Psychological health, physical development and autonomic nervous system (ANS) activity in Siberian adolescents

Cultural and biological influences on psychological health were examined in 256 schoolchildren, aged 13 to 17 years, in Novosibirsk, Russia. Children's competence and problems were assessed using the Youth Self-Report (YSR), the Child Behavior Checklist (CBCL) and the Teacher's Report Form (TRF). Compared with Americans, Siberian children scored lower on competencies and higher on somatic complaints. Height predicted mothers' ratings for children's Total Competence and Delinquent Behaviour and was negatively related to boys' Anxious/Depressed problems. Triceps skinfold thickness predicted children's self-ratings for somatic complaints. In girls, self-ratings for Delinquent Behaviour were related to heart period variability and subscapular skinfold thickness and self-ratings for Attention Problems were related to triceps skinfold thickness. Systolic blood pressure was negatively associated with behavioural problems, thought problems and somatic complaints. Overall, the findings suggest culture-bound and demographic influences on competence and problems in Siberian adolescents and variation related to physical development and autonomic nervous system activity.