Gender and the Interplay of Source of Support and Peer Social Rejection on Internalizing Among Mexican American Youth

School Connectedness and Mental Health Among Black Adolescents

Black students' school experiences are important for their mental health. The current study explored the link between school connectedness in middle childhood and depressive symptoms and aggressive behaviors among Black adolescents. Participants were Black youth (Mage = 9.36 years, SD = 0.38 at time 1), (Mage = 15.59 years, SD = 0.60 at time 2), and 50.2% female. The findings demonstrated a significant association between school connectedness assessed at age nine and reduced depressive symptoms and aggressive behaviors reported at age fifteen. Notably, gender moderated the relationship between school connectedness and depressive symptoms, with a stronger association found for girls. These results offer valuable insights into how early perceptions of school connectedness impact the mental health of Black adolescents as they grow older. These findings also indicate that girls might be more attuned to the social and emotional aspects of their schools. These findings validate the significance of a sense of connection to school with mental health outcomes among Black adolescents and indicate the possibility of school connectedness interventions to enhance their overall well-being.

Gender and Place of Settlement as Predictors of Perceived Social Support, PTSD, and Insomnia among Internally Displaced Adolescents in North-East Nigeria

Previous research has shown that gender affects social support and post-traumatic stress disorders (PTSD). The present study explores the main and interaction effects of gender and place of settlement on social support, PTSD symptoms, and insomnia in internally displaced adolescents (IDAs) in North-east of Nigeria. A stratified sampling method was used to select 109 participants from IDAs living in the camp, while 27 additional IDAs were purposively recruited from those living in the host community. Participants completed measures of Harvard Trauma Questionnaire Part-II, Insomnia Severity Index, and Crisis Support. No significant effects of gender on perceived social support, PTSDs, and insomnia were observed. Place of settlement had a significant effect on social support, with IDAs living in the camp having a higher mean score, while place of settlement had no significant effects on PTSD and insomnia. A significant interaction effect of gender and place of settlements on insomnia was found, with males living in the community having a higher mean score than their female counterparts, as well as both males and females in the camp. In conclusion, there is a need to understand male IDAs who reside in non-camp settings better, including the nature of their challenges, the outcomes they desire, and the limitations they experienced.

Predictors of Latinx Youth Health and Emotional Well-being: Social Determinants of Health Perspective

Latinx youth disproportionately experience numerous negative social determinants of health (SDOH) that can have deleterious impacts on health outcomes. Yet, limited research is available on the role of SDOH on the well-being of Latinx adolescents. Utilizing data from the Fragile Families and Child Wellbeing Study, this study examined the association between variables representing five discrete domains of SDOH and health and emotional well-being outcomes among youth of Latinx mothers (N = 745). The study included 15-year-old youth of Latina mothers who were retained in the most recent wave of data collection (wave 6). Using Mplus8, we performed structural equation modeling to determine whether exogenous indicators of five domains of SDOH (economic stability, education, neighborhood and built environment, social and community context, and health care access) predicted adolescent health status and emotional well-being. SDOH specific to social, educational, and neighborhood factors emerged as significant predictors of health and well-being. Yet, variation existed in regard to which SDOH were most important for each outcome variable. Findings suggest that several SDOH, including economic stability, education, neighborhood and built environment, and social and community context, are particularly important for Latinx adolescent well-being. Implications for social work practice and policy are presented. Future studies should examine the longitudinal impact of SDOH and should examine Latinx youth by nativity.