Youth, Volume 6, Issue 1 (March 2026) – 38 articles

Depression, although a consequence of sexual violence, has not been studied in the context of college students’ views of campus sexual violence climate. Depression is one of the most prevalent and impairing mental health concerns among college students and has well-established links to sexual violence victimization; therefore, it serves as a theoretically and clinically meaningful focal outcome. Therefore, we assessed perceptions of institutional climate in the context of self-reported depression. Undergraduates (n = 716) reported perceptions and experiences of campus sexual violence and misconduct, connectedness, attitude, and depressive symptoms in an online survey. More than a third of participants reported elevated depressive symptoms. This was associated with campus connectedness and attitude, perceived campus climate, and personally experiencing rape, assault, or harassment. In a multivariate model, only the perceived climate variables did not retain significance. Elevated depressive symptoms were associated with connectedness and attitude towards the university and experiencing sexual harassment/assault. Understanding and explicitly addressing these connections may be beneficial for the effectiveness of campus prevention and intervention. Full article

This study examines the relationship between institutional resource allocation to Multicultural Student Programs and Services (MSPS) and the retention rates of students of color at public higher education institutions as operationalized by the Unit Power held by MSPS leaders. Situated in the socio-political context influenced by the Black Lives Matter movement and rising anti-diversity, equity, and inclusion (DEI) legislation, the research seeks to understand if targeted investments in MSPS meaningfully enhance retention for Asian, Black, Hispanic, and Multiracial students. Using Quantitative Critical Race Theory (QuantCrit), the study employs correlation and multiple regression analyses to assess the effectiveness of MSPS expenditures. Results demonstrate that institutional investment in MSPS is positively associated with higher one-year retention rates for students of color. Additionally, the research highlights the critical role of MSPS administrators’ unit power, characterized by their environmental influence, institutional authority, and negotiation capabilities, in securing necessary funding. These findings contextualize the financial decisions institutions face amidst legislative pressures questioning the validity of diversity initiatives. This study contributes to the existing literature by demonstrating how resource allocation strategies directly impact equity and retention outcomes, advocating for strategic, data-driven investments in MSPS as essential components for institutional effectiveness, credibility, and sustainable diversity practices. Full article

This study investigates how Croatian students from the University of Split and Italian students from the University of Salerno perceive and use sex-related taboo language, focusing on differences between their first language (L1), Croatian or Italian, and their second language (L2), English. Data were gathered through an anonymous online survey exploring participants’ perception and use of 15 sex-related taboo expressions in both their L1 and L2. A total of 160 university students participated (N = 160), including 80 Croatian and 80 Italian students. The results indicate that students perceive sex-related words and phrases as more offensive in their L1 than in their L2. However, contrary to expectations, they reported using such language more frequently in their L1, both in oral and written communication. This study contributes to understanding how bilinguals navigate sex-related taboo language across their L1 and L2. Unlike most previous research, which has mainly focused on taboo language in general, this study specifically examines sex-related taboo words. The findings contradict the common notion that speakers choose L2 for swearing due to the emotional distance it provides. Instead, it suggests that participants may intentionally choose their L1 to convey stronger emotional intensity, especially in close or personal situations. Full article

Young women from historically marginalized backgrounds face significant barriers to accessing the professional guidance and social capital necessary for career advancement. To address this problem, a flash mentoring digital tool was developed to expand underrepresented young women’s access to time-limited guidance from pre-screened professional women within Step Up Women’s Network, a mentorship nonprofit program. This community-based program evaluation used a user-centered design approach to develop and refine the platform. In-person workshops and informal group discussion sessions with young Step Up women aged 18 to 29 provided feedback on networking approaches and mentorship needs, which informed the platform design. A total of 285 female mentors and 363 female mentees downloaded and engaged with the platform over two years. Implementation metrics included 5008 messages exchanged with 2528 sent by mentees, 316 meetings held, and high usage of goal-setting features with 1445 goals set and check-ins with 72 percent of mentees. Evaluation findings suggested that the intervention was acceptable and feasible, fostering new, short-term supportive relationships within Step Up Women’s Network. Although additional evaluation with rigorous outcome measures is needed, this program evaluation highlights the potential of a scalable intervention for Step Up Women’s Network that extends the framework of youth-initiated mentoring interventions, which have shown considerable promise in recent years. Full article

In alternative education programs, school wellbeing is enacted partially through the spatialized (emplaced and embodied) lived experiences of students whose educational futures are fragile. Displaced to a series of trailers and limited to half-day attendance, the participants in this qualitative study were removed from mainstream classes in a large urban high school to attend alternative programming. Utilizing a critical counter-mapping youth participatory action approach, 24 participants mapped their barriers and supports to school wellbeing by moving through, sitting within, and writing together in the school spaces they were no longer permitted to occupy during their studies. As a research collective, students produced twenty-six annotated counter-maps, inscribing their school histories, present tensions, and hopes for educational futures onto existing geographical maps of the building. Findings contribute to understandings of students’ perspectives on best practices for complex school interactions as a foundation for building school climates that center educational wellbeing, care, play, and relationships. In addition to insights into current spatial practices in schools and how they might be rewritten to advance an equity-orientation, this work makes visible the tensions between the school’s emphasis on academic performance and the youth’s lived experiences of injustice on the spatial and metaphorical edges of the system. Full article

Mentorship represents a promising approach for sport organizations interested in supporting the positive youth development, retention, and well-being of girls in sport. Despite growing interest in mentorship as a youth development strategy, limited research explores how sport organizations understand and deliver mentorship programming for girl-identifying youth in Canada. The purpose of this study was to examine how Canadian sport organizations conceptualize mentorship and implement it to support girls’ developmental and sporting experiences. Using a qualitative research design, we conducted semi-structured interviews with Canadian sport organizational leads (N = 9) and analyzed available program resources (e.g., evaluation reports, program manuals). Reflexive thematic and document analysis revealed three findings: (a) how organizational staff understand mentorship for girls in sport; (b) how mentorship is delivered in practice; (c) system-level barriers and recommendations that shape mentorship (programming). Findings contribute to sport and youth-focused scholarship by illustrating how sport organizations shape mentoring as a developmental experience for girls in sport and by pointing to gender-responsive, co-designed mentorship frameworks as priority areas for future research. Practically, this research underscores the importance of investing in relational capacity and evidence-based mentorship models to better support girls’ sport experiences in Canada. Full article

Relationship and sexuality education research has largely centred on adult perspectives, particularly in exploring home-based sexuality education. This study shifts the lens to youth voices by examining how adolescents from LGBTQ+ families in South Africa experience and actively participate in home-based sexuality conversations. Using arts-based collage-creating methods with the adolescent participants, youth interpretations of sexuality learning in LGBTQ+ family homes were explored. The findings reveal that youth are not passive recipients but active co-creators of family sexuality knowledge, developing critical literacies about heteronormativity through ongoing and responsive home-based conversations. Youth identified home as a distinct pedagogical space characterised by safety, personalisation, ongoing responsive dialogue, inclusivity of diverse sexual and gender identities, and responsiveness to their developmental needs. However, youth also navigate tensions between LGBTQ+-affirming home environments and heteronormative public spaces, developing sophisticated strategies for managing these boundaries. This study contributes empirical evidence for valuing informal sexuality education spaces and positions youth from LGBTQ+ families as knowledge producers whose experiences can inform more inclusive, dialogue-based approaches. The findings have implications for supporting family-based sexuality education and challenging adult-centric assumptions about youth capacities in sexuality learning. Full article

Adolescence is established as a critical period for the onset of substance use and addictive behaviours. Sports participation can act as a protective factor that coexists with risk and protective variables. This study aims to analyse the association between habits, risk perception and lifetime and annual alcohol consumption and gambling at distinct stages of adolescence and to establish risk profiles. Cross-sectional study with the participation of 914 federated footballers selected by cluster sampling. Data on sociodemographic characteristics, consumption, risk perception and habits were collected. Descriptive analyses, χ², principal component analysis, K-means and ordinal logistic regressions were performed. Two main components were extracted that explained 54.3% of the variance (KMO = 0.69). Four clusters were obtained, showing transitions between them. The WLE and AWU variables were established as risk factors for consumption (OR > 1), while the protective risk perception variables (OR < 1) varied according to the stage and consumption analysed. Full article

Africa’s expanding youth population and rapid digitalization present opportunities for innovation and, ultimately, entrepreneurship and economic growth relevant for Sustainable Development Goal (SDG) 8—Decent Work and Economic Growth. However, the role of social media in shaping these outcomes remains underexplored empirically. This study examines how platform-specific social media use influences innovation, operationalized through external search breadth and depth, while considering macroeconomic moderators. Using panel data from 52 African countries from 2009 to 2022 and fixed effects regressions, the study links activities on Facebook, X (formerly Twitter), YouTube, LinkedIn, and Google to innovation indicators such as R&D expenditure, patent applications, and scientific publications. The findings suggest that YouTube use is consistently and positively associated with all innovation indicators, highlighting its role in knowledge diffusion and creative expression. By contrast, X and LinkedIn display neutral or negative effects. High internet penetration alone is not sufficient enough to spur innovation, underscoring the need for enabling macroeconomics factors such as GDP per capita and ease of doing business. This study concludes that visual open-access platforms, supported by education and institutional capacity, are vital for inclusive and sustained economic growth. Full article

As test anxiety has evolved conceptually, identifying specific components contributing to educational success is essential. This study is the first to examine how different components of test anxiety are related to university dropout. Hungarian university students were recruited through the university’s website and asked to complete a series of online questionnaires at three different points over two years to monitor test anxiety levels and potential dropout or graduation during this period. Of the 98 students who completed assessments at all time points, by the final measurement, 69 had already either graduated or dropped out of their studies. Test anxiety was measured using the multidimensional TAM-C-SF (Test Anxiety Measure for College Students—Short Form). Study dropout was defined as leaving a program before graduation. Task-irrelevant behaviors—a component of test anxiety that includes restless and avoidance behaviors—were significantly associated with dropout. Higher values of cognitive interference were also significantly associated with a higher likelihood of dropout. Task-irrelevant behaviors and cognitive interference might play a key role in academic persistence among university students. These findings highlight the importance of a multidimensional approach to assessing test anxiety and suggest interventional techniques that may help diminish these factors to support students in succeeding in their studies. Full article

Current school level practices and policies reproduce and reify carceral logics in schools through the disproportionate exclusion, removal, policing, and surveillance of Black, Latinx, and Indigenous students from low-income backgrounds. Given the link between school-based discipline and youth incarceration, we sought to understand how young people experience and respond to inequitable discipline practices in educational settings. In this two-part study, we conceptually explore the mechanisms by which schools function as an extension of the carceral system through inequitable disciplinary practices and seek to empirically understand how students perceive and experience school-level carceral logics and the processes that lead students into the juvenile legal system. Study 1 consisted of three focus groups (N = 24) with high school students from historically marginalized backgrounds and explored youth perceptions of and experiences with discipline. Study 2 consisted of six focus groups (N = 28) with community college students who were incarcerated as youth, to understand their trajectories and educational experiences before, during, and following their incarceration. Taken together, the studies illuminate the intersection of schools and prisons as complex systems that historically marginalized students must navigate to access their education, leveraging skills and collective resilience to do so. Full article

Classical developmental psychology treats childhood animism—attributing life or mind to inanimate things—as a transient phase that recedes with schooling and the onset of concrete operations. The contemporary spread of lifelike AI has altered that background assumption, with particular implications for children and adolescents whose agency-detection systems and reality-testing capacities are still calibrating. Across interfaces, voices, avatars, and social robots, modern systems routinely exhibit contingent, context-sensitive behaviour that recruits developing social-cognitive systems during sensitive periods of identity formation and relational learning. Drawing on developmental psychology, cognitive science, human–AI interaction research, clinical psychiatry, and technology ethics, we: (1) present a mechanistic “hourglass model” showing how interactive AI engages animistic cognition with heightened effects during childhood and adolescence, including a developmental timing analysis of how differential maturation of agency detection, Theory of Mind (ToM), and prefrontal reality-testing creates windows of particular vulnerability; (2) disaggregate five distinct phenomena along an anthropomorphism-to-delusion trajectory with operational boundary criteria; (3) specify a graded psychopathology continuum with a fourth, orthogonal zone addressing adversarial design—itself disaggregated into three tiers with distinct regulatory implications; (4) identify conditions under which anthropomorphic engagement may be beneficial, including for youth; and (5) advance cognitive safety–inspired design with developmentally appropriate protections for minors. We introduce the IDAQ-CF-Tech, a twelve-item screener for AI-specific mind attribution offered as a provisional instrument for validation across age groups, and close with a phased research agenda emphasising longitudinal developmental outcomes, impacts on adolescent identity formation, and cross-cultural variation in techno-animism. Full article

Research on unaccompanied foreign minors remains limited due to the low scientific visibility of this population and the complexity of trauma-related neurodevelopment. This study presents a scientometric analysis of international literature (2007–2025) to identify trends, collaboration networks, thematic clusters, and research gaps on trauma and neuroeducation in this field. Using data from Scopus and Web of Science, methodological, contextual, and thematic variables were coded and analysed through bibliometric and network techniques. Results show a 91% growth in publications since 2008, following an exponential pattern (r² = 0.91), with 90 authors organised into 23 collaboration clusters and an average collaboration index of 0.80. Despite growing inter-institutional networks, research remains concentrated in France, the United States, and the United Kingdom–Africa axis. The study concludes that the field is entering a phase of consolidation, shifting from predominantly clinical perspectives toward preventive and integrative neuroeducational approaches that combine relational, cultural, and educational dimensions to mitigate the effects of migratory trauma. Full article

This phenomenological study explores the experiences of Black males in U.S. public schools and draws parallels between Black millennials and the “indignant generation,” a term Lawrence Jackson uses to describe African American life between 1934–1960. While the purview of school discipline discourse is saturated with conversations on racial disparities, the exigent problem still remains. As such, this research provides a nuanced probe into concepts of discontent and indignation within Black students. In doing so, this study recasts Black male students as experts, not observers, within educational research. Using counter-storytelling as the theoretical and analytical framework, this study examines both student engagement and school disaffection through the lens of “Black male positionality.” Participants (Black males, ages 25–35, n = 9) provide individual reflections of their past schooling experiences and also detail critical needs in educational reform. Using semi-structured interviews, participants provide in-depth, retrospective perspectives of schooling and reconceptualize renewed possibilities of educational reform for Black students today. The study’s major findings demonstrate school carcerality was evident via counterproductive discipline policies and semblances of “untapped potential” among students. The study’s findings surface important topics in Black education and help to broaden the scope of research to explore concepts of Blackness, being, and belonging within phenomenological studies. Full article

In many cases the label NEET (referring to the youth Not in Education, Employment, or Training) is applied without really taking into account the diversity within the group. Even among the studies focusing on NEET diversity, few publications challenge the use of the label at the international level. This article accepts that challenge and combines the mentioned perspective regarding educational level. The article also presents explanatory models, with variables belonging to four categories (NEETs and unemployment, economy, social aspects and education) aiming to analyze those differences. The results reveal that the difference between countries on the average educational attainment of NEETs and the rest of the youth are considerably big and that (1) variables connecting NEETs and unemployment do not explain those differences; (2) economic variables slightly explain the phenomenon; (3) social aspects show volatile significance; and (4) mostly educational factors clarify the differences. This study shows that for the study countries, the less competitive the education system, the higher risk of becoming a NEET for those who attain higher educational levels. Full article

Endemic racism, operationalized through exclusionary discipline practices contributes to the “spirit murdering” of youth of color in schools. While the school-to-prison pipeline frames the funneling of students into the (in)justice system, the school-to-prison nexus expands this understanding by interrogating the reality that schools are prison for many. Thus, education abolitionists call for a systemic account of “schooling” to embrace creative risk and radical possibility in the pursuit of liberation. However, existing literature has not substantively centered the voices of youth directly involved in these carceral systems, nor invited them to dream. This study asks: based on formerly incarcerated students’ experiences in school and prison, what must educational systems do to disrupt the school-to-prison pipeline? Guided by qualitative methods, we conducted semi-structured interviews with formerly incarcerated college students (four women, two men; majority Latinx/Hispanic) and conducted member checking. Our reflexive thematic analysis uncovered a troubling truth: schools frequently ignored and misinterpreted trauma, grief, and internalized pain among high school students. Participants described internal battles (i.e., mental health challenges) that often showed up externally as “behaviors” (e.g., fighting, skipping school, substance use) that resulted in exclusionary discipline. Equally important, participants re-imagined schools as homeplaces—sites of care, belonging, and agency. These narratives illuminate the need to dismantle punitive systems, center insights from those at the center of the experiences, and build just, loving, and equitable schools. Full article

Though an emerging body of theory and research suggests that individuals who feel and express greater interpersonal curiosity experience improved social functioning and relationships, researchers have yet to examine interpersonal curiosity from the perspective of those receiving questions from others. The present study employs a mixed-methods approach to explore the questions young adults wish to be asked by four relational partners (i.e., closest friend, mother figure, father figure, and romantic partner), along with their reasons why. Among our sample of college students (N = 641; M_age = 19.82), eight distinct types of questions (e.g., about one’s well-being), along with six themes in their reasons for wishing to receive this curiosity (e.g., to improve relational dynamics), were identified. Findings not only suggest that young adults have questions they wish to be asked but also offer insight into six potential mechanisms by which they believe interpersonal curiosity could enhance their relationships. Full article

This paper explores the entanglement of the coloniality of time, justice, and emancipatory horizons through the lens of restorative justice in public schools. The author utilizes Jacques Derrida’s theory of hospitality in order to demonstrate how restorative justice, as an open spacetime of impossible choices, creates liberatory possibilities. The author utilizes Charles Mills’ “white time” to deconstruct racial capitalism’s notions of time as they manifest in schools and to reflect upon how restorative justice’s orientation towards relational, fluid temporalities offers a means through which the ethico-ontoepistemological assumptions that underlie oppressive systems in schooling can be questioned and transformed. A restorative justice approach grounded in hospitality, this theoretical paper argues, offers a way through the oppressive temporality of White Time. Full article

Youth unemployment and poverty remain critical development challenges in Nigeria, where rural young women face limited livelihood opportunities and economic vulnerability. Using cross-sectional survey data from rural Nigeria and an endogenous treatment effect regression model to address potential self-selection bias, the study examines the impact of non-agricultural employment participation on poverty reduction among young women. The results show that engagement in non-farm employment significantly reduces poverty across all poverty index dimensions, demonstrating that non-agricultural employment is an effective pathway not only for escaping poverty but also for improving welfare among those who remain poor. The findings underscore the need for gender-sensitive policies that expand non-agricultural opportunities in trade, services, and digital platforms and invest in rural infrastructure to enable women’s economic participation. By integrating such interventions into broader rural development strategies, policymakers can promote inclusive economic empowerment, advance gender equality, and accelerate progress toward the Sustainable Development Goals, offering a scalable model for rural poverty alleviation in sub-Saharan Africa. Full article

Previous research suggests that certain personality traits, such as extraversion and openness, may be associated with sexual risk behaviors (SRB). Exploring psychological and social factors is critical to guide effective sexual health promotion. Background/Objectives: To examine the associations between sociodemographic characteristics, personality traits, sexual attitudes, and risky sexual behaviors among health science students. Methods: A cross-sectional study was conducted with 730 health science students (median age: 21 years, IQR: 20–22 years) using validated questionnaires on personality (BPQ), sexual attitudes (BSAS), and sociodemographic factors. Non-parametric tests and logistic regressions were performed. Results: The results highlight significant differences in sexual attitudes based on sociodemographic characteristics, such as sexual orientation, type of relationship and cohabitation. High levels of pornography consumption are associated with drug use and greater permissiveness. A relationship was established between condom use and openness and intellect. Drug use scored high on extraversion and permissiveness. In relation to the use of dating apps, a positive relationship was found with permissiveness and substance use. Conclusions: The findings reveal a relationship between personality, sociodemographic characteristics, and risky behaviors, underscoring the need for tailored strategies in sexual health education for young adults. Full article

YouTube is a de facto learning environment for athletes seeking fast, actionable nutritional guidance, yet platform dynamics may favor simplified or testimonial narratives over evidence-aligned messages. This study maps Spanish-language sports-nutrition videos to clarify who is most visible, how advice is framed, and what users encounter first. We conducted a cross-sectional, mixed-methods study of 558 YouTube videos on pre/post-exercise nutrition and supplementation. Data was coded for video types (divulgation/testimonial), claim presence, evidence links, and creator status (professional/non-professional). Exposure-adjusted metrics (View Ratio, Viewer Interaction) and nonparametric tests summarized distributions. An undirected network generated centrality rankings to select qualitative samples. Thematic analysis of titles and descriptions identified recurring rhetorical patterns and discourse modes. Divulgation videos predominated (97.3%). Evidence links were rare (0.2%). Exposure and interaction were right-skewed, indicating concentrated visibility. Non-professionals produced most videos, with older uploads and higher daily view accrual; however, interaction per view was similar across groups. Qualitative synthesis revealed two dominant discourse modes, scientific–cautious and experience–testimonial. Oversimplification and motivational cues clustered in testimonial/non-professional items; instructional language and scarce evidence links concentrated in professional/divulgation items. In Spanish sports-nutrition content, visibility is concentrated, and creator identity shapes advice framing. Evidence-aligned messages can compete when expressed with clear athletic framing, explicit caveats, and links to trustworthy sources. Full article

Background: Youth with disabilities remain among the most overlooked groups in global sexual and reproductive health and rights (SRHR) discourses, including in sub-Saharan Africa. Yet, their SRHR needs are often ignored. This reflexive article aims to illuminate and recenter the experiences and perspectives of youth with disabilities living in Gulu City and Gulu District, Northern Uganda, exploring what matters to them regarding SRHR and their broader life aspirations. Methods: We adopted a qualitative, reflexive and participatory approach. Data were collected among six Ugandan young co-researchers with different disabilities (physical, visual, hearing, and albinism), who interacted with two Ugandan research assistants and a Canadian researcher involved in a larger SRHR research project. They engaged in in-person and virtual WhatsApp and Microsoft Teams exchanges over weeks, with the support of three Ugandan Sign Language interpreters. We thematically analyzed data, informed by the Intersectionality-based Policy Analysis and Structural Health Vulnerabilities and Agency frameworks. Results: Our analysis revealed four main findings: (1) the persistent feeling of social discrimination, stigma, and exclusion, including from parents, (2) inaccessible SRHR information and services, and knowledge gaps, (3) gender- and disability-based violence, and (4) youth with disabilities’ aspirations for SRHR and in life. Conclusions: The voices of youth with disabilities in Gulu underscore the value of disability equity-focused research. They reminded us that they are intelligent, capable, and thoughtful citizens with agency whose SRHR and broader well-being must be acknowledged and respected. Their perspectives carry critical implications for SRHR programming, policy, and research. Full article

Social inclusion of ethno-cultural minorities is a global concern which an acknowledged backlash against multiculturalism challenges. In Australia, some politicians and sections of the media have fuelled this backlash against refugee and minority culture young people by portraying them as involved in public violence. This article explores intersectional youth engagement and social change action. A school-based intercultural understanding initiative in a regional Northern NSW government primary school demonstrates how building intersectional connections and engaging in social change action can address ethno-cultural prejudice and discrimination within the school and wider community. The case study highlights a social change initiative where Indigenous Australian and Yazidi primary school students, their families, and school staff go out On Country together to progress intersectional intercultural understanding, networking, reciprocity, and solidarity. This initiative aimed to promote intersectional social inclusiveness while respecting and supporting diversity. The Together For Humanity Foundation, a non-profit provider of holistic schools-based intercultural understanding programmes, provided the resources to support the school’s partnership initiative. Drawing on Lundy and Cuevas-Parra’s intersectional framework, this article analyses the outcomes of the project from the perspectives of students and teachers. Full article

This study examined the association between bullying and cyberbullying, both in victims and aggressors, and students’ perceived competence in English as a foreign language. A cross-sectional study was conducted with 444 Spanish students (50.00% boys, mean age = 13.27 ± 1.64 years). Perceived English competence was assessed using the Questionnaire of English Self-Efficacy (QESE), while involvement in bullying and cyberbullying was measured with the European Bullying Intervention Project Questionnaire (EBIP-Q) and the European Cyberbullying Intervention Project Questionnaire (ECIP-Q). Associations were analyzed using ANCOVA and binary logistic regression, controlling for age, BMI, maternal education level, and weekly physical activity. The results showed that cyberbullying victimization was consistently associated with lower self-perceived competence in all English skills, particularly among boys, who reported scores up to 12.1% lower and were up to 6.3 times more likely to report low self-efficacy in writing. Girls also showed a higher risk, with up to 5.6 times more likelihood of low scores in oral expression. As for aggression, boys involved in both traditional and cyberbullying showed significant reductions in all language domains, especially in writing and reading. Girls demonstrated a more specific pattern, with negative associations mainly in cyberaggression, showing significantly lower self-efficacy competence in all four skills. These findings highlight the need for gender-sensitive interventions that promote emotional safety and reinforce students’ self-efficacy in language learning. Educational programs involving students, teachers, and families are recommended to foster confidence, reduce fear of errors, and create supportive environments for communicative practice. Full article

This article explores how ideologies and discourses of school safety and policing operate within the U.S. educational system and shape broader understandings of safety, punishment, and mass incarceration. Guided by corpus-assisted discourse studies (CADS) and Critical Discourse Analysis (CDA), it examines three questions: how different educational community members define safety (and for whom), how policing is constructed as safe or unsafe, and how these narratives position certain students as threats. Analyzing school board meetings, online public comments, and conversations with students within the context of a 2020 local decision to remove School Resource Officers from Eugene, Oregon, public schools, the study identifies common and contested discursive strategies about policing and youth across social and historical contexts. A central finding is the role of adultism in sustaining links between schools and prisons, normalizing compliance, silence, and the disappearance of youth who challenge adult authority. These adultist discourses position students as belonging to adults and construct dissent as danger, enabling surveillance, policing, and incarceration to circulate as commonsense approaches to “community safety.” From these findings, the article introduces YouthCrit as an emergent conceptual framework grounded in youth analyses of adultism. In turn, YouthCrit offers a framework for scholars, educators, and practitioners to challenge deficit narratives about students while centering youth presence and perspectives in school-based research and within social movements for community safety. Full article

Background: Grit is often celebrated as a predictor of youth success in sport, but little is known about how it develops over time through social and relational contexts. This study explores how grit forms among youth powerlifters through two developmental trajectories: an externally driven pathway shaped by structured adversity (Outside-In) and an internally driven pathway fueled by self-motivation (Inside-Out). Methods: This analytical autoethnographic study draws on multi-year coaching journals, field notes, and reflective narratives involving four Malaysian youth athletes. Through thematic coding and narrative synthesis, key developmental patterns were identified, and a dual-pathway conceptual model was constructed. Results: The findings revealed that youth from lower-autonomy backgrounds often developed grit through coach-led discipline and adversity (Outside-In), while others showed early self-regulation and purpose-driven persistence (Inside-Out). Both pathways could converge toward internalized grit. The coach–athlete relationship was central in mediating this growth. Some youths later turned outward to uplift others, indicating broader developmental impacts. Conclusions: Grit in youth sport is a socially embedded process. The Dual Pathway Model offers a framework for coaches and educators to cultivate perseverance in diverse youth through both relational support and autonomy development. Full article

Believed by many to be the “silver bullet” that will bring an end to educational inequality, AI technologies continue to proliferate within schools and classrooms, promising to bolster academic achievement, spark student engagement, and ensure campus safety while lessening the burden of overworked and systemically underpaid teachers. Despite this hype, a growing body of critical research is revealing that many of the AI technologies used in schools are rife with algorithmic biases that exacerbate, rather than remediate, educational inequity for historically marginalized students. We extend the work of scholars who have called attention to the rise of tech-mediated racism and the New Jim Code to consider how the proliferation of AI technologies into K-12 schools has worked to hide, speed up, and automate educational inequities for Black students, giving rise to a techno-educational carceral apparatus. To do so, we analyze youth interviews, youth-generated video blogs, and weekly journal reflections of 46 Black students that participated in a critical technology summer course. Full article

Gender-Based Violence (GBV) represents a major public health and social concern, with evidence linking persistent sexist beliefs to a higher likelihood of experiencing or perpetrating GBV, particularly among young adults. This study aimed to examine attitudes towards GBV among university students in Castilla-La Mancha, providing insight into ongoing gender inequalities within higher education. A total of 399 undergraduate and double-degree students at the University of University of Castilla-La Mancha completed the 47-item Gender and Violence Attitudes Questionnaire (GVAQ), and data were analyzed using descriptive and correlational methods. The results indicate the persistence of sexist beliefs and justifications for violence, with significant differences according to sex, age, and academic discipline: men scored higher overall on the GVAQ (M = 101.69) than women (M = 83.82), students in Engineering and Architecture scored higher (M = 100.89) than those in Arts and Humanities (M = 83.22), and younger students (≤25 years) scored slightly higher (M = 89.63) than older students (≥26 years) (M = 85.91). These findings highlight the urgent need for targeted educational programmes integrating a gender perspective to challenge entrenched sexist attitudes and reduce GBV in university contexts, fostering safer and more equitable learning environments. Full article

This article presents the development and validation process of a qualitative data collection instrument aimed at analysing natural sciences teachers’ perceptions of practical work in lower secondary education (third cycle) in Portugal. The methodological approach combined a systematic literature review following PRISMA guidelines with an analysis of relevant curricular frameworks and legal documents. Based on the triangulation of these sources, a semi-structured interview guide was constructed, validated by a panel of five experts from four Portuguese public universities, and tested through a pilot interview. The final instrument comprised seven dimensions and fourteen subdimensions, totalling 44 items. It demonstrated methodological rigour and practical applicability for qualitative data collection and analysis. Findings indicate that the instrument enables a comprehensive exploration of teachers’ practices and perceptions regarding practical work, offering a valuable contribution to the research on didactics of science and to the professional development of teachers. Also, the application of this instrument will enable teachers and researchers to characterise the dynamics of practical work carried out with young students in natural sciences education across seven structuring dimensions: (1) Conceptual; (2) Limitations; (3) Advantages; (4) Evaluative; (5) Operationalisation; (6) Textbook; and (7) Curricular. Full article

This mixed methods study explored perspectives from volunteer coaches and team parents involved in one sport-based youth development program, Junior Giants. The purpose was to (a) compare multiple perspectives on program impact and (b) investigate processes behind program impact and intentions to return. The sample (N = 11,638) included 1541 volunteer coaches, 861 team parents, and 9236 caregivers who completed an online survey assessing perceptions of players’ character development, antibullying, and league organization. Coaches and team parents also responded quantitatively and qualitatively about attending the initial training, use of practice plans, and intentions to return. Coaches reported significantly higher perceptions of participant change in character development and antibullying compared to caregivers (effect sizes were small), and team parents’ perceptions were not significantly different from coaches or caregivers. Perceptions of program outcomes did not differ by sport type (baseball v. softball), binary gender, age, or years in Junior Giants. For process variables, coaches were significantly more likely to attend the training and use the practice plans than team parents (small effects). Several themes emerged from open-ended questions, including not attending the initial team meeting due to schedule conflicts or signing up late to coach, not using practice plans due to limited time or needing modifications, and not intending to return due to child aging out or time commitment. Results suggest Junior Giants is perceived to have a positive impact and offer advice for supporting volunteers in sport-based youth development programs. Full article