Adolescents, Volume 5, Issue 3 (September 2025) – 10 articles

Background: Teen dating violence (TDV) is a serious public health concern, with sexual and gender minority youth (SGMY) at elevated risk due to minority stress and systemic inequalities. This systematic review examines individual, relational, and contextual risk factors for TDV among SGMY. Methods: A systematic search was conducted in Scopus, Web of Science, and APA PsycInfo on 10 December 2024. Studies published between 2014 and 2024 focusing on teen dating violence (TDV) as an outcome among sexual and gender minority youth (SGMY) aged 13–19 were included. Study selection was independently performed by multiple reviewers using Rayyan. Risk of bias was assessed using the JBI Critical Appraisal Tools. Due to heterogeneity in the study design and measurement tools, a narrative synthesis was conducted. Results: Six risk domains emerged: (1) Demographic/Identity (e.g., gender, orientation, or race); (2) Psychological/Behavioral (e.g., distress or substance use); (3) Violence/Bullying (e.g., cyberbullying or exclusion); (4) Family/Sexual Abuse (e.g., family rejection); (5) Relational/Social (e.g., partner outing); and (6) School/Community (e.g., non-inclusive environments). Bisexual, pansexual, transgender, and racialized youth showed heightened vulnerability. Most studies were conducted in the USA and relied on non-validated TDV measures and cross-sectional designs, limiting comparability and causal inference. Conclusions: SGMY face unique, often overlooked TDV risks. There is a need for intersectional, longitudinal research and inclusive, developmentally appropriate prevention efforts that address both relational and structural factors. This review received no external funding and was not registered. Full article

Background: Boredom is a common but insufficiently explored experience in adolescence, which has been increasingly linked to the development of risky behaviours. This study explores the extent to which boredom predicts engagement in various risky behaviours among adolescents aged 15 to 17. Methods: A cross-sectional study on a sample of 281 high-school students in Croatia was performed in 2024. The participants completed a structured online questionnaire, including validated scales measuring their proneness to boredom, substance use, disordered eating, theft, and cyberbullying. Data were analysed using non-parametric tests, correlation coefficients, and linear regression. Results: Boredom showed a significant association with all forms of risky behaviour, with the strongest association found for disordered eating. Moderate predictive ability was observed for alcohol, marijuana, and drug use, while weaker but significant associations with cyberbullying and theft were also found. Male adolescents reported higher involvement in certain risky behaviours, although no significant gender differences were observed in boredom levels. Conclusions: Boredom is a developmental risk factor, notably when leisure time lacks structure and meaning. While the cross-sectional design of this study limits causal conclusions, the findings highlight the importance of taking boredom into consideration regarding pedagogical prevention efforts. Pedagogical activities targeting quality leisure time, especially within schools and families, may reduce adolescents’ susceptibility to harmful behaviours. Full article

We assessed economic vulnerability, measured by food insecurity, in relation to primary risk behaviors for adolescent pregnancy among U.S. adolescent females. The survey data for this cross-sectional study were collected from adolescent females (n = 187) recruited from high schools (n = 18) serving low-income communities in Southern California between January 2022 and July 2023. We used crude and adjusted logistic regression models to assess associations between food insecurity and sexual risk behaviors for adolescent pregnancy (e.g., early age of sexual initiation, contraceptive use, condom use), as well as financial dependence on a male partner. Adjusted models included demographics significantly associated with outcome variables. Participants were, on average, 17 years old (SD = 1.48); most participants were born in the U.S. (90.3%) and identified as Latina/Hispanic (85.0%). In crude and adjusted bivariate logistic regression models, compared to participants not reporting food insecurity, participants who reported food insecurity were (1) more likely to report early age at first sex (aOR: 3.6, 95% CI: 1.1–11.7), (2) less likely to report condom use in the previous six months among those sexually active during that timeframe (aOR = 0.2, 95% CI: 0.1–0.6), and (3) more likely to report being financially dependent on a male partner (aOR: 4.2. 95% CI: 1.6–11.3). The findings suggest the importance of addressing economic vulnerability to reduce risk factors for adolescent pregnancy. Full article

Background: As global populations age, addressing societal attitudes towards older adults becomes increasingly crucial. Ageism negatively impacts both older and younger individuals. Aging simulation has been proposed as a means to challenge ageist attitudes and promote intergenerational solidarity. This study examines the effectiveness of a brief aging simulation in altering adolescents’ perceptions of aging and older adults. Methods: A prospective interventional study was conducted with 63 high school students aged 15–18. Participants completed the Fraboni Scale of Ageism (FSA) before and after intervention. A subset of 20 students was randomly selected to wear an aging simulation suit. Results: Post-intervention FSA scores significantly decreased from 63.50 to 51.00, indicating a reduction in ageist attitudes. Participants showed significant changes in beliefs related to cognitive decline, the prevalence of Alzheimer’s disease, and the perception that older adults are homogeneous. Additionally, 80% of participants reported a positive shift in their attitude toward aging. The simulation experience was rated highly (average score: 9/10). Conclusions: The findings support the effectiveness of aging simulation in reducing ageist attitudes among adolescents. Given the role of adolescence in shaping long-term perceptions, incorporating aging simulations into educational curricula could be a valuable strategy for promoting intergenerational understanding. Full article

Internet addiction among adolescents has emerged as a significant global health issue, contributing to social isolation, academic difficulties, and emotional disorders, with excessive use of social networks further intensifying these challenges. This study evaluated the effectiveness of an educational intervention grounded in the Theory of Planned Behavior (TPB) in reducing Internet addiction and enhancing academic performance among adolescent girls in southern Iran. A randomized controlled trial was conducted with 370 female students aged 15–16 years, selected through two-stage cluster random sampling and divided equally into intervention and control groups. The intervention group participated in a five-week TPB-based program, incorporating lectures, group discussions, and parent–teacher meetings, while the control group received unrelated health education. Data were collected using the Yang Internet Addiction Test (IAT), a TPB-based questionnaire, and academic performance scores (grade point average, GPA) before and after the intervention. A repeated measures ANOVA revealed significant improvements in attitudes, subjective norms, perceived behavioral control, and intentions to reduce Internet use (p < 0.001). Internet addiction scores significantly declined, and GPA improved in the intervention group compared to the control group (p < 0.001, Cohen’s d = 0.950). The findings support TPB-based interventions as effective tools for reducing Internet addiction and improving academic outcomes among adolescents. This study was registered with the Iranian Registry of Clinical Trials (IRCT20131014015015N18). Full article

Developmental theories posit that social perspective-taking, the social-cognitive process of adopting another person’s viewpoint to understand the person’s thoughts and feelings, is important for youths’ successful functioning in close relationships, yet this idea has received little empirical attention. Guided by a social-emotional adjustment trade-offs framework, the current study tested the proposal that adolescents’ (N = 300, M age = 14.76) social perspective-taking would be linked with positive aspects of friendship in terms of friendship quality but also maladaptive aspects of friendship, namely co-rumination (i.e., excessive problem discussion between friends). This study used a multi-method design including surveys, laboratory tasks, and observations and extended past work by considering multiple dimensions of social perspective-taking including ability, tendency, and accuracy. Results provided support for friendship adjustment trade-offs of social perspective-taking. Full article

Background: Suicidal ideation among adolescents remains a major public health challenge. Exposure to neighborhood violence is associated with increased risk of mental health distress and school-related vulnerabilities. This study investigates the predictors of suicidal ideation among U.S. adolescents who have witnessed neighborhood violence. Methods: Data were drawn from the 2023 Youth Risk Behavior Survey (YRBS), a nationally representative survey of high school students in the United States. A subsample of 3495 adolescents who reported witnessing neighborhood violence was analyzed. Key variables included sociodemographic characteristics, mental health symptoms, perceived school safety, and experiences of victimization. Multivariable logistic regression was used to identify factors associated with suicidal ideation, defined as seriously considering suicide in the past year. Analyses were conducted using Jamovi (version 2.6), with statistical significance set at p < 0.05. Results: The prevalence of suicidal ideation in the sample was 34.2%. Bisexual adolescents had significantly higher odds of suicidal ideation compared to heterosexual peers (OR = 2.34, p < 0.001). Depressive symptoms were the strongest predictor (OR = 7.51, p < 0.001). Both perceived lack of safety at school and differences in ethnic and population backgrounds were significant. Black and Hispanic/Latino adolescents had lower odds compared to White peers. Conclusions: Findings highlight sexual identity, depressive symptoms, school safety concerns, and ethnic and population background differences as key correlates of suicidal ideation. Culturally responsive, trauma-informed interventions are urgently needed for youth exposed to community violence. Full article

Background: One of the major challenges for children and adolescents with sickle cell disease (SCD) is academic performance. Objectives: Our study aimed to evaluate the academic performance of children and adolescents with SCD in Benin and compare it to the academic performance of their healthy siblings and paediatric comparisons. Furthermore, we aimed to explore the associations between socio-demographic factors, clinical characteristics, and depressive symptoms, and the academic performance of children and adolescents with SCD. Methods: The study was a cross-sectional study that used convenient sampling. Academic scores were collected during the 2021–2022 academic year. Patients with SCD and paediatric comparisons were recruited during routine hospital consultations. The Children’s Depression Inventory (CDI-S) tool was used to assess depressive symptoms. We compared academic performance scores (ranging from 0 to 20) using independent t-tests and explored associations through linear regression analyses. Results: This study included 209 participants: 100 patients with SCD (aged 6 to 17 years), 46 siblings, and 63 paediatric comparisons. The academic performance of patients with SCD (mean academic score = 13.29) was similar to that of the combined comparison group (mean academic score = 12.8, p = 0.196). Younger patients showed poorer academic performance (coef = −0.169, p = 0.019), and depressive symptoms (‘pessimism’, ‘self-hate’, ‘lack of friends’, and ‘fatigue’) were associated with poorer academic performance as well. Patients with SCD who were treated in Benin performed academically as well as their healthy siblings and peers. Conclusions: Children and adolescents with SCD performed on par academically with their healthy siblings and peers. While overall depressive symptoms were not significantly associated with academic performance, certain symptoms were more common among lower-performing students and should therefore be explored in greater detail. Full article

Affective–sexual education programs (ASEPs) are effective in combating gender violence (GV). Most previous studies have focused on the short-term effect these programs have on explicit sexist attitudes. The objective of this study was to analyze the short- and medium-term effect of an ASEP regarding sexist attitudes. An educational intervention study was carried out on 561 high school students in Tenerife (Spain). The 15 h intervention used a participatory methodology with debates, working groups, and game dynamics. Explicit attitudes were measured with the scale of sexist, violent, and stereotyped attitudes (SVSAs) and the gender role attitudes scale (GRAS), and implicit attitudes were measured with the assessment of the behavior of the characters of a brief tailored story, in which an interaction between two young people with an ambiguous component of gender violence is described. Four measurements were made: pre-intervention, post-intervention, 6 months, and 12 months. After the intervention, in the experimental group, scale scores decreased (SVSA from 28.7 ± 7.7 to 21.8 ± 2.1, p < 0.0001; GRAS from 30.6 ± 7.8 to 22.3 ± 2.8, p < 0.0001), and the level of approval of the behavior of the female character of the story improved (from 5.4 ± 2.6 to 7.6 ± 2.1, p < 0.0001). The effect of the intervention on sexist attitudes was maintained until the end of the 12-month follow-up period. Full article

While it is widely accepted that parents play an important role in facilitating the academic achievement of their offspring through school involvement and homework assistance, less is known about how exactly parents, in general, contribute to adolescents’ academic achievement within and across non-Western cultures through their everyday parenting behaviors and parent–adolescent relationships. The purpose of this study was to examine the relationship between several Western constructs of maternal parenting behavior (e.g., support, involvement, reasoning, punitiveness, and parental knowledge), and aspects of the mother–adolescent relationship (e.g., autonomy, conformity, and familism) and adolescent academic achievement among families living in China, India, and South Korea. Self-reported data were collected from adolescents living in urban areas within Mainland China (n = 589), India (n = 463), and South Korea (274). Examination of the results from the reduced linear regression model indicated that maternal knowledge, familism, punitiveness, age of adolescent, and region were statistically significant predictors. Full article