Adolescent Psychiatry - Volume 15, Issue 2, 2025

This narrative review considers implications for the increasing prevalence of diagnosed autism spectrum disorder (ASD) in clinical settings. Clinicians and researchers can be guided through an improved understanding of associated factors increasing the risk for suicidality and suicide in individuals manifesting symptoms of ASD and high ASD traits (ASDTs).

A systematic literature review is supplemented with reverse citations to ensure updated information. By title and abstract, 456 articles were identified. Of those, 50 were used initially, and 15 were later added manually or through reverse citations.

Higher Suicidal Thoughts and Behaviors (STBs) and suicide rates exist across the age spectrum in individuals with ASD/high ASDTs compared to matched comparison groups from the general population. Associated, poorly understood factors include comorbid psychiatric conditions and suicide risk factors that overlap with ASD symptoms. Increased risk of STB in higher functioning ASD is emphasized. Interpersonal conflict and depression are significant risk factors, as are comorbid borderline personality, bipolar disorder, anxiety, and obsessive-compulsive disorders.

Multiple diagnostic challenges are considered that affect appropriate care to address the increasing incidence of STB and suicide in ASD. This overview integrates extant knowledge for case formulation and treatment planning. It provides support for more focused research to improve ASD-related screening instruments and to address the unique features of ASD-related psychopathology. Improved training is needed for clinicians in screening and preventive efforts and to enhance their competence and comfort for addressing and treating STBs in those with ASDTs and ASD.

The outbreak of COVID-19 has undoubtedly impacted all sections of the population across countries and continents. Here, we describe the additional challenges that Israeli adolescents had to face due to the pandemic and the ensuing lockdown, besides the difficulties posed by socio-political turmoil in Israel. In particular, the current cross-sectional study aimed to explore experiences of the COVID-19 pandemic and the resulting lockdown among Israeli adolescents.

A sample of 306 Israeli adolescents (mean age 15.32 ± 1.81 years) was assessed on the level of social restrictions experienced, daily routines, and emotional climate (i.e., worries, negative affect, and anhedonia).

Our results showed that while most participants (95.04%; 51.04% males) did not personally experience the infection, they reported worrying about their studies (43.14%) and about the health of relatives and friends (34.97%). Females reported being more isolated (t (292) =-2.77, p= .01), having higher negative affect (t (292) = -4.198, p= .02), and reported greater impact of the pandemic on their study (t (292) =-2.44, p= .02), finance (t (292) =-3.10, p= .002), and emotions (t (292) =-2.44, p= .02) than males. Both genders did not differ in their levels of anhedonia, which was low (t (292) = 1.27, p= .20).

Results underscore the impact of the pandemic on the academic and social lives of youth and the content of their worries. In the special context of Israel, a country that has undergone significant nationwide challenges, these results indicate the resilience of young people alongside elevated levels of worry and negative emotions.

Anaemia is a significant health epidemic affecting all age groups, especially adults. This study aimed to identify the impact of cognitive impairment and depression levels according to potential risk factors among young anaemic adults.

A cross-sectional study was conducted among 546 adults aged 17-25 years. Haemoglobin levels were measured using Sahli's method. Socio-demographic and risk factor data were collected via a questionnaire. Depression and cognitive impairment levels were assessed using the Patient Depression Questionnaire-9 (PDQ-9) and the Cognitive Assessment Questionnaire (CAQ), respectively. ANOVA and Spearman's correlation were used to explore the relationship between anaemia, cognitive impairment, and depression levels. The mean age of participants was 19.41 years (SD = 1.47). Gender distribution included 204 males (mean age = 19.2 years, SD = 1.4) and 342 females (mean age = 19.5 years, SD = 1.5).

The overall prevalence of anaemia was 73.2%, with 29.4% males and 43.7% females. Most anaemic patients (52.3%) had a mild degree of anaemia. Among anaemic patients, 48.25% experienced forgetfulness, 44.25% had distractibility, 25.7% had false triggering, and 16.2% reported no cognitive issues. About 37.2% of anaemic patients fell under minimal depression.

The study concludes that there is a significant impact of anaemia on cognitive impairment and depression levels among young adults. Therefore, raising awareness about anaemia in young adults is crucial to prevent complications later in adulthood and during pregnancy.

Suicide is a significant health issue among young people globally. According to available statistics and research, it ranks as the third leading cause of death for individuals aged 15-24 and the second leading cause of death among students.

This study was conducted to investigate the risk of suicide and its related factors among students at Jiroft University of Medical Sciences.

The descriptive study of the current analysis is a cross-sectional type that was conducted using a multi-stage sampling method on 128 students at Jiroft University of Medical Sciences in 2022. Data were collected using the Beck Scale for Suicide Ideation (BSSI) and analyzed with statistical tests of analysis of variance, Pearson correlation, and multiple regression analysis in SPSS-24 statistical software.

The average age of students was 22.14 ± 2.96 years. Seventeen individuals (13.3%) had a history of suicide attempts. The average suicide risk score was 6.18 ± 5.61, indicating a high risk of suicide among students. The suicide risk score differed between individuals with strong religious beliefs and those with little belief (p=0.025). The average score for suicidal risks was lower in individuals with complete religious beliefs.

The study shows that students are at a high risk of suicide. This highlights the need to prioritize mental health, implement effective suicide prevention strategies, and personalize interventions to reduce the risk of suicide among medical students.

Internet Gaming Addiction (IGA) can have a significant impact on the characteristics of individual gamers and may even be a contributing factor to the development of social anxiety symptoms. This study of adolescent Saudi Arabian Internet gamers examined the influences of Internet gaming time and probable Internet Gaming Disorders (IGDs). It investigated the association between Internet game addiction and social anxiety symptoms among them.

The cross-sectional survey was conducted from March to June of 2023 among adolescents in the Saudi population. Probable IGD was measured by using the DSM-5 checklist, and the Arabic version of the Social Phobia Inventory (SPIN) was used to evaluate social phobia or anxiety.

A total of 764 participants enrolled in the current study, 52% of whom were females, and 48% were males. 42% belonged to the age group 17-18, and 38% were 15-16. 44.8% of participants have a gaming addiction. There was a significant association between social phobia and gaming addiction (p-value ≤0.05). There was a significant association of social phobia with age and gender (p-value ≤0.05).

The findings imply a significant correlation between IGA and psychological concerns, particularly among male adolescents. Excessive internet gaming use leads to higher levels of social anxiety.