Newly Qualified Teachers’ Well-Being During the COVID-19 Pandemic: Testing a Social Support Intervention Through Design-Based Research

Around the world, newly qualified teachers are leaving the profession after only a short time working at school. This not only has a negative effect on the capacities of the respective education systems, but also for the teachers themselves, as it often due to factors such as stress and burnout that leads to this decision. The COVID-19 pandemic has exacerbated this situation by adding to the teachers’ workload, uncertainty, and stress. Previous research has investigated strategies that may help teachers improve their well-being and, among other factors, found social support to be an important condition. In this mixed methods design-based research study, we developed a design to enhance social support among newly qualified teachers in their first months working at school. Our quantitative and qualitative results show that the design has positive effects on many aspects of teachers’ well-being in the intervention group both longitudinally (before and after the intervention) and when compared to a comparison group. The findings are being discussed considering the recent changes in the working conditions of teachers as imposed by the COVID-19 pandemic.

Maternal Responsive Parenting Trajectories From Birth to Age 3 and Children's Self-Esteem at First Grade

This paper examines the quality and stability of the responsive parenting practices of mothers with infants and the longitudinal links between these practices and children’s self-esteem. Using data presented by the Panel Study on Korean Children, this study identified Korean mothers’ responsive parenting trajectories from birth to age three and examined their associations with children’s self-esteem at first grade. Korean mothers developed one of three responsive parenting patterns from birth to age three: low (19.0%), moderate (66.0%), or high (15.0%). Children’s self-esteem differed according to their mother’s responsive parenting trajectory. First-graders with mothers displaying the low responsive parenting trajectory were more likely to have lower self-esteem than children of mothers with the moderate responsive parenting trajectory and children of mothers with the high responsive parenting trajectory. The longitudinal link between mother-reported responsive parenting patterns during infancy and child-reported self-esteem at first grade was verified. This finding highlights the significance of early responsive parenting from mothers as a predictor of the self-esteem of children in later developmental stages.

How Chinese children's filial piety beliefs affect their parents' life satisfaction and loneliness

Filial piety (or xiao) is a unique Chinese culture that affects older adults' life satisfaction and loneliness. Guided by the dual filial piety model and socioemotional selectivity theory, this study explores how adult children's filial piety beliefs affect their parent's life satisfaction and loneliness. A total of 350 pairs of parent-child data were collected through a parent-child pair design. Results show that emotional support provided by adult children and emotional support perceived by parents (i.e., the transmission of emotional support) fully mediated the relationship between children's reciprocal filial piety belief and parents' life satisfaction and loneliness, and partially mediated the relationship between children's authoritarian filial piety belief and parents' life satisfaction and loneliness. However, instrumental support provided by adult children and instrumental support perceived by parents (i.e., the transmission of instrumental support) had no such mediating roles in the relationship between adult children's filial piety beliefs and parents' life satisfaction and loneliness. This finding suggests that to improve parental well-being, adult Chinese children should cultivate their filial piety and pay close attention to their parents' emotional needs.

Self-Esteem Is Independent Factor and Moderator of School-Related Psychosocial Determinants of Life Satisfaction in Adolescents

Our aim was to investigate the impact of the school psychosocial environment, including students’ general attitude towards the school, perception of support from teachers and classmates as well as individual psychosocial factors including self-esteem and loneliness on life satisfaction (LS). Four repeated cross-sectional online questionnaire surveys were carried out between 2011 and 2014, inviting all students in one Hungarian high school. Health status and behaviour were assessed by the Hungarian version of the HBSC questionnaire. Results from the surveys were pooled for analysis (N = 3310 students). Heteroskedastic regression estimating robust variance was used to identify potential determinants of LS. Family wealth perceived to be well-off, self-esteem, and being perceived as a good student were identified to be the most important significant positive contributing factors of LS. Perceived good relations with classmates and teachers and an overall positive attitude to school had smaller but still significant positive effects on LS. Self-esteem was a significant moderator for the effect of perceived difficulty of schoolwork, relation with classmates, and gender. This paper shows that self-esteem is not only an independent factor but also a modifier of some school-related variables on LS. The complex interplay among school-related and individual potential determinants of LS should be taken into account in future research by controlling for their interactions.

Examining the Post-High School Effects of a Primary Prevention Program on Exposure to Bullying and Sexual Violence among Emerging Adults

Emerging adulthood (EA) is a time of self-exploration as new opportunities for independence and autonomy arise. Yet, for some youth, this may also contribute to instability, uncertainty, and anxiety. Consequently, evidence suggests that rates of exposure to various forms of violence increase in EA. This study examined changes in experiences of bullying and sexual violence (SV) victimization among a sample of post-high school emerging adults who were exposed to a primary prevention program, Sources of Strength (Sources). We also examined whether Sources skills (e.g., healthy coping and help-seeking) buffer against these experiences. Participants were 102 emerging adults (73.5% identifying as female, 36.3% as Latinx, and 22.6% as LGBQ), who completed surveys at three time points: 1 month prior to graduation and at 6- and 12-months post-graduation. Results suggest that as youth transition into emerging adulthood, experiences of bullying victimization were relatively low and slightly decreased whereas experiences of SV were also relatively low, but stable over time. Notably, bullying victimization was lower when female-identifying participants, relative to males, had higher levels of healthy coping. In addition, SV victimization for participants identifying as non-white was higher at lower levels of coping than those identifying as white; however, at higher levels of coping, non-white participants reported lower rates of SV victimization, while rates were relatively stable for white participants at high and low levels of coping. These findings provide some support for the Sources program model where engaging in healthy coping may protect young women from bullying exposure and buffer against SV victimization for racial and ethnic minoritized young adults. Implications for violence prevention are discussed.

Wellbeing of School Communities in the Context of COVID-19 Pandemic: A Qualitative Study in Chilean Low-SES Schools

The COVID-19 pandemic continues to impact schools and how education is conveyed to students. One of the aspects that has gained strength is supporting the wellbeing of educational communities. The purpose of this study was to describe and understand the construction of school wellbeing during the pandemic, based on the notion of collective and sustainable wellbeing. Through a qualitative design, we conducted a study in four Chilean low-SES schools in which a national school mental health program is implemented. A total of 41 in-depth interviews and one group interview were conducted with students, parents, teacher, teacher assistants, school principals, psychosocial professionals, and the school mental health officers during the second half of the 2020 school year. Thematic content analyses showed that, while facing the school closure challenges, schools strived to protect students’ and teachers’ wellbeing. However, participants highlighted necessary conditions for sustaining the school community’s wellbeing and mental health in the context of the COVID-19 pandemic: assuring digital connectivity for all students; coordinated work with families and within the school; strengthening networks; curriculum adaptation and diversified pedagogical strategies; and emotional support toward teachers, families, and students. We discuss these findings and their implications for a sustainable and collective perspective of the wellbeing of school communities in low-SES schools, as well as for policy, practice, and research from the perspective of schools for social justice and health promotion.

Impact of COVID-19 Pandemic on Mental Health and Quality of Life. An Exploratory Study During the First Outbreak in Italy

The coronavirus pandemic has been sweeping the world for more than a year. As physical health begins to stabilize in the western world, an increasing concern is related to the impact of the virus and its containment measures on people's mental health. This work aimed to explore the effect of demographic factors (age, gender, level of education, and socioeconomic status) and variables such as fear of COVID-19 and social support in predicting the quality of life and mental health of adults during the first wave of the pandemic in Italy. Through an online survey with 1087 Italian adults (M = 39.7, SD = 16.39; 74.4% women), gender and socioeconomic status emerged as crucial factors in determining differences regarding people's responses and reactions to the pandemic. In addition, the results highlighted the importance of perceived social support and a moderate fear of COVID-19 in predicting people's quality of life and mental health. The study suggests important guidelines for the development of interventions to support the population's well-being and mental health.

Education and subjective well-being in Chinese rural population: A multi-group structural equation model

Purposes

This study aimed to explore the effect of education on subjective well-being (SWB) of Chinese rural dwellers who just shook off poverty in 2019 and to investigate the mediating role of social support and moderating role of age on the association.

Methods

Social support rating scale (SSRS) and General Well-Being Schedule (GWBS) were administrated among 1094 Chinese rural dwellers from Anqing, Anhui Province, China. Structural equation modeling (SEM) and multi-group SEM were performed to examine the mediating role of social support and moderating role of age in the link between education and SWB, respectively.

Results

The findings indicated that social support fully mediated the relationship between education and SWB in rural residents. Age moderated the indirect relationship between education and SWB (first stage moderation model) such that the effect of education on social support would be strengthened with aging process.

Conclusions

The results add to our understanding of the protective role of education in SWB among Chinese rural dwellers, and shed new light on the potential mechanisms underlying the association between education and SWB with respect to the mediating role of social support and moderating role of age.

College students' Twitter usage and psychological well-being from the perspective of generalised trust: comparing changes before and during the COVID-19 pandemic

Purpose

This study investigated the relationship between generalised trust and psychological well-being in college students, considering the social support obtained from their social networks via Twitter and face-to-face (FTF) interactions. Initially, the authors planned to collect data at the beginning of the first semester in 2019 for fine-tuning the model as a pilot study, and in 2020 for the main study. However, due to the coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic, the data helped authors to analyse changes in young people's psychological situation before and during the pandemic in Japan.

Design/methodology/approach

The study conducted a self-report survey targeting college students in the Kanto region in Japan. Data were collected from mid-May to the end of June 2019, as well as in early to mid-June 2020, with 304 and 584 responses, respectively. The collected data were analysed using structural equation modelling and a multiple regression analysis.

Findings

The findings using the 2019 data set indicated that (a) students mostly used Twitter for information gathering and sharing of hobbies, and they received both informatics and emotional support from Twitter, and from FTF interactions; (b) there were direct positive effects of generalised trust and social skills on their psychological well-being; and (c) students with lower levels of generalised trust tended to interact with very intimate individuals using Twitter to obtain social support, which did not have any effects on their improvement of psychological well-being. From the 2020 data set, the authors also found that, like 2019, generalised trust and social skills had direct effects on the improvement of psychological well-being. Additionally, we observed that students spent more time using Twitter and received more emotional support from it, as most people tried not to meet other people in person due to the first State of Emergency in Japan. Similarly, the authors found that in 2019, only social support from very intimate partners via FTF communication had slightly significant effects on improving their psychological well-being, whereas in 2020, their expectation for social networks via FTF had decreased their levels of psychological well-being, but their social support from Twitter had slightly significant effects on their improvement of psychological well-being. One of the main reasons for this might be due to the challenge of meeting with others in person, and therefore, social support from Twitter partially played a role that traditionally was only beneficial through FTF communication.

Originality/value

We understand that this is one of the few social psychological studies on social media that collected data both before and during the COVID-19 pandemic. It provides unique evidence in demonstrating how the COVID-19 pandemic has changed college students communication behaviours.

Social support and depressive symptoms: exploring stigma and self-efficacy in a moderated mediation model

BACKGROUND

Although some psychological processes, such as stigma and self-efficacy, affect the complicated relationship between social support and depressive symptoms, few studies explored a similar psychological mechanism among individuals with substance use disorders (SUDs). Hence, this research investigates the mediating effects of stigma and the moderating effects of self-efficacy among the psychological mechanism that social support affects depressive symptoms.

METHODS

The study included 1040 Chinese participants with SUDs and completed a series of self-report questionnaires. R software was used to organize and clean up data sets and analyze mediation and moderation effects.

RESULTS

The result showed that stigma partially mediated depressive symptoms, while self-efficacy moderated this relationship. More specifically, less social support increased depression symptoms by bringing about higher stigma. Besides, subjects with higher self-efficacy are less susceptible to stigma and therefore have mild depressive symptoms. Furthermore, clinical and theoretical implications are discussed in our study.

CONCLUSIONS

Chinese SUDs patients' depressive symptoms were indirectly affected by perceived social support via stigma and less affected by stigma with improved self-efficacy. The theoretical and practical implications of these results are discussed.

The Contributing Role of Family, School, and Peer Supportive Relationships in Protecting the Mental Wellbeing of Children and Adolescents

Globally, mental disorders are the leading cause of disability in children and adolescents. Previous research has demonstrated that supportive relationships are a key protective factor against poor mental health in children, particularly amongst those who have experienced adversity. However, fewer studies have examined the relative impact of different types of supportive relationships. The current study examined the association between level of family adult support, school adult support, and school peer support and mental wellbeing in a sample of children (age 8-15 years, N = 2,074) from schools in the UK. All three sources of support were independently associated with mental wellbeing. Analyses demonstrated a graded relationship between the number of sources of support and the odds of low mental wellbeing (LMWB), reflecting a cumulative protective effect. While all three sources of support were best, it was not vital, and analyses demonstrated a protective effect of school sources of support on LMWB amongst children with low family support. Peer support was found to be particularly important, with prevalence of LMWB similar amongst children who had high peer support (but low family and school adult support), and those who had high family and school adult support, (but low peer support), indicating that high peer support has an equivalent impact of two other protective factors. Findings from the study highlight the crucial context schools provide in fostering positive peer relationships and supportive teacher-student relationships to promote mental health and resilience for all children, including both those with and without supportive home environments.

Gender Differences Influence Gender Equality Awareness, Self-Esteem, and Subjective Well-Being Among School-Age Children in China

The objective of this study was to investigate and analyze the status and influential factors of gender equality awareness, self-esteem, and subjective well-being in school-age boys and girls. The results can help schools and teachers provide more effective gender equality and mental health education. In the study, 284 valid questionnaires were collected from a total of 323 school-age boys and girls in the Hunan Province, China (effective response rate of 87.93%). The questionnaire covered gender equality awareness, self-esteem, and subjective well-being, with the influencing factors analyzed through multiple linear regression. There was a significant correlation among children’s gender equality awareness in all areas examined (family, occupation, and school), with both boys and girls having the lowest awareness of gender equality in occupational fields. The children’s self-esteem and subjective well-being were significantly correlated as well. Gender equality awareness, self-esteem, and subjective well-being among boys and girls reflected different influential factors. Androgynous traits (neither feminine nor masculine) were conducive to the development of gender equality awareness and self-esteem among the children. Therefore, schools and teachers need to provide gender equality and mental health education according to the specific psychological characteristics of each boy and girl.

The associations of use of social network sites with perceived social support and loneliness

Research shows that use of social network sites is associated with loneliness and this may be amplified in tertiary students by their transition from home life, especially if they struggle to integrate with peers. The buffering effects of social support may offer a solution and the online dimension may offer a suitable outlet for lonely and isolated students. In this study, N = 111 university students, aged 18-40, completed a frequency assessment of Instagram and WhatsApp, the Spanish version of the UCLA loneliness scale and the Multidimensional Scale of Social Support in an online survey. The statistical analysis was completed by Structural Equation Modeling using AMOS 25.0. The construct validity of social network sites was established by good factor loadings for WhatsApp and Instagram, but Facebook was excluded as it did not load adequately on to the latent measurement model, in keeping with the diminishing trend for Facebook use in young students. Loneliness emerged as pivotal in a mediation model, and online social support from friends/significant others, emerged as salient in the predictive model in contrast to family. However, these associations may not have the same advantageous weight for mature students given the observed negative associations with age. Results may have implications for policy and planning through highlighting the psychological variables that are operative in the dynamics of integration, retention, and adjustment to tertiary level experience.

Educational Concerns, Health Concerns and Mental Health During Early COVID-19 School Closures: The Role of Perceived Support by Teachers, Family, and Friends

This study investigated whether school closures and health-related uncertainties in the early phases of the COVID-19 pandemic posed risk factors for adolescents’ mental health and whether perceived social support by parents, teachers, and friends functioned as protective factors. In particular, we argued that perceived social support would buffer negative associations between educational and health concerns and mental health. Based on a person-centered approach, we first examined resilience profiles. These profiles reflect configurations regarding the levels of these risk and protective factors and levels of mental health. Second, we analyzed whether these risk and protective factors predicted adolescents’ mental health differently by using a variable-centered approach. The sample consisted of 1’562 adolescents (Mage = 16.18, SD = 1.48, range = 14-20 years; 72% females) in lower and higher secondary education from three regions: German-speaking part of Switzerland, N = 486; Italian-speaking part of Switzerland, N = 760; and Northern Italy N = 316. Results from the person-centered approach revealed three latent profiles characterized by low (19%), average (47%), or high resilience (34%). Lower resilience was associated with higher educational concerns, lower perceived social support, and lower mental health, while high resilience was characterized by lower concerns, higher support, and higher mental health. Importantly, educational concerns varied more between profiles than health concerns, and perceived teacher and family support varied more than perceived friend support. Corroborating these findings, the variable-centered approach (i.e., a path analysis) revealed that educational concerns were a stronger predictor than health concerns and pointed to a higher relative importance of perceived family support for adolescents’ mental health relative to perceived teacher and friend support. Taken together, the findings suggest that adolescents’ educational concerns and perceived family support, respectively, were stronger risk and protective factors for their mental health during school closures related to the COVID-19 pandemic. Finally, adolescents from regions being more exposed to the COVID-19 pandemic, namely, Italian-speaking part of Switzerland and Northern Italy, were more likely classified in the low or the average rather than in the high resilience profile compared to students from the region with lower exposure, that is, the German-speaking part of Switzerland.

Genetic and Environmental Influences on Perceived Social Support: Differences by Sex and Relationship

Previous research has shown that self-reports of the amount of social support are heritable. Using the Kessler perceived social support (KPSS) measure, we explored sex differences in the genetic and environmental contributions to individual differences. We did this separately for subscales that captured the perceived support from different members of the network (spouse, twin, children, parents, relatives, friends and confidant). Our sample comprised 7059 male, female and opposite-sex twin pairs aged 18−95 years from the Australian Twin Registry. We found tentative support for different genetic mechanisms in males and females for support from friends and the average KPSS score of all subscales, but otherwise, there are no sex differences. For each subscale alone, the additive genetic (A) and unique environment (E) effects were significant. By contrast, the covariation among the subscales was explained — in roughly equal parts — by A, E and the common environment, with effects of different support constellations plausibly accounting for the latter. A single genetic and common environment factor accounted for between half and three-quarters of the variance across the subscales in both males and females, suggesting little heterogeneity in the genetic and environmental etiology of the different support sources.

Anxiety Trajectories in Adolescents and the Impact of Social Support and Peer Victimization

This paper examines whether adolescents can be reliably categorized into subgroups based on their patterns of anxiety levels over time and whether low levels of social support from parents, peers, and their school, and high levels of peer victimization, predict a pattern of increasing anxiety. Participants were 3392 youth from the Longitudinal Study of Australia's Children (LSAC). Youth-reported anxiety was measured at three occasions at ages 12/13 years, 14/15 years, and 16/17 years, with social support and victimization assessed at age 12/13 years. Anxiety trajectories were identified using latent class growth mixture modelling, and predictors of class membership were examined using multinomial logistic regression analyses. Three discrete classes of anxiety trajectories were identified. Most youth fell within a stable-low anxiety symptom class (89.5% males; 78.2% females), with smaller percentages in low-increasing (5.6% males; 14.4% females) or high-decreasing (4.9% males; 7.4% females) classes. Low support from parents and teachers, low sense of school belonging, and high peer victimization predicted membership of the low-increasing anxiety trajectory class, irrespective of gender. Social support did not moderate the effect of peer victimization upon the risk of developing anxiety, with peer victimization remaining a risk factor even when adolescents experienced good social support from parents, peers, and school. The findings highlight the need for screening in early adolescence to identify those who are experiencing low social support and high peer victimization and are thus at increased risk of developing anxiety problems. These youth could then be offered targeted intervention to reduce the likelihood of anxiety development.

Perceived Support and Sense of Social Belonging in Young Adults Who Have a Parent With a Mental Illness

This participatory action research explores the perceived social support of youth whose parents have a mental illness during their transition to adulthood. Social support is an important protection factor during this developmental period, but few studies have explored how these young adults perceive their social support. Nor has any study assessed whether participation in a group-based participatory action research project could improve these youth's sense of support. Purpose: (1) identify which aspects of social support these youth spontaneously address when talking about their experiences in Photovoice workshops; (2) explore how participants view these types of workshops as a good way to improve their sense of social support and belonging. Methodology: Ten young adults (nine women and one man) between the ages of 18 and 25 who have at least one parent with a mental illness participated in Photovoice meetings in 2019. These group meetings aimed to explore and share their experiences as young adults whose parents have a mental illness. The testimonies were combined with data obtained from the abbreviated version of the Social Provisions Scale and the Scale of Social Belonging. Results: The quantitative results suggest that participants consider their social support levels to be high, but their qualitative statements highlight low level or absence of parental support in terms of emotional, informative or instrumental levels. They see themselves as an important source of support for their parent and discuss the importance of having other supports figures (romantic partner, employer, friends, sibling, etc.). Conversely, they have difficulty asking for help for various reasons (including fear of stigma). They consider that their participation in this Photovoice project allowed them to feel heard, supported and to develop a sense of belonging to a group. Discussion: To conclude, clinical issues to be considered for psychosocial intervention with young adults of parents with a mental illness are discussed.

Validity evidence for the School Subjective Well-Being Scale

Abstract This study gathered validity evidence based on relations to other variables for the School Subjective Well-being Scale. The sample consisted of 434 students of both genders, with age ranging from 12 to 19 years (M = 14.88; SD = 1.70); they were all students from the 7th grade Elementary School to the 2nd grade High School, attending a public school located in Ceará, Brazil. The School Subjective Well-being Scale, a sociodemographic and school questionnaire, was applied, as well as the Baptist Depression Scale for Children and Adolescents, the Global Life Satisfaction Scale for Adolescents, the Social Support Perception Scale for Adolescents. The scale factors showed significant positive and negative, moderate to high correlations and the measure’s scores of school well-being allowed differentiation among groups regarding gender and school issues.

Social alienation of adolescents with obesity in classrooms: A multilevel approach

INTRODUCTION

Adolescents with obesity are more likely to be isolated by peers, but whether they also choose to disengage from their peers remains unclear.

METHODS

This study examined a sample of 646 adolescents between the age of 13 and 16 across 34 classrooms in 3 junior high schools in Taiwan, with data collected from May to June 2019. The sociometric network nomination method assessed peer relationships, such as unpopularity, unsociability, and alienation. Multilevel models were applied to explore the extent to which the class-level prevalence of overweight and obesity and peer support moderate the relationship between student-level obesity and peer relationships.

RESULTS

Overall, students with obesity were more likely to experience unpopularity, unsociability, and alienation from their peers in classroom settings (adjusted odds ratio [AOR] = 1.904, 2.208, 2.777, p < .05). Regardless of their obesity status, students in high classroom peer support were less likely to report unsociability (AOR = 0.124, p < .05). No cross-level interactions were observed, indicating that students with obesity did not experience a reduction of peer rejection in high peer support classrooms. Neither did obese students in classrooms with higher rates of overweight and obesity.

CONCLUSIONS

Students with obesity were more likely to experience interpersonal problems. Classroom peer support can increase peer acceptance for typical students but has no beneficial influence on adolescents with weight problems. Classroom peer support needs to be directed to become adequate support for students with obesity.

Cultural differences in social support seeking: The mediating role of empathic concern

Prior research has found that East Asians are less willing than Westerners to seek social support in times of need. What factors account for this cultural difference? Whereas previous research has examined the mediating effect of relational concern, we predicted that empathic concern, which refers to feeling sympathy and concern for people in need and varies by individuals from different cultures, would promote support seeking. We tested the prediction in two studies. In Study 1, European Canadians reported higher empathic concern and a higher frequency of support seeking, compared to the Japanese participants. As predicted, cultural differences in social support seeking were influenced by empathic concern. In Study 2, both empathic concern and relational concern mediated cultural differences in support seeking. Japanese with lower empathic concern but higher relational concern were more reluctant than European Americans to seek social support during stressful times. Finally, loneliness, which was more prevalent among the Japanese than among the European Americans, was partially explained by social support seeking.

The COVID-19 Pandemic Impact on Households of Young Children With Special Healthcare Needs

OBJECTIVE

This study examined how the COVID-19 pandemic differently affected households of children with versus without special healthcare needs. We compared caregivers' and children's emotional well-being (Aim 1), the utilization of preventive healthcare services for young children (Aim 2), and the promotive effects of social support on well-being outcomes (Aim 3) during the pandemic between the two groups.

METHODS

Data were drawn from an ongoing, large, longitudinal, and national survey that assessed the pandemic impact on households of young children (0-5). Analyses for Aims 1 and 2 were based on 10,572 households, among which 10.96% had children with special healthcare needs. Analyses for Aim 3 were based on a subsample of 821 families, among which 12.54% had children with special healthcare needs.

RESULTS

Caregivers of children with special healthcare needs exhibited more emotional distress and reported higher levels of household children's behavioral problems during the pandemic. The percentages of missed preventive healthcare visits and vaccinations were also higher in families of children with special healthcare needs due to structural barriers. Lastly, emotional social support was indirectly related to children's decreased behavioral problems through caregivers' reduced emotional distress, only among households of children without special healthcare needs. In other words, social support alone was not sufficient in promoting caregivers' and children's better well-being outcomes among households of children with special healthcare needs.

CONCLUSIONS

The pandemic has caused extensive burdens on families of children with special healthcare needs. Actions from policymakers and early intervention service providers are urgently needed to mitigate these impacts.

The Development and Validation of the Familial Support of Multiracial Experiences Scale

The purpose of this study was to develop a measure of familial support of Multiracial individuals’ unique racial experiences to advance the field’s understanding of how familial processes influence Multiracial development. A sample of 422 Multiracial college students (77.7% female, Mage = 20.05) from three different regions of the United States completed the survey. Exploratory factor analysis results suggested a two-factor measure. Multiracial Conscious Support, a 15-item subscale, represented support strategies unique to Multiracial individuals’ experiences of discrimination and identity exploration. The second 7-item subscale, Multiple Heritage Validation, represented validation of membership in multiple racial groups. The factor structure was supported by confirmatory factor analysis findings with a separate sample. Support was found for the reliability and validity of each subscale. This study provides evidence validating the first measure of familial support of Multiracial experiences, highlighting two themes of support addressing unique experiences of being Multiracial, and validating multiple racial group memberships.

Dual-Factor Mental Health from Childhood to Early Adolescence and Associated Factors: A Latent Transition Analysis

The dual-factor model of mental health indicates the importance of simultaneously assessing symptoms and subjective wellbeing, but there is limited understanding of how dual-factor mental health changes during the transition from childhood to early adolescence and factors associated with change. The current study investigated dual-factor mental health over a 2-year period from when children were 8–9 years old to 10–11 years old (N = 2402; 48% female), using latent transition analysis. Further analyses determined whether sex and peer support were associated with initial mental health status or specific transitions during this period. Following class enumeration procedures, a 5-class model was selected at both timepoints. Classes were: (1) complete mental health, (2) vulnerable, (3) emotional symptoms but content, (4) conduct problems but content, and (5) troubled. Half of the sample changed mental health status during the study period. Sex and peer support were associated with specific mental health statuses and subsequent transitions. The findings have implications for mental health screening practice and identifying those in need of targeted interventions.

LET's CONNECT Community Mentorship Program for Adolescents with Peer Social Problems: A Randomized Intervention Trial

This study examined the effectiveness of LET's CONNECT (LC), a community mentorship program based on the positive youth development model. Participants were 218 youth (66.5% girls), ages 12 to 15, who reported peer victimization, bullying perpetration, and/or low social connectedness. These youth were randomized to LC or the control group (community resource information). The LC program linked youth to community mentors who connected with youth and facilitated their involvement in social growth activities across a 16-month period. Outcomes were assessed at 6 and 16 months with self-report measures of social and community connectedness, thwarted belongingness, depression, self-esteem, and suicidal ideation and behavior. In intent-to-treat analyses, LC was associated with modest positive effects for social connectedness, self-esteem, and depression. It had no effects on suicidal ideation or behavior. Results suggest that LC has the potential to positively impact the developmental trajectories of youth dealing with the interpersonal challenges of victimization, bullying perpetration, or low social connectedness. LC implementation challenges and directions for further research are also discussed.

Anxiety, resilience and local conditions: A cross-cultural investigation in the time of Covid-19

The spread of Covid‐19 is a worldwide phenomenon, unprecedented in modern times. Differences among countries in such matters are of interest as they provide a unique window to understand human behaviour and culture. The aim of this study is to examine cross‐cultural differences in state anxiety, and any moderating role of resilience and social contact. Participants from three countries were recruited: Ireland (n = 449), Italy (n = 324) and Spain (n = 471). While these countries share many characteristics, it was anticipated that their experiences might differ because of pronounced differences in governmental measures and the local severity and history of the pandemic at the time of data collection. Results indicated that: (a) Resilience was negatively related to state anxiety both bivariately and multivariately; (b) number of hours outside per week did not predict state anxiety but was negatively correlated with fear of contagious diseases in the essential workers from the Irish sample; (c) national measures had a moderating role in the relationship between resilience and state anxiety; and (d) social contact, in terms of numbers of written, audio or visual interactions, was not a statistically significant predictor of state anxiety. These results may help to understand the adverse impact on mental health.

Interpersonal trust in adolescents with psychiatric disorders and borderline pathology

Background:

Adolescents with features of borderline personality disorder (BPD) may experience deficits in interpersonal trust; however, a simultaneous comparison of interpersonal trust among adolescents with BPD, other psychiatric disorders, and no psychiatric conditions (healthy controls) has never been conducted.

Objective:

The aims of this study were to 1) explore differences in interpersonal trust (emotional trust, honesty beliefs, and reliability beliefs) between these three groups, and 2) examine the incremental value of BPD features in association with interpersonal trust over and above internalizing and externalizing.

Method:

Adolescents (N = 445, 67.9% female, M_age = 15.13) recruited from two psychiatric hospitals (psychiatric sample, n = 280) and community organizations (healthy sample, n = 165) completed measures of BPD features, interpersonal trust, and internalizing and externalizing psychopathology. Psychiatric adolescents also completed an interview assessing BPD (n = 83 BPD). ANCOVA and hierarchical linear regression were used for analyses.

Results:

Emotional trust differed significantly across all three groups, with the lowest level of emotional trust in adolescents with BPD. Reliability was also lower in the two psychiatric groups relative to healthy controls. BPD features were significantly, inversely associated with emotional trust and reliability beliefs when controlling for internalizing and externalizing pathology. Post-hoc analyses testing specificity of the three forms of trust found that lower emotional trust predicted BPD diagnosis over and above the other two forms of trust.

Conclusions:

Findings highlight emotional trust as a correlate and important target of intervention for adolescents with BPD, and add to knowledge on interpersonal trust deficits for adolescents with psychiatric disorders more broadly.

The Dark Triad Traits and the Prediction of Eudaimonic Wellbeing

Although numerous studies have focused on personality traits related to well-being, the relationship between the Dark Triad Traits and eudaimonic well-being is still unclear. The purpose of the present study was to explore how the Dark Triad Traits (i.e., narcissism, Machiavellianism, and psychopathy) affect eudaimonic well-being. Further, this study also aimed to explore the mediation effect of family support and hedonic wellbeing. The results showed that the present model had a good model fit (χ²/df = 1.91, p < 0.001, comparative-fit-index (CFI) = 0.96, tucker-lewis-index (TLI) = 0.95, root mean square error of approximation (RMSEA) = 0.04, standardized root mean square residual (SRMR) = 0.04). There is a significant association between the Dark Triad Traits and eudaimonic wellbeing. Specifically, narcissism directly predicts eudaimonic wellbeing, while the effects of Machiavellianism and psychopathy on eudaimonic wellbeing are serial two-mediator models, which are mediated by family support and hedonic wellbeing. The results would enrich theoretical studies on personality while providing some practical evidence on how to improve the subjective well-being of individuals.

Youths' Perceived Impact of Invalidation and Validation on Their Mental Health Treatment Journeys

Youths' experiences in seeking and accessing help for mental health problems can have pervasive and lasting effects on personal and interpersonal functioning. In particular, youth who experience validating experiences presumably persevere in seeking help and generally have positive treatment outcomes, whereas youth who experience invalidation are also likely to experience, at least in the short term, ruptures in therapeutic relationships, shame, and reluctance to seek services. The goal of the current study was to expand on previous research assessing youths' interactions with mental health providers, allied professionals, family members, and peers, with a focus on subjective experiences of validation and invalidation. The current study investigated both validating and invalidating experiences in seeking, accessing, and maintaining professional services among 31 Canadian youth (n = 20 girls, n = 11 boys; 12 to 21 years old [M = 16.97, SD = 2.01]) who were diagnosed or self-identified with at least one of five conditions: depression (n = 26), anxiety (n = 22), eating disorders (n = 9), autism spectrum disorder (n = 2), or conduct disorder or oppositional defiant disorder (n = 2). Youth were recruited using convenience (e.g., posted advertisements in mental health clinics) and snowball sampling methods. Journey mapping methodology (i.e., participants created visual representations of milestones of their mental health journeys) was employed accompanied by semi-structured interviews to prompt youth to expand on their experiences (e.g., "Could you describe what was happening in your life when you first felt you would need support for your mental health?"). Four themes emerged using inductive thematic analysis, marked by the presence (validation) or lack (invalidation) of: feeling heard, feeling seen, feeling understood, and receiving helpful actions. Participants also reported key consequences of validation and invalidation. Findings broaden a conceptualization of validation across supportive relationships and an understanding of factors that enhance or impede the formation or maintenance of therapeutic relationships with youth. Clinical implications and limitations are discussed.

National or population level interventions addressing the social determinants of mental health - an umbrella review

BACKGROUND

Social circumstances in which people live and work impact the population's mental health. We aimed to synthesise evidence identifying effective interventions and policies that influence the social determinants of mental health at national or scaled population level. We searched five databases (Cochrane Library, Global Health, MEDLINE, EMBASE and PsycINFO) between Jan 1st 2000 and July 23rd 2019 to identify systematic reviews of population-level interventions or policies addressing a recognised social determinant of mental health and collected mental health outcomes. There were no restrictions on country, sub-population or age. A narrative overview of results is provided. Quality assessment was conducted using Assessment of Multiple Systematic Reviews (AMSTAR 2). This study was registered on PROSPERO (CRD42019140198).

RESULTS

We identified 20 reviews for inclusion. Most reviews were of low or critically low quality. Primary studies were mostly observational and from higher income settings. Higher quality evidence indicates more generous welfare benefits may reduce socioeconomic inequalities in mental health outcomes. Lower quality evidence suggests unemployment insurance, warm housing interventions, neighbourhood renewal, paid parental leave, gender equality policies, community-based parenting programmes, and less restrictive migration policies are associated with improved mental health outcomes. Low quality evidence suggests restriction of access to lethal means and multi-component suicide prevention programmes are associated with reduced suicide risk.

CONCLUSION

This umbrella review has identified a small and overall low-quality evidence base for population level interventions addressing the social determinants of mental health. There are significant gaps in the evidence base for key policy areas, which limit ability of national policymakers to understand how to effectively improve population mental health.

The correlation between social support and post-traumatic stress disorder in children and adolescents: A meta-analysis

BACKGROUND

Risk factors exploring the link between trauma and Post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) have been extensively explored in adults, however, less is known about child and adolescent populations.

METHODS

The current meta-analysis aimed to systematically evaluate and summarise the child focused literature to estimate the strength of the relationship between social support and PTSD symptoms following traumatic events.

RESULTS

Fifty primary studies reporting an effect size for the relationship between total social support scale or a source of social support with PTSD were included. A small effect size was found for the relationship between social support and PTSD (r = -0.12, 95% CI -0.16 to -0.07, k = 41), with large heterogeneity (I² = 90.3%). The effect sizes between peer support (r = -0.18, 95% CI -0.10 to -0.25, k = 12), family support (r = -0.16, 95% CI -0.09 to -0.24, k = 13) and teacher support (r = -0.20, 95% CI -0.15 to -0.24, k = 5) and PTSD were also small. Moderator analyses indicated that studies reporting on participants exposed to abuse (r = -0.25) and correlations based on univariate data (r = -0.14) had higher correlations and medium heterogeneity. The main effect size was robust to publication bias and study quality.

LIMITATIONS

The cross-sectional design of the studies limits the findings and future research using prospective and longitudinal design would help to explain the relationship between social support and PTSD further.

CONCLUSIONS

The current review suggests that social support may only play a small role in protecting against PTSD and future research may benefit from exploring the link between post-trauma cognitions and social support.

Ostracism, Psychological Capital, Perceived Social Support and Depression among Economically Disadvantaged Youths: A Moderated Mediation Model

Mental health promotion of economically disadvantaged youths is a popular issue in current China. Economically disadvantaged youths are at greater risk of depression. Ostracism may be an important predictor of depression for them. However, no consensus has been reached on the underlying mechanism between ostracism and depression. A total of 1207 economically disadvantaged youths were recruited from six universities in China. These youths were asked to complete questionnaires measuring depression, ostracism, psychological capital, and perceived social support. A moderated mediation model was examined by using IBM SPSS STATISTICS 27macro program PROCESS version 3.5, in which psychological capital was a mediating variable, and perceived social support was a moderating variable. Lack of causal inferences and self-report bias due to the cross-sectional and self-report survey need to be considered when interpreting results. The results revealed that ostracism was positively associated with depression among economically disadvantaged youths. Psychological capital partially mediated the association. Perceived social support moderated the indirect association between ostracism and depression via psychological capital among economically disadvantaged females. Training and intentional practice of psychological capital could be the core to develop the depression interventions targeting economically disadvantaged youths with experience of ostracism. Gender and perceived social support need to be considered in developing the interventions.

Associations between adolescents' internalizing problems and well-being: is there a buffering role of boys' and girls' relationships with their mothers and fathers?

Background

Internalizing mental health problems (i.e., depression and anxiety symptoms) are known to be related negatively to adolescents’ well-being. However, whether this negative association manifests equally in boys and girls, and the potential buffering role of high-quality relationships with mothers and fathers, remain unknown. Thus, the present study was conducted to 1) investigate associations among adolescents’ internalizing problems and mother– and father–adolescent relationship quality, on the one hand, and adolescents’ well-being, on the other hand, 2) explore the buffering role of high-quality mother– and father–adolescent relationships in the association between adolescents’ internalizing problems and well-being, and 3) examine gender differences in these main and buffering effects.

Methods

The analysis sample consisted of 1064 adolescents (53.7% girls; aged 11–17 years) from three secondary schools in the Netherlands. Participants filled out an online questionnaire incorporating the Mental Health Continuum–Short Form to measure well-being, the Revised Child Anxiety and Depression Scale-25 to measure internalizing problems, and the Network of Relationships Inventory to measure mother– and father–adolescent relationship quality. The cross-sectional data were analyzed using path models in R, controlling for age, ethnocultural background, and education level. Multigroup analyses were performed to identify gender differences.

Results

Adolescents with fewer internalizing problems (β = − 0.40, p < 0.001) and adolescents with higher-quality relationships with their mothers and fathers reported higher concurrent levels of well-being (β = 0.10 to 0.18, all p < 0.01). The quality of mother-adolescent relationships had a significantly larger association with adolescents’ well-being than that of father-adolescent relationship quality. However, relationships with mothers and fathers did not significantly buffer the association between adolescents’ internalizing problems and well-being. Multigroup analyses revealed no difference between boys and girls.

Conclusions

The current study contributes to the understanding of internalizing problems as an important risk factor for adolescents’ well-being, regardless of the quality of relationships with mothers and fathers. The quality of adolescents’ relationships with their parents is associated positively with their well-being, even in the presence of internalizing problems. These findings underline the importance of mothers’ and fathers’ roles in adolescent boys’ and girls’ well-being.

Associations of Family Functioning and Social Support With Psychopathology in Children of Mentally Ill Parents: Multilevel Analyses From Different Rating Perspectives

Offspring of mentally ill parents is at heightened risk for psychological symptoms. The identification of environmental factors that predict their mental health is crucial for the development of preventive and therapeutic measures. In the current study, we addressed the combined role of family functioning and social support by taking mentally ill patients’, their partners’, and children’s perspectives into account. The cross-sectional sample included n=195 families (195 patients, 127 partners, and 295 children). Family members completed questionnaires related to family functioning, social support as well as parental and child psychopathology. We conducted multilevel analyses to investigate the associations with internalizing and externalizing problems in children. Family functioning and social support were significantly associated with child internalizing and externalizing problems. However, results varied depending on the rating perspective. We found significant interaction effects of family functioning and social support on child psychopathology. The findings point to the importance of family functioning and social support as potential targets for interventions. Findings should be replicated in future longitudinal studies.

The effects of adverse and advantageous childhood experiences on adult health in a low-income sample

BACKGROUND

Previous studies have indicated the advantageous childhood experiences (counter-ACEs) may improve health in adulthood regardless of adverse childhood experiences (ACEs) scores. However, these studies have primarily been conducted in low-risk communities, and little is known whether the results are similar in low-income settings.

OBJECTIVE

The purpose of this study was to examine the effects of ACEs and counter-ACEs on mental and physical health in a low-income sample. A secondary objective was to assess the effects of repeated and prolonged exposure to ACEs on later health.

PARTICIPANTS AND SETTING

The sample included 206 low-income adults living in the western United States who completed a survey about their childhood experiences and adult health.

METHODS

A series of logistic regression analyses were performed to examine the effects of ACEs and counter-ACEs on adult health.

RESULTS

Irrespective of ACEs, counter-ACEs were associated with lower odds of having two or more emotional and cognitive health problems and lower odds of suicidality in the past 12 months. When accounting for counter-ACEs, ACEs were associated with higher odds of having ever smoked and suicidality in the past 12 months, though these odds were attenuated compared to the unadjusted models. In the presence of repeated or prolonged ACEs exposure, counter-ACEs were associated with lower odds of having ever smoked and emotional and cognitive health problems.

CONCLUSIONS

The findings suggest that helping children develop healthy relationships within their family, community, and school may lead to improved health in adulthood even in the presence of poverty and childhood adversity.

With(out) a little help from my friends: insecure attachment in adolescence, support-seeking, and adult negativity and hostility

Attachment theory suggests that insecurely attached individuals will have more difficulty seeking and receiving support from others. Such struggles in adolescence may reinforce negative expectations of others and contribute to relationship difficulties into adulthood. Using a diverse community sample of 184 adolescents followed from age 13 to 27, along with friends and romantic partners, this study found that more insecure states of mind regarding attachment at age 14 predicted relative decreases in teens' abilities to seek and receive support from close friends from ages 14-18. In addition, greater attachment insecurity predicted greater observed negative interactions with romantic partners and relative increases in hostile attitudes from ages 14 to 27. The effect of attachment insecurity on observed negativity was mediated by difficulty seeking/receiving support in friendships during adolescence. Results suggest a type of self-fulfilling prophecy as insecure adolescents confirm their negative expectations of others through ongoing struggles to obtain support.

Longitudinal associations among adolescents' internalizing problems, well-being, and the quality of their relationships with their mothers, fathers, and close friends

RATIONALE

Internalizing problems (i.e., depressive and anxiety symptoms) are known to decrease adolescents' well-being, but knowledge about potential underlying mechanisms is limited. The qualities of adolescents' most proximal relationships with their parents and close friends are expected to play a role in the association between adolescents' internalizing problems and well-being.

OBJECTIVE

The present study was conducted to 1) investigate the indirect longitudinal association between internalizing problems and adolescents' well-being via the quality of adolescents' relationships with both their mothers and fathers and their close friends, and 2) test whether our findings were gender invariant.

METHODS

Data were collected via online questionnaires in two waves at a 12-month interval from adolescents attending three secondary schools in the Netherlands (N = 1298; M age = 13.7 years, 53.2% girls). The data were analyzed using a two-wave cross-lagged panel model in R. Multigroup analyses were performed to examine the gender invariance of the findings.

RESULTS

After controlling for baseline levels, results showed that (1) girls, but not boys, who reported more internalizing problems at T1 had lower well-being at T2; (2) girls and boys who reported more internalizing problems at T1 had lower-quality relationships with their mothers, fathers, and close friends at T2; and (3) boys, but not girls, who reported higher-quality friendships at T1 had higher well-being at T2. However, no significant indirect effects between internalizing problems and well-being via the quality of adolescents' relationships with their parents and close friends were detected.

CONCLUSIONS

The current study contributes to understanding internalizing problems as an important risk factor to the quality of adolescents' proximal social relationships (parents, friends) and their well-being. The findings support the importance of building high-quality relationships, particularly friendships, and recommend future research to study adolescents' internalizing problems and well-being including gender-specific examinations.

Perceived Social Support and Latent Herpesvirus Reactivation: Testing Main and Stress-Buffering Effects in an Ethnically Diverse Sample of Adults

OBJECTIVE

Perceived social support is consistently associated with physical health outcomes, and one potential physiological mechanism underlying this association is immune function. In this study, we tested both the main and stress-buffering effects of perceived social support on cellular immunity measured via latent herpesvirus reactivation.

METHODS

Data were collected from a community-based sample of 1443 ethnically diverse adults between the ages of 25 and 90 years. Participants self-reported measures of perceived social support, stressful life events, daily hassles, and perceived stress, and provided a blood sample to assess antibody titers to the herpes simplex virus type 1 and Epstein-Barr virus (EBV).

RESULTS

In accordance with the main effect hypothesis, results indicated that perceived social support was directly associated with EBV viral capsid antigen antibody titers (β = -0.06, 95% confidence interval = -0.12 to -0.01, p = .029). Perceived social support, however, did not interact with stressful life events, daily hassles, or perceived stress to influence latent herpesvirus reactivation (p values > .05). Neither race/ethnicity nor age moderated any of the interactions between perceived social support and the stress measures on latent herpesvirus reactivation (p values > .10).

CONCLUSIONS

Overall, the current study supports the main effect hypothesis, according to which higher levels of perceived social support were associated with lower levels of herpesvirus antibody titers.

Positive and Negative Online Experiences and Loneliness in Peruvian Adolescents During the COVID-19 Lockdown

Global COVID-19 lockdowns have disrupted adolescents' in-person social networks, increasing likelihood of loneliness. Social media can help adolescents maintain and develop peer relationships across distance. In this short longitudinal study with 735 Peruvian adolescents (ages: 11-17) from low-to-middle-income urban settings, we investigated whether online experiences relate to loneliness during initial stages of lockdown. Loneliness remained constant between week 6 and 11 of lockdown, was higher for females and similar across school-grades. Positive and negative online experiences were more frequent for older students, and females experienced more negative online experiences than males. Greater positive online experiences related to lower loneliness, with the reverse pattern for negative online experiences. Our results suggest that positive online experiences may mitigate loneliness during physical isolation.

Self-Compassion and Social Connectedness as Predictors of “Peace and Meaning” during Spain’s Initial COVID-19 Lockdown

The COVID-19 lockdown has had a massive psychological impact on mental health in the general population, with increases in anxiety, depression, and post-traumatic stress disorder. Spiritual well-being, specifically peace and meaning, has already been identified as one of the main protective factors for these disorders in the COVID-19 context. The aim of the present study is to identify facilitating elements for peace and meaning during the COVID-19 lockdown in Spain. Online surveys were used to obtain data from a sample of 3480 Spanish people. Self-compassion and social support were positively related with peace and meaning, while loneliness and perceived discrimination were negatively related. The model for peace and meaning was statistically significant, explaining 47% of the variance. The significant variables were self-kindness, family support, mindfulness, and sense of belonging having a positive association and loneliness a negative one.

Preparing for Future Adversities: Lessons From the COVID-19 Pandemic in Australia for Promoting Relational Resilience in Families

Background: The COVID-19 pandemic has placed considerable pressure on families, testing the quality of relationships and the strength of social support within and beyond the family network. However, little is known about the pre-pandemic factors that predict family relational resilience and social functioning during times of natural disaster or global crisis. Here we use data from one of Australia's longest running studies of social and emotional development to examine the nature and timing of possible relational and social support intervention aimed at preparing families for future adversities. Methods: Data were from the Australian Temperament Project Generation 3 (ATPG3) Study, a population representative three generation cohort study of families established in 1983. A subset of Generation 2 parents completed a COVID-19 specific survey in May-September 2020 (502 parents of 871 children; 60% mothers; 37-38 years). These participants had completed the Quality of Relationships Inventory to assess social support during young adulthood, at 23-24 years (2006) and 27-28 years (2010), before next generation conception. Participants had also completed the Maternity Social Support Scale 1 year postpartum for each child born across the ATPG3 assessment period (2012-2019). In 2020, during the height of the Australian lockdowns, participants rated the quality of their relationships with their partners, children and broader family and friends, in addition to social support within and extended beyond their family. Results: Pre-pandemic partner support was associated with partner relationship quality during the pandemic (β = 0.22). Pre-pandemic support from friends was associated with relationship quality with other family and friends during the pandemic (β = 0.12 - 0.18). Pre-pandemic support (from partner, family and friends) was consistently associated with social support within families during the pandemic (β = 0.11 - 0.21). Pre-pandemic support from friends was also associated with family support extended to others within their local community during the pandemic (β = 0.12 - 0.13). Conclusions: Strengthening supportive relationships during major life transitions, prior to the start of family life and in early parenthood, may have long-term and intergenerational benefits years into the future for both families and communities. This may promote resilience during future crises and other more normative stressful life events.

What game we are playing: the psychosocial context of problem gambling, problem gaming and poor well-being among Italian high school students

Gambling and gaming are not infrequent among adolescents and preventing low-risk youth from becoming at-risk appears to be a priority of public health strategies. Greater scrutiny of the risk and protective factors in the relationships and community of young people appears crucial in steering prevention initiatives adequately. This study aimed to explore the role of the qualities of relational networks (i.e. family functioning, perceived social and class support), family and peer approval and view of the social environment in predicting problem gambling, problem gaming and overall well-being among adolescents. High-school students aged 14-18 years (N: 595; female: 68,7%) completed a survey including the target variables. A multivariate multiple regression analysis was performed to examine the role of socio-demographic characteristics and psychosocial predictors on gaming, gambling, and well-being. Multivariate multiple regressions identify a common core underpinning problem gambling, gaming and poor well-being but also the distinct roles of psychosocial variables: being male, with low parental monitoring, and an anomic view of the social environment all predict problem gambling and gaming, which were also found to be associated. Low social support predicts problem gambling but not problem gaming; poor family functioning predicts problem gaming but not problem gambling. All the target psychosocial variables, except approval of gambling, predict poor well-being. On the whole the findings suggest the need to look more closely at the way adolescents, their system of activity and their culture participate in constructing the meaning of gambling and gaming activities and their impact on adolescents' well-being, so that future studies and strategies can more effectively examine the relational dynamics in which problem gambling and gaming develop.

Associations Between Child Maltreatment and Adolescents' Health-Related Quality of Life and Emotional and Social Problems in Low-Income Families, and the Moderating Role of Social Support

This study aimed to examine the associations between different types of child maltreatment and health-related quality of life (HRQoL) and emotional and social problems in adolescents, and to examine the moderating effect of social support on those associations. A cross-sectional survey was conducted between January and June 2016 in Hong Kong. The sample comprised 351 parent and adolescent dyads from low-income families. The parents reported on child maltreatment (physical abuse, psychological aggression, and neglect), and the adolescents reported on their HRQoL, emotional problems, and social problems. The adolescents' perceived social support was included as a potential moderator. Results of the study show that child physical abuse was strongly associated with emotional and social problems (B = 0.91-1.45, p < .05). Lower overall HRQoL was associated with psychological aggression (B = -3.96, p < .05) and neglect (B = -4.14, p < .05). Physical functioning was affected by psychological aggression (B = -3.16, p < .05), and emotional functioning was affected by neglect (B = -4.82, p < .05). Social functioning was impacted by all three types of maltreatment (B = -9.16 to -5.26, p < .05). This study extends previous literature by showing the varying effects of different types of child maltreatment on children's health in the context of low-income families. The findings of this study also support that peer social support may buffer the effects of child physical abuse on adolescents' emotional and social problems.

Predictors of Latent Class Trajectories of Internalizing Symptoms in Latinx Adolescents

Guided by ecodevelopmental theories, the present study examined how both culture-specific and general risk and protective factors across contexts predicted trajectories of Latinx youth's internalizing symptoms during early and middle adolescence. Participants included 547 Latinx youth (M age = 12.80; 55% females) recruited in middle school and followed prospectively across four time points spanning two years. Youth reported on their internalizing symptoms at all four time points, and risk and protective factors were measured at Time 1 (T1). Latent class growth curve modeling was used to examine heterogenous trajectories of change in internalizing symptoms separately for females and males, and risk and protective factors were examined as predictors of class membership. Three classes based on symptom trajectories emerged for both females and males, with most adolescents falling into classes characterized by low symptoms that remained stable or decreased over time. Risk and protective factors were predictive of class membership in theoretically meaningful ways. Some predictors of internalizing symptom trajectories differed between females and males. Findings inform our understanding of factors that influence developmental trajectories in Latinx youth and can contribute to the refinement of prevention and intervention efforts to help ensure the well-being of this population.