Adolescent Psychiatry - Current Issue

The transdiagnostic construct of aggression in children and adolescents is often characterized by distinct mental phenomena, such as irritability, emotional dysregulation (ED), anger, and outbursts. However, these terms are frequently interchanged in clinical settings despite their distinct semantic nuances. Therefore, it is critical to delve into the complex dynamics of aggression, irritability, and emotional dysregulation in the child and adolescent population.

An extensive search was conducted across diverse databases using the keywords “Aggression,” “Violence,” “Irritability,” and “Emotional dysregulation.” This search encompassed articles on childhood aggression, covering its prevalence, risk factors, clinical manifestations, assessment methods, treatment modalities, and prognostic indicators. Initial screening identified 261 articles, with 40 selected for the initial draft and an additional 15 included later, either manually or via reverse citations.

The appraisal of aggression is challenging due to its terminology and diagnostic complexities, especially in distinguishing normative behavior from psychopathological impairments. There is a significant lack of empirical evidence, like systematic reviews concerning the heterogenous dimensional understanding of aggression, including its social determinants, comorbidities, and targeted interventions. Likewise, there is a crucial need to assess comorbid conditions like ADHD, DMDD, and ODD to gain deeper insights into their developmental, social, and biological determinants. Emphasizing comorbidity assessment and age of onset during initial diagnostic evaluations is vital, followed by a structured approach to interventions encompassing behavioral and pharmacological strategies.

There is a need for a stepwise multidimensional assessment towards contextual understanding of aggression and sequencing the treatment of aggression in children and adolescents. It is paramount to incorporate tailored interventions with shared decision-making.

The objective of this review is to explore the impact of social media use on the mental health of teenagers, considering both advantages and disadvantages through a narrative evaluation of recent studies.

A narrative review of current literature was conducted to assess the effects of social media on adolescent mental health. The findings were categorized into seven areas: general mental health effects, specific issues such as anxiety and depression, behavioral impacts like addiction and self-regulation, effects on vulnerable populations, the influence of COVID-19, digital mental health services, ethical considerations with AI, and implications for academic achievement and public health.

Social media use has both positive and negative effects on adolescent mental health. It is associated with an increase in behavioral issues such as addiction and mental health problems like anxiety and depression. Vulnerable groups, including LGBTQ+ youth and victims of cyberbullying, face heightened risks. The COVID-19 pandemic exacerbated these mental health challenges, though social media provided essential support networks. Digital mental health services were beneficial but raised ethical concerns, particularly regarding privacy and the need for culturally sensitive interventions.

The review underscores the need for balanced strategies to mitigate the negative impacts of social media on adolescent mental health. Comprehensive digital literacy programs, culturally relevant interventions, and ethical considerations in digital mental health services are crucial to supporting adolescent well-being in the digital age.

Screen time has become an inevitable aspect of daily life due to increased technological access and changes in the social and economic landscapes. The increase in screen time is associated with the development of various health conditions. Contextually, research on screen time and its health impact has been studied widely. Therefore, the present study tried to understand the trends and themes in the global research on screen time and its associated health aspects.

We adopted a bibliometric review, and the data were extracted from the SCOPUS database, limiting it to 2012-2023 (n =4077). The final number of studies considered for the analysis were 2919 after applying the inclusion and exclusion criteria.

Scientific production has increased over the years on this topic, with few consistent contributors (Tremblay MS, Chaput JP, and Carson V) and sources from Western countries leading the production in this domain. In addition, from the results of thematic network mapping, we identified the basic yet underdeveloped topics in screen time and health research, namely obesity, risk factors to health, and mental health. A good proportion of the studies involve children and adolescents as participants, indicating the growing trend of studying screen time risk factors for these age groups' health.

It was evident from the result that the earlier works have focused on screen time as a risk to health and well-being. However, its role in specific health conditions is underdeveloped. Further, the case of adolescents and children being a widely studied age group suggests the implications for their health and mental health.

The present study explored a moderated mediation model within a cohort of emerging adults, examining the interplay between Trait Impulsivity (TI), Emotional Regulation (ER), and symptoms of ADHD Hyperactivity/Impulsivity (HI) and Oppositional Defiant Disorder (ODD).

Utilizing a convenience sample of 210 emerging adults (men = 49, women = 161; mean age 21.17 years; SD = 2.20 years), the study employed standardized measures to analyze the relationships between TI, HI, ODD, and ER, using Hayes’s macro for SPSS Process model 14.

The findings showed that HI mediated the association between TI and ODD and that ER moderated the association between HI and ODD, such that lower levels of ER increased the association.

These findings align with the Trait Impulsivity Hypothesis (TIH), extending its application by integrating temperament literature on ADHD. This study contributes to the theoretical and practical understanding of impulsivity's role in externalizing disorders, highlighting the importance of ER in this dynamic.