Youth, Volume 5, Issue 1 (March 2025) – 15 articles

Every adolescent should have the right to make their own choices about their sexual and reproductive health (SRH). Achieving this goal can be challenging, especially in low- and middle-income countries (LMICs), where social norms and insufficient resources may limit access to information. Technology is increasingly being leveraged in LMICs to reach adolescents. We searched the literature to understand the landscape of digital SRH interventions in LMICs. The review addressed three questions: (1) What are the interventions and how effective are they? (2) What are adolescent preferences for information? And (3) What do the interventions cost? There is a wide variety in the populations addressed (e.g., adolescents with HIV, pregnant/post-partum adolescents) and the locations of the interventions, with the majority in sub-Saharan Africa. The types of interventions were evenly distributed between “push” approaches, where adolescents are sent information; “pull” approaches, where adolescents reach information from a website or app; and “two-way” approaches, which combine push and pull aspects. The most positive features identified were convenience and privacy. The major challenge is inadequate smartphone penetration in very low-income adolescents, especially girls. The evidence on the effectiveness of these interventions is mixed. Most studies show that SRH knowledge increases, but this does not necessarily lead to behavior change. Full article

(1) Schools often rely on outsourced providers to deliver relationships and sexuality education (RSE) to young people. However, there is limited research that has focused on outsourced provider practices and perceptions of RSE, particularly as it relates to sexual violence prevention. (2) The current qualitative study interviewed 15 outsourced providers in Australia to glean their perspectives on the effective features of, and barriers to the implementation of, RSE for young people, with a focus on sexual violence prevention. (3) Through a reflexive thematic analysis, we found that outsourced providers valued a whole-of-school approach to RSE and advocated for content on pornography literacy. They raised conservative gatekeeping, precarious funding, and limited time as key implementation barriers. The findings also highlighted inconsistent views and approaches to RSE among outsourced providers, with questions surrounding who should deliver RSE, which theoretical framework underpins their work, and whether to take a gendered approach. (4) Implications for educators, policymakers, and young people are discussed. Full article

This Special Issue examines the links between sociopolitical action and healthy youth development. The 12 featured studies use diverse conceptual and methodological approaches to advance understanding of how the costs and benefits of youth sociopolitical action are dependent on identity, context, and structural factors. Key findings demonstrate that intersectional identities shape youth experiences of activism and that social contexts can exacerbate or buffer against personal risks, underscoring the importance of supportive environments that are attentive to each young person’s experiences of oppression. The contributing authors propose pragmatic strategies to encourage mutually reinforcing associations between personal well-being and sociopolitical action, such as integrating healing-centered approaches into youth programming and contextualizing resistance to systemic oppression as a component of healthy development. This Special Issue calls for future research to refine theoretical models and develop sustainable, health-promotive strategies to support young people in their vital work to advance justice and equity. Full article

In youth sports, young people are often subjected to approaches and coach behaviors misaligned with their physical and psychological development, including early specialization and the use of physical activity as punishment. Little research investigates these practices from the perspective of youth. This study used novel qualitative approaches to explore student reactions to these practices. Over four years, students who took an Introduction to Psychology class at one private high school in a West Coast city received a presentation about topics at the intersection of sports and psychology and submitted their reflections. A student-led research team analyzed the 332 reflections. The findings show that the information in the Long-Term Athlete Development framework was dissonant with student experiences in the U.S. youth sports system. Many had negative experiences with physical activity as punishment. Providing youth with information about developmentally appropriate practices in sports can help them advocate for change that will protect them and others from harm. Full article

Academic resilience and motivation are two key positive psychological constructs that have the capacity to influence learners’ engagement even in difficult conditions. Surprisingly, research investigating these relational constructs is limited in Ghana. The study examined the influence of academic resilience and motivation on engagement, highlighting rural–urban variations among senior high school students. This cross-sectional survey involved 190 senior high school students in Ghana, employing stratified sampling. Academic resilience, motivation, and engagement were assessed using the academic resilience scale (ARS-30), the motivated strategies for learning questionnaire (MSLQ), and the university student engagement inventory (USEI). Data were analysed using descriptive, Pearson correlation, and hierarchical multiple regression analyses. An independent t-test was also conducted to compare the study variables between rural and urban students, utilising IBM Statistical Package for the Social Sciences (SPSS) version 27. The correlational analysis revealed that academic resilience positively correlates with engagement and motivation. A regression model indicated that socio-demographic factors have a minimal impact on academic engagement, while academic resilience and motivation significantly predict it. No significant differences were found between urban and rural students regarding academic engagement, motivation, or resilience. Educators and policymakers are urged to implement strategies, including social–emotional learning and mentorship programmes, to support and cultivate academic resilience, motivation, and engagement among students. Future studies could investigate the relationship between academic, motivational intensity, and learners’ academic achievement across a larger sample. Full article

Harm Reduction (HR) was introduced in Mauritius in 2006 to mitigate the local Human Immunodeficiency Virus (HIV) epidemic mainly driven by injecting drug use. With an estimated population of 55,000 drug users and an estimated population of 6600 injecting drug users with an average of 21 years at first injection, the impact of drug use on the epidemic remains high. Those aged 15–24 years account for 20% of all new HIV cases detected annually since 2010, with known causes of incidence including both injecting drug use and unprotected sexual intercourse. Beginning with an exploration of access and barriers to needles and syringes, our study evolved to consider the dynamics between concurrent services and the effectiveness of the resulting system. Utilising snowball and purposive sampling, we conducted in-depth interviews with 27 participants, including service providers, identified by peer fieldworkers from various NGOs. Our analysis showed that HR services were connected via informal networks and displayed the same characteristics as Complex Adaptive Systems (CAS). We propose using qualitative structural analysis as a viable method to explore the complexity of HR. CAS and proper acknowledgement of peer support could guide current and future HR policy reforms. Full article

Guided by the Health Belief Model (HBM), this cross-sectional quantitative study investigated the relationship between key factors and HPV vaccine uptake among Chinese international students (CISs). The sample consisted of 105 CISs attending a southwestern U.S. public university. Participants completed English or Chinese surveys consisting of questions about HPV vaccination status, sociodemographics, perceived risks, facilitators, barriers, knowledge, and cultural beliefs about HPV and HPV vaccination. Findings showed that being female, receiving HPV education, and perceiving higher risks of contracting HPV were associated with receiving at least one dose of HPV vaccination among CISs. Given the current suboptimal HPV vaccination rate among CISs, universities might consider enhancing accessibility to HPV education, making it more inclusive and sex-neutral, and addressing the high risks of HPV infection to encourage their vaccination. Full article

In recent years, youth social action has emerged as a novel concept which strives to empower young people, creating an engaged and socially aware youth population. The aim of this narrative review was to summarise, explain, and interpret international research evidence to understand the effectiveness of youth social action interventions implemented with young people between the ages of 8 and 16 years. This study followed the General Framework of Narrative Reviews. Peer-reviewed studies published in the English language that explicitly addressed ‘youth social action’ or ‘social action’ within the title or abstract were identified by means of electronic searches on EBSCOhost (Education Research Complete, MEDLINE and Child Development and Adolescent Studies databases). Search terms included “Social Action” OR “Youth Social Action” AND population (Child* OR Youth OR Adolesc* OR “School Child” OR Juvenile OR Teenag*) AND study design (intervention OR project OR evaluation OR initiative OR program*). Sixteen studies were included after full-text screening, detailing eight individual youth social action interventions. The findings revealed a range of psychosocial, health, and personal development benefits for youth who participated in social action interventions. However, the evidence base was limited by poor methodological reporting and a lack of process evaluations to confirm implementation fidelity. Future research should utilitise stronger research designs, assess both individual and community outcomes, and include follow-up measures to determine the long-term impacts of youth social action projects. Full article

In September 2024, the devolved Northern Ireland government published their Strategic Framework to end violence against women and girls. In this article, we report the key results of two studies that were undertaken to inform this Strategy: Young Life and Times (YLT)—an annual social attitude survey of 16-year olds, and the bespoke ‘It’s just what happens’ study which was commissioned to qualitatively explore the views and experiences of girls and young women in relation to gender-based violence (GBV). YLT survey data are presented on the prevalence of GBV experiences and perceived barriers to reporting violence. Qualitative data gathered through focus groups and interviews are drawn on to demonstrate how these methods surface additional information, context and nuance that could not be captured in large-scale surveys alone. Young women experience disproportionately high levels of GBV compared to young men, whilst, at the same time, more barriers to reporting. Qualitative data from the bespoke survey flesh out the prevalence data with young women’s lived experiences. This paper demonstrates the value of diverse data for providing a more holistic understanding of complex social issues which, we argue, can benefit the development and evaluation of targeted policy interventions. Full article

In spring 2023, controversy arose over Spring Fever, an annual campaign to promote sexual and relationship education in primary schools in The Netherlands. This led to parliamentary questions and even death threats against employees of Rutgers, The Netherlands Center on Sexuality, which developed the program. This article examines how child sexuality was framed both in the Spring Fever project and in the resulting controversy. The analysis is based on newspaper articles from March to June 2023. One premise of Spring Fever is that children are seen as sexual agents able to develop their sexuality safely through age-appropriate education, which aims for children’s healthy development, including negotiating consent and experiencing pleasure. During the 2023 controversy, discourses of childhood innocence emerged in response to this, alongside accusations of focusing too much on “woke” themes, such as gender diversity. This paper concludes that, due to global anti-gender movements and local right-wing politics, the Dutch model of sex education—pragmatic, comprehensive, and evidence-based, as seen in Spring Fever—no longer maintains its depoliticizing effect. Additionally, the Spring Fever controversy signals a shift in the politics of sexual nationalism in The Netherlands. Full article

In further understanding the importance of the informal/formal nexus, it is posited that they can co-exist, as explained in the case description example of a Youth Professional Practitioner Network (YPPN). It posits the influence of ‘informal education’ that creates the opportunity for value-based notions such as respect in enabling individuals to form trusting relationships. Through such relationships, the possibility of a ‘community of practice’ is formed. Such notions are argued to be inherent within the YPPN. In presenting such discussions in the exploration of this question, it poses the argument that it is possible and is more of a necessity. Full article

High-quality health education in schools plays a critical role in the formation of young people by developing the attitudes, beliefs, and skills needed to adopt and maintain healthy behaviours throughout their lives. Curriculum reform processes ensure that health education is adequately preparing adolescents for the world today and in the future. However, there is little consideration given to the teachers implementing these curriculum reforms, and their ability to integrate changes as they shape their learning and teaching. In this paper, we discuss the worldviews and beliefs of the teachers delivering health education in Western Australia. We present findings from a doctoral grounded theory study within secondary schools to explain the process teachers use as they approach curriculum, particularly after a reform. We investigate how teachers struggle to decide how to present themselves and the new curriculum content in class. Our findings evidence that teachers have determined gender and sexuality content to be controversial, uncomfortable, difficult to teach but also a favourite to teach. Teachers have expressed uncertainty as to what to say in class and have called for further guidance to teach these important life lessons. Curriculums need to constantly change to keep pace with a changing world, so how do we do this in a way that supports teachers and ultimately produces the best education for young people? Full article

Narrative therapy and expressive writing interventions have been found to improve health and wellbeing among vulnerable populations; however, few have been conducted with young lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, and queer people, and those of other diverse sexual orientations and gender identities (LGBTQ+). This study aimed to determine how young LGBTQ+ people in Australia might make meaning of themselves and their experiences through life writing and the implications for health and wellbeing. A study was conducted with 20 LGBTQ+-identifying participants, aged 16 to 20, in or around Melbourne, Australia. The participants attended one of two writing workshops held at a public library in Melbourne in October 2019 and February 2020, where they were taught creative nonfiction writing techniques. They were asked to submit pieces of life writing (“narratives”) and reflections about participating in the study. Fifteen participants submitted one or more narratives in response to a prompt, and 10 participants provided reflections. Thematic analysis was used to code the data and identify themes that emerged. The participants’ processes of meaning-making were analysed using a performativity lens. This article explores the theme “sex and relationships” that emerged and the related sub-themes. The participants’ writing provided insights into sociocultural norms, discourses, and tropes, including those present in school-based sexuality education and in the media, that may impact the developing sexual subjectivities of young LGBTQ+ people in Australia. Engaging in life writing provided an outlet for developing self-knowledge, agency, and subjectivity. The findings can be used to promote the use of creative, youth-centred and queer-affirming practices and interventions for LGBTQ+ youth in school and community settings, including peer support and community health approaches. They indicate the need for de-pathologising the medicalised risk- and prevention-based interventions for LGBTQ+ youth in health and education research and policy, particularly around sexual and mental health. Full article

In an era where childhood health is increasingly at risk, understanding the role of physical activity in promoting well-being is critical. The COR-School project investigates the impact of physical activity on cardiometabolic health in over 700 Spanish children and adolescents aged 8 to 16 years. Over three years, the study will conduct three assessments (baseline and two follow-ups) to evaluate peak post-exercise levels of high-sensitivity cardiac troponin T (hs-cTnT), a biomarker for cardiac stress, following a submaximal 20 m shuttle run test. Secondary objectives include examining the influence of maturational status, physical activity, and cardiorespiratory fitness on hs-cTnT. Participants will complete fitness tests, questionnaires on health habits, sleep, and diet, as well as anthropometric and body composition measurements. Blood samples collected at baseline and three hours post-exercise will measure cardiac biomarkers and lipid profiles. Cardiovascular responses will be tracked using heart rate monitors. Normal ranges of hs-cTnT will be determined using data distribution (percentiles or mean ± SD), stratified by age, sex, and maturational stage. Statistical analyses, including repeated measures ANOVA and Pearson correlation, will explore trends across time, sex, developmental stages, and other health-related outcomes. Beyond providing clinical insights by establishing reference values for hs-cTnT in healthy youth after exercise, findings will inform educational policies to promote physical activity in schools, emphasizing its role in improving fitness, health behaviors, and overall development. Full article

This article draws on doctoral research conducted at the University of Glasgow and examines the role of youth work and participatory research in shaping young people’s wellbeing in post-COVID-19 Scotland. This study focuses on how participatory methods, such as photovoice and photo-elicitation, can foster socio-political awareness and agency among young people, engaging Scottish youth and local stakeholders. Using empowerment theory, critical pedagogy, and feminist theory, this research reveals how youth participation contributes to personal and collective empowerment, offering insights into the complexities of supporting youth wellbeing. The findings indicate that young people gained control and awareness of community needs through youth work and research engagement, reflecting critical consciousness. However, this study highlights challenges in achieving sustainable change, as structural barriers often constrain the transformative potential of these initiatives. Despite the safe spaces for connection and skill-building provided by youth work, some participants experienced disillusionment when their contributions did not lead to tangible outcomes. This study recommends more inclusive and responsive youth work practices, emphasising the importance of genuine youth-led decision-making and aligning stakeholder efforts with youth aspirations. It contributes to discussions on youth agency, community engagement, and the critical role of supportive relationships in fostering resilience post-pandemic. Full article