Risk teen behavior had short-term gain, long-term loss.

When you were in high school, there were the kids dressed nicely, had cool cars, having (or pretending to have) sex and were mean to the others -- especially those who couldn't afford the latest pair of shoes. Your parents warned you to not pay attention to hazing, because the popular kids would wind up pregnant, dead, in jail, in low-skilled jobs etc.

Though these teens' rebellious, romantic or mature behavior is considered normal in pop culture and the science community, it can lead to a less glamorous future.

A study published in Child Development found that early adolescent pseudomature behavior, ranging from minor delinquency to precocious romantic involvement, predicted long-term difficulties in close relationships, as well as significant problems with alcohol and substance use, and criminal behavior.

After examining 184 people, The study found that such behavior in early adolescence predicted short-term success in their teen years but significant struggles in social functioning 10 years later.

Though the pseudomature behavior brought on popularity during teen years, the continued behavior led to a decline in popularity, the study showed. Early marijuana and alcohol use was also a predictor for future use in early adult years. (That seems like a no-brainier). Participants also showed less competence when having close friendships during early adulthood.

Being a social butterfly doesn't definitely lead to a dismal future, but growing up too fast in high school could hinder the ability to blossom in the real world.

Suck on that Regina George.

Meeting of the Minds: How College Grads Get Mental Medical Care

During the Spring 2013 semester, I was getting so stressed out that I had begun to have chest pains. Though I had medical coverage in Michigan, I decided to go to college in Chicago, IL which made finding a doctor in the city who accepted my insurance particularly challenging. I eventually found one and learned that my heart was okay, but I should manage my stress better.

It was difficult to find a doctor for one appointment. However, for students who need prolonged medical care for a mental illness, the cost and time required for on-going medical care can quickly add up.

NPR recently asked recent college graduates to share their stories surrounding the difficulty in finding healthcare, ranging from covering costly co-pays to having to pay completely out of pocket for visits and treatment.

Mental illness, defined by the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Health Disorders as a term for having a detectable mental, behavioral, or emotional disorder, affects approximately one in five Americans, according to data from the National Survey on Drug Use and Health.

College students are typically saddled with mental health problems like depression and anxiety, according to an October 2013 article published in the American Journal of Health Studies. The National College Health Assessment found that nearly 30 percent of undergraduate students reported that they were "so depressed it was difficult to function," the article points out.

The Affordable Care Act has allowed for students to stay on their parents' insurance plans until the age of 26 or find healthcare through the online Healthcare.gov exchanges, according to NPR.

With such widespread mental health -- detected and not yet diagnosed -- it's important to have resources available on campus for students and assist them once they've graduated. Class of 2014 is too talented to not get the help it needs.

For online mental health resources, click the links below.

MentalHealth.gov

thenationalcouncil.org

nami.org

Chill Out: Can parents pass on anxiety to their kids?

I can recall being anxious about certain events in my childhood and adolescence -- college admission decisions, upcoming tests, even whether or not I was really healthy. As it turns out, part of those anxieties may have been inherited.

NPR did an enlightening post about how parents can play a role in reducing anxiety in their children, pointing to a 1997 study that found children in high risk groups were much more likely to have a diagnosable disorder than children of normal parents. According to Golda Ginsburg, psychologist at John Hopkins University School of Medicine who was quoted in the piece, children whose parents struggle with anxiety are two to seven times more likely to develop an anxiety disorder.

Don't worry. It's not a rare thing. According to a Feb. 1, 2014 study published in the Journal of Child & Family Studies, anxiety disorders are the most common mental disorders in childhood and adolescence. These disorders can negatively impact different areas of a child's functioning and emotional and social development, the researchers stated.

Though it's unclear which parent has more of an influence on a child's ability to cope with anxiety. The 2014 study suggests that fathers of more anxious kids give only limited encouragement for their kid's independence and control, adding that overprotective behavior prevents kids from exploring their environment and gaining coping mechanisms during stressful times.

Fathers may have a more important role in children's exposure to stressful circumstances, but that's not the case for all families, the 2014 study points out. The role of a father and mother differ for each family, so it's important not to generalize. What's unclear is how significantly a mother's anxiety coping mechanisms influences the child.

As NPR points out, therapy can be beneficial for families who suffer from severe anxiety, adding that cognitive behavioral therapy may prevent anxiety from starting.

I don't think a caring parent will ever stop worrying about the well-being of their kid(s). But maybe they'll chill out a bit if they know anxiety can prevent their children from leading a normal life. 

Brief Hiatus

Hi Youth Grow Now Readers,

I've taken a brief hiatus from posting due to exams for finals week. Now that the craziness has settled. I'll be posting once per week. (I'll try to :)

Sincerely,

Tatiana

Lack of sleep linked to cardiometobolic risk in teens

 

America has recognized that obesity is a major issue impacting youth today. But did you know that sleeping patterns, obesity and the heart were related?

According to a new study published in the Journal of Pediatrics, sleep duration can predict cardiometabolic risk in obese teens. 

Approximately 30 percent of American teens are overweight, and more than 15 are considered obese, which makes them more likely to have cardiometabolic risk, according to the study. (Cardiometabolic risk refers to the chances of having diabetes, heart disease or stroke.) 

For several reasons—MTV, homework all-nighters, etc.—most teens don’t get enough sleep, and lack of sleep has been associated with cardiometabolic risk and type 2 diabetes in adults, according to the study. With youth, less sleep has been associated with greater BMI and a risk for being overweight, because sleep duration may be associated with insulin resistance and a wider waist. 

Researchers examined 37 participants (17 male and 20 female) of different racial backgrounds and considered obese according to the Body Mass Index (BMI), a number calculated from a person’s weight and height to assess a person’s idealweight. Only a third of the participants were active for 60 minutes per day.

They found that the participants who slept more had a lower cMetScore, or cardiometabolic risk score, and those who slept less had a higher score. By sleep, they meant the number of hours in one session, not number of sessions.  It would have been interesting to distinguish how naps would have factored into metabolic risk, or is it more about having more about  the amount of sleep in one session.

A similar study of minority adolescents found that self-reported sleep was associated with cardiometabolic outcomes, showing that lack of sleep, less exercise and fatigue contribute to cardiometabolic risk.