Network analysis of key constructs supporting screening of at-risk adolescents in the LOOK@ME project

Abstract The current study emerged from the LOOK@ME project, a research intervention in middle and high schools in northern Italy. The project preliminarily identifies “normative”, at-risk, and clinical adolescents through questionnaires assessing emotional regulation, psychological symptoms, and Problematic Smartphone Use (PSU). Subsequently, it involves focus groups tailored to at-risk students’ psychological adjustment, considering the findings from the initial screening. The study aimed to optimize the screening phase by determining the most relevant dimensions for evaluating youth, thus reducing redundancy and participants’ efforts. Network analysis was employed to determine associations among variables from a sample of N = 702 adolescents (Mage = 13.44 ± 1.38; 54% female) randomly extracted from multiple pre-test phases. Sub-scales from the Smartphone Addiction Inventory, Strengths and Difficulties Questionnaire, and Difficulties in Emotion Regulation – Short Form were considered for analysis. Results highlighted that the most relevant network variables include emotional problems, conduct issues, hyperactivity and inattention, PSU-related craving and sleep problems, reduced trust in one’s adaptive emotion regulation capacities, and difficulties in impulse control when experiencing negative emotions. Subsequently, the discriminatory capacity of the full set of scales was compared with the reduced set, including only the above-reported dimensions, and showed a close performance in identifying “normative” vs. at-risk vs. clinical adolescents. This study shows the potential of the network approach in identifying key dimensions for screening purposes, furthering the bridge between clinical research and practical application.