Adolescents

Adolescence is a critical stage marked by identity formation and social challenges, especially for adolescents with migratory backgrounds who must reconcile their ethnic identities with the dominant culture. This study explores the mental health, life satisfaction, student–teacher relationship, and academic achievement of Italian-born, second-generation, and first-generation immigrants. The sample of 680 adolescents (M = 382; F = 280; Prefer not to say = 18; Mean age = 16.77 years) includes native-born Italians (n = 244), second-generation immigrants (n = 210), and first-generation immigrants (n = 226). Data were collected using self-report measures for mental health, life satisfaction, student–teacher relationship, and school achievement. A Multivariate Analysis of Variance identified significant group differences, followed by post-hoc tests to further explore differences between the groups. Second-generation immigrants reported significantly lower emotional well-being compared to their Italian-born peers. Both first- and second-generation immigrants exhibited lower life satisfaction, particularly in peer relationships. In terms of student–teacher relationship, second-generation immigrants perceived higher levels of school danger compared to Italian-born adolescents, possibly driven by discrimination. Academic outcomes revealed significant disparities, with Italian-born students outperforming second-generation immigrants, highlighting the impact of acculturative and bicultural stress. The findings highlight the unique challenges second-generation immigrants face in Italy in balancing cultural integration with preserving their heritage. Full article

When a guardian is diagnosed with cancer, the emotional and psychological toll they endure can have a profound impact on their children’s mental health. Understanding the factors that contribute to heightened anxiety in these children is crucial for identifying mental health disorders early. This cross-sectional study explored the relationship between having a guardian with cancer and elevated anxiety levels in adolescents, accounting for confounding variables such as sex, age, and socioeconomic status. Data were obtained from the 2022 National Health Interview Survey (NHIS) using the Sample Adult Interview (27,651 participants) and Sample Child Interview (7464 participants) datasets. The independent variable (guardian’s cancer diagnosis) was derived from the Sample Adult Interview, while the dependent variable (childhood anxiety) and confounders were derived from the Sample Child Interview. Using Stata 16.0, the datasets were merged based on household index variables, yielding a final sample of 4563 participants. Logistic regression analyses assessed the correlation between a guardian’s cancer diagnosis and anxiety levels in children. The results show that children with a guardian battling cancer are significantly more likely to develop anxiety (through the use of odds ratio), with the effect size varying based on factors such as sex, income, and environment. Girls, children from lower-income families, and those with a guardian experiencing depression were at particularly high risk. These findings highlight the strong link between familial health challenges and adolescent anxiety, emphasizing the need for early intervention and mental health support in families affected by cancer. Full article

This study identified college students’ weight gain and body image during COVID-19. A descriptive cross-sectional study was carried out, with data collection occurring from January to May 2023, using an electronic form distributed via social networks or email. Students (+18 years) participated in the study and answered a semi-structured questionnaire, containing questions related to sociodemographic aspects, clinical aspects, and the silhouette scale. A comparison of several events and clinical conditions was made between the period before and during COVID-19. In total, 52 responses were given (86.3% female; 41.3% Black people). In total, 60% were diagnosed with obesity, and 20% were diagnosed with Diabetes Mellitus. Pain related to muscular and joint structures (34.3%) and anxiety (60%) were reported to have been concerns before COVID-19. During COVID-19, this scenario was maintained, in addition to symptoms related to fatigue/tiredness (52.3%) and body weight gain (61.4%). The existence of an active social life (54.3%) and the regular practice of physical activity (65.2%) were reported as occurring only before COVID-19. Full article

Substance use is a growing problem among young people in sub-Saharan Africa who increasingly adopt the habit of smoking cigarettes. The aim was to analyse prevalence rates and identify predictors for cigarette smoking among school-attending adolescents in Bissau, Guinea-Bissau. In June 2017, a survey questionnaire was implemented in 16 schools in a class-based, random sample of 2039 adolescents aged 14–19 (52% girls). The chi-square (p < 0.05) and odds ratios (OR) were calculated with 95% confidence intervals (CI). Potential explanatory variables for the dependent variables were introduced into a multinomial logistic regression model, and p-values were transformed to LogWorth values. The prevalence rate for lifetime smoking experience was 14.8%, 4.0% for occasional smoking (<30 days), and 2.4% for daily smoking. The most significant predictors for cigarette smoking included having friends who smoke, being a boy, attending a private school, smoking initiation at a young age, other substance use, and violent behaviour. It is imperative to initiate preventive actions against smoking and other use of tobacco in Guinea-Bissau. Considering the significant impact of the peer group, policymakers need to engage young people in developing primary prevention strategies to curb the use of tobacco and other substances. Full article

The purpose of this study is to analyze the effects of parental academic achievement pressure and physical activity on body image mediated by self-esteem. By examining a total of 1328 South Korean adolescents, this study yielded the following results. First, parental academic achievement pressure negatively affects self-esteem directly. Second, physical activity positively affects self-esteem directly. Third, self-esteem positively influences body image directly. Fourth, parental academic achievement pressure has a negative indirect effect on body image through the mediation of self-esteem. Fifth, physical activity has a positive indirect effect on body image through the mediation of self-esteem. These findings underscore the importance of appropriate physical activity, especially for adolescents under significant academic pressure. Physical activity can directly enhance self-esteem, which in turn improves body image. This study highlights the role of physical activity in mitigating the negative impact of parental academic achievement pressure on body image through self-esteem. Full article

Virtual reality (VR) can help to prevent alcohol consumption by simulating peer pressure. While existing VR applications for adolescents are primarily tested in schools, expanding them to museums and art galleries offers setting-specific benefits and could enhance their reach. An interactive VR simulation was presented in an art exhibition on substance use reflection. This study aimed to (1) describe visitor experiences with the simulation and (2) analyse differences according to gender and age. Visitors (n = 293) explored Virtual LimitLab for about 15 min before completing a survey on user experience and perceived learning experiences, which also included open questions on its positive and negative aspects. The quantitative user experience and perceived learning experience items were rated positively, except for knowledge increase. Young visitors (≤18 years of age) perceived Virtual LimitLab as more interesting (p = 0.043) and exciting (p = 0.047) than older ones. Female visitors rated the reflective response (p = 0.016) and sensitisation to social pressure (p = 0.024) higher than males. The qualitative evaluation showed that visitors appreciated the simulation’s realism, authenticity and adaptability. VR-based public health interventions in the arts setting need further research to study their preventive potential. Full article

Adolescent alcohol and cannabis use pose significant developmental risks. This study examined internalizing and externalizing problems as risk factors and prospective self as a protective factor in relation to alcohol and cannabis use. Self-report data were collected from a diverse sample (N = 2017) of 15–17-year-olds using the Youth Self Report (YSR) for behavior issues and prospective self, a factor-derived variable reflecting future orientation, resistance to peer influence, and academic aspirations. Participants reported on 15 health risk behaviors, including alcohol and cannabis use. Weighted linear regressions evaluated associations between risk and protective factors and substance use. Results indicated a higher externalizing behavior was linked to increased alcohol and cannabis use, while a higher prospective self and internalizing behavior were linked to reduced alcohol use. Higher prospective self was associated with less cannabis use. Interaction terms were largely non-significant, except for the interaction between prospective self and internalizing behavior, where higher internalizing problems and high prospective self were linked to increased cannabis use. The findings highlight the importance of prospective self, especially at clinically elevated levels of behavior problems, and recommend further exploration of the unexpected positive associations between internalizing behavior and prospective self with cannabis use. Full article

Sexual debut among young adolescents is under-investigated. In this quantitative descriptive study, we examined the 2019 Middle School Youth Risk Behavior Survey (YRBS) data of 66,366 young adolescents aged 10–14 from 10 states to determine the prevalence of early sexual debut among young adolescents. Data analyses used state-level sampling weights as described in the CDC’s 2019 Middle School YRBS user guide. Nearly 8% of the sample reported having had sexual intercourse. Of those who reported age of first sex, 4% had their first sexual intercourse before 13 years of age. Compared to Whites, young Black/African American (13.2% vs. 5.1%, OR = 4.51, 95% CI: 2.78–7.31) and Hispanic adolescents (8.3 % vs. 5.1 %, OR = 1.44, 95% CI = 1.13–1.84) were more likely to report having early sexual intercourse. Males were more likely to report having multiple sexual partners than females (48.1% vs. 36.5%, OR = 1.68, 95% CI = 1.22–2.29) and were more likely to report using condoms during their last sexual intercourse compared to their female counterparts (59.7% vs. 50.8%, OR = 1.43, 95% CI = 1.06–1.94). This study suggests the need for more research on young adolescents’ sexual behaviors and for the development of sexual health interventions that target young adolescents. Full article

According to Young Minds, ‘everyone gets angry sometimes’. Their website offers a number of de-escalating strategies, including staying calm, managing responses, and setting limits to help young people who most deem resistive. Yet, Young Minds are not alone because such logical advice is ubiquitous in the literature about challenging behaviour despite the fact that in our experience when faced with high states of arousal, most young people tend to act first and deal with the consequences later. It is not that they are stupid or non-caring, but they are human, capable of great feats as well as stupidity. The same is true for any claims that solution focused (SF) conversations can put right the several decades of psychological theory suggesting resistance requires logic and better cognition. By giving the correct thinking skills, young people will walk away from risk, avoid physical confrontation, handle challenging situations like logical thinkers, and generally discount that the process of growing up is part of the challenge. It is with this in mind that over recent years in our current SF practice (with staff group supervision), we have examined the concept of ‘resistance’ and how it can be put to use as a process of collaboration. To do this, we have revisited SF theory that preoccupied many of its pioneers during the 1980s and 1990s and attempted to make it useful for the early 2020s for professionals having conversations with young people, who, in traditional models, are labelled challenging. We want to introduce key differences of solution focused practice and how our research started to formulate a 6D-SF model (details, dynamics, dimensions, dispositions, dislocations, descriptions) for contemplating how groups of professionals relate to each other and are triggered by challenging behaviour. We do not claim to have proof, logic, or exactness on our side, but we are happy to suggest how our resistance mirrors what many of the staff teams feel and describe when working through their work. Full article

(1) Background: Adolescent girls have increasingly faced mental health challenges. We examined prevalence trends and associated risk factors for depression among adolescent girls. (2) Methods: Data for girls aged 12 to 17 years (N = 4346) from the 2021 cross-sectional National Survey on Drug Use and Health were analyzed. Factors associated with depression were examined using multiple regression analysis. (3) Results: Rates of severe depression were significantly higher (p < 0.001) in older girls (adjusted odds ratio [AOR]: 1.63, 1.61), those who did not have authoritative parents (AOR: 3.40), and those with negative school experiences (AOR: 4.03). Black and Asian/Native Hawaiian or other Pacific Islanders were less likely to report severe depression than white girls. As previously reported, non-white girls were significantly less likely to receive treatment for depression (p < 0.05). Parents’ characteristics and school experiences had no effect on the likelihood of receiving mental health treatment. (4) Conclusions: Depression has become increasingly common among American adolescent girls, who are now three times as likely as adolescent boys to have had recent experiences with depression. Our results show that family structure, parenting style, and negative school experiences significantly contribute to the rate of depression and that treatment disparities exist with regard to race and ethnicity. The results of our research could be valuable for policymakers, healthcare professionals, and educators in developing specific preventative initiatives and support networks that effectively address these unique challenges. Full article

To improve adolescent nutrition, it is crucial to understand factors underlying food behaviours. This study aims to identify pathways by which the environment and individual factors interact to affect the consumption of iron-rich food (IRF) among Senegalese adolescent girls in the hopes to reduce anemia. This is a cross-sectional study conducted among 600 adolescent girls (10–19 years old) of all 14 regions of Senegal. IRF consumption in the past day and night was evaluated using a food frequency questionnaire. Individual determinants, such as the attitude, the subjected norm, and the perceived behaviour control (PBC), and environmental determinants, such as food accessibility and price, were assessed using a validated and reliable questionnaire. Path analyses were conducted to examine relations between IRF consumption and individual and environmental variables. Overall, 83.7% of girls had the intention to eat IRF and 84.7% reported doing so. The PBC (β = 0.20, p < 0.01) and the attitude (β = 0.57, p < 0.01) predict the intention of consuming IRF daily. In turn, the environment predicts the attitude (β = −0.22, p < 0.01) and the PBC (β = 0.26, p < 0.01). The intention was a predictor of the IRF consumption (β = 0.16, p < 0.05). This research provides guidance to nutrition education programmes as well as to improve the food environment to facilitate the consumption of IRF among adolescent girls by inspiring community health initiatives based on empirical data. Full article

In the current information society, digital literacy has become an indispensable part of individuals’ overall literacy. Thus, investigating the factors influencing digital literacy is of theoretical and practical significance, especially for developing children. Against this background, the present study examined the association between family socioeconomic status and children’s digital literacy and the mediating roles of active and restrictive parental internet mediation in this association. A total of 1050 Chinese students ranging from Grades 4 to 8 completed questionnaires in their classrooms. Regression-based analyses showed that (1) family socioeconomic status was positively associated with digital literacy and (2) active parental mediation could significantly mediate this relationship, but the mediating effect of restrictive parental mediation was insignificant. This research not only deepens our understanding of the factors affecting digital literacy but also provides an empirical reference point for interventions to improve children’s digital literacy. Full article

Introduction: Raising a child with social communication and emotion regulation challenges, such as those experienced in the context of an autism spectrum disorder (ASD), is associated with family disruption and parental stress. Research shows that parents of children and young people with ASD can experience challenges in managing their child’s behaviour and experience a sense of disconnectedness, a lack of support from the “system”, and a broader lack of understanding within the community. Methods: A therapeutic parent group was held in parallel to a young person group working on social skills. The young person cohort included both boys and girls in early adolescence with neurodevelopmental diagnoses. The parent group provided a space for participants to focus on themselves, tune into their own emotions, and receive support in relation to their lived experiences of parenting. Parental outcomes were assessed using standard measures, and the experiences of the groups were captured qualitatively through focus groups with both parents and staff. Results: The project found that the therapeutic parent group was effective in supporting parents to feel less stressed and more in control, as well as less alone in their parenting journey. Qualitative data indicated that the groups filled an identified need within the service and were engaging and acceptable to parents. Full article

Background: Cyberbullying and nighttime phone use are independently detrimental to sleep and psychological wellbeing, but whether in combination they might be more disruptive remains unknown. Methods: Students aged 7–19 years (N = 53,734) completed a survey measuring sleep duration, nighttime phone use, cyberbullying, and psychological distress. Results: Across stratification variables of gender (F/M) and age group (primary/secondary-school-aged children), bivariate ordered probit regression revealed that being cyberbullied and nighttime phone use were independent predictors of both increased psychological distress and obtaining <8 h sleep. Nighttime phone use was observed to moderate the relationship between cyberbullying and sleep in both primary- and secondary-school-aged girls and boys and, likewise, between cyberbullying and psychological distress, especially in secondary-school-aged boys. Notably, the moderation effect was such that the impact of nighttime phone use was lower in children who were compared with those who were not cyberbullied. This may be a ceiling effect due to the high number of cyberbullied children reporting shortened sleep and higher levels of psychological distress. Discussion: The present findings point to a possible role of nighttime phone use as a moderator of the effect of cyberbullying on sleep and psychological wellbeing. There is a need for future studies to better explore more directly the effects of cyberbullying during the nighttime. Full article

It has been suggested that adolescents’ mental health challenges account for half of the disease burden in the world’s adolescents and young adults. In addition to psychological and medical interventions employed to prevent and treat mental health conditions, programmes such as social prescribing which include arts-based activities like dance, are gaining momentum in countries such as the UK. Evidence shows that such activities can produce positive mental and physical well-being outcomes for individuals with the potential to build a sense of belonging and connection among adolescents. This review aims to collate and synthesise findings of studies that explored building a sense of belonging and/or its features in dance with adolescents. The review was reported based on the Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta-Analysis (PRISMA) guidelines. We identified 14 studies that met the inclusion criteria which were used to present a narrative synthesis to address the review questions. The findings show the need for more dance research that directly focuses on and explores the role of dance in building a sense of belonging with adolescents and how a sense of belonging can be facilitated through dance. Full article

Individuals with eating disorders often face difficulty accessing sufficiently intensive, recovery-focused treatment. Residential treatment may fill a gap in the spectrum of care, offering 24-h support in a more home-like environment than a hospital and using a holistic approach including individual and group psychological therapy, meal support, and lived experience staff. As residential treatment has not previously been examined in Australia, the current study aimed to document the development, treatment components, and structure of this first Australian residential service for eating disorders and provide a pilot of its treatment outcomes. Preliminary outcomes are included from a sample of 19 individuals from the first six months of admissions, including eating disorder symptoms, eating disorder-related impairment, anxiety, and depression. Significant pre- to post-treatment improvement was found in total eating disorder psychopathology, dietary restraint, eating concerns, body mass index, eating disorder-related impairment, and depression, but not from pre-treatment to a six-month follow-up. Pilot outcomes were positive at end-of-treatment but require further clinical evaluation to examine follow-up effects. Clinical insights are discussed from the establishment of this new treatment service, including recommendations for clinicians involved in the current roll-out of residential programs across Australia. Full article

After the spread of the COVID-19 pandemic, several articles have described the fragility of young adults, such as students, highlighting the severity, frequency, and nature of mental distress. However, less research has examined the resources of young people, such as their creative competence and their ability to draw on a social network. Furthermore, the analysis of these resources is not very common in international comparative studies. The main aim of this cross-national study is to investigate whether creativity factors such as creative personality and divergent thinking together with social support predict resilience in college students, controlling for gender and nationality, in a sample of college students from Italy and Spain, European Mediterranean countries particularly affected by the pandemic. The following instruments were used to measure these constructs: The Creative Personality Scale, the Runco Ideational Behavior Scale, the Multidimensional Scale of Perceived Social Support, and the Connor Davidson Resilience Scale. A total of 287 college students participated, 147 from Italy and 140 from Spain, with an average age of 22 years. The results show that there are statistically significant differences between Italian and Spanish students for all variables except resilience. The hierarchical regression shows that divergent thinking and social support are predictors of resilience for the whole sample. In light of these results, it may be important for universities to continue investing in divergent thinking and social support through workshops and activities to promote student resilience. Full article

During the COVID-19 pandemic, young people have become overexposed to social media and online gaming, making them more vulnerable to online violence such as cyberbullying. The aim of this study was to determine whether social media and online gaming pose a risk for cyberbullying through time spent online and whether there is a sex that is more vulnerable to this phenomenon. The survey included a sample of 4338 students (52.4% girls; age range, 11–19 years, M 14.1 SD 1.6) attending lower and upper secondary schools. Multiple moderated mediation regression models by sex were conducted, showing a relationship between social media and online gaming, time spent online outside of school, and cyberbullying. The results show that young girls are at higher risk of cyberbullying via social media, and boys are at higher risk of cybervictimization through online gaming. The findings may encourage other researchers to study the phenomenon, taking into account the role of parents and other educators. Full article

HIV disparities continue to persist among Black youth in the South. We conducted quantitative surveys (N = 83) and follow-up qualitative interviews (n = 13) to assess sexual health needs including but not limited to Pre-Exposure Prophylaxis (PrEP) awareness. Participants all identified as Black; most survey respondents identified as being assigned female sex at birth and heterosexual. Both qualitatively and quantitatively, knowledge about HIV and PrEP and engagement in sexual health preventive behaviors was low. Participants described a need for more comprehensive sexual health education at younger ages and more routinized HIV testing. The latter was recommended even for people with a low perceived risk of HIV. Future studies should explore how to tailor communication to youth of color specifically and understand nuances of experiences they may have based on their sexual orientation and gender identity to promote engagement in sexual health preventive care, including but not limited to HIV prevention and PrEP uptake. The findings suggest that comprehensive sexual care that provides education on HIV, STI, and pregnancy prevention is critical for youth experiencing inequities in a Southern city context. Full article