Youth Psychological Well-being Research Articles

Family Functioning and the Psychological Wellbeing of Refugee-Background Youth in Australia

Experiences of young people from refugee backgrounds in resettlement are impacted by their families, communities, and society. This study investigated factors that affected the psychological wellbeing of refugee-background youth, highlighting the complex relationships between these factors. Quantitative survey data collected from refugee-background youth in Australia, aged 14-26 (n = 556) were analyzed using structural equation modeling. Results showed that family function and discrimination impacted youth psychological wellbeing, with relationships mediated by levels of integration and resilience. Policies and practices targeting wellbeing can therefore focus on supporting families, to positively influence refugee-background young people and counter negative impacts of discrimination.

Exploring a self-compassion intervention with LGBTQIA+ youth and young adults

Introduction Sexual and gender minority young people (SGMY) experience mental health disparities and are overlooked in mental health practice and research. Self-compassion is a protective factor that promotes youth psychological well-being. This study examines SGMY perceptions of self-compassion and their experiences participating in self-compassion practices. Methods SGMY (n = 30) ages 16–29 participated in empirically supported self-compassion practices. Using grounded theory, researchers uncovered three themes. Results SGMY indicated that (1) the practice of self-compassion may help SGMY cope with internal/external homo/bi/transphobia, (2) cultivating self-compassion can enhance well-being, and (3) self-compassion can support coping with difficult thoughts and emotions. Conclusion Self-compassion may be a helpful approach for SGMY. Implications for SGMY mental health are explored.

Parental Optimism Improves Youth Psychological Well-Being: Family Cohesion and Youth Optimism as Serial Mediators.

Focusing on the family system, this study simultaneously examined the effects of the parental factor, family functioning, and individual factor on youth psychological well-being. Overall, 332 youths and their parents were involved in this research and responded to an online questionnaire measuring parental optimism, family cohesion, youth optimism, and youth psychological well-being. The results suggested that (1) parental optimism was positively related to youth psychological well-being; (2) both family cohesion and youth optimism mediated the connection between parental optimism and youth psychological well-being; and (3) the link between parental optimism and youth psychological well-being was mediated by family cohesion and youth optimism in sequence. The present study reveals the underlying mechanism of how to improve youth psychological well-being from within the family system.

The Ecology of Youth Psychological Wellbeing in the COVID-19 Pandemic

The consequences of profound disruption to everyday life caused by the COVID-19 pandemic will only emerge over time. Guided by ecological systems (Pitchik et al., 2021) and developmental psychopathology (Masten & Cicchetti, 2010) frameworks, I review evidence that points to parents at home with children as particularly vulnerable to increased psychological difficulties, particularly in contexts of poverty. Resultant compromised parenting may reduce children’s opportunities for the kinds of everyday interactions that promote cognitive and socioemotional development and expose them to increases in coercive, avoidant, and other problematic caregiving behaviours. I discuss three evidence-based strategies that parents could adopt to buffer their child’s mental health: building positive discipline strategies, talking with the child about the pandemic and its consequences, and conversing about the past. I conclude, however, that approaches to supporting parents and their children at this time must also address multisystem factors that compromise caregivers’ ability to provide nurturing care.

From Exposure to Violence between Mother and Her Intimate Partner to Suicidality Experienced by Urban Adolescents in Chicago's Southside.

Although the relationship between exposure to intimate partner violence and youths’ psychological and other wellbeing has been widely studied, there is limited research about how youths’ exposure to violence between mother and her intimate partner may be related to youth psychological wellbeing. The study used a sample of urban adolescents in Chicago Southbound to examine whether youths’ exposure to verbal conflict between mother and her intimate partner is related to their suicidality and whether youth depression and aggression may be in between such a linkage. Our findings indicated that one-third of the youth had suicidal thoughts or suicidal/self-hurting attempts. Youths’ exposure to verbal conflict between mother and her intimate partner was associated with their depressive and aggressive symptoms, and depressive symptoms subsequently were linked to suicidality. The findings also showed that youth depressive symptoms and aggressive symptoms were positively correlated, which may influence their associations with suicidality. We concluded that youth exposure to parental intimate partner violence, even comparatively mild forms such as a verbal conflict between mother and her intimate partner, may increase their risk of suicidality by worsening psychological wellbeing. The findings highlight the importance of tackling youth suicidality risks while accounting for their exposure to intimate partner violence including verbal conflicts between parents.

Caregiver Perceptions of Children’s Psychological Well-being During the COVID-19 Pandemic

Understanding youth well-being during the COVID-19 pandemic can help appropriately allocate resources and inform policies to support youth. To examine caregiver-reported changes in the psychological well-being of their children 3 to 4 months after the start of COVID-19 stay-at-home orders, and to examine the association of caregiver-reported COVID-19 exposure and family stressors with caregiver perceptions of child psychological well-being. This survey study used an anonymous survey distributed via email from June 24 to July 15, 2020, to 350 000 families of students attending public schools in Chicago, Illinois. The a priori hypotheses were that caregivers would report worsening in child psychological well-being during the closure period compared with preclosure and that exposure to COVID-19-related stressors would be associated with a higher probability of worsening child psychological well-being. Data were analyzed from September 10, 2020, to March 15, 2021. Outcomes were 7 mental health concerns and 5 positive adjustment characteristics reported by caregivers using a retrospective pre-post design. COVID-19 exposure and family stressors were also reported by caregivers. Among 350 000 families invited to participate, 32 217 caregivers (10 827 [39.3%] White, 8320 [30.2%] Latinx, 6168 [22.4%] Black; 2223 [8.1%] with multiple or other races/ethnicities) completed the survey on behalf of 49 397 children in prekindergarten through 12th grade. Child-specific outcomes were reported for 40 723 to 40 852 children depending on the specific question. The frequency of caregiver endorsement of youth mental health concerns ranged from 0.1 percentage point (suicidal ideation or self-harm, reported by 191 caregivers [0.5%] preclosure vs 246 caregivers [0.6%] during closure; P < .001) to 28.3 percentage points (loneliness, reported by 1452 caregivers [3.6%] preclosure vs 13 019 caregivers [31.9%] during closure; P < .001) higher after the end of in-person instruction compared with preclosure. Frequency of caregiver endorsement of youth positive adjustment characteristics ranged from -13.4 percentage points (plans for the future, reported by 18 114 caregivers [44.3%] preclosure vs 12 601 caregivers [30.9%] during closure; P < .001) to -30.9 percentage points (positive peer relationships, reported by 24 666 caregivers [60.4%] preclosure vs 19 130 caregivers [46.8%] during closure; P < .001) lower after the end of in-person instruction. Significant differences in COVID-19 exposure were observed across racial/ethnic (F3,27 534 = 614.8; P < .001) and household income strata (F5,27 506 = 842.0; P < .001). After accounting for covariates, all mental health concerns increased in probability (eg, angry: odds ratio, 1.55 [95% CI, 1.48-1.62]; P < .001) and all the positive adjustment characteristics decreased in probability (eg, hopeful or positive: odds ratio, 0.88 [95% CI, 0.84-0.92]; P < .001) as COVID-19 exposure and family stressors increased. In this survey study of caregivers during the COVID-19 pandemic, COVID-19 and resulting exposure to stress were associated with worse youth psychological well-being, demonstrating the need for a comprehensive public health approach that prioritizes children's well-being and draws broad public attention to the mental health needs of youth.

Co-Developmental Trajectories of Specific Anxiety Symptoms from Middle Childhood to Early Adolescence: Associations with Psychological Well-Being and Academic Achievement.

Different types of specific anxiety symptoms commonly co-occur but also display distinct developmental trajectories over time in children and adolescents. Nevertheless, little is known about the co-developmental trajectories of specific anxiety symptoms among youth during the transition into adolescence and how identified trajectories are associated with important psychological and academic outcomes. This study thus aimed to determine the (a) heterogeneous co-developmental trajectories of five specific anxiety symptoms (generalized anxiety, separation anxiety, social anxiety, school anxiety, and panic disorder) from middle childhood to early adolescence, and (b) associations between the identified, distinct trajectories and youth's psychological well-being and academic achievement. A total of 715 Chinese elementary school students (45.6% girls, Mage = 8.96, SD = 0.76) completed measures on six occasions across three years, using 6-month intervals. Parallel process latent class growth modeling revealed five distinct anxiety trajectory groups: "congruent-low" (49.8%), "moderately low with predominant social anxiety" (18.5%), "moderately low with predominant school anxiety" (12.6%), "moderately high with predominant generalized and social anxiety" (8.6%), and "congruent-high" (10.5%). The lowest psychological well-being and academic achievement were observed for youth who persistently experienced the co-occurrence of two or more specific anxiety symptoms, followed by those who persistently experienced one predominant anxiety symptom, and finally, youth who persistently experienced low levels of all five specific anxiety symptoms. The identification of five heterogeneous groups with differential outcomes highlights the importance of individual differences considerations in understanding the co-developmental patterns of specific anxiety symptoms from middle childhood to early adolescence and the need for more sophisticated intervention programs tailored to members of specific groups to promote optimal psychological well-being and academic success.

Psychological impacts of "screen time" and "green time" for children and adolescents: A systematic scoping review.

Technological developments in recent decades have increased young people’s engagement with screen-based technologies (screen time), and a reduction in young people’s contact with nature (green time) has been observed concurrently. This combination of high screen time and low green time may affect mental health and well-being. The aim of this systematic scoping review was to collate evidence assessing associations between screen time, green time, and psychological outcomes (including mental health, cognitive functioning, and academic achievement) for young children (<5 years), schoolchildren (5–11 years), early adolescents (12–14 years), and older adolescents (15–18 years). Original quantitative studies were identified in four databases (PubMed, PsycInfo, Scopus, Embase), resulting in 186 eligible studies. A third of included studies were undertaken in Europe and almost as many in the United States. The majority of studies were cross-sectional (62%). In general, high levels of screen time appeared to be associated with unfavourable psychological outcomes while green time appeared to be associated with favourable psychological outcomes. The ways screen time and green time were conceptualised and measured were highly heterogeneous, limiting the ability to synthesise the literature. The preponderance of cross-sectional studies with broadly similar findings, despite heterogeneous exposure measures, suggested results were not artefacts. However, additional high-quality longitudinal studies and randomised controlled trials are needed to make a compelling case for causal relationships. Different developmental stages appeared to shape which exposures and outcomes were salient. Young people from low socioeconomic backgrounds may be disproportionately affected by high screen time and low green time. Future research should distinguish between passive and interactive screen activities, and incidental versus purposive exposure to nature. Few studies considered screen time and green time together, and possible reciprocal psychological effects. However, there is preliminary evidence that green time could buffer consequences of high screen time, therefore nature may be an under-utilised public health resource for youth psychological well-being in a high-tech era.

The components’ identity role in ensuring of the students’ youth psychological well-being

The article is devoted to identifying the most important parameters of identity that define psychological well-being of students. The aim of the study is to determine the role of components of identity in ensuring psychological well-being of students. The results specify that identification with one's own family is a factor in the formation of positive relationships with the environment. Positive identification with their own inner world promotes independence, ability to resist social pressure in their thoughts and actions. Successful identification with one's own inner world and around the middle of communication fosters a sense of confidence and competence in managing the daily Affairs and a sense of continuous self-development, tracking their own personal growth and realize their potential, and the availability of goals in life and create a sense of meaningfulness of their own lives, the recognition and acceptance of their diversity, a positive assessment of his past. Successful identification with one's own internal experience contributes to the feeling of life satisfaction, happiness, self-actualization, and personal growth. Identification with one's own personal growth is a prerequisite for creating in students a high opinion of his own abilities, a sense of competence in the management of daily activity; a positive identification with the future profession, family and social life are the prerequisites of formation of the ability to perceive and integrate a new experience, to realistically assess all aspects both positive and negative aspects of human existence. It was found that the higher statuses are characterized by gender and professional identity, the more these students is characterized by the presence of loved ones, pleasant, trusting relationships with others and a desire to care for other people, ability to find compromises in the relationship (given that the balance of affect is the idea behind a reverse index).&#x0D; It is established that indicators of identity are the prerequisites for the formation of psychological well-being in students identified for such integrated indicators as the development of professional self and identity that is declared, and in particular the partial variables such as identification with their own family, inner peace, personal development, society and the like, which ensure the formation of psychological well-being in its various manifestations, is first and foremost a positive evaluation of themselves and their own life, as well as the ability to create conditions that meet your own personal needs and values.

Socio-psychological features of mature identity impact of students’ youth psychological well-being

Метою статті є дослідження впливу позитивної зрілої ідентичності на психологічне благополуччя студентської молоді. Методи. Для досягнення мети було проведене емпіричне дослідження ідентичності та психологічного благополуччя серед студентів перших курсів закладу вищої освіти. Для визначення зрілої ідентичності застосовано опитувальник «Особистісна і соціальна ідентичність» В. Урбанович, психологічне благополуччя досліджували за допомогою методики К. Ріфф «Шкала психологічного благополуччя» (адаптація Т. Шевеленкової і П. Фесенка). Отримані дані оброблено за допомогою кореляційного аналізу. Результати. Проведене дослідження показало, що для студентів перших курсів, на першому місці, за високими показникам зрілої ідентичності, має значення сім’я, на другому – соціальне оточення, на третьому місці – робота, на четвертому – майбутнє, на п’ятому – матеріальний стан, на шостому – внутрішній світ і здоровіє, на сьомому – суспільство, в якому проживають. Визначення рівнів психологічного благополуччя показало, що превалюють середні значення психологічного благополуччя за наступними шкалами: перше місце розподілили «автономія», «управління середовищем», «особистісне зростання», «само прийняття»; друге місце розподілили «позитивні стосунки з оточуючими», «цілі», «загальне психологічне благополуччя»; на третьому місці показники за шкалами «сенс життя» і «людини як відкрита система»; на четвертому місці показник за шкалою «баланс афекту». У процесі дослідження виявлено статистично значущі зв’язки між позитивною зрілою ідентичністю і шкалами психологічного благополуччя: автономія, цілі у житті, позитивні стосунки з оточуючими, особистісне зростання, самосприйняття, загальне психологічне благополуччя, баланс афекту. Висновки. Позитивна зріла ідентичність впливає на рівні психологічного благополуччя студентської молоді у нових соціальних умовах.

“A positive guiding hand”: A qualitative examination of youth-initiated mentoring and the promotion of interdependence among foster care youth

This qualitative interview study examined experiences of youth-initiated mentoring relationships (YIM) among youth transitioning out of the foster care system. YIM is an innovative approach wherein programs work with youth to identify adults within their existing social networks to serve as their mentors in the formal program. Participants were 13 mentor-youth dyads involved in a pilot trial of YIM in a mid-western city. Youth and mentors completed one-time, in-depth individual interviews. Narrative thematic analysis of the interview data yielded the following major findings: (a) youth overwhelmingly reported having a strong or very strong relationship with their mentor, (b) these relationships offered a number of forms of social support to the youth (i.e., appraisal, companionship, emotional, informational, and instrumental), and (c) the mentor was perceived to have positively impacted the youth during the course of the relationship in multiple ways, including the youth's psychological well-being, relationships with others, and beliefs about and orientation toward the future. These findings suggest that YIM is a promising approach for establishing meaningful and impactful connections that may promote interdependence for older foster care youth as they make the transition to adulthood.

The relation between media multitasking, intensity of use, and well-being in a sample of ethnically diverse emerging adults

There is substantial evidence that media multitasking and intense digital media use may be associated with poor psychological well-being among youth. At the same time the evidence about these associations is inconsistent, and it appears that youth characteristics such as social anxiety and narcissism may play a moderating role in the relation between aspects of digital media use and well-being. This study examined media multitasking and intensity of technology use as predictors of affect and self-esteem as well as the moderating role of social anxiety and narcissism in the relation between multitasking, intensity of use and affect and self-esteem. Data were collected via a cross-sectional study of ethnically diverse emerging adults. The results showed that a higher percent of time spent media multitasking predicted lower self-esteem and higher negative affect. Significant interaction effects were found between multitasking and social anxiety on self-esteem and between multitasking and narcissism on positive affect. That is, at high levels of social anxiety, individuals with high levels of multitasking reported higher self-esteem than those with low levels of multitasking. Moreover, at high levels of narcissism those with high levels of multitasking reported increased positive affect when compared to those with low levels of multitasking. Our findings suggest that intense digital media use may be problematic for some youth's psychological well-being, but also beneficial for other youth.

Effects of cultural brokering on individual wellbeing and family dynamics among immigrant youth

Over 90% of immigrant youth help their parents navigate the mainstream US culture, a process known as cultural brokering. Past research has indicated that brokering can often have negative effects on development of immigrant youth and their families. The current study builds on the past literature by examining how various aspects of brokering may impact individual wellbeing and family dynamics among first generation immigrant and refugee youth from Eastern Europe (N = 197, Mage = 22.93 (SD = 2.89), 63.5% female) currently residing in the United States. The results show that family conflict mediates the relationship between brokering and youth psychological wellbeing. The findings suggest that there are distinct patterns of association between frequency of brokering and feelings toward brokering, pointing to the need to further understand the ways in which we can capitalize on positive aspects and minimize negative aspects of cultural brokering among immigrants.

Correlates and Consequences of Father Nurturance in an African American College Sample

The objectives of the present study are to identify sociodemographic factors associated with father nurturance and assess the relationship between parental (mother and father) nurturance and youth psychological well-being among 216 African American college-aged youth. Participants attended a historically Black college in the Mid-Atlantic region. Findings indicated that the frequency and duration of the participants’ interactions with their fathers were associated with levels of father nurturance. Youth whose mothers and fathers were married or cohabitating, compared with those who were separated, divorced, widowed, or never married, had lower levels of psychological well-being. Furthermore, youth who reported more mother nurturance had higher levels of overall psychological well-being. These findings highlight the importance of time-based variables in youths’ perceptions of father nurturance and raise important questions about how the nature of the coparental relationship and variations in the fathering role affect youth well-being.

Racial and Socioeconomic Status Differences in Depressive Symptoms Among Black and White Youth: An Examination of the Mediating Effects of Family Structure, Stress and Support

Stress research shows that race, socioeconomic status (SES), and family context significantly impact an adolescent's psychological well-being, yet little is known about the mediating effects of family context on racial and SES differences in depressive symptoms among Black and White youth. We investigate these associations using a sample of 875 (45% female) from a South Florida community-based study of youth mostly between the ages of 19 and 21. Ordinary least squares (OLS) analyses find that Blacks and lower SES youth have more depressive symptoms than Whites and those in higher SES families. Racial disparities are partially mediated by family related stressors and SES differences are fully explained by family stressors and emotional support. We also find that emotional family support conditions the relationship between race and depressive symptoms such that Whites experience more depressive symptoms at lower levels of emotional support but Blacks have more symptoms at higher levels. The findings highlight the importance of identifying factors within the family context that influence a youth's psychological well-being and ability to cope with adversities.

The Impact of the Acculturation Process on Asian American Youth's Psychological Well‐Being

Acculturation process and Asian American youth's psychological well-being. This paper provides an overview of acculturation, its correlates, and psychological well-being of Asian American youth. Interdisciplinary research related to acculturation, ethnic socialization, and minority youth's psychological outcomes. Familial ethnic socialization is mediated by demographic variables, parents' attitudes, and parent-child relationships. Parent-child relationships during acculturation predicts Asian American youth's psychological outcomes. The key components of culturally sensitive health care for Asian American youth include evaluation of family relationships, congruence in parents' and youth's acculturation patterns, and sensitivity to implications of the model minority image.

Youth Civic Engagement in the United States: Understanding and Addressing the Impact of Social Impediments on Positive Youth and Community Development

The topic of civic engagement has come to the forefront of many recent discussions about the positive and healthy development of youth. Researchers and practitioners writing about youth civic engagement agree that civic engagement has short- and long-term benefits for youth and for society. These benefits have been discussed in terms of youth psychological well-being, academic achievement, and contributions to the social and political fabric of the country, including the promotion of civil society. Despite the general support across the past few decades for civic endeavors involving young people, such support has been largely absent for youth living in communities deprived of opportunities for civic experience or composed of critical masses of youth and adults willing to become civically engaged. This article discusses the benefits of youth civic engagement for youth and societies and the nature and role of contemporary social impediments to youth civic engagement in the United States.