Psychosocial Risk and Protective Factors for Sustainable Development in Childhood and Adolescence

Dear Colleagues,

Childhood and adolescence are emphasized in scientific literature as the most relevant developmental stages, representing a significant time for cognitive, emotional, and behavioral development, and being the basis for an adequate psychological and social adjustment at these stages as well as in adulthood. For this reason, during the last few decades, empirical research has focused fundamentally on determining which factors influence the sustainable development of children and adolescents, highlighting especially two settings: the family, as the first context where children grow up, and the school, as the first formal context.

Results regarding how both family and school contexts influence as protective or risk factors on several criteria of the psychosocial wellbeing of children and adolescents vary depending on the cultural context where this relationship is developed, suggesting, therefore, the importance of considering the different environments and cultures as an important moderating factor. For example, empirical evidence has widely demonstrated the significant influence of parenting styles, as a key characteristic of family functioning, on the psychosocial wellbeing of children. However, in some cultural contexts, the relevance of the authoritative style as a protective factor is concluded; while in others, indulgent parenting, or even authoritarian, are deemed to be a protective factor for the sustainable development of children.

This Special Issue is open to high-quality research aimed at adding empirical evidence to the study of psychosocial protective and risk factors for the psychosocial wellbeing of children and adolescents, especially focused on family and school settings, also considering cultural and environmental differences.

Dr. María C. Fuentes
Guest Editor

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