Previous cross-sectional and case–control studies have proposed that decreased vitamin D levels are positively correlated with the risk of suicidality in adults. However, limited studies have examined the association between vitamin D and suicidality in adolescents. This study aimed to investigate the relationship between serum vitamin D and suicidality risk among early adolescents.

Data were obtained from a Chinese early adolescent cohort. In this cohort, seventh-grade students from a middle school in Anhui Province were invited to voluntarily participate in the baseline assessments and provide peripheral blood samples (in September 2019). The participants were followed up annually (in September 2020 and September 2021). Serum 25-hydroxyvitamin D [25(OH)D] and vitamin D–related single-nucleotide polymorphisms at baseline were measured in November 2021. Traditional observational and Mendelian randomization (MR) analyses were performed to examine the relationship between serum 25(OH)D at baseline and the risk of baseline and incident suicidality (i.e., suicidal ideation [SI], plans and attempts).

Traditional observational analysis did not reveal a significant linear or non-linear association of serum 25(OH)D concentration with the risks of baseline and 2-year incident suicidality in the total sample (P > .05 for all). Sex-stratified analysis revealed a non-linear association between the 25(OH)D concentration and the risk of baseline SI in women (Poverall = .002; Pnon-linear = .001). Moreover, the risk of baseline SI in the 25(OH) insufficiency group was lower than that in the 25(OH) deficiency group in the total sample (odds ratio [OR] = 0.69, 95% confidence interval [CI] = 0.51–0.92, P = .012). This difference remained significant in women (OR = 0.59, 95% CI = 0.40–0.87, P = .008) but not in men (OR = 0.78, 95% CI = 0.53–1.15, P = .205). Additionally, both linear and non-linear MR analyses did not support the causal effect of serum 25(OH)D concentration on the risk of baseline, 1-year and 2-year incident suicidality (P > .05 for all).

This study could not confirm the causal effect of vitamin D on suicidality risk among Chinese early adolescents. Future studies must confirm these findings with a large sample size.

To explore the cross-sectional and longitudinal association between vitamin D and depressive symptoms across early adolescence.

This longitudinal study included 1607 early adolescents [mean (s.d.) age, 12.49 years; 972 (60.5%) males] from the Chinese Early Adolescents Cohort, recruited from a middle school in Anhui Province and followed up annually (2019–2021). Serum 25(OH)D levels were measured in both 2019 and 2021. Self-reports on depression were assessed at each of three time points from 2019 to 2021.

In the whole sample, higher baseline serum 25(OH)D levels were linked with a lower risk of cumulative incident depression within two-year follow-ups (adjusted RR = 0.97, 95% CI 0.94–0.99) and the increasing trajectory of depression symptoms across the three waves (adjusted RR = 0.97, 95% CI 0.95–0.99). Baseline vitamin D deficiency (VDD) (adjusted RR = 1.50, 95% CI 1.10–2.05) were associated with an increased risk for the increasing trajectory of depression symptoms across the three waves. Remitted VDD was positively related to one dichotomous depression symptoms across three waves (adjusted OR 2.15, 95% CI 1.15–4.01). The above-mentioned significant association was also found in males. Additionally, baseline VDD (adjusted OR 1.59, 95% CI 1.04–2.44) and persistent VDD (adjusted OR 1.58, 95% CI 1.02–2.60) were linked to an increased risk of having two dichotomous depression symptoms only in males.

Our results highlight a prospective association between baseline vitamin D and depression risk in early adolescents. Additionally, a male-specific association between vitamin D and depression risk was observed. Our findings support a potential beneficial effect of vitamin D supplementation in reducing depression risk in early adolescents.

Primary Headache, including Tension-Type Headache (TTH), represents one of the most common somatic disorders in children and adolescents with a strong impact on quality of life. Several risk factors, as environmental, familiar, and psychological features, including personality traits, are related to the development of Primary Headache. However, studies on specific subgroups of TTH are relatively few in early adolescents.

Therefore, this cross-sectional pilot study aims at exploring the role of anxiety and alexithymia in early adolescents with and without TTH.

A sample of 70 early adolescents (Mage=14.59, SD=1.85; 71% females) consisting of a clinical group (31 with TTH) enrolled in an Italian Child Neuropsychiatry Clinic and a comparison group (38 without TTH) enrolled in schools, matched on gender and age, completed: 1) Multidimensional Anxiety Scale for Children (MASC) to detect the Total levels of Anxiety, also in their factor of Physical Symptoms, Social Anxiety, Harm Avoidance, and Separation Anxiety; 2) the Toronto Alexithymia Scale (TAS-20) to detect the Total levels of Alexithymia, also in their factor of Difficulty to Identifying and to Describing Feelings and Externally Oriented Thinking.

TTH outcome positively correlated with Harm Avoidance (rho=.68, p<.001) and Total Alexithymia (rho=.72, p<.001). In a logistic regression, Harm Avoidance and Total Alexithymia predicted 69% of the variance in TTH outcome (p<.032).

This disorder may be a maladaptive strategy to cope with problems and feeling emotions, then early adolescents could be fostered in the acquisition of more adaptive emotion regulation abilities.

No significant relationships.

To investigate the influence of general parenting dimensions on adolescents’ energy balance-related behaviours (EBRB) and its interactions with behaviour-specific parenting practices based on Darling and Steinberg’s contextual model of parenting style.

Multiple linear regression analyses and the Hayes PROCESS procedure to analyse self-reported cross-sectional survey data.

In-person survey.

Latino early adolescents and their fathers (n 225 dyads) recruited using convenience sampling from metropolitan areas of north-central USA.

Both paternal parenting dimensions of warmth and autonomy granting were positively associated with adolescents’ fruit intake, vegetable intake and physical activity. Coercive control was positively associated with adolescents’ sugary drink intake and sweets/salty snack intake. These associations were predominantly mediated by the parenting practices of setting expectations/allowances, role modelling, and managing availability and accessibility for corresponding EBRB. After adjusting for parenting practices, paternal warmth was inversely associated with adolescents’ screen time, paternal autonomy was positively associated with sugary drink intake, and both paternal warmth and autonomy granting were positively associated with adolescents’ fast food intake. In addition, positive associations between fathers’ parenting practices and adolescents’ sugary drink intake were significantly stronger among those who perceived high v. low levels of paternal warmth and autonomy granting.

Paternal warmth and autonomy granting showed mixed effects on adolescents’ EBRB, and coercive control showed undesirable relationships with adolescents’ dietary intake via interactions with behaviour-specific parenting practices. Lifestyle intervention programmes for Latino adolescents need to consider incorporating paternal parenting education components.

The aim is to analyse the frequency emotional and behavioural problems early adolescents and association with socio-demographic risk factors.

We analysed a group of 240 early adolescents (11–15 years) from the area of Tuzla Canton, Bosnia and Herzegovina, in the general population. For the assessment of children's emotional and behavioural problems, the Strength and Difficulties Questionnaire – SDQ is used. Data were processed by descriptive statistics. For the assessment association between socio-demographic risk factors and emotional and behavioural problems in early adolescents we used Pearson correlation test.

The result show that the frequency of emotional and behavioural problems are present in 3% of cases, The results of correlation sociodemographic risk factors and emotional and behavioral problems, showed that unemployed mothers have a significant increased risk of developing behavioral disorders in early adolescents (P < 0.05). Low family economic status leads to a significantly higher frequency of emotional symptoms in early adolescents, poor attitude towards society and significantly higher overall difficulties (P < 0.05). Higher levels of parental education was significantly associated with a higher frequency of behavioral problems and illness in the family leads to a much more emotional problems (P < 0.05).

The obtained results of this study indicate that early adolescents showed low levels of emotional and behavioral problems. There is a significant correlation between socio-demographic risk factors and emotional and behavioral problems early adolescents.

The author has not supplied his/her declaration of competing interest.