When Being Bad Feels Good: A Systematic Review of the Relationship Between Positive Emotion and Antisocial Behavior in Children and Adolescents.

Antisocial behavior in childhood and adolescence is associated with poor family and peer relationships, and a higher risk of mental and physical health problems in adulthood, as well as criminality. Emotions play a central role in children's moral development, but most research has focused on negative emotions (e.g., shame and guilt), in relation to childhood antisocial behavior. Research in adult populations indicates that positive emotions experienced in anticipation of, during, and after antisocial acts may play an important role in the development and maintenance of antisocial behavior. Consequently, this systematic review aimed to investigate the relationship between positive emotion and antisocial behavior in children and adolescents. A systematic search in five databases was conducted, yielding 52 studies that used different methodological approaches, samples, designs and methods to examine this association. Results provide support for a positive relationship between positive emotion and antisocial behavior across community, forensic and clinical samples. This link appeared to be stronger for younger children, boys, and for children high in social dominance, callous-unemotional or sensation-seeking traits. Results suggested that positive affect may act in concert with negative emotion, cognitive, personality and motivational processes, as well as peer influences to determine the initiation and maintenance of antisocial behavior. This review presents directions for future research and discusses the implications of findings for prevention and intervention programs for youth with antisocial behavior.

Forensic criteria, clinical and theoretical issues of the indication of court-ordered treatment: A comparative survey among experts in forensic psychiatry and sentencing judges in France.

Following the French law n° 98-468 of 17 June 1998 relative to the prevention of sexual offenses and the protection of minors, social and judicial follow-up and court-ordered treatment were introduced with the aim of reinforcing the prevention of recidivism. Court-ordered treatment is one of the possible obligatory measures provided for by social and judicial follow-up. However, there is no consensus between the different professionals concerning the criteria of indication and the final purpose of this measure. Most of the few available studies are retrospective. Only rare studies have assessed the influence of criminological factors on the indication of court-ordered treatment. We carried out a nation-wide qualitative comparative study in two populations, psychiatric experts and sentencing judges, by means of e-mail questionnaires. The aim was to determine the criteria for court-ordered treatment according to psychiatric experts and to sentencing judges, to identify the criteria that gave rise to differences in appreciation between these professionals, and to attempt to explain these differences. The secondary aim of the study was to determine the methods and tools used in expert practice to evaluate dangerousness and risk of recidivism. We obtained 20 responses in each of the two populations. The great majority of psychiatric experts and sentencing judges considered that court-ordered treatment was appropriate when the offender presented with psychiatric dangerousness, and so with an underlying mental disorder. When a subject had no identified mental disorder, the psychiatrists were divided in their opinion, whereas the majority of sentencing judges were in favor of court-ordered treatment. Opinions differed particularly significantly between the two populations in four circumstances: a subject with an antisocial/psychopathic personality disorder, a subject who denied the alleged acts, the influence of precarious social circumstances and the influence of instability in intimate relationships. The majority of experts used international classifications (DSM-5 and ICD-10) as a basis for their psychiatric diagnosis. Just under half of those surveyed used structured or semi-structured interview guides and only a few stated that they used standardized actuarial tools to assess risk of recidivism. The concepts of care, dangerousness and mental disorder are associated with multiple representations that certainly play a part in the disagreements between the different professionals. It is of prime importance to define these concepts more clearly in order to encourage the use of a common language and to clarify the indications and purpose of court-ordered treatment. We also hypothesize that disagreements between professionals regarding the criteria for court-ordered treatment may be related to certain difficulties raised by the management of the convicted person. The development of guidelines that could be used by all professionals would help to reduce some of these difficulties. Psychiatric experts remain attached to clinical evaluation. Their limited use of assessment tools may relate to the material constraints and time constraints involved. The issue at stake in court-ordered treatment and social and judicial follow-up is to promote cooperation between the various professionals by creating a space for exchange of ideas where the fundamental questions raised by these measures can be discussed, fears shared and knowledge pooled.

Safety First! Residential Group Climate and Antisocial Behavior: A Multilevel Meta-analysis.

A systematic review and multilevel meta-analysis was performed (28 studies and 313 effect sizes) on the relation between residential group climate (i.e., safety, atmosphere, repression, support, growth, structure) and antisocial behavior, including aggression and criminal recidivism. A systematic search was conducted in PsychINFO, ERIC, and OVID Medline up to February 2023. Results showed a small but significant association (r = .20) between residential group climate and antisocial behavior, equivalent to a 23% reduction of antisocial behavior in all clients receiving care in a residential facility with a therapeutic group climate. Moderator analyses showed that experienced safety was more strongly related to antisocial behavior (r = .30) than the other dimensions of group climate (.17 < r < .20), while the effect size was somewhat larger for adults (r = .24) than for youth (r = .15). We conclude that residential facilities should consider safety as a priority and should involve clients in a positive process of change through the development of a therapeutic environment and delivery of evidence-based treatment, addressing their needs from the perspective of rehabilitation.

Neighborhood disorder as a predictor of perceptions of firearm access: Examining peers effects.

OBJECTIVE: This study sought to examine the relationship between neighborhood disorder and perceptions of gun access. Further, this study focused on determining whether or not antisocial peer affiliation mediates this relationship. METHODS: The Pathways to Desistance data were analyzed. This is an 11-wave longitudinal study following 1,354 justice-involved youth across seven years post-adjudication. Generalized structural equation modeling was used to assess direct and indirect relationships of interest. RESULTS: Greater levels of neighborhood disorder were associated with increased perceptions of access to guns in the community. Affiliation with antisocial peers significantly mediated this relationship, accounting for about 15 % of this relationship. CONCLUSIONS: Affiliation with antisocial peers may be greater in disordered neighborhoods and they may facilitate access to guns for adolescents living in such communities. Mentoring programs for adolescents living in disordered communities may have some capacity for attenuating this relationship.

Striatal brain volume linked to severity of substance use in high-risk incarcerated youth.

Substance use disorders among juveniles are a major public health concern and are often intertwined with other psychosocial risk factors including antisocial behavior. Identifying etiological risks and mechanisms promoting substance use disorders remains a high priority for informing more focused interventions in high-risk populations. The present study examined brain gray matter structure in relation to substance use severity among n = 152 high-risk, incarcerated boys (aged 14-20). Substance use severity was positively associated with gray matter volume across several frontal/striatal brain regions including amygdala, pallidum, putamen, insula, and orbitofrontal cortex. Effects were apparent when using voxel-based-morphometric analysis, as well as in whole-brain, data-driven, network-based approaches (source-based morphometry). These findings support the hypothesis that elevated gray matter volume in striatal reward circuits may be an endogenous marker for vulnerability to severe substance use behaviors among youth.

Cascading Effects of the Family Check-Up on Mothers' and Fathers' Observed and Self-Reported Parenting and Young Adult Antisocial Behavior: a 12-Year Longitudinal Intervention Trial.

Over a 12-year period, this study examined the effects of the Family Check-Up preventive intervention model on both observed and self-reported parenting behaviors of mothers and fathers as well as how those parenting behaviors were associated with young adult antisocial behavior. Teachers identified 641 early adolescent youth from school settings to be at elevated risk for the development of externalizing behavior and/or substance use. These youth and their families were randomly assigned to the Family Check-Up intervention model (consisting of an adaptive, multi-tiered model of support, including a school-based family resource room, the Family Check-Up, and targeted follow-up services) or a control condition. Using an intent-to-treat approach, the Family Check-Up intervention model positively impacted mothers' observed parenting approximately 5 years later in middle adolescence but was not associated with changes in fathers' observed or self-reported parenting. Mothers' observed adaptive parenting and fathers' self-reported adaptive parenting in middle adolescence were associated with lower risk for young adult antisocial behavior. The cascading effects of brief, family-focused interventions are discussed along with implications for the measurement of parenting in mothers and fathers in the context of preventive intervention trials.

Birds of a feather age together: telomere dynamics and social behavior predict life span in female Japanese quail (Coturnix japonica).

Social support is vital for mental and physical health and is linked to lower rates of disease and early mortality. Conversely, anti-social behavior can increase mortality risks, both for the initiator and target of the behavior. Chronic stress, which also can increase mortality, may serve as an important link between social behavior and healthy lifespan. There is a growing body of literature in both humans, and model organisms, that chronic social stress can result in more rapid telomere shortening, a measure of biological aging. Here we examine the role of anti-social behavior and social support on physiological markers of stress and aging in the social Japanese quail, Coturnix Japonica. Birds were maintained in groups for their entire lifespan, and longitudinal measures of antisocial behavior (aggressive agonistic behavior), social support (affiliative behavior), baseline corticosterone, change in telomere length, and lifespan were measured. We found quail in affiliative relationships both committed less and were the targets of less aggression compared to birds who were not in these relationships. In addition, birds displaying affiliative behavior had longer telomeres, and longer lifespans. Our work suggests a novel pathway by which social support may buffer against damage at the cellular level resulting in telomere protection and subsequent longer lifespans.

Dysregulation of Plasma Growth Factors and Chemokines in Cocaine Use Disorder: Implications for Dual Diagnosis with Schizophrenia and Antisocial Personality Disorder in an Exploratory Study.

INTRODUCTION: Dual diagnosis in individuals with cocaine use disorders (CUDs) presents a mental health challenge marked by an increased susceptibility to disabling morbidities and premature mortality. Despite extensive research on depression and anxiety, other prevalent comorbidities, such as psychotic and personality disorders, have received less attention. This study explores inflammation-related mediators as potential biomarkers for CUD and dual diagnosis with schizophrenia (SCZ) or antisocial personality disorder (APD). METHODS: This exploratory study included 95 participants, comprising 40 healthy subjects and 55 abstinent patients with CUD. Lifetime CUD was diagnosed either as single diagnosis (CUD group, N = 25) or as a dual diagnosis (DD group. N = 30) with SCZ (CUD+SCZ subgroup) or APD (CUD+APD subgroup). Participants were clinically assessed, and the plasma concentrations of growth factors (i.e., G-CSF, BDNF, and VEGF-A) and chemokines (i.e., CCL11/eotaxin-1, CCL2/MCP-1, and CXCL12/SDF-1) were determined and log(10)-transformed for analysis. RESULTS: Growth factors and chemokines were dysregulated by CUD and psychiatric diagnoses. Specifically, patients in the CUD group exhibited significantly lower concentrations of G-CSF and CCL11/eotaxin-1 than the control group. In contrast, the DD group showed significantly higher concentrations of all analytes than both the CUD and control groups. Additionally, no differences in these analytes were observed between the CUD+SCZ and CUD+APD subgroups within the DD group. Regarding cocaine-related variables, significant associations were identified in the CUD group: an inverse correlation between the age at first cocaine use and the concentrations of BDNF and CCL2/MCP-1; and a positive correlation between the duration of the cocaine abstinence and the concentrations of BDNF and CCL11/eotaxin-1. Lastly, a logistic regression model incorporating all these analytes demonstrated high discriminatory power in distinguishing patients with CUD alone from those with dual diagnosis. CONCLUSIONS: Individuals with dual diagnosis of CUD exhibit elevated concentrations of growth factors and chemokines, distinguishing them from those with CUD alone. It is unclear whether the differences in these inflammatory mediators are specific to the presence of SCZ and APD. The study highlights potential biomarkers and associations, providing valuable insights into the intricate interplay of CUD and psychiatric disorders to enhance clinical diagnosis and therapeutics.

'Interesting' or 'boring': Modifying the implicit association task to measure implicit fire interest in an adolescent community sample.

The efficacy of explicit measures in assessing fire interest is often compromised by social desirability biases, presenting a challenge for early intervention programs aimed at preventing firesetting behaviour. The current study aimed to validate a novel fire interest Implicit Association Task (IAT), as a more reliable measure of implicit fire interest in adolescents. An Australian community adolescent sample of 85 participants, aged 10-17 (M = 13.65, SD = 1.81), completed a series of questionnaires, and the novel fire interest IAT. Based on self-reports, participants were classified as firelighters (n = 52) or non-firelighters (n = 33). IAT outcomes revealed an inclination towards associating "fire" with "interesting." Notably, firelighters, compared to non-firelighters, performed significantly quicker during hypothesis-consistent trials of the IAT where fire-images were paired with interesting-words. Moreover, a weak correlation emerged between the speed of responses in these hypothesis-consistent IAT trials and self-reported fire interest. This investigation is one of the few that examined the efficacy of implicit measures of fire interest and is the first to do so using a modified IAT. With continued refinement, the fire interest IAT could be successfully used to assist with early intervention programs aimed at preventing child firesetting behaviour. PsychINFO Code: 3230.

Does the Relationship between Age and Brain Structure Differ in Youth with Conduct Disorder?

Conduct disorder (CD) is characterised by persistent antisocial and aggressive behaviour and typically emerges in childhood or adolescence. Although several authors have proposed that CD is a neurodevelopmental disorder, very little evidence is available about brain development in this condition. Structural brain alterations have been observed in CD, and some indirect evidence for delayed brain maturation has been reported. However, no detailed analysis of age-related changes in brain structure in youth with CD has been conducted. Using cross-sectional MRI data, this study aimed to explore differences in brain maturation in youth with CD versus healthy controls to provide further understanding of the neurodevelopmental processes underlying CD. 291 CD cases (153 males) and 379 healthy controls (160 males) aged 9-18 years (Mage = 14.4) were selected from the European multisite FemNAT-CD study. Structural MRI scans were analysed using surface-based morphometry followed by application of the ENIGMA quality control protocols. An atlas-based approach was used to investigate group differences and test for group-by-age and group-by-age-by-sex interactions in cortical thickness, surface area and subcortical volumes. Relative to healthy controls, the CD group showed lower surface area across frontal, temporal and parietal regions as well as lower total surface area. No significant group-by-age or group-by-age-by-sex interactions were observed on any brain structure measure. These findings suggest that CD is associated with lower surface area across multiple cortical regions, but do not support the idea that CD is associated with delayed brain maturation, at least within the age bracket considered here.

The mediating role of reflective functioning and general psychopathology in the relationship between childhood conduct disorder and adult aggression among offenders.

BACKGROUND: The nature of the pathway from conduct disorder (CD) in adolescence to antisocial behavior in adulthood has been debated and the role of certain mediators remains unclear. One perspective is that CD forms part of a general psychopathology dimension, playing a central role in the developmental trajectory. Impairment in reflective functioning (RF), i.e., the capacity to understand one's own and others' mental states, may relate to CD, psychopathology, and aggression. Here, we characterized the structure of psychopathology in adult male-offenders and its role, along with RF, in mediating the relationship between CD in their adolescence and current aggression. METHODS: A secondary analysis of pre-treatment data from 313 probation-supervised offenders was conducted, and measures of CD symptoms, general and specific psychopathology factors, RF, and aggression were evaluated through clinical interviews and questionnaires. RESULTS: Confirmatory factor analyses indicated that a bifactor model best fitted the sample's psychopathology structure, including a general psychopathology factor (p factor) and five specific factors: internalizing, disinhibition, detachment, antagonism, and psychoticism. The structure of RF was fitted to the data using a one-factor model. According to our mediation model, CD significantly predicted the p factor, which was positively linked to RF impairments, resulting in increased aggression. CONCLUSIONS: These findings highlight the critical role of a transdiagnostic approach provided by RF and general psychopathology in explaining the link between CD and aggression. Furthermore, they underscore the potential utility of treatments focusing on RF, such as mentalization-based treatment, in mitigating aggression in offenders with diverse psychopathologies.

Examining the propensity and nature of criminal risk behaviours in frontotemporal dementia syndromes and Alzheimer's disease.

INTRODUCTION: Some people with dementia develop changes in behaviour and cognition that may lead to interactions with police or the legal system. However, large, prospective case-control studies examining these behaviours are lacking. METHODS: One hundred and forty-four people with dementia and 53 controls completed the Misdemeanours and Transgressions Screener. RESULTS: Criminal risk behaviours were reported in: 65.6% of behavioural-variant frontotemporal dementia, 46.2% of right-lateralised semantic dementia, and 27.0% of Alzheimer's disease patients. In 19.1% of patients these behaviours led to contact with police or authority figures. Compared to controls, people with dementia showed higher rates of physical assault (p = 0.024), financial/professional recklessness (p = 0.009), and inappropriate behaviours (p  = 0.052). DISCUSSION: Criminal risk behaviours are common across dementia subtypes and may be one of the first clinical signs of frontotemporal dementia. Further research to understand how to balance risk minimisation with an individual's liberties as well as the inappropriate criminalisation of people with dementia is needed. Highlights: The Misdemeanours and Transgressions Screener is a new tool to assess criminal risk behaviours.Forty-seven percent of patients with dementia show criminal risk behaviour after dementia onset.Behaviours included verbal abuse, traffic violations, physical assault.New onset of criminal risk behaviours >50 years is a clinical sign for frontotemporal dementia.

A case study in developmental discontinuity: PROSPER Interventions and adolescent substance use trajectories shape young adult substance use and mental health problems.

The loss of John Schulenberg reverberates across the developmental and prevention sciences. In honor of his many contributions, this paper applies his ideas of developmental continuity and discontinuity to understand the process by which PROSPER delivered universal prevention programs (delivered in Grades 6 and 7) affect young adult outcomes. Guided by these developmental models, we deconstructed adolescent substance use initiation trajectories into two discrete phases-early and late adolescence, demarcated by substance use initiation levels at the end of 9th grade. We evaluated the effects of PROSPER interventions on these phases, and in turn, the effects of adolescent substance use initiation on young adult antisocial behavior, alcohol and drug use consequences, and depression symptoms. This sample included 1,984 young adults who participated in the PROSPER intervention trial in Grade 6 (two cohorts, 2002 and 2003), followed over 8 adolescent measurement occasions (Fall and Spring of Grade 6; Spring of Grades 7-12). Young adult outcomes were averaged across three waves (collected at ages 20, 23, and 25). PROSPER interventions were associated with reduced substance use initiation in early adolescence, but not escalation during late adolescence. In turn, substance use in both early and late adolescence was uniquely associated with young adult antisocial behavior, depression symptoms, and substance use consequences. PROSPER interventions were associated with young adult antisocial behavior and problematic substance use via reduced risk for early initiation status. Findings are discussed in terms of developmental continuity and discontinuity.

Increased cardiac vagal tone in childhood-only, adolescent-only, and persistently antisocial teenagers: the mediating role of low heart rate.

BACKGROUND: Cardiac vagal tone is an indicator of parasympathetic nervous system functioning, and there is increasing interest in its relation to antisocial behavior. It is unclear however whether antisocial individuals are characterized by increased or decreased vagal tone, and whether increased vagal tone is the source of the low heart rate frequently reported in antisocial populations. METHODS: Participants consisted of four groups of community-dwelling adolescent boys aged 15.7 years: (1) controls, (2) childhood-only antisocial, (3) adolescent-only antisocial, and (4) persistently antisocial. Heart rate and vagal tone were assessed in three different conditions: rest, cognitive stressor, and social stressor. RESULTS: All three antisocial groups had both lower resting heart rates and increased vagal tone compared to the low antisocial controls across all three conditions. Low heart rate partially mediated the relationship between vagal tone and antisocial behavior. CONCLUSIONS: Results indicate that increased vagal tone and reduced heart rate are relatively broad risk factors for different developmental forms of antisocial behavior. Findings are the first to implicate vagal tone as an explanatory factor in understanding heart rate - antisocial behavior relationships. Future experimental work using non-invasive vagus nerve stimulation or heart rate variability biofeedback is needed to more systematically evaluate this conclusion.

Emotional, coping factors and personality traits that influenced alcohol consumption in Romanian students during the COVID-19 pandemic. A cross-sectional study.

BACKGROUND: During the COVID-19 pandemic, after 3 months from the installation of the state of emergency on the territory of Romania, data were collected from 677 students and master's students, to explore the problematic alcohol consumption (AC). METHODS: The evaluation was done with: Alcohol Use Disorders Identification Test, Depression, Anxiety and Stress Scales, Strategic Coping Approach Scale and The Freiburg Personality Inventory. The statistical methods used were linear regression with bootstrap procedure, Spearman's rank correlation, and the Mann-Whitney U test. RESULTS: More than half were affected by depression or anxiety of moderate to extremely severe intensity. The prevalence of problematic alcohol consumption was low: (Hazardous and Extremely Hazardous (2.3) and Medium Risk (10.2). Early onset increases the subsequent risk of problematic AC, compared to women, men recorded a higher AC (p <.01). Anxiety, antisocial action, personality traits Aggressiveness and Somatic complaints had the effect of increasing the alcohol consumption score (p <.01). Significant but weak positive correlations between AC on one hand, and depression, anxiety, stress and antisocial action on the other hand were found (p <.01). CONCLUSIONS: Probably the prevalence of AC was low as a result of the fact that most respondents were studying in the field of health promotion and as a result of the closure of entertainment venues. This study advocates for the education of youngsters to clearly express their opinions without violating the boundaries of others' feelings (assertive action) and to act prudently in dangerous or uncertain situations (cautious action) since these coping mechanisms were not associated with problematic alcohol consumption. The promotion of positive, achievement-oriented, life attitudes is equally important, as these characteristics of the Life Satisfaction personality dimensions were also found as non-determinants of alcohol-induced problems. The association of problematic AC with antisocial actions as a coping mechanism and high scores on Aggressiveness calls for interventions to educate the younger generation how to acquire and adopt healthy mechanisms to control tensions without resorting to alcohol consumption, more so as the two variables reinforce each other. Drinking as a means of gaining courage must be carefully reconsidered since anxiety generally hits back, often in increased levels.

Antisocial personality disorder and therapeutic pessimism - how can mentalization-based treatment contribute to an increased therapeutic optimism among health professionals?

Antisocial personality disorder (ASPD) is associated with therapeutic pessimism among health professionals. Several variables are associated with obstacles in therapist's willingness to treat ASPD. Variables that are relevant are (i) confusion associated with the term ASPD, (ii) characteristics of the disorder, (iii) attitudes, experiences, and knowledge clinicians possess, and (iv) insufficient management of countertransference. We assume that therapeutic pessimism is related to the lack of evidence-based, effective treatment for individuals with ASPD. This is problematic because ASPD is associated with large socio-economic costs and considerable suffering for the individual and the society. Mentalization-based treatment (MBT) was developed in treating borderline personality disorder (BPD) and is now considered an effective treatment for this group. Mentalization is defined as the process by which individuals make sense of themselves and others in terms of subjective states and mental processes. This ability affects an individual's psychological functioning, mental health, self-organization, and interpersonal relationships. The overall goal of MBT is to strengthen the individual's mentalizing abilities and facilitate more adaptive handling of problematic, internal states. Recently, a version of MBT tailored for individuals with ASPD (MBT-ASPD) has been developed. The purpose of this review is to investigate how MBT-ASPD relates to the major obstacles that contribute to the therapeutic pessimism toward this group. Despite a limited evidence base, preliminary studies indicate promising results for MBT-ASPD. More research is still required, this review suggests MBT-ASPD can contribute to increased therapeutic optimism and demonstrate specific characteristics of MBT-ASPD that contribute to management of therapeutic pessimism.

Experts' perspectives on the impact of visual impairment and comorbid mental disorders on functioning in essential life domains.

BACKGROUND: Visual impairment (VI) with comorbid mental disorders (MDs) are expected to have a major impact on people's daily functioning, for which tailored support is needed. However, this has been barely investigated. Therefore, this study aimed to (1) determine the impact of VI and comorbid MDs on functioning in essential life domains, (2) gain insight into best-practices that are currently used to support this target group, and (3) determine strategies to optimize care in the future. METHODS: A four-step qualitative Delphi method was used to obtain input from 31 Dutch professionals who work with this target group (84% female, mean age 46 years, on average 11 years of experience in working with the target group). The Self-Sufficiency Matrices were used to determine the impact on various aspects of daily living, for people with VI and (1) autism spectrum disorder, (2) psychotic disorders, (3) obsessive-compulsive disorder, (4) antisocial personality disorder, (5) borderline personality disorder, (6) dependent personality disorder. RESULTS: Experts describe a frail and vulnerable population, in which the VI and MD often have a cumulative negative impact on people's physical and mental health. People frequently experience anxiety, depression, fatigue and sleep disturbances. Also, many tend to neglect self-care and substance abuse is common. They often experience difficulty in trusting others while at the same time being dependent on them. Social interaction and relationships are complicated because of communication restrictions (e.g. no facial recognition) and social incompetence or withdrawal. Experts advise taking transdiagnostic factors into account, using evidence-based psychological treatment options based on an intermittent approach, and offering multidisciplinary care. They stress the importance of building trust, showing patience and empathy, stimulating empowerment, involving the informal network and building on positive experiences. CONCLUSION: VI and comorbid MD have a major impact on people's daily functioning on a mental, physical, social and environmental level. This study provides insight into best-practices to support this target group. According to experts, more research is needed which could be aimed at investigating tailored diagnostic approaches and treatment options and include clients' perspectives.

Mental health in athletes: Does authentic leadership matter?

Recent research has attested to the prevalence of mental health issues in sport, and the need to identify factors that could promote athletes' mental health. In this study, we investigated: (a) whether authentic leadership is associated with athletes' mental health directly and indirectly via psychological capital and prosocial and antisocial behaviour experienced from one's teammates; and (b) whether the hypothesized model testing these relationships is the same in higher versus lower competitive level athletes. We examined two dimensions of mental health, namely positive mental health and mental illness. A total of 751 athletes (Mage = 22.92, SD = 8.53; 294 female) from a range of sports completed a multi-section questionnaire administered via an online survey. Path analysis showed that authentic leadership was positively related to positive mental health via psychological capital and prosocial behaviour and negatively linked to mental illness via psychological capital and antisocial behaviour. The effects of authentic leadership on positive mental health via prosocial teammate behaviour and subsequently psychological capital, and on mental illness via prosocial teammate behaviour, were stronger in higher compared to lower competitive level athletes. The findings suggest that by adopting an authentic leadership style coaches could strengthen athletes' positive mental health and protect them from mental illness. This may happen by increasing athletes' psychological capital and prosocial behaviour within the team and decreasing antisocial behaviour within the team.

Commentary: Early intervention for conduct problems as a child protection strategy - reflections on Nobakht et al. (2023).

Adverse childhood experiences (ACEs), including child maltreatment and interparental aggression, are known to have far-reaching consequences for mental health across the lifespan. Emerging evidence, such as that reported by Nobakht et al. (Journal of Child Psychology and Psychiatry, 2023), indicates that child conduct problems (e.g. oppositional defiant disorder, conduct disorder) may not only result from adversity but also contribute to it through transactional cascades that amplify risk for adversity over time. This commentary addresses some of the key implications of this evidence for translation into practice. It is argued that child conduct problems can be viewed as modifiable determinants of adversity and that the early identification and treatment of child conduct problems may allow for the early identification and reduction of risk for numerous ACEs.