No abstract

Sex differences are poorly studied within the field of mental health, even though there is evidence of disparities (with respect to brain anatomy, activation patterns, and neurochemistry, etc.) that can significantly influence the etiology and course of mental disorders. The objective of this work was to review sex differences in adolescents (aged 13–18 years) diagnosed with ADHD (according to the DSM-IV, DSM-IV-TR and DSM-5 criteria) in terms of substance use disorder (SUD), prevalence, pharmacological therapy and mental health. We searched three academic databases (PubMed, Web of Science, and Scopus) and performed a narrative review of a total of 21 articles. The main conclusions of this research were (1) girls with ADHD are more at risk of substance use than boys, although there was no consensus on the prevalence of dual disorders; (2) girls are less frequently treated because of underdiagnosis and because they are more often inattentive and thereby show less disruptive behavior; (3) together with increased impairment in cognitive and executive functioning in girls, the aforementioned could be related to greater substance use and poorer functioning, especially in terms of more self-injurious behavior; and (4) early diagnosis and treatment of ADHD, especially in adolescent girls, is essential to prevent early substance use, the development of SUD, and suicidal behavior.

Checking whether changes in the perception of the quality of life related to health, after the nursing intervention, influence these patients’ motivation to change. This was a two‐staged study undertaken in entertainment‐sector workers in Spain: the first part was transversal and observational, and the second was semi‐experimental. First part undertook in 284 entertainment‐sector workers, selected by non‐probabilistic sampling, while second part undertook in 50 entertainment‐business workers, selected by consecutive sampling from those who consumed substances. A short group‐based motivational intervention session was implemented by nursing staff, and a before and after evaluation was completed. The EuroQol‐5D and Test for the Evaluation of the Quality of Life in Addicts to Psychoactive Substances (TECVASP) were used. The patients’ motivation to change was evaluated through the Stages of Change Readiness and Treatment Eagerness Scale. The results analysis showed that the nursing intervention reduced the participants’ perceptions of their health‐related quality of life (t = 4.23; P = 0.00009) and of their quality of life in addicts to psychoactive substances (t = 3.38; P = 0.00140). There was an increase in the motivation of 6 workers (12%) to seek treatment of their addiction (χ2 = 13.02; P = 0.0091). The post‐test contemplation stage score was predicted (F = 6.56; P = 0.003; R = 0.46) with post‐test TECVASP score and pre–post difference in TECVASP score. By reducing the patients’ perception of their quality of life, this brief nursing intervention facilitated a favourable increase in the motivation for change among these workers and was effective in 12% of cases.

BackgroundGaming Disorder is increasingly common in adolescents. We aimed to evaluate the relationship between parenting, personality traits, and Gaming Disorder.MethodsAn observational and cross-sectional study in six secondary schools of Castelló, obtaining a final sample of 397 students.ResultsAdolescents with Gaming Disorder had lower scores in Adolescent Affection-Communication (F = 8.201; p < 0.001), Father’s Warmth (F = 3.459; p = 0.028), and Father’s Acceptance/Involvement (F = 5.467; p = 0.003), and higher scores in Mother’s Revoking Privileges (F = 4.277; p = 0.034) and Father’s Indifference (F = 7.868; p = 0.002) than healthy participants. Male sex was a risk factor for Gaming Disorder (OR = 12.221; p = 0.004), while Adolescent Affection-Communication (OR = 0.908; p = 0.001) and Agreeableness (OR = 0.903; p = 0.022) were protective factors. Data modeling described the protective effect that Adolescent Affection-Communication had on Gaming Disorder, which was both directly (B = -0.20; p < 0.001) and indirectly mediated by Neuroticism (B = -0.20; p < 0.001), while Neuroticism itself was a risk factor for Gaming Disorder (B = 0.50; p < 0.001).ConclusionThese results reflect that Parental style with low affection and communication was directly and indirectly related to the Gaming Disorder, as well as male sex and personality trait of Neuroticism.