This work studied self-reports from adolescents on how the COVID-19 pandemic has changed their behaviors, relationships, mood, and victimization. Data collection was conducted between September 2020 and February 2021 in five countries (Sweden, the USA, Serbia, Morocco, and Vietnam). In total, 5114 high school students (aged 15 to 19 years, 61.8% females) responded to our electronic survey. A substantial proportion of students reported decreased time being outside (41.7%), meeting friends in real life (59.4%), and school performance (30.7%), while reporting increased time to do things they did not have time for before (49.3%) and using social media to stay connected (44.9%). One third of the adolescents increased exercise and felt that they have more control over their life. Only a small proportion of adolescents reported substance use, norm-breaking behaviors, or victimization. The overall COVID-19 impact on adolescent life was gender-specific: we found a stronger negative impact on female students. The results indicated that the majority of adolescents could adapt to the dramatic changes in their environment. However, healthcare institutions, municipalities, schools, and social services could benefit from the findings of this study in their work to meet the needs of those young people who signaled worsened psychosocial functioning, increased stress, and victimization.

Poor sleep quality, a global public health concern, poses a significant burden on individuals, particularly health care university students facing intense academic stress. A three-center cross-sectional study was conducted at the Higher Institute of Nursing and Health Sciences in Tetouan (Morocco), Faculty of Medicine in Tangier (Morocco) and Faculty of Nursing in Valencia (Spain). We collected various data using a sociodemographic questionnaire, the Pittsburgh sleep quality questionnaire, the international physical activity questionnaire (IPAQ) and the smartphone addiction questionnaire short-version (SAS-SV). A total of 1210 students were included in our study (mean age 20.4 years, 67.2% female, nursing students (66.2%) and medical students (33.8%), 76.1% students from Morocco and 33.9% from Spain). Analysis revealed a higher prevalence of poor sleep quality among Moroccans students compared to Spanish ones (p < 0.001), that nursing students showed less favorable sleep quality than medical students (p < 0.011) and that living with a chronic disease was linked to less favorable sleep quality (p < 0.001). Lastly, intense or weak physical activity and smartphone addiction were correlated with poor sleep quality (p < 0.001). In the multivariate analysis, an association persisted between poor sleep quality and factors such as the country of study (Odds ratio (OR): 6.25 [95% Confidence Interval (CI): 4.34–9.09]), involvement in nursing studies (OR: 3.50 [95% CI: 2.36–5.27]), and the presence of chronic diseases (OR: 2.70 [95% CI: 1.72–4.16]), (p < 0.01 each). Our findings highlight the multifaceted factors affecting sleep quality in young university students. The implications underscore the imperative of interventions tailored to this demographic group.

Background: The coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic has continued for more than two years, and the impact of this pandemic on mental health has become one of the most important research topics in psychiatry and psychology. The aim of the present study was to assess psychological distress in adolescents across five countries (Sweden, Morocco, Serbia, Vietnam, and the United States of America) during the COVID-19 pandemic. Methods: Using nonparametric analyses we examined the impact of COVID-19 on distress, measured by the Brief Symptom Inventory, in a sample of 4670 adolescents. Results: Our results showed that the association between the COVID-19 impact and psychological distress in adolescents’ lives was positive and moderate in Morocco and Serbia, positive and weak in Vietnam and the United States of America, and negative and weak in Sweden. We also found that female adolescents reported higher distress levels than male adolescents. Conclusions: COVID-19 impacted adolescents and their psychological distress differently depending on their residence.

The Life History of Aggression (LHA) is a frequently used scale for assessing trait aggression, but its psychometric properties have not been evaluated among adolescents. The aim of this study was to evaluate the psychometric properties of the LHA among high school students from Morocco, Serbia, Sweden, Vietnam, and the United States of America (USA). The total sample included 4867 adolescents, aged 15-19 years, from Morocco (n = 508), Serbia (n = 1067), Sweden (n = 1570), Vietnam (n = 1401), and the USA (n = 321). A two-factor, nine-item model containing an aggression factor (5 items) and a consequences/antisocial behavior factor (4 items) was created. The two-factor model had an acceptable-to-good model fit for the data for the total sample and all five countries, including gender. Cronbach's alpha (α) was satisfactory across countries. Still, the construct was noninvariant across countries and genders. The LHA with nine items in two subscales showed sound construct validity and internal consistency and can be used for group-level or within-group assessments of trait aggression in adolescents by either gender or country. However, it should not be used for cross-gender or cross-country comparisons due to a lack of measurement invariance.

Because college students are an important category of the population highly vulnerable to mental health problems, this study aims to investigate the sociodemographic variables associated with the increase in psychological distress levels among Moroccan college students. Participants (N = 1147; mean age 20.00, SD = 2.6; 703 females and 444 males) completed a survey, which included a sociodemographic questionnaire and the Arabic version of the Brief Symptoms Inventory (BSI). Non-parametric tests were conducted to explore the data. Non-parametric tests revealed that being female, having a physical illness, experiencing depression and anxiety, having sleep problems, and living with only their mother or with a family member other than their parents are associated with a significant increase in the level of psychological distress. In summary, specific sociodemographic factors exert a notable influence on the psychological distress levels experienced by college students. Consequently, it is imperative to intensify research endeavors aimed at delving into the intricacies of college students’ mental health and its correlated ramifications.

Background: Psychiatric disorders are a major risk factor for suicidal behaviors. However, increasing attention is being given to anxiety disorders, which have also been associated with suicidal risk. Aims: This study aims to examine the prevalence of social anxiety disorder (SAD) among university students, explore its association with suicidal risk and assess the role of depression as a potential confounding factor in this relationship. Method: We conducted a cross-sectional, multicentre study involving students from Abdelmalek Essaâdi University. Data were collected face-to-face using a structured questionnaire designed on the REDCap platform. The Moroccan Arabic version of the MINI (Mini International Neuropsychiatric Interview) was used to assess SAD, depression and suicidal risk. All students present and consenting were included. Data were analysed using descriptive statistics and multivariate logistic regression to evaluate the independent association between SAD and suicidal risk. Results: Among the 1168 students surveyed, 59.1% were women, and the average age was 20.63 years. The prevalence of social anxiety was 9.9% (95% CI: 8.3–11.8). Social anxiety disorder is an independent risk factor for suicide, even after adjustment for other well-known variables such as depression, with an adjusted odds ratio of 1.84 (95% CI: 1.12–3.04). Conclusion: SAD is a major risk factor for suicidal behaviors. These results highlight the importance of early identification and appropriate management of SAD among students in order to prevent suicidal risks.