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Alcohol Use and Misuse, Eating Disorders and Mental Health during Adolescence and Early Adulthood

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A special issue of International Journal of Environmental Research and Public Health (ISSN 1660-4601). This special issue belongs to the section "Mental Health".

Deadline for manuscript submissions: closed (25 May 2023) | Viewed by 13988

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Special Issue Editors

Dr. Dora Bianchi

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Leading Guest Editor

Department of Developmental and Social Psychology, Sapienza University of Rome, 00185 Roma, Italy
Interests: at-risk behaviors in adolescents and young adults; dysfunctional eating and drinking behaviors; online risky behaviors; sexting behaviors; teen dating violence; bullying and cyberbullying; protective and risk factors for adolescent mental health; psychological adjustment and school well-being in immigrant adolescents

Dr. Fiorenzo Laghi

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Assistant Guest Editor

Department of Developmental and Social Psychology, Sapienza University of Rome, 00185 Rome, Italy
Interests: prevention of risk and promotion of positive developmental outcomes for at-risk children and adolescents; protective and risk factors on the development of risk behaviors in early adolescents and immigrant adolescents; alcohol and substance use; binge drinking and binge eating; development of prevention programs for at-risk behaviors; evidence-based programs for adolescents with autism spectrum disorder

Special Issue Information

Dear Colleagues,

Psychological research is leading to increased attention to dysfunctional patterns of eating behaviors and alcohol abuse during adolescence as our awareness of their risks for physical and mental health grows.

Early alcohol use and abuse can have several negative consequences, with risks for physical injuries and psychological distress, impairing mental health and social adjustment in the short and long term. Therefore, adolescent alcohol use may be considered an alarming risk factor for wellbeing at different levels. Similarly, research has illuminated the risks of problematic eating behaviors during adolescence, which may range from episodes of dysfunctional eating to more complex patterns of eating disorders, with negative consequences for mental health and psychophysical wellbeing.

Most eating disorders have their onset during adolescence and early adulthood. Similarly, teen alcohol abuse is proven to be an antecedent of alcohol dependence later in adulthood. Interestingly, there is also a frequent association of dysfunctional eating and alcohol use during adolescence and early young adulthood, which can be considered a risk condition for the subsequent development of more stable patterns of eating disorders and alcohol abuse. In consideration of their alarming consequences for adolescent wellbeing, there is currently a strong need of high-quality research on these problem behaviors, with special attention to their relationships with mental health during development.

This Special Issue aims to deepen our knowledge of dysfunctional eating behaviors, eating disorders, and alcohol misuse during adolescence and early young adulthood, uncovering protective and risks factors at individual and community levels and observing their relationships with mental health in the short and long term.

Original research articles, brief reports, reviews, and metanalyses are welcome. Quantitative and qualitative approaches will be considered, in a multidisciplinary perspective. Manuscripts focused on specific at-risk groups will be also appreciated. Methodological studies providing new assessment tools can also be of interest.

We encourage authors to send an abstract and a tentative title in advance.

Dr. Dora Bianchi
Dr. Fiorenzo Laghi
Guest Editors

Manuscript Submission Information

Manuscripts should be submitted online at www.mdpi.com by registering and logging in to this website. Once you are registered, click here to go to the submission form. Manuscripts can be submitted until the deadline. All submissions that pass pre-check are peer-reviewed. Accepted papers will be published continuously in the journal (as soon as accepted) and will be listed together on the special issue website. Research articles, review articles as well as short communications are invited. For planned papers, a title and short abstract (about 100 words) can be sent to the Editorial Office for announcement on this website.

Submitted manuscripts should not have been published previously, nor be under consideration for publication elsewhere (except conference proceedings papers). All manuscripts are thoroughly refereed through a single-blind peer-review process. A guide for authors and other relevant information for submission of manuscripts is available on the Instructions for Authors page. International Journal of Environmental Research and Public Health is an international peer-reviewed open access monthly journal published by MDPI.

Please visit the Instructions for Authors page before submitting a manuscript. The Article Processing Charge (APC) for publication in this open access journal is 2500 CHF (Swiss Francs). Submitted papers should be well formatted and use good English. Authors may use MDPI's English editing service prior to publication or during author revisions.

Keywords

early alcohol use and abuse
eating disorders
dysfunctional eating behaviors
adolescent mental health
risk and protective factors

Published Papers (7 papers)

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Research

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12 pages, 390 KiB

Open AccessArticle

The Psychological Impact of the COVID-19 Pandemic on Alcohol Abuse and Drunkorexia Behaviors in Young Adults

by Daniele Di Tata, Dora Bianchi, Sara Pompili and Fiorenzo Laghi

Int. J. Environ. Res. Public Health 2023, 20(4), 3466; https://doi.org/10.3390/ijerph20043466 - 16 Feb 2023

Cited by 1 | Viewed by 1520

Abstract

The COVID-19 outbreak negatively affected young adults’ psychological well-being, increasing their stress levels and symptoms of anxiety and depression, and potentially triggering health-risk behaviors. The present study was aimed at investigating the psychological impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on alcohol abuse and drunkorexia behaviors among young adults living in Italy. Participants were 370 emerging adults (63% women, 37% men; M_age = 21.00, SD_age = 2.96, range: 18–30) who were recruited through an online survey between November 2021 and March 2022. Participants completed measures of alcohol abuse, drunkorexia behaviors, negative life experiences, and post-traumatic symptoms related to the COVID-19 outbreak. The results showed that the emotional impact and negative life experiences associated with the pandemic predicted both alcohol abuse and drunkorexia behaviors, albeit in different ways. Specifically, the number of negative life experiences during the pandemic and the tendency to avoid COVID-19–related negative thoughts positively predicted alcohol abuse; and the presence of intrusive thoughts associated with the pandemic significantly predicted the frequency of drunkorexia behaviors. Implications for research and clinical practice are discussed. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Alcohol Use and Misuse, Eating Disorders and Mental Health during Adolescence and Early Adulthood)

9 pages, 310 KiB

Open AccessArticle

The Role of Weight Suppression in Intensive Enhanced Cognitive Behavioral Therapy for Adolescents with Anorexia Nervosa: A Longitudinal Study

by Simona Calugi, Anna Dalle Grave, Maddalena Conti, Laura Dametti, Mirko Chimini and Riccardo Dalle Grave

Int. J. Environ. Res. Public Health 2023, 20(4), 3221; https://doi.org/10.3390/ijerph20043221 - 12 Feb 2023

Cited by 4 | Viewed by 2055

Abstract

The study aimed to establish the role of weight suppression in a cohort of adolescents with anorexia nervosa treated with intensive enhanced cognitive behavioral therapy (CBT-E). One hundred and twenty-eight adolescent patients with anorexia nervosa (128 females and 2 males), aged between 14 and 19 years, were recruited from consecutive referrals to a community-based eating disorder clinic offering intensive CBT-E. Weight, height, Eating Disorder Examination Questionnaire, and Brief Symptom Inventory scores were recorded at admission, end-of-treatment, and at a 20-week follow-up. In addition, the developmental weight suppression (DWS, difference between one’s highest premorbid and current z-BMI, i.e., BMI z-scores) was calculated. The mean baseline z-BMI was −4.01 (SD = 2.27), and the mean DWS was 4.2 (SD = 2.3). One hundred and seven patients (83.4%) completed the treatment and showed both considerable weight gain and reduced scores for eating-disorder and general psychopathology. Among completers, 72.9% completed the 20-week follow-up and maintained the improvement reached at the end-of-treatment. DWS was negatively correlated with end-of-treatment and follow-up z-BMI. This indicates that weight suppression is a predictor of the BMI outcome of intensive CBT-E and confirms that this treatment is promising for adolescents with anorexia nervosa. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Alcohol Use and Misuse, Eating Disorders and Mental Health during Adolescence and Early Adulthood)

12 pages, 839 KiB

Open AccessArticle

Psychopathological Profile Associated with Food Addiction Symptoms in Adolescents with Eating Disorders

by Michela Criscuolo, Giulia Cinelli, Ileana Croci, Ilenia Chianello, Anna Maria Caramadre, Alberto Eugenio Tozzi and Valeria Zanna

Int. J. Environ. Res. Public Health 2023, 20(4), 3014; https://doi.org/10.3390/ijerph20043014 - 9 Feb 2023

Viewed by 1588

Abstract

Eating disorders are considered one of the psychiatric disorders with a higher risk of death. Food addiction, related to some food addictive-like behaviours, is often in comorbidity with eating disorders and is associated with worse psychopathology. The present study aims to outline the food addiction profile, investigated using the Yale Food Addiction Scale 2.0 (YFAS 2.0), in 122 adolescents (median age: 15.6 years) suffering from eating disorders and to investigate its association with psychopathology. Patients filled out the Youth Self Report, the Multidimensional Anxiety Scale for Children 2, The Children Depression Inventory 2, and the Eating Disorder Inventory 3 (EDI-3). Pearson’s chi-square test and multiple correspondence analysis were used to identify profiles. The mean symptom count was 2.8 ± 2.7. The “withdrawal” symptom was the most frequent (51%) and the most associated with clinical scores. The diagnosis of bulimia nervosa and the EDI-3 bulimia scale resulted to be the only variables to be associated with positive YFAS 2.0 symptoms. Conversely, anorexia nervosa, restrictive and atypical, was not associated with YFAS 2.0 symptoms. In conclusion, outlining the food addiction profile of eating disorders may give information about a patient’s phenotype and could help to identify specific treatment models. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Alcohol Use and Misuse, Eating Disorders and Mental Health during Adolescence and Early Adulthood)

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11 pages, 601 KiB

Open AccessArticle

Loneliness and Alcohol-Related Problems among College Students Who Report Binge Drinking Behavior: The Moderating Role of Food and Alcohol Disturbance

by Luke Herchenroeder, Stacy M. Post, Michelle L. Stock and Ellen W. Yeung

Int. J. Environ. Res. Public Health 2022, 19(21), 13954; https://doi.org/10.3390/ijerph192113954 - 27 Oct 2022

Cited by 6 | Viewed by 2293

Abstract

Loneliness and alcohol misuse are common among college students and pose a threat to public health. To better understand the longitudinal association between these public health concerns we examined food and alcohol disturbance (FAD; i.e., restricting one’s caloric intake prior to drinking) as a moderator in the association between loneliness and alcohol-related problems. Participants were 456 college students from a mid-sized university who engaged in past 30-day binge drinking. The majority of participants identified as being White (67.1%), female (78.1%), and reported a mean age of 19.61 (SD = 1.54) years. Participants completed two surveys (3 weeks apart) over the course of an academic semester. Analyses revealed a significant interaction between loneliness and FAD, such that loneliness (T1) significantly and positively predicted alcohol-related problems (T2), but only among individuals who engaged in relatively higher levels of FAD (T1). FAD may be an appropriate target for interventions aimed at reducing alcohol-related problems among college students experiencing loneliness. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Alcohol Use and Misuse, Eating Disorders and Mental Health during Adolescence and Early Adulthood)

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13 pages, 406 KiB

Open AccessArticle

Drinking Expectancies among Chinese Young Adults: A Qualitative Study from Hong Kong

by Rufina H. W. Chan, Dong Dong and Jean H. Kim

Int. J. Environ. Res. Public Health 2022, 19(19), 11865; https://doi.org/10.3390/ijerph191911865 - 20 Sep 2022

Cited by 2 | Viewed by 1558

Abstract

Background: Alcohol expectancies, i.e., the perceived consequences of drinking, have been reported to be important factor in predicting drinking behaviors. However, studies in the Asia region were largely limited to school-based samples. This study aimed to be the first to explore drinking expectancies among urban Chinese young adults. Methods: In 2020, eight focus group discussions were conducted with Hong Kong Chinese young adults aged 18–34 (n = 53). The participants included heavy drinkers, light drinkers, and non-drinkers from a wide range of occupations and educational backgrounds. Thematic analysis was conducted to uncover common alcohol expectancies. Results: Six themes emerged from this study. Four themes that were commonly reported in the literature were the negative consequences of drinking, social bonding, confidence enhancement, and tension reduction. The study also uncovered two culturally relevant alcohol expectancies: health benefits and business drinking expectancies. In contrast to Western samples, Chinese young adults did not report drinking expectancies related to cognitive enhancement or increased sexual interest. Conclusion: Alcohol harm reduction strategies will need to address the positive drinking expectancies uncovered in this study. Future policy discussions in this emerging alcohol market region should consider greater scrutiny of the role of alcohol marketing in the propagation of positive drinking expectancies. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Alcohol Use and Misuse, Eating Disorders and Mental Health during Adolescence and Early Adulthood)

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15 pages, 1729 KiB

Open AccessArticle

Maladaptive Cognitive Schemas as Predictors of Disordered Eating: Examining the Indirect Pathway through Emotion Regulation Difficulties

by Sarah Gerges, Souheil Hallit, Diana Malaeb and Sahar Obeid

Int. J. Environ. Res. Public Health 2022, 19(18), 11620; https://doi.org/10.3390/ijerph191811620 - 15 Sep 2022

Cited by 4 | Viewed by 2866

Abstract

A scarcity of research has looked into the association of maladaptive core beliefs with dysfunctional eating patterns. Moreover, no prior study has considered the potential role of difficulties in negative emotion regulation when disentangling the complex correlations between early maladaptive schemas and disturbed eating habits. Our study aimed at exploring the distinct relationships between early maladaptive schemas and disordered eating, while investigating the indirect role of emotion regulation difficulties within these associations. We collected data from 982 Lebanese young adults (18–30 years old), distributed across the five Lebanese governorates, who completed the Eating Attitudes Test (EAT-26), the Young Schema Questionnaire—Short Form 3 (YSQ-SF3), and the Difficulties in Emotion Regulation Scale—16 Item Version (DERS-16). The results showed that the disconnection and rejection schema domain, under which the early maladaptive schema of mistrust was the most predictive of disordered/inappropriate eating attitudes. All the remaining maladaptive schema domains (i.e., the impaired autonomy/performance, impaired limits, other-directedness, and overvigilance/inhibition schema domains) exerted significant indirect effects on disordered eating attitudes through difficulties in emotion regulation. Our findings gave prominence to a potential intrinsic mechanism through which maladaptive cognitive schemas are linked to disordered eating behaviors, emphasizing the role of emotion dysregulation as a cardinal actor within this model. They sustain the surmise that cognitively and emotionally vulnerable individuals exhibit stronger propensities for inappropriate dietary patterns, as a means to offset their inner weakness. This study broadens the medical community’s insights into the underpinning processes behind eating disorder psychopathology and could therefore make a step towards the adoption of innovative therapeutic approaches that promote emotion regulation skills in the context of schema therapy. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Alcohol Use and Misuse, Eating Disorders and Mental Health during Adolescence and Early Adulthood)

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