Adolescent Adjustment Research Articles

An intergenerational study of mental health among parents and adolescents

Abstract Background The aim of this study was to examine the association between parents’ mental disorders and adolescents’ self-rated health, using both subjective and objective assessment of parents’ mental health status. Methods This cohort study was based on the Danish Future Occupation of Children and Adolescents cohort. Study population 25,891parents (biological parents or registered guardians) linked to 13,067 adolescents. Survey data were merged with register data on parent mental health, and logistic regression was used to analyse association between the register- and self-report data on parents mental health, and self-rated global health among their offspring. Results Adolescents’ self-rated health was associated with their parents’ mental disorders, showing an unadjusted OR of 1.5 (95% CI 1.4-1.6) when assessing parental mental disorders using ICD-10 diagnoses and an unadjusted OR of 2.0 (95% CI 1.8-2.2) when using the adolescents’ self-reported measure on the parental mental disorder. Adjustment for adolescents’ sex, adolescents’ mental disorders during childhood, parental education, and parental labour market attachment led to a decreased association between parents’ mental disorders and adolescents’ self-rated health in both analyses with an adjusted OR of 1.2 (95% CI 1.1-1.4) when assessing parents’ mental disorders using ICD-10 diagnoses and an adjusted OR of 1.8 (95% CI 1.6-2.0) when using the adolescents’ self-reported measure on parental mental disorder. Conclusions This study documents a clear pattern in mental disorders across generations and that parental labour market attachment as well as mental disorders in earlier life phases are risk factors for developing mental disorders in adolescence. The results point to the importance of public health interventions aimed at the more vulnerable group of adolescents, where mental health problems are observed over two generations. Key messages • There is a clear pattern in mental disorders across generations. • Parental labour market attachment are risk factors for developing mental disorders among their offspring.

Parental Socialization Based on Warmth and Strictness Among Adolescents and Young Adults: Which Parenting Dimension is Related to Greater Adjustment?

The present study aims to examine parental socialization and adjustment in adolescents and adult children. Participants included 610 adolescents aged 12 to 18 years ( M = 16.56; SD = 1.69) and 608 young adults aged 19 to 35 years ( M = 23.60; SD = 3.72) from Spain. Parental socialization was assessed through warmth and strictness. Child adjustment was assessed though self-esteem, emotional self-concept, nervousness, and achievement values. Correlation and regression analyses were conducted. Results from predictive models revealed that warmth and strictness were significant predictors of child adjustment, although they showed different directionality. Parental warmth was always identified as a significant predictor: the higher the parental warmth, the higher the emotional self-concept, self-esteem, and achievement, and the lower the nervousness. On the contrary, parental strictness did not predict adjustment and was even a significantly negative predictor of self-esteem and emotional self-concept. In addition and contrary to classical findings from mostly European-American samples, the present findings seem to suggest that parental strictness is unnecessary or even detrimental, while parental warmth offers a significant and beneficial contribution to adjustment. Our findings suggest that even though family is considered less important in young adulthood because parenting has ended, the years of socialization may also explain the adjustment of the adult child.

Maternal/paternal helicopter parenting and school adjustment in adolescents: The mediating roles of internal and external academic locus of control

There is little evidence regarding the impact of helicopter parenting (HP) on adolescents’ school adjustment (SA). This study examined gender differences in maternal/paternal HP, internal/external academic locus of control (ALC) and SA, and the mediating effect of internal/external ALC in the relationship between maternal/paternal HP and SA in adolescents. The participants of the study were 447 adolescents. The results revealed no significant gender differences in study variables except for external ALC. Adolescent boys indicated significantly higher levels of external ALC than girls. HP predicted ALC and SA, and internal/external ALC had a mediating role in the relationship between HP and SA. This study provides important insights for researchers and practitioners seeking to understand the effects of maternal/paternal HP on adolescent SA. The results of our study suggest that HP may be associated with lower SA among adolescents and that internal ALC may be a key mechanism in this relationship.

The association between experiences of unfair treatment in school and adolescent adjustment over 5 years.

This study investigates how high-school experiences of unfair treatment connect to adolescents' higher education enrollment and life satisfaction 5 years later. We utilized four waves of data at ages 14 years (T1), 16 (T2), 18 (T3) and 19 (T4) in the UK (N = 13,065; 51% Male, 49% Female, 70% White, 11% Black, 19% South-Asian). Perceived teacher unfairness at T1 predicted lower university aspirations (T2) and subsequently lower enrollment in higher education (at T3 and T4) and life satisfaction (T4). Experiences with T1 teacher ethnic discrimination also predicted lower life satisfaction. The effects were similar across historically minoritized and majority-background pupils, but historically minoritized adolescents experienced more ethnic discrimination in school. Our findings highlight the importance of fair treatment for all pupils.

Relationship of Parental Acceptance-Rejection and Psychological Adjustment in Children and Adolescents with Congenital Heart Disease

Relationship of Parental Acceptance-Rejection and Psychological Adjustment in Children and Adolescents with Congenital Heart Disease

Intersections of family expressiveness and adolescent mental health: exploring parent–adolescent relationships as a mediator

Purpose This study investigates the mediating role of parent−adolescent relationships in the impact of family emotional expressiveness on adolescent psychological adjustment. This study aims to elucidate the mechanisms by which positive family dynamics and strong parent−child bonds influence adolescents' psychological resilience and well-being. Design/methodology/approach The study involved 463 middle school students (241 boys and 222 girls) from Chlef, Algeria. Data was collected using the self-expressiveness in the family questionnaire (SEFQ), the parent−adolescent relationship scale (PARS) and the strengths and difficulties questionnaire (SDQ). Descriptive statistics, correlations and mediation analysis were performed to examine the relationships among family emotional expressiveness, parent−adolescent relationships and psychological adjustment. Findings The results reveal moderate positive correlations among family emotional expressiveness, parent−adolescent relationships and psychological adjustment. Mediation analysis indicates that parent−adolescent relationships partially mediate the effects of family emotional expressiveness on psychological outcomes, with both direct and indirect effects being statistically significant. Originality/value This study contributes to the field of mental health by exploring the nuanced interplay between family dynamics, parent−adolescent relationships and psychological adjustment within the Algerian cultural context. While the quantitative nature of the study limits the depth of contextual insights, the findings underscore the importance of considering family emotional expressiveness and the quality of parent−adolescent relationships in interventions aimed at promoting adolescent psychological well-being. The study highlights the partial mediating role of parent−adolescent relationships, indicating that other factors may also influence the association between family expressiveness and adolescent adjustment. This emphasizes the need for a comprehensive, culturally-sensitive approach that addresses various influences on adolescent development. It should be noted that while the family unit and parenting styles have been extensively researched, this study offers a fresh perspective by focusing on these dynamics within a specific cultural setting.

When ethnic-racial discrimination from math teachers spills over and predicts the math adjustment of nondiscriminated adolescents: The mediating role of math classroom climate perceptions.

Ethnic-racial discrimination is a pernicious experience that affects discriminated adolescents' healthy human development, but the spillover consequences of discrimination on the nondiscriminated adolescent population are less clear. Adolescents who vicariously witness their classmates experience ethnic-racial discrimination from educators may question their educators' authority and classroom rules, and educators who perpetuate discrimination may engage in other practices that disadvantage the entire classroom. Thus, we posed three research questions: Did classmates' ethnic-racial discrimination from teachers predict adolescents' classroom adjustment outcomes (e.g., class grades, test scores, and engagement), did classroom climate mediate the link between classmates' ethnic-racial discrimination and adolescents' classroom adjustment outcomes, and did the results differ between early versus middle adolescents? To answer these research questions, the present study leveraged longitudinal data among 1,539 adolescents (Mage = 13.81, SDage = 1.49; 60% Black, 30% White, 9% other, 1% Asian; 49% female, 51% male) nested in 104 math classrooms, as math is a subject domain with pervasive ethnic-racial stereotypes about students' abilities and opportunities to succeed in class. Results illustrated that direct and vicarious ethnic-racial discrimination from math educators in the fall semester predicted worse math course grades, state-administered standardized test scores, and classroom engagement across the fall and spring semesters. Math classroom climate perceptions mediated the longitudinal relations between ethnic-racial discrimination and their math adjustment outcomes, and the role of ethnic-racial discrimination varied across different developmental stages of adolescence. Implications for the measurement of ethnic-racial discrimination in the classroom context and the social contagion linked to ethnic-racial disadvantage are discussed. (PsycInfo Database Record (c) 2024 APA, all rights reserved).

Pubertal timing in adolescence and adulthood: Relations among contemporaneous and retrospective measures.

Pubertal development has short- and long-term effects on psychological adjustment. Many studies of long-term effects rely on retrospective measurement of pubertal timing, but such measures often reflect different aspects of puberty than those assessed in adolescence, raising questions about the utility and interpretation of retrospective reports. The present study leveraged longitudinal data collected in adolescence and established adulthood to determine: (1) the correspondence between pubertal timing indexed from logistic growth curves of self-reported physical development assessed contemporaneously across adolescence and pubertal timing indexed relative to peers assessed retrospectively in adulthood; (2) the associations between the two pubertal timing measures and psychological adjustment; and (3) potential recall biases. Participants were 748 individuals (50.1% female; 91.6% White) from two longitudinal studies who reported on their pubertal development annually from Grades 3-9, psychological adjustment (age at sexual initiation, substance use, depression) in late adolescence, and retrospective pubertal timing in established adulthood (Mage = 32.76; SD = 4.43). Results indicate moderate-to-high convergence between retrospective and contemporaneous indices. Most participants, especially women, had the same pubertal timing classification (i.e., early, on time, or late), but early-maturing adolescents often recalled on-time development as adults. Retrospective and contemporaneous indices were associated with psychological adjustment in similar ways, with some attenuation in the retrospective measure, especially for men. There was little evidence of recall bias due to age at retrospective assessment or time since puberty. Findings generally support the use of retrospective pubertal timing measures, with the recognition that some relations with adjustment may be weakened. (PsycInfo Database Record (c) 2024 APA, all rights reserved).

Family Functioning, Cognitive Autonomy and Psychological Adjustment In Adolescents

Family Functioning, Cognitive Autonomy and Psychological Adjustment In Adolescents

The mediating effects of self-esteem and anxiety on the relationship between perceived stress and school adjustment in adolescents: A comparison of self-injury and non self-injury groups

The mediating effects of self-esteem and anxiety on the relationship between perceived stress and school adjustment in adolescents: A comparison of self-injury and non self-injury groups

Randomized Control Study to Evaluate the Effect of Rajyoga Meditation on Metabolic and Psychological Correlates of Health in Patients of Surgical Repair for Congenital Heart Disease

Objectives: Congenital heart diseases (CHDs) and their operative management are a source of emotional and financial stress to the patient and family. Rajyoga meditation (RYM) is a specific art and science of meditation that encompasses but is not limited to mind-body medicine theories, inculcation of values in life, and development of life skills for complete physical, mental, and spiritual well-being. The role of RYM has never been studied in CHD patients, especially children. This study aimed to evaluate the efficacy of the RYM program on resting metabolic rate (RMR) and post-hospitalization behavior questionnaire (PHBQ) immediately after the program and after 1 and 3 months. Material and Methods: It was a single-blind, randomized controlled study. Subjects operated for CHD, in the age group of 8–19 years, were included in the study. Subjects in Group A received cardiac rehabilitation and RYM (Experimental group), whereas subjects in Group B received conventional cardiac rehabilitation (Control group). Result: At one-month follow-up, the experimental group showed a 14.18% reduction in RMR compared to baseline, whereas Group B showed 8.96% elevated RMR from baseline. Group A showed a more significant reduction in RMR at one-month follow-up from baseline as compared to group B (P < 0.05). The patients who underwent RYM training had higher PHBQ (−9.0 [−15.6, −2.5], P < 0.05) in comparison to the control group. Conclusion: The result of this study suggests that the inclusion of RYM along with conventionally given cardiac rehabilitation enhanced metabolic resilience with lowered resting metabolism and enhanced recovery post-surgery in children operated on for CHD. There was an improvement in the psychological adjustment and behavior of adolescents.

Case Study on the Impact of Rhythmic Gymnastics on Adolescent Adjustment Skills: Implications for Physical Education Curriculum

With the development of society and the increase of people's attention to physical and well-being, rhythmic gymnastics, as a comprehensive sport, its impact on the well-being of teenagers has attracted wide attention. This study aims to deeply explore the potential impact of rhythmic gymnastics training on adolescent well-being through empirical research, in order to provide a scientific basis for physical education and well-being education. In this study, a quantitative research method will select students from 4 middle schools in Hangzhou, Zhejiang Province, China, as research objects, divide students into two categories: participating in rhythmic gymnastics training and not participating in rhythmic gymnastics training, and 100 students will be randomly sampled. A 4-point Likert scale will be used for the questionnaires, which will be administered from four dimensions: respondents' personal information, learning adaptation, emotional adaptation and social adaptation. The results of the study will offer substantial insights on how rhythmic gymnastics assists adolescents’ adjustment skills and could be applied in managing organizations physical education in educational institutions. In this study, statistical analysis will be performed using descriptive analysis and correlation analysis on the questionnaire data.

Sibling disclosure and adolescents' coping from before to during the COVID-19 pandemic: A longitudinal study.

The extraordinary disruptions associated with the COVID-19 pandemic created a unique context to investigate the links between family communication and adolescent adjustment. Given that widespread stay-at-home orders increased time spent in the family setting, the present study examined reciprocal links between older and younger adolescent siblings' disclosure toward each other and concurrent and prospective links between those disclosures and their own and their siblings' coping from before to during the early stages of COVID-19 pandemic. Participants were two adolescent-aged siblings (older siblings: 51% female, M = 15.67 years; younger siblings: 48% female, M = 13.14 years) and one parent (85% mothers, M = 45.15 years) from 682 families (N = 2,046) in five Midwestern states in the United States. Participants completed web-based assessments on three occasions: Time 1 (March 2019-February 2020), Time 2 (May 2020-June 2020), and Time 3 (July 2020-February 2021). Using structural equation modeling, results revealed that the prospective reciprocal linkages between older and younger siblings' disclosures were often moderated by the gender composition of the sibling dyad. Further, older and younger siblings' disclosures were both concurrently associated with their own coping during the pandemic but not prospectively associated with later perceived coping. There were mixed findings regarding the actor and partner associations between siblings' disclosure and adolescents' perceived coping. Results emphasize the complexity and bidirectional nature of sibling disclosure and the potential protective effects of disclosing to siblings in the context of the COVID-19 pandemic. (PsycInfo Database Record (c) 2024 APA, all rights reserved).

Family-level profiles of parental reactions to emotions: Longitudinal associations with multi-informant reports of adolescent internalizing and externalizing symptoms.

Longitudinal study of associations between family-level emotion socialization and adolescent adjustment is limited. When American children (53.5% girls) were in second grade (N = 213; Mage = 7.98; data collected 2002-2003), mothers and fathers (79.8% of mothers and 74.2% of fathers were White) reported on their reactions to children's emotions; in seventh, eighth, and ninth grade (Mage = 13.03, 14.17, 15.29, respectively; data collected 2007-2010), adolescents, mothers, and fathers reported on adolescent internalizing and externalizing symptoms. Four family-level profiles of reactions were identified. Profile differences emerged, suggesting that the emotion dismissing profile was longitudinally associated with elevated adolescent internalizing and externalizing symptoms and that fathering may especially foster child adjustment for families in a divergence profile.

Interactions between relationship support from mothers, fathers, and best friends as related to adolescent adjustment during the transition to high school

AbstractSupportive parent‐adolescent relationships are known to promote adolescent adjustment, but less is known about the interactive roles of supportive relationships with mothers, fathers, and best friends. The current study examined the interactive relations between mother‐adolescent, father‐adolescent, and best friend relationship support on adolescent internalizing and externalizing problems across the high school transition. Participants (N = 368, Mage = 13.60, 47% male, 58% White) reported on their perceived support from mothers, fathers, and best friends (at Time 1 [Grade 8]) and their depressive symptoms and externalizing behaviors (at Times 1 and 2 [Grade 9]). Path models revealed no interaction effects involving support from mothers, fathers, and best friends when predicting externalizing symptoms. However, when predicting T2 depressive symptoms, several compensatory interaction effects were found. Father supportiveness moderated the association between maternal supportiveness and later depressive symptoms, and maternal supportiveness similarly moderated the relation between father supportiveness and depressive symptoms. In both instances, more support from one parent was related to fewer depressive symptoms when youth experienced an unsupportive relationship with the other parent. Best friend support also moderated the associations between both maternal support and paternal support and later depressive symptoms, such that maternal and paternal support were related to fewer subsequent depressive symptoms when youth experienced low and average (but not high) levels of friend support. The findings highlight the importance of considering networks of close relationships in the study of depressive symptoms during adolescence.

Adolescent Peer Relationship Difficulties, Prosociality, and Parental Emotion Socialization: Moderating Roles of Adolescent Gender

The present study examined longitudinal, transactional associations between youth social adjustment (prosociality, peer relationship difficulties) and parental emotion socialization in early adolescence. Adolescent gender was considered as a potential moderator. Eighty-seven adolescent-parent dyads (50 girls, 37 boys) participated in 8th grade, with follow-up waves in 9th and 10th grade. Adolescents reported their experiences of peer victimization and their parents’ emotion socialization responses, and parents reported youth prosocial behavior and peer relation problems. Hierarchical linear modeling results indicated transactional associations between parent supportive/unsupportive responses and adolescent peer relations and prosociality over time, some of which were moderated by adolescent gender. Increases in parental supportive emotion socialization corresponded to decreased experiences of peer victimization over time for girls, but not boys. When peer victimization increased over time, girls reported less parental supportive responses and all adolescents reported receiving more unsupportive responses from parents. For all adolescents, parents’ increased supportive responses also corresponded to decreased peer problems and increased prosocial behavior. As prosocial behavior increased, so did parental supportive responses. Increases in parents’ unsupportive responses related to decreased prosocial behavior, and increases in adolescent prosocial behavior related to decreases in parents’ unsupportive responses. Results suggest that there is mutual influence between parent emotion socialization and adolescent social adjustment. Adolescent girls appear to uniquely benefit from parents’ supportive emotional socialization in relation to their experiences of peer victimization. Potential mechanisms and implications are discussed.

The associations between interparental conflict and adolescent adjustment: a cross-lagged panel network analysis.

Extensively studied in interparental relationship literature suggests interparental conflict is a risk factor for adolescent adjustment, but the specific, dimension level relationships between interparental conflict and adolescent adjustment remain unclear. This study explored the interactions between the various dimensions of interparental conflict and adolescent adjustment in Chinese adolescents. A total of 1870 Chinese adolescents (42.27% males; Mage = 16.18, SD = 0.43, range = 15-18) completed a survey at two time points spaced three months apart. Data was analyzed using both cross-sectional and longitudinal network analysis. The cross-sectional network analysis found that resolution has the greatest connections with the dimensions of adolescent adjustment, suggesting that adolescents reporting high resolution are more prone to experience concurrent poor adjustment and therefore should be a primary focus of attention. The longitudinal network analysis revealed that, in general, previous hyperactivity-inattention is a significant and strong predictor of future interparental conflict, underscoring a child-driven effect. Meanwhile, prosocial behavior contributes to decreases in both interparental conflict and adjustment problems over time. These findings highlight the importance of addressing hyperactivity-inattention and cultivating prosocial behavior in adolescents as key intervention points-these can help resolve conflicts between parents and reduce adjustment problems for adolescents.

Bias-based harassment and bullying: addressing mechanisms and outcomes for possible interventions

ABSTRACT Bias-based harassment has emerged as a significant concern in schools globally. Unsurprisingly, exposure to such negative treatment has detrimental effects on the psychological functioning, academic performance, and behavioural adjustment of children and adolescents. Thus, there is a pressing need to develop a comprehensive understanding of the factors that exacerbate or mitigate the negative consequences of bias-based harassment on its victims, as well as the factors that lead young people to engage in bias-based harassment. To address this need, this paper begins by providing a brief overview of the literature on bias-based harassment and bullying among early adolescents and adolescents. Subsequently, we introduce the studies featured in this special issue and present an integrated summary of their key findings. Our goal with this special issue is to compile scientific evidence on this social concern across diverse school settings and pave the way for future initiatives aimed at addressing bias-based harassment more comprehensively and efficiently.

Navigating the Impact of Overprotective Parenting on Adolescent Adaptation and Independence

This study explores the correlation between overprotective parenting and adolescent adjustment in an Indonesian educational context, focusing specifically on SMA Negeri 1 Ambon. Utilizing a quantitative research design with correlation analysis, the study examines how adolescents aged 10-18 navigate changes during the transition from childhood, especially in terms of their adaptability and independence. The influence of familial, school, and societal environments on these developments is assessed through purposive sampling of 110 students, using scales that measure overprotective behaviors and personal adjustment. Findings from the study reveal a statistically significant but weak negative correlation between overprotective parenting and adolescent adjustment, indicating that while parental involvement is crucial, excessive control can undermine adolescents' ability to adapt to their environments effectively. This study underscores the complex dynamics between parental behavior and adolescent development, suggesting that balanced parenting is key to fostering responsible and adaptable youths.

Discrepancies in perceived family resilience between adolescents with chronic illness and parents: using response surface analysis to examine the relationship with adolescents’ psychological adjustment

BackgroundThis study aimed to explore discrepancies in adolescents with chronic illness and their parents’ perceptions of family resilience, as well as the relationship between these differences and the psychological adjustment of adolescents with chronic illness.MethodsA cross-sectional study was conducted. A total of 264 dyads of parents (77.7% mothers, mean age 41.60 years, SD = 6.17) and adolescents (48.5% girls, mean age 12.68 years, SD = 2.11) with chronic illness were recruited through convenience sampling from three children’s hospitals in Wenzhou, Hangzhou, and Shanghai, China between June 2022 and May 2023. The Chinese version of the Family Resilience Scale and the Psychological Adjustment Scale, which are commonly used measures with good reliability and validity, were employed to assess family resilience and psychological adaption, respectively. The data were analyzed using polynomial regression and response surface analysis.ResultsAdolescents with chronic illness reported higher family resilience than their parents (t=-2.80, p < 0.05). The correlations between family resilience and adolescents’ psychological adjustment reported by the adolescents (r = 0.45–0.48) were higher than parents (r = 0.18–0.23). In the line of congruence, there were positive linear (a1 = 1.09–1.60, p < 0.001) and curvilinear (a2=-1.38∼-0.72, p < 0.05) associations between convergent family resilience and adolescents’ psychological adjustment. In the line of incongruence, when adolescents reported lower family resilience than parents, adolescents had a lower level of psychological adjustment (a3=-1.02∼-0.45, p < 0.05). Adolescents’ sociability decreased when the perceived family resilience of parent-adolescent dyads converged (a4 = 1.36, p < 0.01).ConclusionThe findings highlighted the importance of considering the discrepancies and congruence of family resilience in the parent-child dyads when developing interventions to improve the psychological adjustment of adolescents with chronic illness. Interventions aimed at strengthening family communication to foster the convergence of perceptions of family resilience in parent-adolescent dyads were warranted.