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A special issue of International Journal of Environmental Research and Public Health (ISSN 1660-4601). This special issue belongs to the section "Mental Health".

Deadline for manuscript submissions: closed (15 July 2023) | Viewed by 28020

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Special Issue Editors

Dr. Peter Choate

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Guest Editor

Faculty of Health, Community and Education, Mount Royal University, 4825 Mount Royal Gate SW, Calgary, AB T3E 6K6, Canada
Interests: mental health; addictions; fetal alcohol spectrum disorder; interpersonal violence; systemic bias

Dr. Christina Tortorelli

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Guest Editor

Department of Child Studies and Social Work， Mount Royal University， 4825 Mount Royal Gate SW, Calgary, AB T3E 6K6, Canada
Interests: resilience; mental health and addiction; trauma and child protection

Dr. Carly McMorris

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Guest Editor

Werklund School of Education, University of Calgary, Calgary, AB T2N 1N4, Canada
Interests: autism spectrum disorders; child and youth mental health;child development; risk and protective factors; developmental psychopathology; intellectual disabilities; psychological assessment and diagnosis; eating disorders; neurodevelopmental disorders; child health

Dr. Daniel Kikulwe

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Guest Editor

School of Social Work, York University, Toronto, ON M3J1P3, Canada
Interests: child welfare practices; policies; families; immigration

Special Issue Information

Dear Colleagues,

A Special Issue of the journal is being developed to focus on emerging trends and advances in child, adolescent, and emerging adult mental health. We welcome paper submissions with a focus on new, developing, and emerging trends in the field across a range of foci that include risk and protective factors, assessment, prevention, treatment, and public health and social policy. Areas of interest include but are not limited to:

Advances in the use of technology to reach, support, and treat mental health in children and youth;
Lessons learned from COVID-19 that can be carried forward for more effective interventions;
Understanding the post COVID-19 legacies;
Cross-cultural approaches to mental health;
Neurobiological perspectives on social, moral, and brain development into early adulthood;
Youth, pregnancy, and risks arising from alcohol, cannabis, and the opioid epidemic;
The impact of social media on image, the portrayal of violence and sexual expectations;
The exploitation of children and youth via social media;
Social media exposure to complex topics such as race, violence, and social movements;
The agency of parents to lead when children are engaged in communities that parents are unaware of such as through social media;
Elevation in suicide, self-harm, and bullying since COVID-19;
Structural racism, poverty, and oppression impacting child and youth development;
Rethinking child protection;
Emerging practices.

Please, visit the journal’s website for Authors guidelines including abstracts, keywords, reference format, and author biography.

Dr. Peter Choate
Dr. Christina Tortorelli
Dr. Carly McMorris
Dr. Daniel Kikulwe
Guest Editors

Manuscript Submission Information

Manuscripts should be submitted online at www.mdpi.com by registering and logging in to this website. Once you are registered, click here to go to the submission form. Manuscripts can be submitted until the deadline. All submissions that pass pre-check are peer-reviewed. Accepted papers will be published continuously in the journal (as soon as accepted) and will be listed together on the special issue website. Research articles, review articles as well as short communications are invited. For planned papers, a title and short abstract (about 100 words) can be sent to the Editorial Office for announcement on this website.

Submitted manuscripts should not have been published previously, nor be under consideration for publication elsewhere (except conference proceedings papers). All manuscripts are thoroughly refereed through a single-blind peer-review process. A guide for authors and other relevant information for submission of manuscripts is available on the Instructions for Authors page. International Journal of Environmental Research and Public Health is an international peer-reviewed open access monthly journal published by MDPI.

Please visit the Instructions for Authors page before submitting a manuscript. The Article Processing Charge (APC) for publication in this open access journal is 2500 CHF (Swiss Francs). Submitted papers should be well formatted and use good English. Authors may use MDPI's English editing service prior to publication or during author revisions.

Published Papers (4 papers)

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Research

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20 pages, 1366 KiB

Open AccessArticle

Attachment Theory: A Barrier for Indigenous Children Involved with Child Protection

by Peter Choate and Christina Tortorelli

Int. J. Environ. Res. Public Health 2022, 19(14), 8754; https://doi.org/10.3390/ijerph19148754 - 19 Jul 2022

Cited by 6 | Viewed by 6875

Abstract

Background: Attachment theory is an established theoretical understanding of the intimate relationships between parental figures and children. The theory frames the ways in which a child can be supported to develop within a secure base that prepares them for adulthood, including entering into and sustaining intimate relationships. The theory, built on the work of John Bowlby following World War II, has extensive literature supporting its application across multiple cultures and nations, although its roots are heavily tied to Eurocentric familial understandings. However, the theory has also been heavily criticized as not being appropriate for child intervention decision-making. Further, its application to Indigenous caregiving systems is also under question. Yet courts rely heavily on applying the theory to questions of sustaining Indigenous children in non-Indigenous care when return to biological parents is deemed impossible. Methods: This article draws upon the consistent arguments used in leading Canadian child welfare legal decisions and case examples to show how Attachment Theory is applied relative to Indigenous children and families. Results: Attachment Theory drawing upon Eurocentric framing, and as applied in Canadian child protection systems, as seen in precedent court decisions, is given priority over living in culture. This occurs even though the research reviewed has shown that the traditional dyadic version of the theory is not valid for Indigenous peoples. Conclusions: While all children will attach to a caregiver or caregiving system, such as kinship or community, leading legal decisions in Canada tend to rely on Eurocentric versions of the theory, which is contrary to the best interests of Indigenous children. Child protection needs to reconsider how attachment can be used from appropriate cultural lenses that involve the communal or extended caregiving systems common to many Canadian Indigenous communities. Child protection should also recognize that there is not a pan-Indigenous definition of attachment and child-rearing, so efforts to build working relationships with various Indigenous communities will be needed to accomplish culturally informed caregiving plans. In addition, continued advocacy in Canada is needed to have child protection decision-making conducted by the Indigenous communities, as opposed to Eurocentric provincial or territorial agencies. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Advances in Child and Adolescent Mental Health)

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18 pages, 648 KiB

Open AccessEditor’s ChoiceArticle

Quality of Life and Mental Health in Children and Adolescents after the First Year of the COVID-19 Pandemic: A Large Population-Based Survey in South Tyrol, Italy

by Verena Barbieri, Christian Josef Wiedermann, Anne Kaman, Michael Erhart, Giuliano Piccoliori, Barbara Plagg, Angelika Mahlknecht, Dietmar Ausserhofer, Adolf Engl and Ulrike Ravens-Sieberer

Int. J. Environ. Res. Public Health 2022, 19(9), 5220; https://doi.org/10.3390/ijerph19095220 - 25 Apr 2022

Cited by 25 | Viewed by 4461

Abstract

Background: Methodological heterogeneity of studies and geographical variation limit conclusions about the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on the mental health of youth. This study aimed to explore the health-related quality of life and mental health of children and adolescents in the second year of the pandemic in South Tyrol, Italy. Methods: An online survey representative for the age and gender of the children and adolescents in South Tyrol was conducted among 5159 families with children and adolescents aged 7–19 years, between 28 May and 16 June 2021. The survey collecting parental ratings and self-rated questionnaires from children and adolescents aged 11–19 years included instruments to measure health-related quality of life (KIDSCREEN-10), mental health problems (SDQ), anxiety (SCARED), and depression (CES-DC). The results were compared with data from corresponding studies conducted in Germany. Results: Decreased health-related quality of life and increased conduct problems, peer-related mental health problems, anxiety, and depressive and psychosomatic symptoms in children and adolescents observed in the second year of the pandemic in Germany were confirmed in the second year in South Tyrol. Children and adolescents with low socioeconomic status, a migration background, and limited living space were significantly affected. Female sex and older age were associated with increased psychosocial problems and a positive family climate supported the mental health of children and adolescents during the pandemic. Conclusions: Confirmation of findings of decreased health-related quality of life and increased emotional problems after the first year of the pandemic supports the ongoing call for low-threshold health promotion, prevention, and early intervention programs to support children and adolescents who have been severely affected by the pandemic. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Advances in Child and Adolescent Mental Health)

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13 pages, 390 KiB

Open AccessArticle

Screening of Developmental Difficulties during the Transition to Primary School

by Carolina González, Ramón D. Castillo, José Patricio Franzani and Cristian Martinich

Int. J. Environ. Res. Public Health 2021, 18(8), 3958; https://doi.org/10.3390/ijerph18083958 - 09 Apr 2021

Cited by 3 | Viewed by 2642

Abstract

The five-to-fifteen (FTF) questionnaire is a screening tool completed by parents that is able to distinguish developmental disorders in children aged 5 to 15 years old. The current study aimed to characterize the developmental difficulties by gender and school age (kindergarten and first grade) of children in their transition to primary school, using the Spanish-language version of the FTF questionnaire. The participants were 541 parents of typically developed children from kindergarten and first grade in public schools in Chile. Developmental difficulties were revealed, showing that boys displayed significantly more difficulties in their social skills when compared to girls, and that kindergartners displayed significantly more developmental difficulties than first graders. The children’s developmental difficulties in executive functions, social skills, and emotional/behavioral problems exhibited interactions between gender and school age. The findings were discussed in terms of current conceptualizations of both executive functions and self-regulatory processes. These processes and functions are configured early in development, are gradually consolidated over the course of school age, and can be strengthened or weakened by conditions experienced in childhood. Early screening of developmental difficulties from the parents’ perspective would facilitate early detection of problems, as early as in kindergarten, and considering the normal adaptable development of children. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Advances in Child and Adolescent Mental Health)

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17 pages, 1365 KiB

Open AccessSystematic Review

Time Spent on Social Media and Risk of Depression in Adolescents: A Dose–Response Meta-Analysis

by Mingli Liu, Kimberly E. Kamper-DeMarco, Jie Zhang, Jia Xiao, Daifeng Dong and Peng Xue

Int. J. Environ. Res. Public Health 2022, 19(9), 5164; https://doi.org/10.3390/ijerph19095164 - 24 Apr 2022

Cited by 22 | Viewed by 12578

Abstract

Adolescent depression is a worldwide public health concern and has contributed to significant socioeconomic burden. Investigating the association between time spent on social media (TSSM) and depression may provide guidance toward the prevention and intervention of adolescent depression. However, related literature reported mixed findings in terms of the relationship between TSSM and depression in adolescents. Hence, we conducted a comprehensive dose–response meta-analysis to clarify this issue. We conducted a systematic title/abstract and topic search of the relative terms in Web of Science, PubMed, PsycINFO databases through 9 January 2022. Odd ratios (ORs) were used to examine the pooled effect size of the association between TSSM and risk of depression. Dose–response analysis was evaluated by a generalized least squares trend estimation. Twenty-one cross-sectional studies and five longitudinal studies including a total of 55,340 participants were included. Overall, more TSSM was significantly associated with a higher risk of depression symptoms (OR = 1.60, 95%CI: 1.45 to 1.75) with high heterogeneity (Q₍₂₉₎ = 105.9, p < 0.001; I² = 72.6%). The association was stronger for adolescent girls (OR = 1.72, 95%CI: 1.41 to 2.09) than boys (OR = 1.20, 95%CI: 1.05 to 1.37). Five studies with seven reports were included in dose–response analysis. There was a linear dose–response association of TSSM and risk of depression. The risk of depression increased by 13% (OR = 1.13, 95%CI: 1.09 to 1.17, p < 0.001) for each hour increase in social media use in adolescents. TSSM is associated with depression in a linear dose–response and gender-specific manner, which suggests the need for better monitoring of adolescent social media use. However, motivation, content, and engagement on and exposure to social media use may also be important contributing factors, making it necessary to interpret the current findings with caution. Therefore, further research is required to clarify not only the causal link between TSSM and depression by randomized control studies but also the influence of other factors, such as active vs. passive social media use or different types of engagement or environments in which social media is used. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Advances in Child and Adolescent Mental Health)

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