Journal Description
Adolescents
Adolescents
is an international, peer-reviewed, open access journal on adolescent development and health sciences published quarterly online by MDPI.
- Open Access— free for readers, with article processing charges (APC) paid by authors or their institutions.
- High Visibility: indexed within Scopus and other databases.
- Journal Rank: CiteScore - Q2 (Health Professions (miscellaneous))
- Rapid Publication: manuscripts are peer-reviewed and a first decision is provided to authors approximately 40.9 days after submission; acceptance to publication is undertaken in 7.1 days (median values for papers published in this journal in the first half of 2024).
- Recognition of Reviewers: APC discount vouchers, optional signed peer review, and reviewer names published annually in the journal.
Latest Articles
Pilot Study Outcomes and Recommendations from Develo** an Australian Residential Treatment for Eating Disorders
Adolescents 2024, 4(3), 324-334; https://doi.org/10.3390/adolescents4030023 (registering DOI) - 29 Jun 2024
Abstract
Individuals with eating disorders often face difficulty accessing sufficiently intensive, recovery-focused treatment. Residential treatment may fill a gap in the spectrum of care, offering 24-h support in a more home-like environment than a hospital and using a holistic approach including individual and group
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Individuals with eating disorders often face difficulty accessing sufficiently intensive, recovery-focused treatment. Residential treatment may fill a gap in the spectrum of care, offering 24-h support in a more home-like environment than a hospital and using a holistic approach including individual and group psychological therapy, meal support, and lived experience staff. As residential treatment has not previously been examined in Australia, the current study aimed to document the development, treatment components, and structure of this first Australian residential service for eating disorders and provide a pilot of its treatment outcomes. Preliminary outcomes are included from a sample of 19 individuals from the first six months of admissions, including eating disorder symptoms, eating disorder-related impairment, anxiety, and depression. Significant pre- to post-treatment improvement was found in total eating disorder psychopathology, dietary restraint, eating concerns, body mass index, eating disorder-related impairment, and depression, but not from pre-treatment to a six-month follow-up. Pilot outcomes were positive at end-of-treatment but require further clinical evaluation to examine follow-up effects. Clinical insights are discussed from the establishment of this new treatment service, including recommendations for clinicians involved in the current roll-out of residential programs across Australia.
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(This article belongs to the Section Adolescent Health and Mental Health)
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Open AccessArticle
How Do Creativity and Social Support Affect the Resilience of Mediterranean University Students? A Cross-National Study in the Post-Pandemic Period
by
Aurelia De Lorenzo, Trinidad García, Débora Areces and Emanuela Rabaglietti
Adolescents 2024, 4(2), 311-323; https://doi.org/10.3390/adolescents4020022 - 19 Jun 2024
Abstract
After the spread of the COVID-19 pandemic, several articles have described the fragility of young adults, such as students, highlighting the severity, frequency, and nature of mental distress. However, less research has examined the resources of young people, such as their creative competence
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After the spread of the COVID-19 pandemic, several articles have described the fragility of young adults, such as students, highlighting the severity, frequency, and nature of mental distress. However, less research has examined the resources of young people, such as their creative competence and their ability to draw on a social network. Furthermore, the analysis of these resources is not very common in international comparative studies. The main aim of this cross-national study is to investigate whether creativity factors such as creative personality and divergent thinking together with social support predict resilience in college students, controlling for gender and nationality, in a sample of college students from Italy and Spain, European Mediterranean countries particularly affected by the pandemic. The following instruments were used to measure these constructs: The Creative Personality Scale, the Runco Ideational Behavior Scale, the Multidimensional Scale of Perceived Social Support, and the Connor Davidson Resilience Scale. A total of 287 college students participated, 147 from Italy and 140 from Spain, with an average age of 22 years. The results show that there are statistically significant differences between Italian and Spanish students for all variables except resilience. The hierarchical regression shows that divergent thinking and social support are predictors of resilience for the whole sample. In light of these results, it may be important for universities to continue investing in divergent thinking and social support through workshops and activities to promote student resilience.
Full article
Open AccessArticle
Social Media, Online Gaming, and Cyberbullying during the COVID-19 Pandemic: The Mediation Effect of Time Spent Online
by
Carlo Marinoni, Marco Rizzo and Maria Assunta Zanetti
Adolescents 2024, 4(2), 297-310; https://doi.org/10.3390/adolescents4020021 - 18 Jun 2024
Abstract
During the COVID-19 pandemic, young people have become overexposed to social media and online gaming, making them more vulnerable to online violence such as cyberbullying. The aim of this study was to determine whether social media and online gaming pose a risk for
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During the COVID-19 pandemic, young people have become overexposed to social media and online gaming, making them more vulnerable to online violence such as cyberbullying. The aim of this study was to determine whether social media and online gaming pose a risk for cyberbullying through time spent online and whether there is a sex that is more vulnerable to this phenomenon. The survey included a sample of 4338 students (52.4% girls; age range, 11–19 years, M 14.1 SD 1.6) attending lower and upper secondary schools. Multiple moderated mediation regression models by sex were conducted, showing a relationship between social media and online gaming, time spent online outside of school, and cyberbullying. The results show that young girls are at higher risk of cyberbullying via social media, and boys are at higher risk of cybervictimization through online gaming. The findings may encourage other researchers to study the phenomenon, taking into account the role of parents and other educators.
Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Risky Behaviors in Social Media and Metaverse Use during Adolescence)
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Open AccessArticle
“I Had No Idea about This:” A Mixed-Methods Exploration of Sexual Health and HIV Prevention Needs among Black Youth in a Southern City
by
Allysha C. Maragh-Bass, John T. Mitchell, Marie C. D. Stoner, Nivedita L. Bhushan, Linda Riggins, Alexandra Lightfoot and Amy Corneli
Adolescents 2024, 4(2), 278-296; https://doi.org/10.3390/adolescents4020020 - 2 Jun 2024
Abstract
HIV disparities continue to persist among Black youth in the South. We conducted quantitative surveys (N = 83) and follow-up qualitative interviews (n = 13) to assess sexual health needs including but not limited to Pre-Exposure Prophylaxis (PrEP) awareness. Participants all identified as
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HIV disparities continue to persist among Black youth in the South. We conducted quantitative surveys (N = 83) and follow-up qualitative interviews (n = 13) to assess sexual health needs including but not limited to Pre-Exposure Prophylaxis (PrEP) awareness. Participants all identified as Black; most survey respondents identified as being assigned female sex at birth and heterosexual. Both qualitatively and quantitatively, knowledge about HIV and PrEP and engagement in sexual health preventive behaviors was low. Participants described a need for more comprehensive sexual health education at younger ages and more routinized HIV testing. The latter was recommended even for people with a low perceived risk of HIV. Future studies should explore how to tailor communication to youth of color specifically and understand nuances of experiences they may have based on their sexual orientation and gender identity to promote engagement in sexual health preventive care, including but not limited to HIV prevention and PrEP uptake. The findings suggest that comprehensive sexual care that provides education on HIV, STI, and pregnancy prevention is critical for youth experiencing inequities in a Southern city context.
Full article
(This article belongs to the Topic Socio-Environmental Determinants of the Disparities in Health Behaviors among Minority Youth)
Open AccessArticle
Popularity in Chinese Early Adolescents: A Focus Group Analysis
by
Yan Li, Yunyi Long and Cixin Wang
Adolescents 2024, 4(2), 263-277; https://doi.org/10.3390/adolescents4020019 - 28 May 2024
Abstract
Popularity is of great developmental significance to early adolescents for its implications on behavioral and adjustment outcomes. Although extensive research on popularity has been conducted in Western cultures, little is known about Chinese adolescents’ indigenous understanding of popularity. The current study examined Chinese
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Popularity is of great developmental significance to early adolescents for its implications on behavioral and adjustment outcomes. Although extensive research on popularity has been conducted in Western cultures, little is known about Chinese adolescents’ indigenous understanding of popularity. The current study examined Chinese early adolescents’ understanding of popularity using focus group interviews to explore the characteristics of popularity and unpopularity, as well as popularity determinants for boys and girls. We conducted interviews on six focus groups comprising 37 Chinese fifth and sixth graders (18 boys, 19 girls). Transcriptions were coded and analyzed through develo** coding schemes that included emerged codes and categories. The results showed both cross-cultural similarities and culturally specific findings in adolescents’ perceptions of popularity characteristics and determinants. Specifically, sociability, academic performance, and prosocial behaviors served as major characteristics of popularity, whereas aggressive and disruptive behaviors were regarded as typical attributes of unpopularity. More importantly, culturally unique aspects of popularity characteristics were reported by Chinese adolescents, such as a strong sense of collective honor. When responding what would make a peer popular, Chinese early adolescents reported various behavioral, social, and cultural factors. Findings of this study underscore the importance of examining perceptions of popularity in consideration of the cultural context.
Full article
(This article belongs to the Section Emerging and Contemporary Issue in Adolescence)
Open AccessArticle
Adolescents’ Perspectives on Co** with Bullying in the Digital Environment
by
Bilha Paryente
Adolescents 2024, 4(2), 248-262; https://doi.org/10.3390/adolescents4020018 - 28 May 2024
Abstract
This study examined the co** process of adolescents in the construction of a sense of coherence after experiencing bullying events in the digital environment. The content analysis of semi-structured interviews with 20 adolescents aged 14 to 18 (M = 16.85) revealed three themes:
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This study examined the co** process of adolescents in the construction of a sense of coherence after experiencing bullying events in the digital environment. The content analysis of semi-structured interviews with 20 adolescents aged 14 to 18 (M = 16.85) revealed three themes: (1) the comprehension of the bullying as stemming from hatred and boredom; (2) managing the bullying by turning to the bully asking that they stop, deleting and forgiving after the event, and co** through self-isolation and with the support of family and friends; and (3) the emotional processing of anger, embarrassment, and sadness. All the data correlated with the a priori themes of the salutogenic approach, demonstrating a significant expression of the components of a sense of coherence. Understanding the adolescents’ co** process and their construction of a sense of coherence following their experience of cyberbullying may help practitioners design and implement tailored interventions for adolescents and their educators who are increasingly confronted with this issue.
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(This article belongs to the Section Adolescent Health and Mental Health)
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Open AccessArticle
The Development and Validation of a Tool to Evaluate the Determinants of Iron-Rich Food Intake among Adolescent Girls of Senegal
by
Aminata Ndene Ndiaye, Jérémie B. Dupuis, Nafissatou Ba Lo, El Hadj Momar Thiam, Mohamadou Sall and Sonia Blaney
Adolescents 2024, 4(2), 231-247; https://doi.org/10.3390/adolescents4020017 - 17 May 2024
Abstract
To reduce anemia among adolescent girls, factors that influence the consumption of iron-rich foods/IRF have not been investigated, and neither has a tool been developed to assess its determinants. Using the extended version of the theory of planned behaviour/eTPB, this study aims to
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To reduce anemia among adolescent girls, factors that influence the consumption of iron-rich foods/IRF have not been investigated, and neither has a tool been developed to assess its determinants. Using the extended version of the theory of planned behaviour/eTPB, this study aims to develop and validate a questionnaire assessing individual and environmental factors that could influence IRF intake among Senegalese adolescent girls aged 10–19 years old. First, eight focus group discussions (FGDs) were held in different regions to identify salient beliefs related to each of the four constructs of the eTPB. Information from FGDs was used to develop a questionnaire that was administered to the first group (n = 200) of girls. Principal component and exploratory factorial analyses were then performed to identify latent factors for each construct. A modified version of the tool was administered to the second sample of girls (n = 400), and confirmatory factorial analyses were conducted. Hancock and Muller’s H reliability index was computed on the final model. Most metrics for fit indices were respected, and the H value was satisfactory. This study proposes a tool that could be used to explore determinants of the consumption of IRF among adolescent girls.
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(This article belongs to the Section Adolescent Health Behaviors)
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Open AccessEditorial
Exploring the Mental Health Frontier: Social Media, the Metaverse and Their Impact on Psychological Well-Being
by
Ileana Di Pomponio and Luca Cerniglia
Adolescents 2024, 4(2), 226-230; https://doi.org/10.3390/adolescents4020016 - 8 May 2024
Abstract
The emergence of social media alongside the creation of the metaverse marks two pivotal technological evolutions of our era, significantly altering the manner in which individuals engage, communicate, and understand their environment and relationships [...]
Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Risky Behaviors in Social Media and Metaverse Use during Adolescence)
Open AccessEditorial
Decoding Adolescent Decision Making: Neurocognitive Processes, Risk Perception, and the Influence of Peers
by
Luca Cerniglia and Ileana Di Pomponio
Adolescents 2024, 4(2), 222-225; https://doi.org/10.3390/adolescents4020015 - 30 Apr 2024
Abstract
Investigating the neurocognitive mechanisms behind implicit risk assessment and decision making in adolescents is crucial for understanding the intricate array of behaviors typical of this developmental phase [...]
Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Implicit Measures of Risky Behaviors in Adolescence)
Open AccessArticle
The Impact of Internet Addiction on Mental Health: Exploring the Mediating Effects of Positive Psychological Capital in University Students
by
Girum Tareke Zewude, Derib Gosim Bereded, Endris Abera, Goche Tegegne, Solomon Goraw and Tesfaye Segon
Adolescents 2024, 4(2), 200-221; https://doi.org/10.3390/adolescents4020014 - 26 Apr 2024
Abstract
Introduction: The widespread use of the internet has brought numerous benefits, but it has also raised concerns about its potential negative impact on mental health, particularly among university students. This study aims to investigate the relationship between internet addiction (IA) and mental
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Introduction: The widespread use of the internet has brought numerous benefits, but it has also raised concerns about its potential negative impact on mental health, particularly among university students. This study aims to investigate the relationship between internet addiction (IA) and mental health (MH) in university students, as well as explore the mediating effects of positive psychological capital (PsyCap) in this relationship. Objective: The main goal of this study was to examine the psychometric properties of the measures and to determine whether internet addiction could negatively predict university students’ mental health, mediated through PsyCap. Method: A cross-sectional design with an inferential approach was employed to address this objective. The data were collected using the Psychological Capital Questionnaire (PCQ-24), Internet Addiction Scale (IAS), and Keyes’ Mental Health Continuum-Short Form (MHC-SF). The total sample of this study comprised 850 students from two large public higher education institutions in Ethiopia, of whom 334 (39.3%) were female and 516 (60.7%) were male, with a mean age of 22.32 (SD = 4.04). Several analyses were performed to achieve the stated objectives, such as Cronbach’s alpha and composite reliabilities, bivariate correlation, discriminant validity, common method biases, and structural equation modeling (confirmatory factor analysis, path analysis, and mediation analysis). Confirmatory factor analysis was conducted to test the construct validity of IAS, PCQ-24, and MHC-SF. Additionally, the mediating model was examined using structural equation modeling with the corrected biased bootstrap method. Results: The preliminary study results found that the construct validity of IAS, PCQ-24, and MHC-SF was excellent and appropriate. Furthermore, the findings demonstrate that internet addiction had a negative and direct effect on PsyCap and MH. Moreover, PsyCap fully mediated the relationship between IA and MH. Additionally, this study confirmed that all the scales exhibited strong internal consistency and good psychometric properties. Conclusion: This study contributes to a better understanding of the complex interplay between IA, PsyCap, and MH among university students, confirming previous findings. Recommendation: The findings, discussed in relation to the recent and relevant literature, will be valuable for practitioners and researchers aiming to improve mental health and reduce internet addiction by utilizing positive psychological resources as protective factors for university students.
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(This article belongs to the Section Adolescent Health and Mental Health)
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Open AccessArticle
Associations between Household Food Insecurity and Depressive Symptomology among Adolescent Girls and Young Women during the COVID-19 Pandemic in South Africa
by
Stanley Carries, Lovemore Nyasha Sigwadhi, Audrey Moyo, Colleen Wagner, Catherine Mathews and Darshini Govindasamy
Adolescents 2024, 4(1), 185-199; https://doi.org/10.3390/adolescents4010013 - 21 Mar 2024
Abstract
Evidence suggests an association between food insecurity and depressive symptomatology; however, little is known about the association between adolescent girls and young women (AGYW) in the context of COVID-19. This study aimed to investigate the relationship between household food insecurity (HFI) and depressive
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Evidence suggests an association between food insecurity and depressive symptomatology; however, little is known about the association between adolescent girls and young women (AGYW) in the context of COVID-19. This study aimed to investigate the relationship between household food insecurity (HFI) and depressive symptomology among AGYW in South Africa during the COVID-19 pandemic. Secondary data analysis was conducted using cross-sectional data collected from the HERStory2 study conducted during the COVID-19 pandemic. The data were collected from 515 AGYW (aged 15–24 years) recruited from six South African districts using a demographic detail and socio-economic questionnaire as well as the Center for Epidemiological Studies Depression (CESD-10) Scale. Data were fitted using a multi-variable robust Poisson regression model and controlled for sociodemographic and health factors. The results suggest that the majority of the sample of AGYW were 20 years old, with 74% exposed to HFI and 30.29% experiencing depressive symptomology. AGYW exposed to HFI were 1.80 times at risk of depressive symptomology compared to those from food-secure households [adjusted risk ratio (aRR): 1.80; 95% CI: 1.35–2.42, p < 0.0001)]. Future pandemic-preparedness strategies should incorporate screening for HFI as a means to identify AGYW who may require psychosocial support.
Full article
(This article belongs to the Section Adolescent Health and Mental Health)
Open AccessArticle
Development and Preliminary Validation of the Sexual Minority Identity Emotion Scale
by
Jacob Goffnett, Samantha Robinson, Anna Hamaker, Mohammod Mahmudur Rahman, Sheree M. Schrager and Jeremy T. Goldbach
Adolescents 2024, 4(1), 171-184; https://doi.org/10.3390/adolescents4010012 - 15 Mar 2024
Abstract
Emotions influence health behaviors and outcomes, yet little research has examined the emotion–health relationship among sexual minorities. The few studies in this area have used general measures of feelings without regard for identity, despite the literature positing emotions as culturally and contextually specific.
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Emotions influence health behaviors and outcomes, yet little research has examined the emotion–health relationship among sexual minorities. The few studies in this area have used general measures of feelings without regard for identity, despite the literature positing emotions as culturally and contextually specific. This critical limitation obscures inferences made in studies that have found emotions to predict mental health outcomes for sexual minorities. This study begins to address this gap by develo** and examining the preliminary validation of the Sexual Minority Identity Emotion Scale, a measure of shame and pride specific to the identity experiences of sexual minority adolescents. The initial pool of items emerged from a qualitative study and was refined through a multistep review. The measurement’s factor structure and criterion validity were examined using a nationwide sample of 273 sexual minority adolescents from the United States. The scale has four factors with strong internal reliability, adequate criterion validity, and utility in health research.
Full article
(This article belongs to the Section Adolescent Health and Mental Health)
Open AccessArticle
Tailoring Sexual Health Research Practices to Meet the Needs of Adolescent Girls in Low- and Middle-Income Countries: Findings from Mexico
by
Argentina E. Servin, Ruth Macklin, Sara Wilkerson, Teresita Rocha-Jiménez, Gudelia M. Rangel, Sophie E. O’Bryan and Celia B. Fisher
Adolescents 2024, 4(1), 158-170; https://doi.org/10.3390/adolescents4010011 - 7 Mar 2024
Abstract
Sexual and reproductive health (SRH) research is essential for the development of population-tailored evidence-based policies and programs that support sexual health among adolescent girls. However, ethical challenges create barriers to girls’ participation in low- and middle-income countries (LMICs). From February to September 2019,
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Sexual and reproductive health (SRH) research is essential for the development of population-tailored evidence-based policies and programs that support sexual health among adolescent girls. However, ethical challenges create barriers to girls’ participation in low- and middle-income countries (LMICs). From February to September 2019, girls aged 16–20 (n = 30) who participated in the Jovenes Sanos study in Tijuana, Baja California (ClinicalTrials: NCT03660514) responded to in-depth interviews (IDs) on the perceived risks and benefits of participating in studies which address gender-based violence, unintended pregnancy, and STIs. Emergent themes indicated the need to ensure that consent and incentive procedures are tailored to the developmental level of participants, while highlighting the importance of researcher–participant relationships, and demonstrating how research can serve as an opportunity to empower girls to express their sexual health medical needs. Understanding adolescent girls’ voices is a critical step in ensuring that consent to participate SRH research is tailored to the developmental needs of participants, is culturally competent, and has a participant-centered approach.
Full article
(This article belongs to the Section Adolescent Health and Mental Health)
Open AccessEditor’s ChoiceArticle
Prevalence of and Influential Factors for Waterpipe Smoking among School-Attending Adolescents in Bissau, Guinea-Bissau
by
Jónína Einarsdóttir, Aladje Baldé, Zeca Jandi, Hamadou Boiro and Geir Gunnlaugsson
Adolescents 2024, 4(1), 138-157; https://doi.org/10.3390/adolescents4010010 - 6 Mar 2024
Cited by 1
Abstract
The marketing of sweetened and flavoured tobacco in the early 1990s resulted in an upsurge in waterpipe smoking (WPS), mainly among young people and women. Here, we estimate prevalence rates among school-attending adolescents aged 14–19 (girls 52%) for a lifetime experience of WPS
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The marketing of sweetened and flavoured tobacco in the early 1990s resulted in an upsurge in waterpipe smoking (WPS), mainly among young people and women. Here, we estimate prevalence rates among school-attending adolescents aged 14–19 (girls 52%) for a lifetime experience of WPS and within the last 30 days (WPS < 30 days) and identify influential factors for such smoking in Bissau, Guinea-Bissau. A random sample (N = 2039) was drawn from a class-based register created for 16 schools in Bissau; attending students in June 2017 were invited to respond to a locally adapted Planet Youth questionnaire. Descriptive statistics, odds ratio with 95% confidence interval, and multinomial logistic regression analysis were used to identify influential factors for WPS. The prevalence rates for a lifetime experience of WPS and within < 30 days were high, 17.7% and 15.0%, respectively, with no significant gender difference. For both groups, a multinomial logistic regression analysis identified attending higher grades in school, use of alcohol and being a victim of sexual violence as significant, influential factors. The overlap** of influential factors suggests preventive work against substance abuse should focus on less stigmatising behaviour, such as WPS and firmer implementation of the Framework Convention of Tobacco Control (FCTC).
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(This article belongs to the Section Adolescent Health Behaviors)
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Open AccessEditor’s ChoiceArticle
Stress Appraisals and Co** across and within Academic, Parent, and Peer Stressors: The Roles of Adolescents’ Emotional Problems, Co** Flexibility, and Age
by
Melanie J. Zimmer-Gembeck and Ellen A. Skinner
Adolescents 2024, 4(1), 120-137; https://doi.org/10.3390/adolescents4010009 - 17 Feb 2024
Abstract
The aim of this study was to determine whether adolescents’ emotional problems, co** flexibility, age, and stress appraisals account for ways of co**, which include engagement and disengagement co**, with academic-, parent-, and peer-related stressful events. Stress appraisals were defined as perceived threats
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The aim of this study was to determine whether adolescents’ emotional problems, co** flexibility, age, and stress appraisals account for ways of co**, which include engagement and disengagement co**, with academic-, parent-, and peer-related stressful events. Stress appraisals were defined as perceived threats to the psychological needs of relatedness, competence, and autonomy. Models were fit at a higher order level, indicated by adolescents’ appraisals and intended ways of co** with stress in three domains (i.e., academic, parent, and peer) and tested at the lower level within each domain. Adolescents (N = 410; age 10–15; Mage = 12.5; 50% girls) reported their emotional problems (combined depressive and anxiety symptoms) and co** flexibility six months prior to completing an analogue task. The task involved viewing six short film clips portraying stressful events (e.g., obtaining a worse than expected exam grade or arguing with a parent) and reporting three stress appraisals and eight ways of co** after each stressor. The ways of co** were analyzed as four composite scores reflecting engagement co** (active co**, self-reliance) or disengagement co** (withdrawal co**, helplessness). In structural equation models, adolescents who appraised more threat reported more withdrawal co** and helplessness but also more active co** and self-reliance. Adolescents with more emotional problems appraised more threat and anticipated using less constructive ways of co**, whereas adolescents higher in co** flexibility intended to use more constructive ways of co**, with these associations sufficiently modeled at the general (across stress domains) level. Improvement in the model fit was found when appraised threat–co** associations were modeled at the lower (specific stressor domain) level, suggesting differences by stressor domain. Age was associated with more self-reliance and helplessness, with self-reliance being specific to parent stressors and helplessness specific to peer stressors.
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(This article belongs to the Section Adolescent Health and Mental Health)
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Open AccessArticle
Problematic Smartphone Use and Communication in Families with Adolescents
by
Marina Merkaš, Matea Bodrožić Selak and Ana Žulec Ivanković
Adolescents 2024, 4(1), 107-119; https://doi.org/10.3390/adolescents4010008 - 7 Feb 2024
Abstract
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Research examining the relations among adolescent’s problematic smartphone use, parent–adolescent conflicts about smartphone use, family communication, and adolescent communication skills is scarce. Thus, the study empirically examined a model of the direct and indirect effects of adolescents’ problematic smartphone use on adolescent communication
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Research examining the relations among adolescent’s problematic smartphone use, parent–adolescent conflicts about smartphone use, family communication, and adolescent communication skills is scarce. Thus, the study empirically examined a model of the direct and indirect effects of adolescents’ problematic smartphone use on adolescent communication skills via family communication and parent–adolescent conflicts about smartphone use. The data used for the creation of this paper came from a sample of 284 adolescents (59.4% girls), aged 10 to 15, who participated in a four-wave longitudinal study (2021–2023) examining the effects of smartphone use on well-being and development. Adolescents rated their problematic smartphone use (wave 1), conflicts with parents about their smartphone use (wave 2), family communication (wave 3), and communication skills (wave 4). There was no support for the direct effect of problematic smartphone use on communication skills. Our path analysis showed a significant indirect effect of problematic smartphone use on communication skills via family communication. Our analysis also showed a significant direct effect of problematic smartphone use on conflicts between parents and adolescents about the time spent using smartphones and balancing activities with smartphone use. The findings of this study imply that excessive and extensive smartphone use may pose a risk factor for frequent parent–adolescent conflicts, poor family communication, and poor adolescent communication skills.
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Open AccessArticle
Transforming Service into Civic Purpose: A Qualitative Study of Adolescent Civic Engagement and Purpose Development
by
Brenna Lincoln, Kira N. Patel, Molly Binder, Terese J. Lund and Belle Liang
Adolescents 2024, 4(1), 90-106; https://doi.org/10.3390/adolescents4010007 - 2 Feb 2024
Abstract
As tomorrow’s leaders, adolescents are navigating coming-of-age tasks in the context of both the fast-growing promises of technology and the burdens of overwhelming global challenges. The Climate Leaders Fellowship (CLF) is an extracurricular program that supports adolescents interested in environmental sustainability. Program participants
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As tomorrow’s leaders, adolescents are navigating coming-of-age tasks in the context of both the fast-growing promises of technology and the burdens of overwhelming global challenges. The Climate Leaders Fellowship (CLF) is an extracurricular program that supports adolescents interested in environmental sustainability. Program participants are connected with like-minded peers and mentors across the globe who help them develop and implement community-based volunteer projects (CLF, 2022). This study focuses on whether and how participation in CLF shaped adolescents’ development. A directed content analysis approach was utilized to conduct and analyze semi-structured interviews with adolescent CLF participants (n = 9, 89% female). Results indicate that engagement in the program is associated with civic purpose development. Specifically, participants reported experiencing civic reflection, motivation, and action through their CLF involvement. Findings offer supporting evidence that the development of civic purpose may be associated with burgeoning critical consciousness. Recommendations for future programming, study limitations, and implications are discussed.
Full article
(This article belongs to the Section Emerging and Contemporary Issue in Adolescence)
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Open AccessArticle
The Relationship between Family Characteristics and Adolescent Perception of the Quality of Family Communication
by
Martina Feric
Adolescents 2024, 4(1), 75-89; https://doi.org/10.3390/adolescents4010006 - 1 Feb 2024
Abstract
Many studies consider family communication to be one of the most important protective factors for the positive development of children and adolescents in the family environment. This paper aims to clarify whether some characteristics of the family environment influence the quality of family
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Many studies consider family communication to be one of the most important protective factors for the positive development of children and adolescents in the family environment. This paper aims to clarify whether some characteristics of the family environment influence the quality of family communication in order to provide guidelines for the planning of prevention strategies that effectively improve the quality of family communication and, thus, the positive development of adolescents. Specifically, the aim is to investigate whether there are gender- and age-related differences in the assessment of the quality of family communication and whether there are differences in the assessment of the quality of family communication depending on some family characteristics. High school students from five large Croatian cities (Zagreb, Osijek, Split, Pula, and Varazdin) took part in this study. The quota sample is stratified by three Croatian high school programs, as well as by individual program orientations within each school. The results show that there are differences in assessment of the quality of family communication in relation to gender, age, living with both or one parent, and the educational and working status of the parents. The data suggest that, in addition to the timely implementation of evidence-based parenting and/or family-based prevention interventions, there is a need to invest in high-quality social policies that could lead to a better quality of family life by increasing the chances of higher educational attainment for (future) parents as well as adequate employment opportunities.
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School Scoliosis Screening: The Influence of Dominant Limbs and Gender
by
Eleni Theodorou, Marios Hadjicharalambous and Marios Tryfonidis
Adolescents 2024, 4(1), 62-74; https://doi.org/10.3390/adolescents4010005 - 24 Jan 2024
Abstract
This study aimed to examine whether (a) there is an association of the dominant hand (DH) and leg (DL) with the side of the primary angle of trunk rotation (ATR A) and (b) there are any differences between boys and girls in the
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This study aimed to examine whether (a) there is an association of the dominant hand (DH) and leg (DL) with the side of the primary angle of trunk rotation (ATR A) and (b) there are any differences between boys and girls in the degree of the angle of trunk rotation (ATR) and the dominant hand and leg. One thousand sixty-five (age: 14 ± 3 years; height: 162 ± 13 cm; weight: 56 ± 18.7 kg; BMI: 21.18 ± 5.07) secondary school children participated in this study. Of the participants, 52.5% (n = 559) were male students (age: 14 ± 2 years; height: 166 ± 16 cm; weight: 58.7 ± 22.6 kg; BMI: 21.41 ± 5.61), and 47.5% (n = 506) were female students (age: 14 ± 3 years; height: 159.5 ± 8.5 cm; weight: 53.9 ± 14.8 kg; BMI: 21.03 ± 4.38). The ATR was measured with a scoliometer. Boys were taller and heavier (p = 0.001) and had more left DLs (p = 0.039) than girls. Girls were biologically more mature (p = 0.002), also having higher measurements for the ATR A (p = 0.004) and secondary angle of trunk rotation (ATR B) (p = 0.023) degrees compared to boys. In the general sample, only in boys, there was a significant association between the DH (p = 0.012) and DL (p = 0.001) with the ATR A side. Also, within the scoliotic group, only in boys, there was a significant association between the DH (p = 0.048) and DL (p = 0.024) with the ATR A. In conclusion, girls had higher measurements for the ATR than boys, but cross laterality was found only in boys. The results suggest different progression patterns of ATR between genders during their growth. Future research should focus on examining other possible progression mechanisms.
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(This article belongs to the Section Adolescent Health and Mental Health)
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Open AccessArticle
“I Prefer Eating Less Than Eating Healthy”: Drivers of Food Choice in a Sample of Muslim Adolescents
by
Lucie Nield
Adolescents 2024, 4(1), 41-61; https://doi.org/10.3390/adolescents4010004 - 4 Jan 2024
Abstract
Adolescence is a time of significant change which is experienced differently across sociocultural contexts. Understanding drivers of food practice in adolescence is vital as these impact future health outcomes and can drive health inequality. This study investigates drivers of food choice in predominantly
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Adolescence is a time of significant change which is experienced differently across sociocultural contexts. Understanding drivers of food practice in adolescence is vital as these impact future health outcomes and can drive health inequality. This study investigates drivers of food choice in predominantly British–Asian, Muslim adolescents living in a deprived urban area of England. It identifies dominant drivers of food choice and their impact on health and wellbeing, and explores how Muslim adolescents from a low socioeconomic, British–Asian group understand and action autonomy in their food practices. PhotoVoice, a focussed ethnographical methodology where participants reflect on lived experience, was used to address the study aim. Participants (n = 21) were secondary school pupils aged 14–15 years, recruited from a school situated in an area of deprivation. Four overarching themes were developed from the qualitative data framework analysis: (1) food preference and other determinants of food choice; (2) concept, understanding and importance of health; (3) develo** autonomy, skills, and independence; and (4) role of community, friends, and family in food practices. The adolescents were develo** autonomy in relation to their food practices, whilst navigating a complex web of factors which were, in part, determined by their social class location and demographics. Participants understood the constituents of healthy eating. However, there was a perceived “effort” of being healthy, including additional time for preparing healthier food and sacrificing taste preferences. Parents, friends, and schools highly influence food choices, with adolescents preferring a broad palate of takeaway and convenience foods and would prefer to eat less of these “unhealthy” options than eat healthily.
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(This article belongs to the Section Adolescent Health Behaviors)
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