Religiosity is a protective factor against self-injurious thoughts and behaviors in Jewish adolescents: findings from a nationally representative survey.

PURPOSE: Few studies have investigated the association between religiosity and self-injurious thoughts and behaviors specifically in adolescents, yielding inconsistent results. To date, no study has examined this relationship in a Jewish adolescent cohort. METHODS: Self-injurious thoughts and behaviors, as well as depression, were assessed in a nationally representative sample of Jewish adolescents (n=620) and their mothers, using the Development and Well-Being Assessment Inventory (DAWBA) structured interview. Degree of religiosity was obtained by a self-report measure. RESULTS: Using multivariate analysis, level of religiosity was inversely associated with self-injurious thoughts and behaviors (Wald χ(2)=3.95, P=0.047), decreasing the likelihood of occurrence by 55% (OR=0.45, 95% CI 0.2-0.99), after adjusting for depression and socio-demographic factors. This model (adjusted R(2)=0.164; likelihood ratio χ(2)=7.59; df=1; P<0.047) was able to correctly classify 95.6% of the patients as belonging either to the high or low risk groups. CONCLUSION: This is the first study demonstrating religiosity to have a direct independent protective effect against self-injurious thoughts and behaviors in Jewish adolescents. This finding has clinical implications regarding risk assessment and suicide prevention. Further research can potentially elucidate the complex relationship between religiosity, self-injury and suicide in this population.

The use of mental health services by adolescent smokers: a nationwide Israeli study.

In this study, we aimed to evaluate the utilization of mental health services by adolescent smokers, the presence of untreated mental disorders in this young population and the associated emotional and behavioral difficulties. We performed a nationwide survey study of an Israeli representative sample of 906 adolescents and their mothers. Mental disorders were assessed using the Development and Well-Being Assessment (DAWBA) Inventory. Emotional and behavioral difficulties were evaluated using the Strengths and Difficulties Questionnaire (SDQ). Mental health services use and smoking habits were evaluated by relevant questionnaires. Adolescent smokers were using significantly more mental health services than non-smokers (79% vs. 63%, respectively, P<0.001), independently of their mental health status or ethnic group. Adolescent smokers also reported more emotional and behavioral difficulties in most areas (P<0.001), which are consistent with their mothers' reports, except in the area of peer relationships. The treatment gap for the smoking adolescents was 53% compared to 69% in the non-smokers (P<0.001). This is the first study characterizing the use of mental health services and the related emotional and behavioral difficulties in a nationally-representative sample of adolescents. The findings of a wide treatment gap and the rates of the associated emotional and behavioral difficulties are highly relevant to the psychiatric assessment and national treatment plans of adolescent smokers.

Self versus maternal reports of emotional and behavioral difficulties in suicidal and non-suicidal adolescents: an Israeli nationwide survey.

UNLABELLED: There is relatively little research addressing parent-adolescent agreement as regards to reporting on adolescent suicidal behavior in general and their behavioral and emotional difficulties in particular. The objective of this study was to compare maternal and adolescents' reports on behavioral and emotional difficulties among adolescents with and without suicidal behavior. This nationally-representative sample included 906 adolescents and their mothers. The mothers and adolescents were interviewed and evaluated separately using the Development and Well-Being Assessment Inventory (DAWBA) and the Strengths and Difficulties Questionnaire (SDQ). Self-rated SDQ scores of the suicidal adolescents were significantly higher in all SDQ problem scales compared to the non-suicidal participants. In contrast, maternal-rated SDQ assessments failed to discriminate between these groups, except the Hyperactivity scale. We demonstrated that mothers of suicidal adolescents in the community hardly recognize the emotional and behavioral difficulties of their offsprings. CONCLUSION: The mental examination of the adolescent patient should be maintained as the central and most reliable source of information regarding the suicidal adolescent. Mental health services planning of national suicide prevention programs should take into account these poor mother-adolescent agreement findings.

Gender differences in emotional and behavioral disorders and service use among adolescent smokers: a nationwide Israeli study.

Marked gender differences have been identified in cigarette smoking. In this study, we aimed to identify the gender-specific emotional and behavioral disorders among adolescent smokers and their consequent utilization of mental health services. We performed a nationwide survey study of an Israeli representative sample of 906 adolescents and their mothers. Mental disorders were assessed using the Development and Well-Being Assessment (DAWBA) Inventory. Levels of emotional and behavioral difficulties were evaluated using the Strengths and Difficulties Questionnaire (SDQ). Mental health services use and smoking habits were also assessed. Among non-smoker adolescents there were significant gender differences in almost all SDQ scales: emotional problems, pro-social, hyperactivity/inattention and conduct problems, whereas in the smoker group there was a difference only in the SDQ emotional problems scale (both self- and maternal-rated, P<0.001 and P=0.002, respectively). Only marginal difference was noted between males and females in help-seeking for emotional or behavioral problems. Over 50% of both male and female smokers in the study had untreated mental disorders (non-significant gender difference). The well-established gender differences in psychiatric symptomatology narrowed markedly in adolescent smokers; the typical gender difference in disruptive behaviors was lost in the adolescent smoking population. The implications of these findings are particularly relevant to developing more effective gender-specific programs to prevent youth smoking, to facilitate quitting and prepare primary care practitioners to identify mental disorders and behavioral problems in adolescents with a smoking history.