We are pleased to introduce the collection Frontiers in Psychology – Highlights in Psychopathology: Mental Health Among Young Adults. This collection will welcome and showcase a selection of articles about this timely topic, authored by leaders in the field.​ The work presented here highlights the broad diversity of research performed across psychopathology and aims to put a spotlight on the main areas of interest.​ This collection aims to further support Frontiers’ strong community by shining a spotlight on our authors' highly impactful research.​

University of Illinois Chicago

Ondokuz Mayıs University Education Faculty

University of Padua

Delve into the current understanding of psychopathology and its effects on youth

. Research has revealed that university students are facing a range of issues related to their studies, including insomnia (75.31%), high studyholism (15.31%), and increased study engagement (16.94%). Additionally, the impacts of offline and online social supports on Chinese students' suicidal ideation, as well as potential gender differences in these relationships, were investigated. It was also found that intrusive rumination had a direct and indirect effect on creativity, and that psychological resilience moderated the relationship between intrusive rumination and creativity. Furthermore, predictive factors between social media addiction and eating disorder symptoms in a group of Chinese female college students were explored. Results indicated that state anxiety was related to social media addiction and eating disorder symptoms through cognitive flexibility and sustained attention. <ul> <li>Research has revealed that university students are facing a range of issues related to their studies, including insomnia, high studyholism, and increased study engagement.</li> <li>The impacts of offline and online social supports on Chinese students' suicidal ideation, as well as potential gender differences in these relationships, were investigated.</li> <li>Intrusive rumination had a direct and indirect effect on creativity, and psychological resilience moderated the relationship between intrusive rumination and creativity.</li> <li>State anxiety was related to social media addiction and eating disorder symptoms through cognitive flexibility and sustained attention.</li> </ul>

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Frontiers in Psychology

Psychopathology

Frontiers in Psychiatry

Highlights in Psychopathology: Mental Health Among Young Adults

A large portion of all behavioral and emotional disorders have an onset in early adolescence and young adulthood, increasing the risk of impaired functioning and mental health in adulthood by two to three times (<a href="#B16">Pine et al., 1998</a>; <a href="#B5">Kessler et al., 2007</a>). Even when symptoms are below a clinical threshold, mood and anxiety disorders are associated with a large disease burden in youth, with many negative physical, social, behavioral, and health outcomes (<a href="#B6">Kessler et al., 2012</a>; <a href="#B17">Shah et al., 2020</a>). Psychopathological trajectories in youth have been connected to different features that might be related to neurobiological vulnerabilities (<a href="#B1">Beauchaine, 2015</a>; <a href="#B10">Langenecker et al., 2018</a>), an adverse environment (<a href="#B4">Hong et al., 2022</a>), as well as their interactions (<a href="#B18">Teicher and Samson, 2013</a>; <a href="#B14">Meneguzzo et al., 2022</a>). Recently, the global burden effect of the COVID-19 Pandemic has corroborated how youths are vulnerable to environmental changes and challenges, external adversity, and abrupt changes in life trajectories (<a href="#B2">Carroll et al., 2021</a>). Researchers have also shown that the relationship between these factors is quite complex. In the past 3 years the Pandemic has had profound effects on youth mental health, with reports of an increase in mood disorder rates, and requests for help with several psychiatric conditions: depression, anxiety, eating disorders and maladaptive behaviors (<a href="#B7">Konstantopoulou and Raikou, 2020</a>; <a href="#B11">Liu et al., 2020</a>; <a href="#B15">Monteleone et al., 2021</a>). Moreover, suicidal ideation and suicidal behaviors in youths are a significant health problem world-wide (<a href="#B12">Lyu et al., 2021</a>), that has only increased with the Pandemic (<a href="#B13">Manchia et al., 2022</a>). For all these reasons, the literature needs to focus on this critical and transitional phase from childhood to adulthood and examine both environmental and biological vulnerabilities due to the possible presence of new stressors—such as the recent Pandemic (<a href="#B3">Hankin, 2012</a>; <a href="#B9">Langenecker et al., 2014</a>; <a href="#B8">Kujawa and Burkhouse, 2017</a>).The four papers in this Research Topic cover a few important psychological constructs in young adults, touching on psycho-social functioning related to social media, insomnia and studying behaviors, suicidal ideation and COVID-related challenges. We highlight below the key points for each article.The article by <a href="https://doi.org/10.3389/fpsyg.2021.647126">He et al.</a>, titled “Common predictive factors of social media addiction and eating disorder symptoms in female college students: State anxiety and the mediating role of cognitive flexibility/sustained attention” evaluated relations between social media addiction and eating psychopathology in a sample of 216 Chinese female undergraduate students. Their findings showed a significant correlation between social media addiction and eating disorder symptoms. Moreover, the results showed the mediating roles of cognitive flexibility and sustained attention in state anxiety, social media addiction, and eating disorders. Importantly, these results might reflect the mediating role of specific cognitive processes such as cognitive flexibility and sustained attention in mitigating anxiety and reducingeating psychopathology and social media addiction.The article by <a href="https://doi.org/10.3389/fpsyg.2022.1111038">Alshammari et al.</a> titled “Examining bedtime procrastination, study engagement, and studyholism in undergraduate students, and their association with insomnia” evaluated a sample of 495 university students from several regions in Saudi Arabia, to examine relationss between insomnia, study engagement, studyholism (i.e., compulsive overstudying), and bedtime procrastination. One of the main points raised by the authors was the need to increase awareness of insomnia problems in youths, and its relationships with the psychopathological aspects of procrastination in studying. Moreover, gender analysis showed significant gender differences, with female participants reporting higher studyholism and bedtime procrastination than male participants. Higher levels of study holism were found in older students compared to younger ones. Finally, the results indicated that insomnia could be positively predicted by levels of studyholism and bedtime procrastination. These findings highlight a need for fostering insomnia awareness programs and educational workshops to teach college students healthier sleep habits, especially in females and students more vulnerable to stress.The article by <a href="https://doi.org/10.3389/fpsyg.2022.998535">Xin et al.</a>, “Relationships between negative life events and suicidal ideation among youth in China: The direct and moderating effects of offline and online social support from gender perspective” collected questionnaire-based data on negative life events, social support, and suicidal ideation from 2,018 young adults. Participants were high school and university students from Northwestern China. The results showed the direct and moderating effects of offline and online support on suicidal ideation among youths. They also suggested that offline social support had a significant direct effect on suicidal ideation across genders, with differences between male and female participants. Specifically, in young males, offline social support moderated the relationship between negative life events and suicidal ideation. In contrast, the moderating effects in female youth were effective for all negative events. Moreover, online social support had a significant direct effect only on female suicidal ideation. At the same time, it moderated the relationships between negative life events and suicidal ideation for all participants. In sum, these interesting findings stress the need for more research exploring suicide across various cultures and societies, and for gender-informed suicide prevention and intervention.Finally, the article by <a href="https://doi.org/10.3389/fpsyg.2022.789844">Xu et al.</a>, “College students' creativity during the COVID-19 pandemic: The mediating effect of post-traumatic growth and the moderating role of psychological resilience” focused on the effects of the COVID-19 pandemic on a sample of 475 university Chinese students. Their findings provided evidence that intrusive rumination affects creativity, both directly and indirectly, through post-traumatic growth. Psychological resilience played a moderating role between intrusive rumination and creativity. There was also a stronger correlation between intrusive rumination and post-traumatic growth when levels of psychological resilience were higher. These results were discussed in terms of the roles they might play in the worldwide public health emergency of the COVID-19 pandemic. Finally, these results might inform future efforts to improve adolescents' resilience to external stressors.In conclusion, the current Research Topic generated an exciting and relevant collection of studies focused on evaluating various areas of current vulnerability in youth. They explored social support, studyholism, and social media addiction. More research should include a specific focus on adolescence because internal and external challenges affect it significantly. More tailored and specific interventions to reduce the effects of adverse events and improve psychological resilience in adolescence and young adulthood are fundamental for the wellbeing of future generations.PM wrote and prepared the first draft of the manuscript. AP and SD revised and supervised the first draft. All authors have approved the submitted version.The authors declare that the research was conducted in the absence of any commercial or financial relationships that could be construed as a potential conflict of interest.All claims expressed in this article are solely those of the authors and do not necessarily represent those of their affiliated organizations, or those of the publisher, the editors and the reviewers. Any product that may be evaluated in this article, or claim that may be made by its manufacturer, is not guaranteed or endorsed by the publisher.

Editorial: Highlights in psychopathology: Mental health among young adults

IntroductionCompulsive overstudying, known as studyholism, is an emerging behavioral addiction. In this study, we examine the prevalence of, and the relationships between, insomnia, study engagement, studyholism, bedtime procrastination among undergraduate students.</sec>MethodsThe Studyholism (SI-10), Athens Insomnia (AIS), and bedtime procrastination scales were administered to a convenience sample of 495 university students.</sec>ResultsOur findings indicate that the prevalence of insomnia was 75.31%, high studyholism was found in 15.31% of the sample, and increased study engagement was detected in 16.94%. Gender differences analysis revealed that females reported higher studyholism and bedtime procrastination than males. Fifth-year students had higher levels of studyholism than internship (p < 0.001), first-year (p < 0.01), and sixth-year students (p < 0.05). Insomnia was positively related to studyholism and bedtime procrastination. Furthermore, insomnia can be positively predicted by studyholism and bedtime procrastination. Participants with a medium level of studyholism were twice as likely to experience insomnia as those with a low level. Studyholics were six times more susceptible to insomnia than students with low studyholism levels. Compared to individuals with low bedtime procrastination levels, those with medium and high bedtime procrastination were twice as likely to report insomnia.</sec>ConclusionOur study highlights the interplay between insomnia, studyholism, and bedtime procrastination. Further, the findings indicate the need to increase awareness of insomnia.</sec>

Introduction: Compulsive overstudying, known as studyholism, is an emerging behavioral addiction. In this study, we examine the prevalence of, and the relationships between, insomnia, study engagement, studyholism, bedtime procrastination among undergraduate students.Methods: The Studyholism (SI-10), Athens Insomnia (AIS), and bedtime procrastination scales were administered to a convenience sample of 495 university students.Results: Our findings indicate that the prevalence of insomnia was 75.31%, high studyholism was found in 15.31% of the sample, and increased study engagement was detected in 16.94%. Gender differences analysis revealed that females reported higher studyholism and bedtime procrastination than males. Fifth-year students had higher levels of studyholism than internship (p &lt; 0.001), first-year (p &lt; 0.01), and sixth-year students (p &lt; 0.05). Insomnia was positively related to studyholism and bedtime procrastination. Furthermore, insomnia can be positively predicted by studyholism and bedtime procrastination. Participants with a medium level of studyholism were twice as likely to experience insomnia as those with a low level. Studyholics were six times more susceptible to insomnia than students with low studyholism levels. Compared to individuals with low bedtime procrastination levels, those with medium and high bedtime procrastination were twice as likely to report insomnia.Conclusion: Our study highlights the interplay between insomnia, studyholism, and bedtime procrastination. Further, the findings indicate the need to increase awareness of insomnia.

Examining bedtime procrastination, study engagement, and studyholism in undergraduate students, and their association with insomnia

BackgroundSuicidal ideation was proved to be a critical precondition leading to the occurrence of subsequent suicidal behavior. Studies have confirmed that negative life events and forms of social support that youth are experiencing in the current socio-cultural context might have unique impacts on their suicidal ideation. However, the specific mechanism is relatively underexplored.</sec>ObjectiveWe sought to investigate the impacts of offline and online social supports on Chinese students’ suicidal ideation under the pressure of various negative life events, as well as potential gender differences in these relationships.</sec>MethodsParticipants were 2,018 middle – high school and university students from Northwestern China, who completed a demographics questionnaire and self-report measures of negative life events, social support, and suicidal ideation.</sec>ResultsOffline social support had a significant direct effect on suicidal ideation across genders. Among male youth, offline social support only had a moderating effect on the relationship between punitive negative life events and suicidal ideation. Among female youth, offline social support had a significant moderating effect on suicidal ideation under the pressure of all types of negative life events; Online social support only had a significant direct effect on female youth’s suicidal ideation, although it did significantly moderate the relationship between all types of negative life events and suicidal ideation, across genders.</sec>ConclusionOur findings revealed direct and moderating effects of offline and online social support on suicidal ideation among youth under the pressure of different types of negative life events, as well as gender-specific patterns in these relationships.</sec>

Background: Suicidal ideation was proved to be a critical precondition leading to the occurrence of subsequent suicidal behavior. Studies have confirmed that negative life events and forms of social support that youth are experiencing in the current socio-cultural context might have unique impacts on their suicidal ideation. However, the specific mechanism is relatively underexplored.Objective: We sought to investigate the impacts of offline and online social supports on Chinese students’ suicidal ideation under the pressure of various negative life events, as well as potential gender differences in these relationships.Methods: Participants were 2,018 middle – high school and university students from Northwestern China, who completed a demographics questionnaire and self-report measures of negative life events, social support, and suicidal ideation.Results: Offline social support had a significant direct effect on suicidal ideation across genders. Among male youth, offline social support only had a moderating effect on the relationship between punitive negative life events and suicidal ideation. Among female youth, offline social support had a significant moderating effect on suicidal ideation under the pressure of all types of negative life events; Online social support only had a significant direct effect on female youth’s suicidal ideation, although it did significantly moderate the relationship between all types of negative life events and suicidal ideation, across genders.Conclusion: Our findings revealed direct and moderating effects of offline and online social support on suicidal ideation among youth under the pressure of different types of negative life events, as well as gender-specific patterns in these relationships.

Relationships between negative life events and suicidal ideation among youth in China: The direct and moderating effects of offline and online social support from gender perspective

PurposeCollege students in the pandemic area are experiencing the problems caused by COVID-19 by themselves or people around them, how to cope with the sudden changes and adjust the psychological stress response, and get experience and grow in the fight against the pandemic is a question worth in-depth discussion. The researchers constructed a mediated regulation model to examine the effects of intrusive rumination on the creativity of college students during the COVID-19 pandemic, as well as the mediating effect of post-traumatic growth and the moderating role of psychological resilience.</sec>MethodsA sample of 475 university students from Guangdong Province, China, were surveyed with the Runco Ideational Behavior Scale, the Event Related Rumination Inventory, the Posttraumatic Growth Inventory, and the Psychological Resilience Scale. SPSS (version 23) and PROCESS (version 3.3) were used for correlation analysis, mediation analysis, and mediated moderation analysis.</sec>Results(1) Intrusive rumination was positively correlated with post-traumatic growth and creativity but negatively correlated with psychological resilience. Psychological resilience was positively correlated with post-traumatic growth and creativity. Post-traumatic growth and creativity were positively correlated. (2) Post-traumatic growth played a mediating role in the relationship between intrusive rumination and creativity. (3) Psychological resilience moderated the first half of the pathway “intrusive rumination → post-traumatic growth → creativity.”</sec>ConclusionIntrusive rumination affected creativity directly and also indirectly through post-traumatic growth. At the same time, psychological resilience played a moderating role between intrusive rumination and creativity. The correlation between intrusive rumination and post-traumatic growth was stronger when levels of psychological resilience levels were higher.</sec>

Purpose: College students in the pandemic area are experiencing the problems caused by COVID-19 by themselves or people around them, how to cope with the sudden changes and adjust the psychological stress response, and get experience and grow in the fight against the pandemic is a question worth in-depth discussion. The researchers constructed a mediated regulation model to examine the effects of intrusive rumination on the creativity of college students during the COVID-19 pandemic, as well as the mediating effect of post-traumatic growth and the moderating role of psychological resilience.Methods: A sample of 475 university students from Guangdong Province, China, were surveyed with the Runco Ideational Behavior Scale, the Event Related Rumination Inventory, the Posttraumatic Growth Inventory, and the Psychological Resilience Scale. SPSS (version 23) and PROCESS (version 3.3) were used for correlation analysis, mediation analysis, and mediated moderation analysis.Results: (1) Intrusive rumination was positively correlated with post-traumatic growth and creativity but negatively correlated with psychological resilience. Psychological resilience was positively correlated with post-traumatic growth and creativity. Post-traumatic growth and creativity were positively correlated. (2) Post-traumatic growth played a mediating role in the relationship between intrusive rumination and creativity. (3) Psychological resilience moderated the first half of the pathway “intrusive rumination → post-traumatic growth → creativity.”Conclusion: Intrusive rumination affected creativity directly and also indirectly through post-traumatic growth. At the same time, psychological resilience played a moderating role between intrusive rumination and creativity. The correlation between intrusive rumination and post-traumatic growth was stronger when levels of psychological resilience levels were higher.

The Impact of Intrusive Rumination on College Students’ Creativity During the COVID-19 Pandemic: The Mediating Effect of Post-traumatic Growth and the Moderating Role of Psychological Resilience

This study aimed to investigate the common predictive factors between social media addiction (SMA) and eating disorder symptoms (EDS), in a group of Chinese female college students. A total of 216 students completed the behavioral assessments of cognitive flexibility and sustained attention, as well as the questionnaires on anxiety, social media dependence, and eating disorders. The results indicate that SMA is significantly correlated with EDS. Structural equation modeling was used to test the model in which state anxiety, cognitive flexibility, and sustained attention predicted social gain and EDS. Additionally, the results confirmed the mediating role of cognitive flexibility and sustained attention between state anxiety and SMA/EDS in the participants. The findings revealed that in the sample group, state anxiety was related to SMA and EDS through cognitive flexibility and sustained attention. These proposals reflect the significance of improving cognitive flexibility/sustained attention and reducing state anxiety to prevent EDS and SMA in female college students.

This study aimed to investigate the common predictive factors between social media addiction (SMA) and eating disorder symptoms (EDS), in a group of Chinese female college students. A total of 216 students completed the behavioral assessments of cognitive flexibility and sustained attention, as well as the questionnaires on anxiety, social media dependence, and eating disorders. The results indicate that SMA is significantly correlated with EDS. Structural equation modeling was used to test the model in which state anxiety, cognitive flexibility, and sustained attention predicted social gain and EDS. Additionally, the results confirmed the mediating role of cognitive flexibility and sustained attention between state anxiety and SMA/EDS in the participants. The findings revealed that in the sample group, state anxiety was related to SMA and EDS through cognitive flexibility and sustained attention. These proposals reflect the significance of improving cognitive flexibility/sustained attention and reducing state anxiety to prevent EDS and SMA in female college students.

Common Predictive Factors of Social Media Addiction and Eating Disorder Symptoms in Female College Students: State Anxiety and the Mediating Role of Cognitive Flexibility/Sustained Attention