Adolescents, Volume 6, Issue 2 (April 2026) – 12 articles

Emerging adults who are students (EAS) face challenges balancing academic demands with early career development in a competitive labour market. Career and vocational interventions (CVIs) aim to support this transition by improving employability, academic outcomes, career self-efficacy, and mental health protective factors. This systematic review assesses the effectiveness of CVIs compared with standard approaches in improving employment-related outcomes for EAS, following Cochrane and PRISMA guidelines. Multiple databases were searched for studies published between 2018 and May 2025. Three independent reviewers screened abstracts and full texts in duplicate. Eligible studies were primary research evaluating CVIs for students aged 12–25 yrs and reporting employment-related outcomes. Thirty-one moderate- to low-quality studies examining middle school, high school, and university students were included from an initial 5765 records. CVIs were typically multi-component, combining training, school- or work-based learning, and additional supports. Overall, CVIs were associated with improved career readiness, academic outcomes, employment, resilience, and career adaptability. However, some studies reported lower employment rates and income for women and students with disabilities compared with men and peers without disabilities. These findings suggest that CVIs can support school-to-work transitions but underscore the need for tailored, integrated approaches, and higher-quality longitudinal research to guide policy and practice. Full article

This study aims to provide insights into how physical activity is associated with sleep patterns in youth populations, in particular, Slovak adolescents, and how gender (boys vs. girls) and age (≤16 vs. ≥18) moderate this relationship, using an extreme-group comparison approach that excludes 17-year-olds to enhance contrast between developmental stages. Using a cross-sectional design, self-reported data were collected from 2504 (100%) high school students (aged 15–19; 45.6% boys, 54.4% girls) using the International Physical Activity Questionnaire-Short Form (IPAQ-SF) and the Pittsburgh Sleep Quality Index (PSQI). Participants aged 17 years were excluded from age-stratified analysis to create clearer separation between early/mid and late adolescence. The primary outcome was global sleep quality (PSQI > 5). Secondary outcomes included sleep duration and PSQI component scores. All other analyses (age- and gender-stratified comparisons and interaction models) were predefined as exploratory and hypothesis-generating to examine potential effect modification. Age-stratified analyses among girls showed that, within the low PA group, good sleep was reported by 37.7% of younger girls (≤16) and 28.6% of older girls (≥18). Among older girls, the proportion reporting good sleep increased to 49.8% in the high PA group (χ² = 29.16, p < 0.001). No consistent associations between PA and sleep quality were observed among boys; however, significant association was identified among younger boys (≤16 years), which was not observed in older boys. Logistic regression revealed a modest interaction between age and PA level in predicting sleep quality among girls (β = 0.346, p = 0.049), suggesting small age-dependent variation in the association. This effect should be interpreted cautiously given its borderline statistical significance. Component-level PSQI analyses showed that girls experienced higher rates of sleep disturbances (χ² = 91.40, p < 0.001), longer sleep latency (χ² = 26.71, p < 0.001), and greater daytime dysfunction (χ² = 79.90, p < 0.001). These findings provide region-specific evidence from Central and Eastern Europe and underscore the need for age- and gender-sensitive public health strategies targeting both physical activity promotion and better sleep outcomes, given their observed associations. Full article

We examined how sociodemographic, parental, and temporal factors are associated with parent-reported reasons for seeking consultation in a child and adolescent psychotherapeutic clinic. Data were derived from a large retrospective sample of more than 3000 cases collected between 2011 and 2023. Multivariable binary logistic regression analyses assessed the independent effects of age, gender, living arrangements, migration background, parental education, parental age at childbirth, parental separation or bereavement, and pandemic-related periods. School-aged children and adolescents were more likely than younger children to present with learning difficulties, depression, anxiety, mobbing and media addiction. Female patients showed lower odds of consultations related to learning difficulties, aggression, behavioral addiction, attention deficit/hyperactivity, but higher odds of depression, psychosomatic symptoms, anxiety, eating disorders and sleeping disorders. Parental separation increased the likelihood of consultations related to problematic social behavior within the family, delinquency and trauma and grief. Consultations for attention deficit/hyperactivity concerns were more frequent in the post-pandemic period compared to pre-pandemic. The findings highlight that sociodemographic, familial, and temporal factors are systematically associated with distinct patterns of parent-reported help-seeking patterns in child and adolescent psychotherapeutic care. Full article

Introduction: Increasing rates of youth suicide are a growing concern worldwide. The single highest risk factor for suicide is a prior suicide attempt; however, knowledge around the broader factors that may increase the likelihood of the initial suicide attempt is limited. Understanding these risk factors is critical for clinicians to inform the development of early intervention strategies. This study examines the characteristics of a specific cohort of young people attending a tertiary mental health service in Melbourne, Victoria, following a suicide attempt or with persistent suicidal ideation. Method: A file audit of all young people attending the service was conducted from the commencement of the new service in 2022 through to the end of 2024. One hundred and seventy-one files were examined for specific data, including items such as age, gender, gender diversity, socio-economic factors and neurodivergence. Results: One-sample z proportion tests showed significantly higher proportions of young people who were LGBTIQIA+, transgender, gender diverse or non-binary (TGDNB), neurodivergent, not engaged in employment, education or training (NEET), and international students in the clinical cohort compared with the Australian population. Almost one-fifth of the cohort reported a history of trauma. Discussion: The study provides insight into characteristics observed among a cohort of suicidal young people. Findings highlight that young people from several marginalised groups were more frequently observed in this clinical cohort. The findings have implications for youth mental health services, supporting earlier identification of potential factors associated with suicidality so that prevention strategies can be implemented in a timely manner. Full article

Although sexuality education is delivered in schools, Chinese adolescents’ preferred sources may still be inconsistent with where they currently receive sex education. Based on two theories (Objectivism and Sex-Positivity) that emphasize the use of information and rational choice in seeking information with a desire to learn more, this explanatory study analyses survey data on sexual health topics, the sources Chinese adolescents used and preferred, and the gender differences in how they seek information on sexual topics. From 17 secondary schools, Chinese adolescents in Hong Kong, aged 14–18 (n = 4869), took a 51-question survey on sexual risks and sex education sources conducted by a local agency. Using the secondary dataset, a discrepancy score was computed by matching 15 actually used and 15 preferred sources for getting sexual knowledge listed in the survey. The discrepancy scores were shifted along the X-axis to eliminate negative values and create the dependent variable, ‘Discrepancy-S’, which ranged from 1 to 11, where 1 = no discrepancy, and 11 = wide discrepancy (Cronbach Alpha = 0.750). The higher the score, the higher the discrepancy. Regression results indicated that the youth’s prior coitus and different information sources (except school) could explain the “use–prefer” discrepancy. Although these adolescents regarded parents as the primary sex educators, most did not consult with their families. They preferred electronic media and peers as their top “go-to” choices. Sex education should come from sources that teenagers rely on and choose to access. Personal responsibility must be explicitly discussed in various sexual health sources as teens prepare for transitions to adulthood. Full article

Scientific evidence shows that perception of adolescents’ psychological adjustment in residential care varies depending on the informant. This study examined discrepancies between adolescents’ self-reports and caregiver reports of psychological adjustment in 46 residential care institutions across Portugal. Data were collected from a sample of 511 adolescents (aged 12–24) and their institutional caregivers using the Strengths and Difficulties Questionnaire and the Socially Desirable Response Set-5. Descriptive statistics and paired-samples t-tests were conducted to compare mean scores between informants. Intraclass correlation coefficients and Cohen’s Kappa were calculated to assess agreement. Results revealed significant differences across all subscales and the total difficulties score, with adolescents consistently reporting more emotional, behavioral, and peer-related problems than caregivers, regardless of sex or age. Agreement ranged from poor to moderate, with the lowest concordance for internalizing symptoms. These discrepancies underscore the role of developmental factors in shaping self- and caregiver perceptions and highlight the importance of multi-informant, developmentally sensitive assessments in residential care. Practical implications include incorporating adolescents’ perspectives into evaluation and intervention, enhancing caregiver training to recognize internalizing issues, and implementing age- and gender-tailored mental health programs. Full article

Social identity approaches suggest that people favour ingroup members, yet ingroup favouritism does not necessarily translate into outgroup derogation. Using a sample of Croatian majority-group youth from a nationally and religiously homogeneous pre-COVID context, we examined whether personal values moderate the relationship between national identification and attitudes towards minorities. We conducted a latent profile analysis (LPA) on higher-order values among young Croatian Catholics who did not belong to minority groups (N = 994) and identified five value profiles that varied primarily in the prioritisation of openness to change versus conservation. Profiles differed in minority attitudes and national identification. Crucially, the association between national identification and minority attitudes varied across profiles: it was unrelated in the profile prioritising openness over conservation, whereas in the remaining profiles it tended to be negative and was most consistently negative in the profile prioritising conservation over openness. Taken together, the findings highlight the role of values in the relationship between group identification and attitudes towards outgroups, confirming their relevance for social cohesion and potential for the development of deradicalisation interventions. Full article

Background: Interpersonal emotion regulation (iER) is the process of managing others’ emotions and is critical during early adolescence, when social awareness and peer dependence increase. Little is known about how sex and gender role orientation shape adolescents’ iER. This study examined whether early adolescents differ in their use of person-focused (acceptance) versus problem-focused (positive engagement) strategies and whether these differences depend on context and measurement method. Methods: Data were collected from 322 adolescents (141 girls, 181 boys; aged 10–14 years, M = 12.47, SD = 1.55). The cross-sectional online study used a multi-method design comprising open-ended visual vignettes, a standardised questionnaire, and a serious game task. Participants also completed a validated gender-role self-concept measure assessing femininity and masculinity. Analyses were conducted using Poisson and logistic regressions with sex, femininity, and masculinity as predictors. Results: Across tasks, adolescents preferred problem-focused over person-focused strategies. Girls and those higher in femininity reported or generated more acceptance-based strategies, whereas boys and those higher in masculinity favoured positive engagement. These effects were evident in reflective measures (vignettes and questionnaire) but not in the interactive game, where sex and gender differences were absent. Conclusions: Findings suggest that gendered socialisation processes shape how adolescents regulate others’ emotions, particularly when behaviour is consciously reported. However, in ecologically valid contexts, these differences diminish, indicating shared capacities for adaptive interpersonal regulation across genders. Full article

Background: Self-awareness is a core psychosocial competence supporting emotional regulation, adaptive coping, and psychological well-being during late adolescence and emerging adulthood—a developmental period marked by identity exploration and heightened vulnerability to stress. Life skills education programs, such as UNICEF’s Basic Life Skills Training Program (BLSTP), aim to strengthen these competencies; however, empirical evidence on the effectiveness of structured self-awareness interventions remains limited in low- and middle-income countries, leaving a significant gap in culturally grounded preventive research. Methods: A randomized controlled trial was conducted with 60 Pakistani university students aged 18–24 years, randomly assigned to an experimental group or a waitlist control group. The experimental group received the self-awareness module of the BLSTP, targeting self-esteem, stress management, emotional regulation, and positive thinking through structured group sessions. Standardized self-report measures were administered at pre-test, post-test, and follow-up. Data were analyzed using repeated-measures ANOVA. Results: Compared to the control group, participants in the experimental group showed significant improvements across all self-awareness subdomains, with large effect sizes (partial η² = 0.46–0.84). Gains were maintained at follow-up, indicating sustained intervention effects. Conclusions: The BLSTP self-awareness module appears to be an effective and culturally appropriate preventive intervention for enhancing key psychosocial competencies in late adolescents and emerging adults. Full article

Firearm homicide is a leading cause of death among children and adolescents. This study examined variability in the correlates of firearm homicide across child and adolescent firearm homicide victims. U.S. firearm homicide victims comprising three developmental groups were identified in the National Violent Death Reporting System (2003–2021): infant and early child victims aged 0–5 years (N = 3992); middle and late child victims aged 6–12 years (N = 996); and adolescent victims aged 13–19 years (N = 8350). Descriptive statistics and multivariate regression analysis demonstrated strong support for the study hypotheses. First, firearm homicide victimization peaked among young children (0–5) and adolescents (13–19). Second, older victims were disproportionately male and overwhelmingly had male perpetrators. Third, younger victims were more likely to be killed by their caregivers, family members, and in the home. Finally, situational characteristics were more relevant for adolescent victims. The results suggest that the correlates of child and adolescent firearm homicide are developmentally patterned and reflect age-graded differences in familial reliance, autonomy, and social involvement. Full article

Background: The relationship between selfie addiction and narcissism in students at the Universidad Autónoma de Zacatecas (UAZ, Autonomous University of Zacatecas), Mexico, was analysed. The aim of this study was to identify the narcissistic factors associated with students’ selfie taking addiction. Methods: To identify the relationship between narcissism and selfie addiction, the Narcissistic Personality Inventory (Adapted NPI-40) and the Psychometric Selfie Addiction Scale (PSAS) were used. A structural equation model (SEM) was employed. Exploratory factor analysis (EFA) and confirmatory factor analysis (CFA) were used for structural validation. EFA and CFA confirmed adequate fit and reliability indicators regarding the robust unidimensional structure of the PSAS. Results: The SEM results indicated significant associations between the latent dimensions of the narcissistic traits of superiority, authority, need for admiration, exhibitionism, and exploitation and selfie addiction. This research provides structural and psychometric evidence for the relationship between narcissism and selfie addiction in the Mexican student population, integrating Adapted NPI-40 and PSAS, as well as a parsimonious explanatory structural equation model that demonstrates the relationship between different narcissistic traits and social media practices. Conclusions: The results provide a basis for developing digital literacy interventions for young people and future cross-validations. Full article