This questionnaire is reliable and valid for assessing risk eating behaviors in the study population.

The presence of deliberate self-harm (DSH) among adolescents in Guanajuato State in 2003 was identified by sex, age, educational attainment and health jurisdiction and the characteristics were described by sex according to number of times, age of only/first/last DSH, motive, method, purpose and death wish. The sample design was stratified, bistage and by conglomerates. A total of 2,530 students from high school affiliated to the University of Guanajuato participated. The results showed that 3.1% of males and 10.7% of females had engaged in at least one episode of DSH; age of first DSH was 13 in both males and females; age at last DSH was 13 in males and 14 in females. The characteristics of the DSH were also described.

Melatonin, N-acetyl-5-hydroxytryptamine, is a hormone that synchronizes the internal environment with the photoperiod. It is synthesized in the pineal gland and greatly depends on the endogenous circadian clock located in the suprachiasmatic nucleus and the retina’s exposure to different light intensities. Among its most studied functions are the regulation of the waking-sleep rhythm and body temperature. Furthermore, melatonin has pleiotropic actions, which affect, for instance, the modulation of the immune and the cardiovascular systems, as well as the neuroprotection achieved by scavenging free radicals. Recent research has supported that melatonin contributes to neuronal survival, proliferation, and differentiation, such as dendritogenesis and axogenesis, and its processes are similar to those caused by Nerve Growth Factor, Brain-Derived Neurotrophic Factor, Neurotrophin-3, and Neurotrophin-4/5. Furthermore, this indolamine has apoptotic and anti-inflammatory actions in specific brain regions akin to those exerted by neurotrophic factors. This review presents evidence suggesting melatonin’s role as a neurotrophic factor, describes the signaling pathways involved in these processes, and, lastly, highlights the therapeutic implications involved.

Introduction. Parenting practices refer to specific behaviours used by parents and caretakers of children to guide childhood development and socialization goals. These practices are associated with children’s health, psychological, and physical development. Objective. To determine the psychometric properties of the Parenting Practices Inventory (PPI) among a group of child caregivers in Mexico City. Method. The PPI was applied to 443 caregivers of children and adolescents, who attended a general health care centre in Mexico City. For the psychometric evaluation of the instrument, the full distribution and discrimination of the items was analysed first. Then, the validity of the construct was tested through an exploratory factor analysis and a confirmatory analysis with structural equation modelling. Results. The internal consistency of the PPI showed α = .867 and 41.25% of variance explained for all four dimensions of interest. The confirmatory factor analysis showed that the model had goodness of fit. It included twenty-four items with adequate consistency and validity indices. Discussion and conclusion. The PPI is therefore a potentially useful psychometric measure for evaluating parenting practices among this type of population and could have major implications for the development of interventions and preventive programmes. It provides scientific bases for diagnostic decision-making and primary health care from the moment of initial contact to specialized medical care.