This study investigated the association between the religiosity of parents and pre-adolescents, and pre-adolescents’ psychiatric problems.

In a clinic-referred cohort of 543 pre-adolescents at least once referred to a mental health outpatient clinic mental health problems were assessed using self-reports (Youth Self-Report; YSR), parent reports (Child Behavior Checklist; CBCL), and teacher reports (Teacher's Report Form; TRF) of child behavioral and emotional problems. Paternal, maternal, and pre-adolescent religiosity were assessed by self-report. MANCOVAs were performed for internalizing and externalizing problems as dependent variables, with maternal religiosity, paternal religiosity, pre-adolescent religiosity, parental religious harmony, and gender as independent variables, and socioeconomic status and divorce as covariates.

Internalizing problems. Pre-adolescents of actively religious mothers had more internalizing symptoms than pre-adolescents of nonreligious mothers. Harmony and gender did not significantly affect the association between maternal religiosity and internalizing problems. Externalizing problems. No associations between religiosity of pre-adolescents, religiosity of mothers, religiosity of fathers and/or harmony of parents and externalizing problem behavior have been found.

Overall, associations between mental health and religiosity were modest to absent. Results are discussed in the context of a clinic-referred cohort, the quest phase of internalizing religious beliefs and role modeling of parents.

This study used longitudinal data to examine the influence of the religiosity of pre-adolescents with psychiatric problems on the course of mental health during adolescence.

In the TRAILS clinical cohort of 543 pre-adolescents (10–12 years), mental health problems were assessed using self-report at baseline, T2 (12–14 years), T3 (14–17 years), and T4 (17–21 years). The Youth Self Report (YSR) was used at baseline, T2, and T3, and the Adult Self Report (ASR) was used at T4. Religiosity was assessed at baseline using self-report and information from mothers and fathers, resulting in three categorical religiosity variables and six SOCON (Social Cultural Developments Questionnaire) religiosity scales that assess religiosity in greater detail. Repeated measure ANOVA analyses were performed for each independent religiosity variable with internalizing and externalizing problem behavior as dependent variables, gender as a factor and time (T1, T2, T3 and T4) as within factor. Results were adjusted for marital status of parents and socioeconomic status and corrected for multiple testing.

There were main effects of the self-report SOCON scale “Humanistic beliefs” and gender and gender “by Humanistic beliefs” interaction effect on internalizing problems. Follow-up tests revealed that among females “high” scores on “Humanistic beliefs” were associated with increased internalizing problems.

There were hardly any associations between religiosity and mental health in a clinical cohort of pre-adolescents up to adolescence. The exception being that among females strong humanistic beliefs were associated with internalizing problems. Implications of these findings are discussed.

To evaluate general knowledge about nutrition in an Italian population of children, pre-adolescents and adolescents.

Knowledge about nutrition-related items such as healthy eating, breakfast, snacks, fast food, beverages, fruits and vegetables, cereals and tubers, meat/fish/legumes/eggs, milk and dairy products, fats and dressings, and sweets was analysed by means of a self-administered questionnaire (QuesCA IT) containing thirty-one questions, that was translated and adapted from a Swiss version (QuesCA) previously used in Geneva and Vaud.

North of Italy (Bergamo, Milan).

Students (n 614) belonging to two different age groups: 9–11 years (GR1) and 12–16 years (GR2).

Data analysis showed that nutritional knowledge varied in relation to the age of the participants, increasing in particular in the older group, although this difference was not statistically significant for all the considered items. Nutritional knowledge also varied in relation to the gender of the participants, with females in particular seeming to possess better cognition. For each age group there was poor knowledge about the items healthy diet, snacks, milk and dairy products, meat/fish/legumes/eggs, and fats and dressings. Moreover, the percentage of participants who declared own knowledge as insufficient was higher in GR2 compared with GR1.

The present research demonstrates a lack of knowledge about the main concepts of healthy nutrition both in the youngest and oldest participants of the survey. This evidence, together with the presence of higher self-consciousness in GR2, should be taken into account in specific educational interventions during the school period.