Urban Young Adults Research Articles

Negotiating autonomy, community, and divinity in urban Filipino young adults’ moral reasoning

Cultural approaches to examining the development of moral reasoning have been influential for decades. Still, gaps remain in understanding how individuals actively construct their moral reasoning within different sociocultural contexts and the period of young adulthood in the Filipino setting. Thus, this study examined the discourses used by urban Filipino young adults in reasoning about their moral conflicts and the ways they adopted and adapted these discourses in their reasoning. The study used a social constructionist perspective, informed by Shweder and colleagues’ ethics of Autonomy, Community, and Divinity and Jensen’s cultural-developmental approach. We conducted thematic analysis with attention to discourse on interviews with 12 urban young adults aged 21 to 29, producing three major discursive themes: harm and welfare, rules and roles, and liberal principles. The specific appropriation of these discourses suggests the dominance of the ethic of Autonomy. However, this often co-occurred with expressions of Community and Divinity, and the extent and manner of appropriation of these discourses varied according to individuals’ characteristics and experiences. By examining young adults’ negotiation of moral discourses in the Philippines, this research enriches understanding of moral reasoning in a sociohistorical context where young people increasingly contend with conflicts between traditional and global values.

Housing instability patterns among low-income, urban Black young adults in California and associations with mental health outcomes: baseline data from a randomized waitlist-controlled trial

BackgroundDeep-rooted racial residential segregation and housing discrimination have given rise to housing disparities among low-income Black young adults in the US. Most studies have focused on single dimensions of housing instability, and thus provide a partial view of how Black young adults experience multiple, and perhaps overlapping, experiences of housing instability including homelessness, frequent moves, unaffordability, or evictions. We aimed to illuminate the multiple forms of housing instability that Black young adults contend with and examine relationships between housing instability and mental health outcomes.MethodsUsing baseline data from the Black Economic Equity Movement (BEEM) guaranteed income trial with 300 urban low-income Black young adults (aged 18–24), we conducted a three-stage latent class analysis using nine housing instability indicators. We identified distinct patterns by using fit indices and theory to determine the optimal number of latent classes. We then used multinomial logistic regression to identify subpopulations disproportionately represented within unstable housing patterns. Finally, we estimated associations between housing experience patterns and mental health outcomes: depression, anxiety, and hope.ResultsWe found high prevalence of housing instability with 27.3% of participants reporting experiences of homelessness in the prior year and 39.0% of participants reporting multiple measures of housing instability. We found the 4-class solution to be the best fitting model for the data based on fit indices and theory. Latent classes were characterized as four housing experience patterns: 1) more stably housed, 2) unaffordable and overcrowded housing, 3) mainly unhoused, and 4) multiple dimensions of housing instability. Those experiencing unaffordable and overcrowded housing and being mainly unhoused were more than four times as likely to have symptoms of depression (Unaffordable: aOR = 4.57, 95% CI: 1.64, 12.72; Unhoused: aOR = 4.67, 95% CI:1.18, 18.48) and more than twice as likely to report anxiety (Unaffordable: aOR = 2.28, 95% CI: 1.03, 5.04; Unhoused: aOR = 3.36, 95% CI: 1.12, 10.05) compared to the more stably housed pattern. We found that hope scores were similarly high across patterns.ConclusionsHigh prevalence of housing instability and mental health challenges among low-income Black young adults demands tailored interventions to reduce instability, given widening racial disparities and implications for future well-being into adulthood.

Living with parents or attaining residential independence? A comparative study of young adults’ living arrangements in China and South Korea

This study examines the living arrangements of never-married urban young adults in China and South Korea from 2003 to 2018. Using data from the Chinese General Social Survey and the Korean General Social Survey, we investigate the relationship between socioeconomic status and young adults’ living arrangements. Our findings show that a majority of Korean young adults lived with their parents during the observed time period, while Chinese young adults experienced large shifts in their living arrangements. Findings from weighted logistic models demonstrate that employed or high-income young adults were more likely to leave the parental home than those who were not working, suggesting the important role of economic security in independent living. Highly educated young adults in China tended to have residential independence, while education was not significantly associated with Korean young adults’ living arrangements. Korean young adults with highly educated fathers were more likely to stay with parents. The interconnection between family socioeconomic characteristics at the micro level and variations in opportunity structures at the macro level results in country-specific patterns of living arrangements.

Site-specific Performances and Community Activation: Participative Theatre in Florence Beyond Overtourism and Gentrification

The presence of site-specific theatre companies in the gentrified and overtouristic city-centre of Florence (Italy) as a form of counter-gentrification and of re-discovery of public spaces for the community is a phenomenon related to the last twenty years. This essay focuses on two specific case studies, i.e. the two local cultural associations and theatre companies Cantiere Obraz and Genius Loci Performance. On the one hand, Cantiere Obraz is rooted in the Florentine area of Oltrarno and focuses its practices on public spaces, especially green urban areas, involving teenagers and young adults. On the other side of the river Arno, the site-specific projects of Genius Loci Performance aim at rediscovering public architectures in a social perspective through workshops and immersive performances. This study benefits from the interviews conducted with the directors of both theater companies and with some of the performers of Genius Loci Performance.

Emerging in‐migration of urban young adults engaging in rural tourism in China

AbstractDuring the rapid urbanisation of China in recent decades, a vast proportion of the labour force left rural hometowns to find employment in cities. In the context of rural revitalisation and tourism development in China, rural tourism is booming, bringing many tourism‐related jobs to the countryside. As a result, some young urban adults have moved to work in rural areas. Based on in‐depth interviews in Su village in Nanjing, China, this study seeks to investigate the motivations of those who choose to work in the countryside and the connections between this and stages in the life course of urbanites in the 90s generation, a cohort that is quite distinct from older cohorts. This study finds that the motivations of these younger workers range from career development and cost reduction to a preference for a rural lifestyle. Engaging in tourism‐related work in rural areas is associated with two life courses (work career and individual/family pathway). This study also finds that the cohort working rural tourism in rural areas is differentiated: while some pursue career development, others aim to escape certain pressures and obligations by ‘lying flat’ in the more congenial rural setting where living costs are lower than in cities. Pro‐tourism rural areas, with an acceptable distance from cities, become valuable places for these youth to resist or balance their life in front of increasingly competitive urban life during their adult transitional period.

Prevalence and Correlates of Intimate Partner Violence Victimization Among Urban Adolescents and Young Adults Living With Perinatally-Acquired HIV Infection or Perinatal HIV Exposure.

Because of privacy and ethical concerns, the data cannot be made available because of the sensitivity of the HIV data and the relatively small sample and ease of identifying people if a few demographics are known.Few studies have examined intimate partner violence (IPV) victimization among adolescents and young adults (AYAs) with perinatally acquired HIV-infection (PHIV) or perinatal HIV exposure without infection (PHEU) in the United States. The purpose of this study was to (1) estimate lifetime and past-year prevalence of IPV victimization and (2) examine correlates of IPV victimization by subtype (physical, psychological, and sexual) and severity (low, moderate, and severe). Data came from the sixth interview of an ongoing New York City-based longitudinal study of primarily Black and Latinx AYAPHIV and AYAPHEU. We examined 232 participants (142 PHIV; 90 PHEU) who had reported having been in at least 1 romantic relationship. We used logistic regression models to explore the association between IPV victimization outcomes and select sociodemographic, psychiatric, and environmental factors. Models were adjusted for age, gender, race, ethnicity, and HIV status. IPV victimization prevalence was 84% for lifetime and 65% for the past year. There were no differences in IPV victimization prevalence by PHIV status. Having a recent substance use disorder, reporting higher levels of neighborhood stress, and being male were all positively associated with at least 1 IPV outcome; stronger familial relationships exhibited a protective effect. The present study suggests that the prevalence of IPV victimization among AYAPHIV and AYAPHEU is exceedingly high that warrants targeted IPV screening and programming for this population.

Gender and Social Media Influence on Resilience: Eudaimonic Factors in Young Urban Adults in India

This study investigates the role of eudaimonic factors such as ‘quiet ego’ and ‘non-attachment’ in fostering resilience among young adults in urban India, examining the interplay of these constructs with gender, social media usage, and psychological profiles. Utilising a sample of 200 participants aged 20-25 from urban India, this study employed the ‘Quiet Ego Scale’, ‘Non-attachment Scale’, and ‘The Resilience Scale’. Data were analysed using t-tests and ANOVA on R-Jamovi. The findings indicate significant gender differences, with males exhibiting higher scores in non-attachment and resilience than females. Additionally, participants with lower to moderate social media usage (1-2 hours per day) displayed greater resilience compared to heavy users (more than 3 hours/day). These results suggest that gender and social media habits significantly influence resilience in young adults. This knowledge can inform the development of targeted interventions and support systems that cater to diverse groups based on their unique psychological needs and social habits.

Solitary in Nature: Young adults using urban nature as a safety net during COVID-19 lockdowns

Spending time in urban nature benefits young adults’ mental health, particularly those experiencing chronic stress, depression, or anxiety. COVID-19 can be seen as a population-wide stressor, which resulted in greater loneliness, anxiety, and depression among younger adults than among those older. This study explored how young adults (18–25) residing in the state of Victoria, Australia engaged with both public and private urban nature during and following stringent COVID-19 lockdown restrictions, in particular their visit locations, frequency, and participation in solitary, restorative activities. Quantitative and qualitative data were collected in July and August 2021 via an online survey with 147 participants. During stringent COVID-19 restrictions, the type of nature that young adults visited most frequently (at least twice a week or more) was their own garden at home, with 23 % visiting this site every day and 15 % visiting at least twice a week. In terms of motivations for visiting nature while under strict restrictions, the most common ones were to ‘relax and unwind,’ followed by to ‘get away from home’. These motivations remained common following the relaxation of restrictions. More than half of participants engaged in solitary, restorative activities in nature during lockdown. Our study indicates that multiple forms of nature helped ease the strains of living under strict restrictions during the COVID-19 pandemic for young adults in Victoria, particularly by providing a place to be alone. Government departments that manage urban greenspaces should consult young people to ensure their needs are understood when creating new or revitalising existing urban greenspaces.

Health and Wellbeing Implications of Urban Green Exposure on Young Adults in a European City

Urbanization has caused a disconnect between people and nature. There has also been a rise in health and well-being issues in urban dwellers. In recent years, many cities, especially in Europe, have consciously developed urban parks and green spaces to allow the urban population to experience nature without having to travel out of the city. This study explores the health and well-being benefits of exposure to urban green spaces on urban young adults. A sample of young adults living in Tallinn, the capital of Estonia, were studied using Restorative Outcome Scale (ROS) and Subjective Vitality Scale (SVS) to discover psychological benefits. Blood pressure and heart rate monitoring were also employed to examine the physiological benefits of urban green exposure. It was found that there was a direct relationship between urban green exposure and health and well-being. There was a significant increase in restorative benefits and an increase in the overall vitality level.

Contact with nature for emotion regulation: the roles of nature connectedness and beauty engagement in urban young adults

Contact with nature has emotional benefits, but the psychological mechanism and potential moderator underlying the association between nature contact and emotion regulation remain unclear. The present study investigated how self-reported frequency of nature contact is associated with the use of emotion regulation strategies and explored the mediating role of nature connectedness (i.e., psychological connection to nature) and the moderating role of engagement with natural beauty. Employing mediation and moderated mediation analyses, in a cross-sectional sample of 2097 young adults aged 18–35 years old (M = 24.01, SD = 4.80) residing in urban China, we obtained three major findings. First, nature connectedness mediated the associations between direct/indirect nature contact and cognitive reappraisal as well as expressive suppression. Second, engagement with natural beauty moderated the path from direct/indirect nature contact to cognitive reappraisal in the mediation models. Third, engagement with natural beauty moderated the path from indirect nature contact to nature connectedness in the mediation models. Our study is the first to reveal mediating and moderating factors in the relationships among direct/indirect contact with nature, nature connectedness, engagement with natural beauty, and emotion regulation strategies. These findings provide support for the emotional health of nature contact and have implications for nature-based education and urban planning.

Rental sector liberalization and the housing outcomes for young urban adults

ABSTRACT Young adults increasingly rely on precarious and costly rental housing, particularly in major cities and liberalized housing markets. Amsterdam has a more regulated housing system, but increasing market-liberal logic in policy-making has led to considerable loosening of rent regulations in the last decade. One outcome has been the significant growth, and transformation, of liberalized rental housing. Drawing on city of Amsterdam survey data from 2005 to 2019, our analysis considers how recent policy and housing market shifts have generated and shaped housing inequalities for young adults. Where private rental growth was stimulated to fill the middle segment, our findings reveal that it has largely catered to affluent young adults. Households with less resources struggle to gain access, and pay more when they do. Our findings demonstrate that this variation of ‘generation rent” is not simply an outcome of market-liberal agendas, but is also shaped on a city-scale, partly through rental market restructuring.

Review: Getting Signed: Record Contracts, Musicians, and Power in Society, by David Arditi

Book Review| June 01 2023 Review: Getting Signed: Record Contracts, Musicians, and Power in Society, by David Arditi David Arditi. Getting Signed: Record Contracts, Musicians, and Power in Society. Palgrave Macmillan: Cham, 2020. 256 pages. Jabari Evans Jabari Evans University of South Carolina Jabari Evans is an assistant professor of race and media at the University of South Carolina in the School of Journalism and Mass Communication (SJMC) and visiting professor at the Institute for Rebooting Social Media within the Berkman Klein Center at Harvard University's Law School. His research focuses on the digital subcultures that urban youth and young adults of color develop and inhabit to understand their social environments and identity development and to pursue their professional aspirations in creative and cultural industries. As a recording artist and musician, he has enjoyed a 20-year career in hip-hop, collaborated with multiple Grammy-award winning artists, and served on the board of governors for the Chicago chapter of The Recording Academy. Email: JE27@mailbox.sc.edu Search for other works by this author on: This Site PubMed Google Scholar Email: JE27@mailbox.sc.edu Journal of Popular Music Studies (2023) 35 (2): 116–118. https://doi.org/10.1525/jpms.2023.35.2.116 Views Icon Views Article contents Figures & tables Video Audio Supplementary Data Peer Review Share Icon Share Facebook Twitter LinkedIn Email Tools Icon Tools Get Permissions Cite Icon Cite Search Site Citation Jabari Evans; Review: Getting Signed: Record Contracts, Musicians, and Power in Society, by David Arditi. Journal of Popular Music Studies 1 June 2023; 35 (2): 116–118. doi: https://doi.org/10.1525/jpms.2023.35.2.116 Download citation file: Ris (Zotero) Reference Manager EasyBib Bookends Mendeley Papers EndNote RefWorks BibTex toolbar search Search Dropdown Menu toolbar search search input Search input auto suggest filter your search All ContentJournal of Popular Music Studies Search In Getting Signed: Record Contracts, Musicians and Power in Society, sociologist David Arditi disproves many misconceptions about signing recording contracts as a marker of success by demystifying various myths about record deals’ social, economic, and legal implications. He accomplishes this by weaving the voices and biographies of artists he interviewed or observed with his own insider perspective as a working musician. Arditi methodically historicizes the record deal as an ideological construct before emphasizing that music production, marketing and distribution’s digital turn only served to deepen the precarity of “being signed” within the recording industry. According to him, “Record contracts are ideology because they represent success at the same time that they limit the vast majority of signees’ capacity to earn a living. Record contracts are ideology in action; they do not convince people of an ordered world, but rather they create the order—they make the social relations of production... You do not currently have access to this content.

Embracing prosperity: The cosmopolitan lifestyle in Maputo

This article explores the lifestyle of urban young adults in Maputo city. To make sense of such contemporary practices, I historically excavate the social stratification of the city, demonstrating how the combination of historical processes such as FRELIMO's Socialist post-independence liberalization of the economy and the impact of structural adjustment programs shaped urban dynamics of social stratification in Maputo with such specificities that challenge a linear application of the concept of class. Imperative to this group's contemporariness is their belonging to the transnational and transcultural youth culture that reaches different media and popular culture sources, which allows them to come to see themselves as members of a global community. This article will detail the liaisons and processes highlighting how wealth and prosperity become central in the creative ways urban youth in Maputo manipulate their world to access cosmopolitan lifestyles and consequently transform social and cultural identities while simultaneously being part of the global community.

0338 A Naturalistic within and between Subjects Comparison of the effects of Cannabis on Sleep among Young Adult, African Americans

Abstract Introduction Cannabis use is increasing, despite limited knowledge of its potential benefits and adverse effects. Reducing sleep disturbance appears to be a frequent motivation for nighttime cannabis use yet its effects on sleep are poorly documented. We leveraged data from an observational study of urban residing young adult African Americans where pre-bedtime cannabis use was variably endorsed with digital ecological momentary assessment (EMA) to conduct within and between subjects’ comparisons of sleep with and without preceding cannabis use. Methods Participant were recruited from an ongoing observational study that enrolls African Americans living in urban environments. 20 participants endorsed cannabis use on some but not all nights and were included in the within subjects’ comparison. 25 participants who used cannabis on 2 or more nights were compared with 28 participants who did not endorse prebedtime substance use. Total sleep time (TST), and wake after sleep onset WASO were derived from actigraphy monitoring; sleep quality (SQ) (scale: 1 “not at all rested”-10 “very rested”) and time in bed (TIB) were obtained from the EMA. Results While TST and WASO were very similar in both conditions and groups, within subjects’ SQ was superior on nights without cannabis (7.2 + 1.7 vs. 6.4 + 2.2, t=2.2, p=.04) and cannabis users spent more time in bed (minutes) than their non-cannabis using counterparts (447.6 + 77.1 vs. 373.6 + 66.1; t= 2.4, p=.04). Conclusion Among urban residing young African American adults, cannabis does not appear to improve sleep. Support (if any) This research was supported by the NIHLB grant R01HL136626 to Dr. Thomas A. Mellman.

Misinformation in WhatsApp Family Groups: Generational Perceptions and Correction Considerations in a Meso-News Space

This study examines how extended family group chats on WhatsApp operate as meso-news spaces, focusing on how misinformation is negotiated within these spaces. Through interviews with urban Indian young adults (N = 26), it finds that these spaces are characterized by a mix of interpersonal interaction and news, including misinformation. The findings suggest that young Indians believe that older generations are more susceptible to believing such misinformation, reflecting third-person perceptions regarding susceptibility to misinformation. The participants view misinformation correction as something one ought to do but state that it is not a widespread practice among their peers. Furthermore, various considerations shape their own decision to correct or not correct older relatives who share misinformation. They consider the misinformation topic and refrain from correcting misinformation on politics or religion; the potential consequences of correction, as they avoid correcting if it may lead to conflict; and their relationship with the misinformation sharer, as a greater sense of closeness, history, and rapport makes correction easier. They view WhatsApp as a suitable space for correction as it is associated with a known audience. Thus, this study reveals how relational, cultural, and technological factors inform responses to misinformation within meso-news spaces.

Beverage Consumption Patterns and Nutrient Intake Are Associated with Cardiovascular Risk Factors among Urban Mexican Young Adults.

Regular consumption of sugar-sweetened beverages has been related to metabolic diseases. Our objective was to identify beverage consumption patterns, nutrient intake, and their possible association with the prevalence of cardiovascular risk factors among Mexican young adults. A cross-sectional survey was conducted. Beverage consumption patterns were obtained by principal components analysis. Logistic regression models were applied to assess the association between the beverage patterns and cardiovascular risk factors. Four beverage patterns were identified. Higher consumption of alcoholic beverages was associated with lower odds for high body fat percent (OR: 0.371; 95% CI: 0.173-0.798), high blood pressure (OR: 0.318; 95% CI: 0.116-0.871), and high glucose (OR: 0.232; 95% CI: 0.061-0.875). Higher consumption of yogurt was associated with lower odds for high glucose (OR: 0.110; 95% CI: 0.22-0.559). In contrast, highest consumption of juice had greater odds for high triglycerides (OR: 1.084; 95% CI: 1.011-4.656). Higher consumption of milk was associated with greater odds for high glucose (OR: 5.304; 95% CI: 1.292-21.773). Beverage consumption habits in Mexican young adults are associated with increased risk factors for cardiovascular disease. Therefore, intervening during young adulthood should be considered in order to improve current health and prevent cardiovascular mortality in later decades.

A Cultural-Based approach to address substance use among urban Native American young adults.

Native American young adults residing in urban communities are particularly vulnerable to substance use. After leaving high school, the pressures and stress of continuing education, finding employment, and the responsibilities related to family and tribal community obligations predispose these young adults to substance use. This study used a pre/post test design to evaluate a cultural-based Talking Circle intervention for the prevention of substance use among urban Native American young adults, ages 18-24. Three measures were used that included the Native-Reliance Questionnaire, the Indigenous-Global Assessment of Individual Needs (I-GAIN) Substance Use Scale, and the Patient Health Questionnaire (PHQ-9) measure for severity of depression. Findings revealed that participants demonstrated a higher sense of Native-Reliance, decrease in substance use, and a decrease in the PHQ-9 depressions scores from baseline to 6-month postintervention. These findings validate the importance of cultural-based interventions for the prevention of substance use among urban Native American young adults.

Anxiety, depression and global distress among African American young adults with uncontrolled asthma

Background Anxiety and depression are mental health disorders that are often comorbid with asthma. Urban African American young adults with asthma often experience increased risk of anxiety and depression. Objective To explore relationships between symptoms of psychological distress and asthma-related anxiety with asthma outcomes among urban African American young adults with poorly controlled persistent asthma. Methods A secondary analysis of baseline data from a larger study of 141 African American young adults with uncontrolled persistent asthma was examined. Participants completed the Brief Symptom Inventory (BSI-18), Youth Asthma-related Anxiety Scale, Asthma Control Test (ACT), a daily diary to assess asthma symptoms; and number of asthma attacks. Spirometry assessed airway obstruction. Generalized linear models tested associations. Results In multivariable models testing, higher somatization scores were significantly associated with lower ACT scores (adjusted β = −0.49; 95% CI = −0.69, −0.28; p < 0.01), and higher symptoms (adjusted β = 0.39; 95% CI = 0.14, 0.65; p < 0.01). After adding asthma-related anxiety to the model, the somatization subscale and asthma-related anxiety were significantly associated with ACT scores (adjusted β = −0.36; 95% CI = −0.57, −0.15; p < 0.01), (adjusted β = −0.32; 95% CI = −0.50, −0.14; p < 0.01), respectively. Asthma-related anxiety was also significantly associated with asthma attacks (adjusted β = 0.24; 95% CI = 0.05, 0.43; p < 0.05). Conclusion This study suggests, asthma-related anxiety may differ from general anxiety and be related to poorly controlled asthma among African American young adults.

Immunity Against Measles in Urban Refugee Children, Adolescents, and Young Adults in Eastleigh, Kenya

Background: Kenya has made progress towards the elimination of measles through routine and supplementary immunisation activities; however, sporadic outbreaks still occur. Studies on measles seroprevalence in Kenya are few and extensive analysis of refugee and migrant populations’ immunity against measles is lacking. This cross-sectional study aimed at assessing the presence of immunity against measles in children, adolescents and young adults living in the high urban refugee area of Eastleigh Nairobi, Kenya. Method: A total of 384 samples serum samples were collected from consenting respondents and tested for measles IgG antibodies. Syncytium Inhibition Assay, a neutralisation assay was used to determine functionality. The establishment of herd immunity was calculated using the Plans- Rubio formulae. Results: Seropositive rate for all respondents were 84.38%, while equivocal and negative were 4.95% and 10.68%, respectively. None of the factors analysed was a significant predictor of positive measles antibodies. 87.76% of the total sera were neutralising, while 12.23 % were negative. There was a significant correlation between the neutralisation titres and ELISA values. Conclusion: This study highlights age-specific measles immunity gaps in an urban refugee population. Although measles antibodies are present in all age groups, none has established herd immunity. In order to avert outbreaks in the study population, it is necessary to direct immunisation interventions to increase the measles antibody prevalence to recommended levels.

Understanding Perceived Risks and Sexual Behavior Among Adolescents and Young Adults During the COVID-19 Pandemic

PurposeWe sought to describe the relationship between COVID-19 risk perception and sexual behaviors among urban adolescents and young adults (AYA). MethodsData were collected from 159 urban AYAs on COVID-19 risk perception, COVID-19 infections and deaths, romantic relationships, and sexual behavior during the stay-at-home order using a telephone survey. ResultsSeventy-nine percent of the study participants engaged in sexual intercourse during the stay-at-home order. Only 38% of these used condoms during their last sexual encounter. Experiencing COVID-19 positivity within their social circle was not related to COVID-19 testing. Concern for COVID-19 infection or experiencing a COVID-19 diagnosis or death in one's social circles was not associated with sexual intercourse or condom use. DiscussionUrban AYA remained at risk for sexually transmitted infections, and COVID-19, given high baseline community rates of sexually transmitted infections and COVID-19, low condom use, and low COVID-19 risk perception at the time of the survey.