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Psychosocial Aspects of Childhood and Adolescent Health
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Psychosocial Aspects of Childhood and Adolescent Health

A special issue of Healthcare (ISSN 2227-9032). This special issue belongs to the section "Mental Health and Psychosocial Well-being".

Deadline for manuscript submissions: 31 May 2027 | Viewed by 4999

Editors

Dr. Sofia Koukouli

E-Mail Website
Guest Editor
1. Department of Social Work, Faculty of Health Sciences, Hellenic Mediterranean University, 71410 Heraklion, Greece
2. Laboratory of Interdisciplinary Approaches for the Enhancement of Quality of Life (QoLab), 71410 Heraklion, Greece
Interests: social policy in health and social care; quality of health and social care services; social determinants of health; family policy
Special Issues, Collections and Topics in MDPI journals
Dr. Dimitrios Mimarakis

E-Mail Website
Guest Editor Assistant
1. Department of Social Work, Faculty of Health Sciences, Hellenic Mediterranean University, 71410 Heraklion, Greece
2. Laboratory of Interdisciplinary Approaches for the Enhancement of Quality of Life (QoLab), 71410 Heraklion, Greece
3. Pammakaristos General Hospital of Divine Providence, 11144 Athens, Greece
Interests: medical social work; health inequalities; psychosocial aspects of physical and mental health; vulnerable populations; child maltreatment; child protection; family social work; euthanasia and end of life

Special Issue Information

Dear Colleagues,

We are pleased to invite you to contribute to this Special Issue, which focuses on highlighting findings related to psychosocial aspects of childhood and adolescent physical and mental health.

The psychosocial aspects of health during childhood and adolescence encompass the mental, emotional, and social well-being of young individuals, which are fundamental to their comprehensive development and long-term health outcomes. These aspects have a significant impact on the trajectories of both physical and psychological health and are influenced by dynamic interactions with a variety of structural factors, such as family, peer groups, educational settings and school cohesion, and community environments.

Therefore, the present Special Issue adopts a psychosocial framework to examine the impact of social, psychological, economic, and environmental factors on the physical and mental health of children and adolescents. It explores a range of pertinent topics, including quality of life, chronic illness, vulnerability, and child maltreatment. Original research articles, reviews and case studies are welcome for submission.

Research areas may include, but are not limited to, the following:

  • Physical and mental health issues in childhood and adolescence.
  • Health and social care services for children and adolescents. The association between psychosocial resources and physical/mental health issues in childhood and adolescence.
  • Personal, family and social factors associated with physical and mental health in childhood and adolescence. The role of family, peer groups, educational settings and community contexts.
  • Quality of life and well-being in childhood and adolescence.
  • Chronic diseases in childhood and adolescence.
  • Health promotion in childhood and adolescence.
  • Social media and children and adolescents’ health.
  • Children and adolescents on the move/impact on their physical and mental health/strategies and interventions for support.
  • Child maltreatment. Intervention and evaluation of services detecting and managing child abuse and neglect.
  • Health and social care specialists for children and adolescents: the role of social workers, psychologists, psychiatrists, pediatric nurses, speech therapists and physical and occupational therapists.

We look forward to receiving your contributions.

Dr. Sofia Koukouli
Guest Editor

Dr. Dimitrios Mimarakis
Guest Editor Assistant

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 250 words) can be sent to the Editorial Office for assessment.

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-anonymized peer-review process. A guide for authors and other relevant information for submission of manuscripts is available on the Instructions for Authors page. Healthcare is an international peer-reviewed open access semimonthly 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 2700 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.

Keywords

  • physical and mental health
  • children and adolescents
  • personal, family and social factors
  • quality of life and well-being
  • chronic diseases
  • pediatric healthcare personnel
  • psychopathology of childhood and adolescence
  • child psychology
  • child maltreatment

Benefits of Publishing in a Special Issue

  • Ease of navigation: Grouping papers by topic helps scholars navigate broad scope journals more efficiently.
  • Greater discoverability: Special Issues support the reach and impact of scientific research. Articles in Special Issues are more discoverable and cited more frequently.
  • Expansion of research network: Special Issues facilitate connections among authors, fostering scientific collaborations.
  • External promotion: Articles in Special Issues are often promoted through the journal's social media, increasing their visibility.
  • Reprint: MDPI Books provides the opportunity to republish successful Special Issues in book format, both online and in print.

Further information on MDPI's Special Issue policies can be found here.

Published Papers (6 papers)

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Research

Jump to: Review

19 pages, 304 KB  
Article
Occupational Stress, Coping Strategies, and Resilience Among Health and Social Care Professionals Working with Children and Families in Greece: A Cross-Sectional Study
by Dimitrios Mimarakis, Philippa Kolokotroni, Eleni Plevriti, Maria Moudatsou and Sofia Koukouli
Healthcare 2026, 14(14), 2184; https://doi.org/10.3390/healthcare14142184 - 20 Jul 2026
Viewed by 966
Abstract
Context: Child-focused healthcare professionals serve as primary providers of both physical and psychosocial care to pediatric patients and their families. Consequently, they are exposed to substantial occupational and emotional challenges in the course of their practice. Objectives: This study examined the levels and [...] Read more.
Context: Child-focused healthcare professionals serve as primary providers of both physical and psychosocial care to pediatric patients and their families. Consequently, they are exposed to substantial occupational and emotional challenges in the course of their practice. Objectives: This study examined the levels and multidimensional aspects of occupational stress, coping strategies, and resilience among healthcare professionals providing care to pediatric patients and their families in Greece. Methods: Socio-demographic characteristics, perceived occupational stress, coping strategies (WCQ), and resilience were assessed in a sample of 202 child-focused healthcare (physicians and nurses) and social care professionals (social workers, psychologists, and special education professionals) employed across a range of health and psychosocial services in Greece. Multiple linear regression analyses using the enter method were performed to examine the associations among resilience, occupational stress, and coping strategies while controlling for relevant demographic and occupational variables. Results: Social support was significantly associated with gender. Positive coping was associated with age, work experience, and the WCQ subscales Social Support, Daydreaming, and Avoidance. Avoidance coping was positively associated with profession and Daydreaming. Significant differences were also observed according to age, occupational stress, positive coping, social support, and resilience. Hierarchical multiple regression analysis demonstrated that, positive coping was independently and most strongly associated with resilience (p < 0.001), whereas work stress was independently and negatively associated with resilience (p = 0.001), with higher perceived stress corresponding to lower levels of resilience. Conclusions: The findings highlight the central role of positive coping in relation to resilience among child-focused healthcare professionals, while demonstrating the negative association between occupational stress and resilience. These results underscore the need for interventions that strengthen effective coping strategies, reduce work-related stress, and enhance resilience among healthcare professionals. They also identify important knowledge gaps and support the need for future research examining occupational stress, its long-term consequences, and the coping mechanisms and resilience among professionals working with children and families. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Psychosocial Aspects of Childhood and Adolescent Health)
17 pages, 264 KB  
Article
Self-Compassion of Nurses Working in Pediatric Hospitals
by Dimitra Tsoutsoura, Ioannis Koutelekos, Afroditi Zartaloudi, Areti Stavropoulou and Maria Polikandrioti
Healthcare 2026, 14(12), 1789; https://doi.org/10.3390/healthcare14121789 - 21 Jun 2026
Viewed by 416
Abstract
Introduction: Compassion is defined as the emotional response that arises when an individual perceives another’s suffering and is motivated to alleviate it. Purpose: To explore levels of self-compassion among nurses working in pediatric hospitals and examine their associations with nurses’ characteristics. Materials and [...] Read more.
Introduction: Compassion is defined as the emotional response that arises when an individual perceives another’s suffering and is motivated to alleviate it. Purpose: To explore levels of self-compassion among nurses working in pediatric hospitals and examine their associations with nurses’ characteristics. Materials and Methods: This cross-sectional study included a convenience sample of 208 nurses from a public pediatric hospital. Data were collected through interviews using the Neff Self-Compassion Scale (SCS) which includes the following subscales: Self-Kindness, Common Humanity, Mindfulness, Self-Judgment, Isolation, and Over-Identification. The Greek-validated version of the instrument was used with acceptable internal consistency in the present sample (Cronbach’s alpha = 0.849). Data analysis included descriptive statistics and inferential tests (non-parametric comparisons and multiple linear regression), with statistical significance defined as p < 0.05. Results: The mean total Self-Compassion score was 83.24 ± 12.6 (range: 26–130). Regarding family-related factors, total Self-Compassion (p = 0.029), Common Humanity (p = 0.033), and Over-Identification (p = 0.041) were associated with the number of children. In relation to age, Self-Kindness (p = 0.033), Isolation (p = 0.005), and Over-Identification (p = 0.005) showed significant associations. Professional factors were also relevant, as Isolation was associated with total years of nursing experience (p = 0.032) and choice of nursing as a profession (p = 0.004), while Over-Identification was associated with years of experience in pediatric settings (p = 0.004) and choice of nursing as a profession (p = 0.049). Additionally, marital status was associated with Over-Identification (p = 0.045). Conclusions: Demographic and professional characteristics appear to influence the expression of Self-compassion. Healthcare organizations should implement targeted training programs to individualize professional development. Future research should explore work-related and personal factors influencing self-compassion to improve care quality and outcomes. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Psychosocial Aspects of Childhood and Adolescent Health)
10 pages, 212 KB  
Article
Exploring the Psychosocial Impact on Families Caring for Children with Cerebral Palsy: A Qualitative Study in Saudi Arabia
by Norah G. Alkhaledi, Regie B. Tumala, Abdualrahman S. Alshehry and Naif H. Alanazi
Healthcare 2026, 14(9), 1252; https://doi.org/10.3390/healthcare14091252 - 6 May 2026
Viewed by 601
Abstract
Background: Parents of children with cerebral palsy (CP) experience several challenges in providing care, which can impact the child’s quality of life. CP is one of the most common neurological conditions that demand a great deal of time and effort from caregivers. Purpose: [...] Read more.
Background: Parents of children with cerebral palsy (CP) experience several challenges in providing care, which can impact the child’s quality of life. CP is one of the most common neurological conditions that demand a great deal of time and effort from caregivers. Purpose: To explore the psychological and social effects experienced by Saudi families while rearing children with CP. Methods: This research utilizes qualitative research methods. The purposive sampling method was used to select 13 caregivers of children with CP from the Children with Disability Association in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia. Personal interviews were conducted with a group of parents, then these interviews were analyzed to derive the experiences of the participants. Results: The findings highlighted the difficulties that these families go through from the moment the diagnosis was made, as well as other care burdens, including costs, isolation, and continuous anxiety and worries about the future of the children. Conclusions: This study identifies the need for organized psychological and social support, which has a significant impact on enhancing adaptability and the lives of the children. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Psychosocial Aspects of Childhood and Adolescent Health)
15 pages, 243 KB  
Article
Association of Social Determinants of Health and Health Equity with Adverse Childhood Experiences in Georgia, USA
by Gulzar H. Shah, Adverlyn Ivey-Waters, Tobi Oloyede and Shams Rahman
Healthcare 2026, 14(5), 667; https://doi.org/10.3390/healthcare14050667 - 6 Mar 2026
Viewed by 668
Abstract
Background/Objectives: Adverse childhood experiences (ACEs), including physical and sexual abuse, are significantly associated with long-term health issues, particularly among socially disadvantaged populations. The study examines the social determinants of health, such as poverty, racial inequities, and limited access to care, to assess their [...] Read more.
Background/Objectives: Adverse childhood experiences (ACEs), including physical and sexual abuse, are significantly associated with long-term health issues, particularly among socially disadvantaged populations. The study examines the social determinants of health, such as poverty, racial inequities, and limited access to care, to assess their association with adverse childhood experiences, including exposure to physical violence and sexual abuse. Methods: We performed multivariable logistic regression analyses using data from the 2023 Georgia Behavioral Risk Factor Surveillance System (BRFSS) (n = 8227) to examine associations between selected ACEs and key social determinants of health (SDOH). Results: Our results indicated that a lack of emotional and social support was associated with increased odds of witnessing parental violence (AOR = 2.00) and physical abuse (AOR = 1.90). Absence of food insecurity was associated with lower odds of witnessing parental violence (AOR = 0.65), unwanted sexual touching (AOR = 0.77), and forced sex (AOR = 0.63). Similarly, not reporting transportation barriers was associated with lower odds across ACE outcomes (AORs ranging from 0.54 to 0.65). Sexual and gender minority individuals exhibited substantially higher odds of childhood sexual abuse (AORs = 3.64–5.56). Hispanic ethnicity was associated with increased odds of physical abuse (AOR = 1.47), and older adults (ages 45–64) had greater odds of experiencing forced sex (AORs = 2.08–2.48). These findings highlight complex relationships between SDOH and early trauma. Conclusions: Trauma-informed public health strategies must address structural inequities and strengthen emotional and material support for vulnerable populations. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Psychosocial Aspects of Childhood and Adolescent Health)

Review

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24 pages, 3309 KB  
Review
A Bibliometric Analysis of Performance Measurement and Management in Child and Adolescent Healthcare Services
by Ioannis Ch. Lampropoulos and Maria Kalogera
Healthcare 2026, 14(16), 2598; https://doi.org/10.3390/healthcare14162598 - 18 Aug 2026
Abstract
Background/Objectives: Performance measurement and management is a key administrative function; however, its application to child and adolescent healthcare services remains poorly mapped in the international literature. This study attempts a systematic bibliometric mapping of the field. To the best of our knowledge, previous [...] Read more.
Background/Objectives: Performance measurement and management is a key administrative function; however, its application to child and adolescent healthcare services remains poorly mapped in the international literature. This study attempts a systematic bibliometric mapping of the field. To the best of our knowledge, previous bibliometric studies in pediatric and related healthcare fields have primarily focused on specific clinical or service domains, whereas the intersection of performance measurement and management with child and adolescent healthcare services has not been specifically mapped. The novelty of the present study lies in addressing this intersection through an integrated bibliometric assessment of its thematic, temporal, and geographical structure. Methods: A bibliometric analysis was performed on the Scopus database, with a query that combined a proximity operator (W/10) and Boolean logic, yielding 643 documents (1990–2026). After metadata cleaning and application of an occurrence threshold (≥15), 111 keywords were analyzed with VOSviewer (network, overlay, density, targeted analysis, bibliographic coupling of countries). Results: Research production increased strongly since 2010, peaking in 2025. Four thematic clusters emerged—quality of care, clinical outcomes, administrative framework, emergency/operational care—with the term “quality of health care” as the central hub-bridge. The administrative cluster was linked to older publications relative to the clinical/operational clusters. Country-level bibliographic coupling identified distinct geographical patterns in cited-reference similarity, including a predominantly European cluster, a transcontinental cluster dominated by the United States and Canada, and a separate Australian cluster. The term “performance measurement” itself did not meet the inclusion threshold, reflecting the methodological effect of the selected occurrence threshold rather than the absence of the concept from the literature. Conclusions: The retrieved literature was strongly concentrated in clinical and health-related subject areas, while explicitly administrative and managerial perspectives appeared comparatively limited. This pattern indicates a potential research gap that warrants further investigation rather than confirming the absence of managerial performance frameworks in the broader field. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Psychosocial Aspects of Childhood and Adolescent Health)
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27 pages, 573 KB  
Review
Collective Intergenerational Trauma in Children and Families: Transmission Mechanisms, Effects and Therapeutic Interventions by Health and Social Work Professionals to Promote Health and Strengthen Psychological Resilience
by Danai Sofia Pyliou, Areti Stavropoulou, Michael Rovithis, Georgios Filippidis and Maria Moudatsou
Healthcare 2026, 14(15), 2343; https://doi.org/10.3390/healthcare14152343 - 1 Aug 2026
Viewed by 1468
Abstract
Collective intergenerational trauma is a complex phenomenon affecting descendants and families exposed to the enduring effects of collective traumatic events, such as forced displacement, genocide and war. This systematic review aimed to explore the mechanisms through which collective trauma is transmitted across generations, [...] Read more.
Collective intergenerational trauma is a complex phenomenon affecting descendants and families exposed to the enduring effects of collective traumatic events, such as forced displacement, genocide and war. This systematic review aimed to explore the mechanisms through which collective trauma is transmitted across generations, examine its consequences for children and families, and critically analyse interventions employed by health professionals and social workers. A systematic review was conducted using ScienceDirect, Wiley Online Library and PubMed. Studies published between 2016 and 2026 were screened for eligibility, resulting in the inclusion of 22 studies. The indexing terms “collective intergenerational trauma”, “collective transgenerational trauma”, “trauma transmission”, “transmission mechanisms”, “consequences”, “intergenerational trauma interventions”, “Social Care”, and “Health Professionals”, were used, along with the Boolean operators AND and OR. The included studies were synthesised using thematic analysis. The findings indicate that collective intergenerational trauma is transmitted through interacting family, communicative, sociocultural and biological mechanisms. Its consequences include psychological and psychosocial difficulties among descendants, disruptions in family relationships and adverse effects on family functioning. Existing interventions primarily focus on individual trauma, with limited attention to its collective and intergenerational dimensions. The findings highlight the need for culturally responsive, trauma-informed and family-centred interventions addressing collective intergenerational trauma within a systemic framework. Health professionals and social workers can play an important role in promoting mental health, strengthening resilience, mitigating the long-term effects of trauma and supporting affected children, families and communities. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Psychosocial Aspects of Childhood and Adolescent Health)
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