Mental Health and Resilience in Young People Experiencing Childhood Adversity

Dear Colleagues,

Background and History of This Topic. Childhood adversity, including experiences of abuse, neglect, family dysfunction, and socio-economic hardship, is known to affect mental health outcomes in young people. Early studies highlighted the risks associated with adversity by examining the negative impact of these stressors on cognitive, emotional, and behavioral development. Over the past few decades, however, research has increasingly focused on the resilience characterizing the young people who experience adversity, particularly their ability to overcome or adapt positively to childhood challenges.

Aim and Scope of the Special Issue. This Special Issue seeks to provide a comprehensive overview of current research on mental health and resilience in young people who have experienced childhood adversity. It aims to explore both the risk factors that contribute to poor mental health outcomes and the protective and promotive factors and processes (PPFPs) that foster resilience. By examining these dynamics, this Special Issue intends to advance our understanding of the mechanisms that promote mental health and resilience in young people facing adversity, in order to inform clinical and policy efforts aimed at promoting their positive development. The scope of this Special Issue includes a range of topics, from the psychosocial and biological factors that influence resilience to intervention strategies that aim to improve the mental health and well-being of at-risk populations.

Cutting-Edge Research. Recent research has provided novel insights into the neurobiological mechanisms of resilience, with some studies showing how early life stress can alter brain development and others identifying genetic and environmental factors that can buffer these effects. We welcome the submission of articles that discuss advances in trauma-informed care, mindfulness-based interventions, and community-based approaches to mental health in young people experiencing adversity. Additionally, we welcome contributions that examine the role of broader ecological factors, such as social support, school environments, peer relationships, and the larger socio-cultural context, in fostering effective coping strategies in young people facing childhood challenges.   

What Kind of Papers We Are Soliciting: We invite researchers to submit original research articles, including quantitative, qualitative, and mixed-methods research studies; reviews of empirical evidence, such as systematic or scoping reviews; and methodological papers that contribute to our understanding of mental health and resilience in young people experiencing adversity. Submissions may focus on biological, psychological, or sociocultural factors, as well as innovative research methodologies, intervention models, and prevention strategies. We particularly welcome interdisciplinary approaches that integrate perspectives from psychology, neuroscience, social work, education, and the health sciences in order to address the complex needs of this population at risk of experiencing developmental problems and poor mental health outcomes.

Dr. Margherita Cameranesi
Dr. Caroline C. Piotrowski
Guest Editors

Manuscript Submission Information

Manuscripts should be submitted online at www.mdpi.com by registering and logging in to this website. Once you are registered, click here to go to the submission form. Manuscripts can be submitted until the deadline. All submissions that pass pre-check are peer-reviewed. Accepted papers will be published continuously in the journal (as soon as accepted) and will be listed together on the special issue website. Research articles, review articles as well as short communications are invited. For planned papers, a title and short abstract (about 100 words) can be sent to the Editorial Office for announcement on this website.

Submitted manuscripts should not have been published previously, nor be under consideration for publication elsewhere (except conference proceedings papers). All manuscripts are thoroughly refereed through a single-blind peer-review process. A guide for authors and other relevant information for submission of manuscripts is available on the Instructions for Authors page. Children is an international peer-reviewed open access monthly journal published by MDPI.

Please visit the Instructions for Authors page before submitting a manuscript. The Article Processing Charge (APC) for publication in this open access journal is 2400 CHF (Swiss Francs). Submitted papers should be well formatted and use good English. Authors may use MDPI's English editing service prior to publication or during author revisions.

• adverse childhood experiences
• children
• mental health
• resilience
• youth