaluated 117 subjects (aged 8-13 years) belonging to three different cohorts for 4 consecutive years, providing data over 6 years (classes). GMC was assessed through the Körperkoordinationstest für Kinder (KTK) test. Class and weight status effects were then evaluated by dividing the subjects into a normal weight group and an overweight group based on their weight status. Results: A significant increase across classes was found for BMI (p < 0.001) and KTK raw score (p < 0.001) and a decrease was found for KTK normalized score (MQ) (p = 0.043). Significantly lower MQ values were found for girls. Absolute GMC increased across the years and there was no difference between boys and girls. Correlations between GMC scores and BMI were negative and significant in 5 of 6 classes. It was confirmed that overweight subjects had lower MQ and RAW values than normal-weight subjects, with no class-by-weight status interaction. Discussion: The level of competence and its development are strictly dependent on weight status during childhood and pre-adolescence. The present investigation suggests that the adequate development of GMC requires not only targeted physical education programs but also the promotion of healthy habits aimed at maintaining a normal weight status during childhood and pre-adolescence.

Biometría histórica de los jóvenes varones castellanos. La incidencia en su estatura de los salarios y la nutrición, 1858-1959 / Historical biometrics of young Castilian males: the impact of income and Nutrition on their height, 1858-1959

Antecedentes: los estudios antropométricos han permitido medir la evolución del bienestar en España y en perspectiva histórica, pero aún no se ha calculado el efecto preciso de los ingresos económicos en la talla. Objetivo: el propósito del este trabajo es identificar los periodos en la trayectoria vital de los jóvenes en los que las disponibilidades alimentación fueron más determinantes en su crecimiento físico. Resultados: el modelo estimado mediante mínimos cuadrados ordinarios demostraría que los ingresos salariales percibidos por sus progenitores por el joven varón en los tres primeros años de vida y los tres inmediatamente anteriores al comienzo de la adolescencia explican hasta un 60 % de su talla al cumplir los 18 años. Todos los coeficientes de los regresores de los modelos planteados son significativos al 0,99 %. Conforme a estos cálculos, el tipo de alimentación del joven en el periodo comprendido entre los 11 y los 14 años fue determinante en su proceso evolutivo. Adicionalmente, los cálculos presentan a las carencias alimentarias como el culpable de los recurrentes periodos de pérdida del bienestar, especialmente en la segunda mitad del siglo XIX. Conclusión: las carencias nutricionales causadas por los bajos salarios y la nutrición deficiente han obstaculizado secularmente el crecimiento físico de los jóvenes castellanos. (AU)

Background: anthropometric studies have made it possible to measure the evolution of well-being in Spain and under a historical perspective, but the precise effect of income on height has not yet been calculated. Objective: the purpose of this paper is to identify the periods in the life trajectory of young people in which food availability was the most important determinant of their physical growth. Results: the model estimated using ordinary least squares shows that the wage income received by the parents of the young male in the first three years of life and the three years immediately prior to the onset of adolescence explain up to 60 % of his height at the age of 18. All the coefficients of the regressors of the models presented are significant at 0.99 %. According to these calculations, the type of Nutrition received by the young person in the period between 11 to 14 years of age was a determining factor in his or her evolutionary process. In addition, the calculations show that food deficiencies were to blame for recurrent periods of loss of well-being, especially in the second half of the 19th century. Conclusion: Nutritional deficiencies caused by low wages and poor Nutrition have for centuries hampered the physical growth of Castilian youth. (AU)

Comportamento de 'media multitasking' (MMT) na pré-adolescência: Revisão integrativa e recomendações para pesquisas futuras / Media multitasking behavior (MMT) in pre-adolescence: Integrative review and recommendations for future research / Comportamiento de 'media multitasking' (MMT) en la preadolescencia: Revisión integradora y recomendaciones para futuras investigaciones

O acesso facilitado às tecnologias de informação e comunicação no dia a dia propicia a realização de diferentes atividades ao mesmo tempo. Este comportamento é chamado 'media multitasking' (MMT). Nos últimos anos, houve um aumento significativo no acesso a essas tecnologias por crianças na faixa etária de transição entre a infância e a adolescência. Com o objetivo de compreender as implicações desse fenômeno para a saúde mental e o bem-estar, foi realizada uma revisão integrativa da literatura, abrangendo estudos empíricos publicados de janeiro de 2010 a janeiro de 2020 em periódicos científicos indexados às bases de dados MEDLINE, PsycINFO, Scopus, Web of Science e ERIC. Como resultado, identificou-se uma convergência no entendimento de que o comportamento de MMT pode afetar o desenvolvimento de habilidades componentes das funções executivas e de competências socioemocionais, interferindo no funcionamento cognitivo e psicossocial. O estudo revelou importantes demandas de pesquisa, atentando particularmente para possíveis associações entre MMT e características próprias da pré-adolescência. Além disso, concluiu-se que esse comportamento constitui uma variável relevante a ser considerada na prática clínica, em intervenções e ações psicoeducativas, bem como para assegurar assertividade em avaliações psicológicas e neuropsicológicas, especialmente tratando-se das novas gerações.

The facilitated access to information and communication technologies in everyday life promotes engaging in different activities simultaneously. This behavior is called media multitasking (MMT). In recent years there has been a significant increase in access to such technologies among children in the age group between childhood and adolescence. In order to understand the implications of this phenomenon to mental health and well-being, an integrative literature review was carried out, covering empirical studies published from January 2010 to January 2020 in scientific journals indexed to the MEDLINE, PsycINFO, Scopus, Web of Science and ERIC databases. As a result, a convergence was identified in the understanding that MMT behavior can impact the development of constituent abilities of executive functions and social-emotional skills, interfering with cognitive and psychosocial functioning. The study revealed important research demands, particularly related to the possible associations between MMT and the characteristics of pre-adolescence. Furthermore, it led to the conclusion that this behavior constitutes a relevant variable to be considered in clinical practice, in interventions and psychoeducational efforts, as well as to ensure assertiveness in psychological and neuropsychological assessments, especially concerning the new generations.

El acceso facilitado a las tecnologías de la información y comunicación en el cotidiano promueve la realización de diferentes actividades al mismo tiempo. Este comportamiento es llamado 'media multitasking' (MMT). En los últimos años, ha sucedido un aumento significativo en el acceso a esas tecnologías por niños en el grupo de edad de transición entre la infancia y la adolescencia. Para comprender las implicaciones de este fenómeno para la salud mental y el bienestar, se realizó una revisión integradora de la literatura, abarcando estudios empíricos publicados desde enero de 2010 a enero de 2020 en revistas científicas indexadas a las bases de datos MEDLINE, PsycINFO, Scopus, Web of Science y ERIC. Como resultado, se encontró una convergencia en el entendimiento de que el comportamiento de MMT puede afectar el desarrollo de habilidades que componen las funciones ejecutivas y las competencias socioemocionales, interfiriendo con el funcionamiento cognitivo y psicosocial. El estudio mostró importantes demandas de investigación, particularmente con atención a las posibles asociaciones entre MMT y características de la preadolescencia. Además, se concluyó que este comportamiento es una variable relevante a considerar en la práctica clínica, en las intervenciones y acciones psicoeducativas, así como para asegurar asertividad en las evaluaciones psicológicas y neuropsicológicas, especialmente con las nuevas generaciones.

Sex differences in emotional and meta-emotional intelligence in pre-adolescents and adolescents.

The study focuses on sex differences in emotional and meta-emotional intelligence in a sample of 355 pre-adolescents and 164 adolescents. Emotional and meta-emotional intelligence were measured using the multi-trait multi-method IE-ACCME test, allowing to define individuals' profiles of ability EI, emotional self-concept, meta-emotional knowledge, meta-emotional ability in self-evaluation and meta-emotional beliefs. Meta-emotional dimensions refer to the awareness of individuals about their emotional abilities and to their beliefs about the functioning of emotions in everyday life. Results demonstrated that girls scored better than boys in ability-EI, in particular in adolescents' group, whereas boys reported higher score than girls in emotional self-concept in both groups of age. Result about meta-emotional knowledge and meta-emotional ability in self-evaluation revealed that boys systematically overestimate their emotional abilities whereas girls, particularly in the adolescent group, tend to underestimate them. Finally, in both age groups, girls scored higher than males in metaemotional beliefs. The adoption of the meta-emotional intelligence framework may help to explain the discordances about sex differences found in previous studies using self-report vs. performance measures of EI. Moreover, it may contribute to shed light on the nature-nurture debate and on the role of meta-emotional variables for explaining sex differences in EI.

Explaining the Association Between Urbanicity and Psychotic-Like Experiences in Pre-Adolescence: The Indirect Effect of Urban Exposures.

Urban living is a growing worldwide phenomenon with more than two-thirds of people expected to live in cities by 2050. Although there are many benefits to living in an urban environment, urbanicity has also been associated with deleterious health outcomes, including increased risk for psychotic outcomes particularly when the urban exposure occurs in pre-adolescence. However, the mechanisms underlying this association is unclear. Here, we utilize one-year follow-up data from a large (N=7,979), nationwide study of pre-adolescence in the United States to clarify why urbanicity (i.e., census-tract population density) might impact psychotic-like experiences (PLE) by looking at the indirect effect of eight candidate urbanicity-related physical (e.g., pollution) and social (e.g., poverty) exposures. Consistent with other work, we found that of the evaluated exposures related to urbanicity, several were also related to increased number of PLE: PM2.5, proximity to roads, census-level homes at-risk for exposure to lead paint, census-level poverty, and census-level income-disparity. These same urban-related exposures were also related to the persistence of PLE after 1 year, but not new onset of PLE. Mediation analysis revealed that a substantial proportion the urbanicity-PLE association (number and persistence) could be explained by PM2.5 (23-44%), families in poverty (68-93%), and income disparity (67-80%). Together, these findings suggest that specific urban-related exposures contribute to the existence and maintenance, but not onset of PLE, which might help to explain why those in urban environments are disproportionately at-risk for psychosis and point toward areas for public health intervention.

The tween years: A systematic literature review for services for children aged 10-13 years.

AIM: To explore the literature about services and interventions provided to tween children as the basis for informing future practice and policy. BACKGROUND: The tween years (10-13 years) is a period in human development where children experience rapid physical and mental development; their thinking and actions are influenced by peer pressure, risk taking, concerns about their body image, size, and gender, and may become victims to bullying and increasing levels of mental ill-health. It may also be a time of transition between schooling institutions. Despite the multiplicity of these factors, pre-adolescents appear to be receiving little attention from both service providers and policy makers. METHODS: Following the PRISMA reporting guidelines, a systematic search of peer-reviewed papers was conducted between June 2020 and April 2021. Studies were selected by screening their abstracts and titles. In total, 44 articles were included for in-depth analysis. Of these, 17 were randomised studies and 10 were non-randomised, and all were subjected to the assessment of risk of bias using the Review Manager Tool and ROBINS-I Tool respectively. DATA EXTRACTION AND SYNTHESIS: Data was extracted by type of service/intervention/program, country, and type of study/methodology, aim, sample size, age range, and findings. Data synthesis was performed using thematic analysis and content analysis. The results are presented in an outcome summary table highlighting the study's outcomes including the provided programs, their acceptability, and their impacts on factors such as anxiety and depression levels, change of attitude, behavioural control, weight loss, resilience and coping, emotional regulation, self-esteem, and improved well-being. CONCLUSION: The majority of programs described in this review reported positive results, and as a result have the potential to make a valuable contribution to future practice, policy, and research involving the tweens.

Low-income mothers' perspectives on the involvement of family members in child feeding.

Nearly all research on child feeding has focused on mothers. Very little is known about other family members' roles in feeding children nor how mothers engage with these family members regarding child feeding. The objective of this study was to examine mothers' perceptions of other family members' child feeding roles and practices within low-income families, including the challenges experienced and strategies employed by mothers when sharing responsibility for child feeding. Low-income mothers (n = 100) of pre-adolescent children participated in semi-structured interviews regarding child feeding including shared responsibility for child feeding. A content analysis was then conducted to identify main themes in mothers' responses, with three main themes arising from the interviews. First, many family members were actively involved in child feeding and food-related decision-making. The majority of mothers (85%) reported that another family member was involved in feeding their child including fathers and father figures, who were involved in feeding in 63% of families. Other family members, mainly grandparents, were involved in feeding in 35% of families. Mothers identified several concerns regarding their child's eating when with other family members, particularly when grandparents fed children. Finally, mothers employed several strategies to control their children's eating when children were cared for by other family members. Future interventions to promote healthy child feeding among low-income families may benefit from helping mothers negotiate child feeding with other family members, particularly grandparents, and supporting family members' engagement in child feeding.

Adaptation of the Multidimensional Body Self Relations Questionnaire for Young People Between 9 and 16 Years old / Adaptación Española del Body Self Relations Questionnaire en jóvenes entre 9 y 16 años

Background: Young adolescents and pre-adolescents are the population most vulnerable to disorders derived from a distorted Body Image (BI). In this study, the Multidimensional Body Self Relations Questionnaire, MBSRQ®, was adapted and validated for young Spanish people between 9 and 16 years old. Method: 719 young people of both sexes participated. The internal structure, the invariance of the measure according to sex and age, and evidence of validity and reliability of the measure were examined. Results: the dimensional model found in adults was not replicated in young people. The simplest, best-fitting BI construct in young people, examined from the perspective of the BI construct contained in the MBSRQ®, consisted of 20 items in 4 differentially correlated factors. The internal consistency of the factors contained in the MBSRQ-SA-a was shown to be satisfactory, as was the evidence of concurrent validity. Factor invariance was demonstrated as a function of gender and three age groups. Conclusions: the MBSRQ-SA-a is reliable and valid for the study of BI in young people aged 9-16 years to the extent permitted by the content of the 4 factors making it up.(AU)

Antecedentes: los jóvenes adolescentes y preadolescentes son la población más vulnerable a los trastornos derivados de una Imagen Corporal (IC) distorsionada. En esta investigación se realiza la adaptación y validación del Multidimensional Body Self Relations Questionnaire, MBSRQ®, para jóvenes españoles entre 9 y 16 años. Método: participan 719 jóvenes de ambos sexos. Se estudia la estructura interna, la invarianza de la medida en función del sexo y de la edad, y la evidencia de validez y la fiabilidad de la medida. Resultados: el modelo dimensional hallado en los adultos no se replica en los jóvenes. El modelo más simple y mejor ajustado del constructo IC que tienen los jóvenes, examinado desde la óptica del constructo de IC contenida en el MBSRQ®, está formado por 20 ítems dimensionados en 4 factores diferencialmente correlacionados. Se demostró que la consistencia interna de los factores contenidos en el MBSRQ-SA-a es satisfactoria, y también lo es la evidencia de validez concurrente. Se demostró invarianza factorial en sexo y edad. Conclusiones: se concluye que el MBSRQ-SA-a es fiable y válido para el estudio de la IC en jóvenes entre 9-16 años en el alcance que permite el contenido de los 4 factores que lo conforman.(AU)

Tweens are not teens: the problem of amalgamating broad age groups when making pandemic recommendations.

Demarcating childhood into two distinct and broad 10-year age bands of over and under age 10 is a disservice to our tween population (9-12 years), and may be overlooking our role in understanding the negative impacts of SARS-CoV-2 (COVID-19) during a formative period of development. In this commentary, we discuss the importance of considering tweens as a unique population of youth who are differentially impacted by the COVID-19 pandemic. We first describe the distinctive progress of tweens across various facets of developmental health, followed by recommendations to improve understanding and address impact of the pandemic and its restrictions on tweens. The COVID-19 pandemic has had a large impact on the day-to-day lives of tweens and what we do now will have long-lasting effects on their lifelong trajectories.

RéSUMé: La séparation de l'enfance en deux groupes d'âge distincts (moins de 10 ans, 10 ans et plus) ne nous permet pas de bien caractériser les effets négatifs du SRAS-Cov-2 (COVID-19) chez les préadolescents (âgés entre 9 et 12 ans), ceux-ci étant dans une phase spécifique de leur développement. Dans cet commentaire, nous discutons de l'importance de considérer les préadolescents comme une population unique lorsqu'il s'agit de déterminer comment ils sont affectés par la pandémie du COVID-19. Nous décrivons d'abord les progrès uniques aux préadolescents dans diverses facettes de leur développement, suivis par des recommandations pour améliorer la compréhension de l'impact de la pandémie et de ses restrictions sur les préadolescents. La pandémie du COVID-19 a changé drastiquement la vie quotidienne des préadolescents, et les considérer comme un groupe unique de l'enfance aura des effets considérables sur notre habileté de les aider durant le reste de leur développement.