Associations between Adolescents' Interpersonal Relationships, School Well-being, and Academic Achievement during Educational Transitions

A New School, a Fresh Start? Change and Stability in Peer Relationships and Academic Performance in the Transition from Primary to Secondary School

Previous studies on peer relationships in school transitions neglected individual differences, or did not examine the relation with academic performance in secondary school. This study followed 649 students from their last year of primary school to their first year in secondary school (Mage at T1 = 11.6 (SD = 0.6); 53.6% girls). Results revealed that students became more attached to peers, less lonely, and were stable in victimization across the transition. Particularly students with more negative peer experiences in primary school enjoyed a "fresh start" in terms of peer experiences in secondary school. Students who had more co-transitioning peers experienced greater reductions in loneliness. Changes in peer experiences over the transition did not relate to academic performance in secondary school.

Physical activity and school adaptation among Chinese junior high school students: chain mediation of resilience and coping styles

Background

As a crucial juncture in students' educational journey, junior high school presents challenges that profoundly influence well-being and academic performance. Physical activity emerges as a pivotal factor shaping the holistic development of junior high school students. Beyond its recognized impact on physical and mental health, engaging in regular physical activity proves effective in augmenting students' adaptability to school life. Despite its importance, the mechanisms through which physical activity influences school adaptation in junior high school students remain understudied in academic research.

Objective

In exploring the potential mechanisms, this study aims to validate the mediating roles of resilience and coping styles by examining the association between physical activity and school adaptation among junior high school students.

Methods

This study employed cross-sectional survey approach among junior high school students in China. Through the convenience sampling, 1,488 participants aged from 12 to 16 years old (Average age = 13.59, SD = 1.017) from two Junior high schools in Changsha City, Hunan Province were recruited to complete the Physical Activity Scale, School Adaptation Questionnaire for Junior High School Students, Resilience Scale for Adolescents, and Simple Coping Styles Questionnaire. For data analysis, the SPSS 26.0 and Amos 26.0 were used for statistical processing.

Results

The results showed that physical activity exhibited a significant correlation with school adaptation (r = 0.656, p < 0.001). Resilience, positive coping style and negative coping style played partial mediating roles between physical activity and school adaptation, with the effect size were 0.229, 0.170, 0.171. The chain mediation effect size of resilience and positive coping style was 0.042, while the chain mediation effect size of resilience and negative coping style was 0.050.

Conclusion

Physical activity positively predicts Chinese junior high school students' school adaptation through resilience and coping styles, suggesting that junior high school students should engage in regular physical activity, so as to improve their resilience and positive coping styles, mitigating negative coping styles, thus promoting their school adaptation.

Roles of parents in life satisfaction and educational hope among Chinese high school students

The well-being of the Chinese high school students linked to the National Higher Education Entrance Examination, known as gaokao, has been a spotlight education issue in China. This study employed self-determination theory and Bourdieu's sociocultural theory to examine the relationship between life satisfaction, educational hope, and parental support among Chinese high school students. A number of 3,810 high school students from eight schools in Jiangsu, China, completed a validated context-relevant questionnaire. Structural equation model analysis suggested that parental support significantly impacted students' life satisfaction and educational hope. Findings showed that parental intangible support in terms of providing information, advice, encouragement, praise, and care has a direct and significant impact on the life satisfaction of Chinese youth. The extent to which students attach importance to and put effort into achieving their educational aspirations, known as goal commitment, mediated the relationship between parental support and life satisfaction. Moreover, Chinese high school students' educational hope is shaped by their family. Parental support moderates goal commitment, which varies based on parental education background. In short, parents play a critical role in the growth and development of Chinese high school students.

Exploring the Impact of COVID-19-Related Changes on the Well-Being of Korean Adolescents: An Analysis Using a Serial Mediation Model

PURPOSE

Few studies have investigated both the positive and negative impacts of perceived changes related to the COVID-19 pandemic on adolescents' wellbeing. This study aimed to comprehensively identify the factors associated with the overall wellbeing of the youth population.

METHODS

A cross-sectional study design was employed using data from the 2020 Korean Survey of Children and Youth. Data were collected from N = 7,170 adolescents (aged 9-24 years) during the implementation of social distancing measures in response to the COVID-19 pandemic. Participants provided self-reported data about their COVID-19-induced perceived changes, wellbeing, parental support, and self-esteem between November 2020 and February 2021. The effect of COVID-19-induced perceived changes on adolescents' wellbeing during the pandemic was assessed by evaluating the mediating roles of parental support and self-esteem.

RESULTS

The findings highlighted a serial mediating effect of parental support and self-esteem on the relationship between adolescents' COVID-19-related perceived changes and wellbeing.

DISCUSSION

This study deepens the understanding of the intricate interplay between pandemic-related perceived changes, mediating factors, and wellbeing among adolescents. The findings imply that a comprehensive approach combining interventions aimed at enhancing self-esteem at the individual level with parental support may be most effective in improving adolescents' wellbeing.

Lifestyle habits, health indicators and sociodemographic factors associated with health-related quality of life and self-esteem in adolescents

BACKGROUND

Mental health is defined as a state of emotional, psychological, and social well-being, and has been shown to be positively associated with self-esteem and quality of life. It is important to note that mental health is dynamic and influenced by a wide range of social, biological, and behavioral factors. Therefore, the aim this study was to describe the health-related quality of life and self-esteem in adolescents, examining their relationship with various health indicators, lifestyle habits, and sociodemographic variables.

METHOD

A cross-sectional study was conducted with a representative sample of 761 students (14.51 ± 1.63 years). Health-related quality of life, self-esteem, satisfaction with body image, adherence to the Mediterranean diet, physical activity practice, hours of nightly sleep, maximum oxygen consumption, body mass index, academic performance, and various sociodemographic factors of all participants were analyzed.

RESULTS

Regression analysis showed that body satisfaction and academic performance were associated of both health-related quality of life and self-esteem. Additionally, physical activity, age, and favourable settings for physical activity engagement were also found to be related to health-related quality of life, whilst adherence to the Mediterranean diet, hours of nightly sleep, maximum oxygen consumption and socioeconomic status were associated with self-esteem.

CONCLUSIONS

Given the associations found between health-related quality of life and self-esteem with lifestyle habits and sociodemographic indicators, there is an urgent need to develop interdisciplinary and cross-cutting promotion strategies to improve the mental health of adolescents.

Longitudinal relations between teacher support and academic achievement among Chinese children: Disentangling between‑ and within-student associations

This study investigated the longitudinal associations between teacher support (i.e., emotional and instrumental support) and academic (i.e., math) achievement at the between-student and within-student levels using random intercept cross-lagged panel models (RI-CLPMs). Data were collected from 694 elementary school students in China (44.9% girls; Mage = 10.53 years, SD = 0.70) over four waves across 2 school years. Results from the RI-CLPMs supported that higher academic achievement was significantly associated with higher teacher emotional and instrumental support at the between-student level. At the within-student level, the RI-CLPMs only supported the predictive effect of academic achievement on teacher instrumental support, but not emotional support. Further analysis utilizing cross-lagged panel models (CLPMs) demonstrated significant reciprocal effects between teacher emotional support and academic achievement, as well as instrumental support and academic achievement. No significant sex differences were observed in RI-CLPMs or CLPMs. The findings illustrate the importance of distinguishing the between-student and within-student associations in longitudinal relations concerning teacher support and academic achievement.

Students' School and Psychological Adjustment in Classrooms with Positive and Negative Leaders

Positive and negative leadership styles may influence classroom norms and be related to the school and psychological adjustment of children in general, and victims in particular. This study tested the relation between leadership styles and children's adjustment, and the moderating effects of leadership on the association between self-reported victimization and school and psychological adjustment (self-esteem, social anxiety, and depressive symptoms); and it tested for potential gender differences. Classrooms were classified into those with only positive leaders, only negative leaders, both positive and negative leaders, and without leaders. The sample contained 8748 children (Mage = 10.05, SD = 1.22; 51.2% girls) from 392 classrooms, in grades three to six, in 98 Dutch schools. Multilevel analysis revealed that, in general, children in negative leader classrooms experienced lower school well-being than children in other classrooms. In positive leader classrooms, male and female victims had lower school well-being. For psychological well-being, female victims had lower self-esteem and more depressive symptoms in positive leader classrooms. Male and female victims in negative leader classrooms did not suffer from additional maladjustment. These results demonstrate that negative leadership styles are related to lower school well-being of all children, whereas victimization in classrooms with positive leaders is negatively related to male and female victims' school well-being and girls' psychological adjustment (depressive symptoms); this is in line with the 'healthy context paradox'.

Profiles of Loneliness and Ostracism During Adolescence: Consequences, Antecedents, and Protective Factors

This longitudinal study (N = 1078, 46% boys; 54% girls) examined profiles of loneliness and ostracism during adolescence and their consequences and antecedents. Longitudinal latent profiles analyses identified four distinct profiles: (1) High emotional loneliness (25%), High and increasing social loneliness (15%), High peer exclusion and high social impact (9%) and No peer problems (51%). Subsequent internalizing problems were typical for the High and increasing social loneliness profile and externalizing problems for the High emotional loneliness and High peer exclusion and high social impact profiles. Furthermore, effortful control, prosocial skills, and relationship quality with parents and teachers were highest in the No peer problems profile, whereas the High and increasing social loneliness profile had the lowest self-esteem and was characterized by low surgency/extraversion, high affiliativeness, and high negative affectivity.

Profiles of interpersonal relationship qualities and trajectories of internalizing problems among Chinese adolescents

Adolescence is a significant period for the formation of relationship networks and the development of internalizing problems. With a sample of Chinese adolescents (N = 3,834, 52.01% girls, Mage = 16.68 at Wave 1), the present study aimed to identify the configuration of adolescents' relationship qualities from four important domains (i.e., relationship quality with mother, father, peers, and teachers) and how distinct profiles were associated with the development of internalizing problems (indicated by depressive and anxiety symptoms) across high school years. Latent profile analysis identified a five-profile configuration with four convergent profiles (i.e., relationship qualities with others were generally good or bad) and one "Father estrangement" profile (i.e., the relationship quality with others were relatively good but that with father was particularly poor). Further conditional latent growth curve analysis indicated the "Father estrangement" profile was especially vulnerable to an increase in the internalizing problems as compared with other relationship profiles. This study contributes to understanding the characteristics of interpersonal relationship qualities and their influences on adolescent internalizing problems in a non-Western context. Results were further discussed from a culturally specific perspective.

Psychological wellbeing in Chinese university students: insights into the influences of academic self-concept, teacher support, and student engagement

Objective

This study investigates the complex interplay between academic self-concept, teacher support, student engagement, and psychological wellbeing among Chinese university students. We aimed to elucidate the mediating role of student engagement in these relationships.

Methods

A sample of 597 Chinese undergraduate students from diverse universities participated in the study. We employed structured questionnaires to assess academic self-concept, teacher support, student engagement, and psychological wellbeing. Confirmatory factor analyses and structural equation modeling were used to test our hypothesized model.

Results

Structural equation modeling indicated that the partial mediation model, which considered both direct and indirect effects, outperformed full mediation and direct effect models. Student engagement significantly mediated the relationships between academic self-concept, teacher support, and psychological wellbeing. Importantly, teacher support demonstrated a direct impact on psychological wellbeing, even when accounting for the mediating role of student engagement.

Conclusion

This study underscores the pivotal role of student engagement as a mediator in the relationship between academic self-concept, teacher support, and psychological wellbeing among Chinese university students. While student engagement plays a substantial mediating role, our findings also recognize the persistent direct influence of teacher support on psychological wellbeing. These insights have implications for educators and policymakers aiming to enhance the wellbeing of university students by fostering positive academic self-concept and teacher support while recognizing the importance of student engagement.

Adolescents' electronic devices use during the COVID-19 pandemic and its relationship to anxiety and depression levels: a cross-sectional study

BACKGROUND

The aim of this study is to assess the prevalence of anxiety and depression symptoms among adolescent students in the West Bank region of Palestine, with a particular focus on the impact of electronic device usage on their mental well-being.

METHODS

This cross-sectional study included a representative sample of 1,140 adolescents enrolled in governmental secondary schools. We targeted schools located in Nablus, Ramallah, and Hebron districts, which, respectively, represent the northern, central, and southern regions of the West Bank. We collected data on their sociodemographic characteristics, patterns of electronic device usage, scores from the Beck Depression Inventory-II, and the 7-item Generalized Anxiety Disorder scale, all gathered through a self-administered online questionnaire. To explore the independent relationship between anxiety, depression, and various factors, we calculated odds ratios and their corresponding 95% CI using a binary logistic regression model.

RESULTS

The study revealed a prevalence of moderate to severe anxiety at 35.4% [95% CI: 32.7-38.3%] and moderate to severe depression at 23.9% [95% CI: 21.4-26.4%]. Notably, anxiety scores were significantly higher among females [OR = 3.8, 95% CI: 2.5-5.9], individuals with lower academic performance [OR = 3.4, 95% CI: 2.1-5.4], and smokers [OR = 1.9, 95% CI: 1.1-3.0]. Similarly, significantly elevated depressive scores were observed among females [OR = 2.0, 95% CI: 1.3-3.1], those with lower academic performance [OR = 3.4, 95% CI: 2.1-5.4], and smokers [OR = 1.9, 95% CI: 1.3-2.8]. Conversely, students who used electronic devices for shorter durations were less likely to experience depression [OR = 0.49, 95% CI: 0.32-0.76] or anxiety [OR = 0.47, 95% CI: 0.32-0.69].

CONCLUSION

Considering the alarming rates of anxiety and depression in adolescents, along with their connection to the time spent using electronic devices, we strongly recommend the creation of initiatives and support networks to alleviate this issue's impact. Encouraging healthier lifestyles, such as reducing screen time and increasing physical activity, could potentially enhance the mental well-being of adolescents.

Promoting Peer Connectedness Through Social-Emotional Learning: Evaluating the Intervention Effect Mechanisms and Implementation Factors of a Social-Emotional Learning Programme for 9 to 12-Year-Olds

There is little evidence regarding the effect mechanisms of social-emotional learning programs on children's peer relationships. The current study evaluated a novel school-based social-emotional learning program for the first year of secondary school assessing effects on social-emotional skills, peer connectedness, happiness, student and teacher classroom climate. The sample included 19 intervention classrooms (n = 399) and 16 waitlist-control classrooms (n = 281), with a mean age of 10.34 (SD = 0.76) and 48.8% girls. The main intervention effect analysis followed a per-protocol approach and was thus conducted with eight classes that finished all sessions (n = 195) and the control group classes (n = 281). It was further hypothesized that increases in social-emotional skills would predict peer connectedness and class climate increases, which would predict happiness. Results indicated significant intervention effects for social skills, peer connectedness and happiness. Classroom climate declined for both groups, seemingly affected by the school transition. Hypothesized relationships between target variables were partly supported with significant effects of social-emotional skills on connectedness and significant effects of peer connectedness on happiness for children reporting connectedness decreases. Additional analyses were conducted including all classrooms to compare the intervention's effectiveness across different implementation progress groups. Significant group differences were found, indicating that implementation aspects impact intervention outcomes. The findings indicate that universal, school-based social-emotional leaning programs are effective approaches to support peer relationships in the context of the school transition. However, more implementation support seems to be needed to ensure best-practice delivery and achieve maximal intervention effectiveness.

Achieving Independence and Mastery in School: A School-Based Executive Function Group Intervention for Autistic Middle Schoolers

Executive functioning (EF) deficits, such as challenges with planning, organization, and materials management, negatively impact academic performance, particularly for middle-school students with autism spectrum disorder (ASD) without intellectual disability (ID). The aim was to assess the initial efficacy of the school-based version of the Achieving Independence and Mastery in School (AIMS) intervention in a pilot randomized clinical trial. 47 autistic middle-schoolers without ID attending nine different schools were randomized to participate in AIMS or to wait to receive AIMS the following semester (waitlist control = WLC). Youth, caregivers, and teachers rated academic EFs and academic functioning, and youth completed an objective EF measure, at baseline and outcome (post). Effect sizes were computed comparing baseline and post measures within each group. Individuals randomized to AIMS improved from baseline to post on academic EF outcome measures with small to moderate effect sizes, compared to WLC, who made some improvements but with generally smaller effect sizes. Analyses with academic functioning measures showed a similar pattern of results. These promising results suggest that AIMS delivered in the school by school-based personnel to small groups of students with ASD without ID can improve academic EF skills.

Exploring changes in children's well-being due to COVID-19 restrictions: the Italian EpaS-ISS study

BACKGROUND

While existing research has explored changes in health behaviours among adults and adolescents due to the COVID-19 outbreak, the impact of quarantine on young children's well-being is still less clear. Moreover, most of the published studies were carried out on small and non-representative samples. The aim of the EpaS-ISS study was to describe the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on the habits and behaviours of a representative sample of school children aged mainly 8-9 years and their families living in Italy, exploring the changes in children's well-being during the COVID-19 pandemic compared to the immediately preceding time period.

METHODS

Data were collected using a web questionnaire. The target population was parents of children attending third-grade primary schools and living in Italy. A cluster sample design was adopted. A Well-Being Score (WBS) was calculated by summing the scores from 10 items concerning the children's well-being. Associations between WBS and socio-demographic variables and other variables were analysed.

RESULTS

A total of 4863 families participated. The children's WBS decreased during COVID-19 (median value from 31 to 25; p = 0.000). The most statistically significant variables related to a worsening children's WBS were: time of school closure, female gender, living in a house with only a small and unliveable outdoor area, high parents' educational level and worsening financial situation.

CONCLUSIONS

According to parents ' perception, changes in daily routine during COVID-19 negatively affected children's well-being. This study has identified some personal and contextual variables associated with the worsening of children's WBS, which should be considered in case of similar events.

Goal Orientation and Adolescent Social Competence: Ubuntu as a Mediator Among Black American Adolescents

Social competence, which is the ability to demonstrate socio-emotional behavior skills, is crucial during adolescence with far-reaching implications across the lifespan. However, social competence development among youth is greatly influenced by social inequities, which places many Black American youth at a disadvantage due to the disproportionate burden on youth development in resource-constrained environments. Responsively, we sought to determine whether Afrocentric cultural norms (i.e., Ubuntu) and goal orientation contribute to the resilience of Black youth in developing social competence while controlling for social positions (i.e., social class and gender). For this study, we used the dataset of black boys and girls (average age of 14.68) from the Templeton Flourishing Children Project. Linear regression analysis followed by mediation analysis was conducted to identify the factors associated with higher degrees of social competence. Significant study findings indicate that Black youth reporting higher goal-oriented mindsets reported higher social competence scores. Goal orientation and social competence were mediated by Ubuntu, with the model explaining 63% variance in social competence in Black youth. The findings suggest prevention efforts that provide socialization centered around Afrocentric cultural norms may provide valuable means of bolstering social competence development in Black youth living in resource-constrained communities.

Quality of Life and Well-Being of Adolescents in Portuguese Schools

The quality of the school environment is associated with greater school involvement and academic success and improved levels of well-being/quality of life. In this sense, this study intends to explore the relationship between the quality of life of Portuguese adolescents and school. 8215 adolescents participated in this study, 52.7% of which were female, aged between 10 and 22 years and an average age of 14.36 years (SD = 2.28). The sample was collected as part of the Health Behavior in School-aged Children (HBSC) study. The results show that girls like school, teachers, school breaks (between classes) and classes more than boys and present less concerns/difficulties with school. Compared to boys, they report more pressure with the schoolwork and a better perception of safety at school. On the other hand, boys have a better relationship with their peers and teachers, miss more classes on purpose and report a higher perception of quality of life. An above-average QoL is statistically and significantly related with liking school, peers, teachers, school breaks (between classes) and classes. It is also related with feeling less pressure with the schoolwork, a better perception of school success and of safety in the school environment. Additionally, having an above-average QoL is statistically significantly associated with having a better relationship with peers and teachers and less concerns/difficulties with school. This is an important message for the reorganization of schools in terms of their practices and curricula. The need to develop strategies to promote greater identification of students with school is reinforced.

Psychometric Properties of the Chinese Version of the Brief Interpersonal Competence Questionnaire for Adolescents

This study aimed to evaluate the psychometric properties of the Brief Interpersonal Competence Questionnaire (ICQ-15) administered to Chinese adolescents. A sample of 1705 adolescents (Mean age = 14.08, SD = 3.22, 46.5% male) completed a questionnaire including the Chinese version of the ICQ-15, as well as measurements of well-being, psychological resilience, and depression. To examine the psychometric properties of the ICQ-15, item analyses (item-total correlation and normality test), confirmatory factor analysis, concurrent validity analyses, multi-group analyses, and internal consistency analyses were performed. The results of the item analyses suggested a good item-total correlation, and the item scores were distributed approximately normally. The confirmatory factor analysis showed that the five-factor model had acceptable fit indices. The concurrent validity analyses indicated that the Chinese version of the ICQ-15 had a satisfactory concurrent validity. The multi-group analyses proved the measurement invariance across females and males, as well as participants in early, middle, and late adolescence. The ICQ-15 demonstrated satisfactory internal consistency reliability among Chinese adolescents. The ICQ-15 presents good psychometric properties and can be used to assess interpersonal competence in Chinese adolescents.

Desempenho escolar e saúde mental em alunos do Ensino Fundamental II da Região Sul do Brasil

O estudo do desempenho acadêmico e sua relação com a saúde mental de crianças e adolescentes é uma área de interesse crescente entre educadores e profissionais de saúde. O objetivo deste artigo é identificar o grau de associação entre desempenho acadêmico, saúde mental e dados sociodemográficos, e avaliar se o desempenho acadêmico é uma variável associada à saúde mental em uma amostra de 83 estudantes do Ensino Fundamental II de escolas públicas e seus responsáveis. O estudo utiliza uma metodologia quantitativa de corte transversal, e os dados foram obtidos utilizando os seguintes instrumentos: ficha de dados sociodemográficos, Questionário de Capacidades e Dificuldades (SDQ) para estudantes e responsáveis; e uma pontuação de desempenho acadêmico. A análise dos dados foi realizada por meio de estatística descritiva, correlação e regressão linear múltipla. Dentre os resultados destaca-se a alta percepção entre os estudantes de "total de dificuldades" no SDQ, indicando a presença de problemas de saúde mental clinicamente relevantes. Os resultados também mostraram que os estudantes com desempenho médio e baixo apresentam níveis significativamente mais altos de problemas de saúde mental. O artigo examina a prevalência de problemas de saúde mental infantil e adolescente, possíveis fatores de risco e estudos futuros que possam ampliar a população da amostra. As conclusões gerais indicam altos níveis de adoecimento psíquico, particularmente entre estudantes com desempenho médio e baixo.

What Constitutes Student Well-Being: A Scoping Review Of Students' Perspectives

Student well-being has recently emerged as a critical educational agenda due to its wide-reaching benefits for students in performing better at school and later as adults. With the emergence of student well-being as a priority area in educational policy and practice, efforts to measure and monitor student well-being have increased, and so has the number of student well-being domains proposed. Presently, a lack of consensus exists about what domains are appropriate to investigate and understand student well-being, resulting in a fragmented body of work. This paper aims to clarify the construct of student well-being by summarising and mapping different conceptualisations, approaches used to measure, and domains that entail well-being. The search of multiple databases identified 33 studies published in academic journals between 1989 and 2020. There were four approaches to conceptualising student well-being found in the reviewed studies. They were: Hedonic, eudaimonic, integrative (i.e., combining both hedonic and eudaimonic), and others. Results identified eight overarching domains of student well-being: Positive emotion, (lack of) Negative emotion, Relationships, Engagement, Accomplishment, Purpose at school, Intrapersonal/Internal factors, and Contextual/External factors. Recommendations for further research are offered, including the need for more qualitative research on student well-being as perceived and experienced by students and for research to be conducted in a non-western context.

Humor Styles, Bullying Victimization and Psychological School Adjustment: Mediation, Moderation and Person-Oriented Analyses

Humor can be both adaptive and maladaptive and plays a role in bullying victimization and school adjustment. It was hypothesized that humor styles decrease or increase victimization, which in turn affects school adjustment. Furthermore, humor might moderate effects of victimization on school adjustment. Moreover, a person-oriented approach could improve our understanding of group differences in these variables. An online questionnaire retrospectively surveyed emerging adults (N = 172; 77.2% female; mean age: 22.7 years) with respect to humor style use, bullying victimization and school adjustment. Mediation and moderation analyses were computed, and two sets of person-oriented analyses compared victims, bully-victims and noninvolved students on humor styles and school adjustment, and three latent humor-related groups (overall-high, adaptive-high and adaptive-low) on victimization and school adjustment. Victimization fully mediated the positive effect of affiliative humor and partially mediated the negative effect of self-defeating humor on school adjustment. The negative effect of victimization on school adjustment was magnified by self-defeating humor and attenuated by aggressive humor. Bully-victims used both aggressive and self-defeating humor more frequently, and victims used aggressive and affiliative humor less frequently. Furthermore, both victims and bully-victims showed lower school adjustment. Finally, the adaptive-high humor group showed lower victimization and higher school adjustment. Implications for school interventions are discussed.

Adolescents’ Characteristics and Peer Relationships in Class: A Population Study

Background: This study aimed to investigate differences in adolescents’ social relationships with classmates of diverse gender, socioeconomic status, immigrant background, and academic achievement. Methods: A population of 10th-grade students (N = 406,783; males = 50.3%; M_age = 15.57 years, SD_age = 0.75) completed the Classmates Social Isolation Questionnaire (CSIQ), an instrument specifically designed to measure two distinct but correlated types of peer relationships in class: peer acceptance and peer friendship. To obtain reliable comparisons across diverse adolescent characteristics, the measurement invariance of the CSIQ was established by means of CFAs and then latent mean differences tests were performed. Results: Immigrant background, academic achievement, and socioeconomic status all proved to be important factors influencing relationships with classmates, while being a male or a female was less relevant. Being a first-generation immigrant adolescent appears to be the foremost risk factor for being less accepted by classmates, while having a low academic achievement is the greatest hindrance for having friends in the group of classmates, a finding that diverges from previous studies. Conclusions: This population study suggests that adolescent characteristics (especially immigrant background, socioeconomic status, and academic achievement) seem to affect social relationships with classmates.

Improving academic performance through a school-based intervention targeting academic executive functions - a pilot study

Background

Academic challenges such as losing/not turning in assignments, misplacing materials, and inefficient studying are common in middle-school students with autism spectrum disorder (ASD) without intellectual disability. Deficits in organization, planning, prioritizing, memory/materials management, and studying skills [i.e. academic executive functioning (EF) deficits] contribute to these challenges.

Objectives

To assess the feasibility, satisfaction, and initial efficacy of the school-based version of the Achieving Independence and Mastery in School (AIMS) intervention in a proof-of-concept trial with 6 students with ASD.

Methods

6 middle-schoolers with ASD without ID participated in AIMS. Parents and teachers rated academic EFs and functioning.

Results

Results suggest high feasibility, youth satisfaction, and improved EF skills and academic behaviors by parent and teacher report.

Conclusion

These promising results support further intervention development and suggest that academic EF skills are malleable in students with ASD.

Profiles of School-Related Well-Being and Their Links to Self-Esteem and Academic Achievement

Abstract. School represents an essential developmental context for adolescents. Accordingly, understanding well-being in school is of utmost importance. While it has long been common to measure well-being on a general level, more recent conceptualizations emphasize its multidimensionality and context-specificity. Therefore, the present study took a person-oriented approach and investigated how profiles of adolescents’ school-related well-being differ regarding two relevant goals of schooling: academic achievement and self-esteem. School-related well-being was assessed along five dimensions: engagement, perseverance, optimism, connectedness, and happiness among Austrian students ( N = 1,484). By applying latent profile analyses, we obtained four profiles that differed primarily regarding their total school-related well-being scores and the expression of connectedness. Generally, groups with a higher total score displayed higher academic achievement and self-esteem. However, there are also exceptions standing out from that pattern. Different constellations are discussed, aiming to contribute to further differentiating research on well-being in the school-context.

The Gender-Specific Role of Social Relationships for School Well-Being in Primary School

Abstract. Since learning at school is always embedded in a social context, students’ social relationships are considered key variables for their school well-being. But especially studies at the primary school level that examine gender-specific linkages between students’ relationships with peers and teachers and components of their school well-being are lacking. Therefore, a longitudinal study with 351 primary school students was conducted. Girls indicated a better relationship with their teacher, a more positive attitude toward school, and predominantly more beneficial achievement emotions than boys. Manifest multi-group path models suggest that students’ perceived teacher-student-relationship seems to predict their attitude toward school for both genders positively, while its’ connections with particular achievement emotions differ between boys and girls. Student-student-relationships in the sense of comfortableness among classmates showed beneficial connections with positive emotions for girls and negative links with unpleasant emotions for boys. The results suggest that linkages between different social relationships and various dimensions of school well-being are gender-specific and should be considered in their broad variety both in research and instructional practice.

Digital Engagement and Academic Functioning

Abstract. Since the turn of the millennium, the digital revolution has opened a new layer of opportunities for adolescents to participate, create and learn. Simultaneously there has been growth in both debate and worries regarding how the intensive engagement with digital media affects students’ academic performance, engagement, and school-related well-being, that is, academic functioning. Students’ continuously evolving digital practices are not always in congruence with the more traditional ways of schoolwork. Students flourish and fulfill their potential when the informal and formal practices of learning reach congruence, but when this is not the case, frictions can emerge. Spending time with digital media can provide new avenues for learning and development, but it can equally well divert young people from their studies or increase the daily demands. In this narrative review, we address these continuities and discontinuities between engagement with digital media and academic functioning for school-aged children and young people, focusing on meta-analyses, reviews, and key studies. Following the examination of the current literature, we conclude that, in general, the field of “digital media effects” needs to move beyond screen time and utilize the research on the students’ multidimensional socio-digital engagement already conducted. Second, we conclude that the average effects of digital engagement on academic functioning are negligibly small but heterogeneous, further corroborating the claim to examine the qualitative differences in students’ digital engagement, the individual differences between students, as well as the contextual interplay.

Distinct roles of perceived teacher and peer relationships in adolescent students’ academic motivation and outcomes: Father absence as a moderator

In the learning environment, both teachers and peers are influential social agents. In the present study, we differentiated between positive and negative aspects of teacher and peer relationships and examined how they predict adolescent students’ academic interest and self-concept, which in turn lead to different levels of academic achievement and subjective well-being at school. Additionally, we explored whether father absence moderated these predictive relationships. Results based on a group of 4274 Chinese middle school students revealed that positive social relationships were more closely related to interest, self-concept, and well-being than negative ones. The predictive paths from teacher relationships to motivation and achievement were stronger than those from peer relationships. However, peers played a prominent role in helping students with absent fathers build a positive self-concept, which led to improved achievement.

Prevalence and associated factors of psychosocial and behavioral problems in Indonesian adolescent students during the COVID-19 pandemic

BACKGROUND

The COVID-19 pandemic and the subsequent measures to control it, such as social distancing, school closure, and online learning, put adolescent students at higher risk of psychosocial and behavioral problems (PSBP). The adverse potential is more concerning as the outbreak continues, especially in limited-resource countries, and requires further mitigation.

OBJECTIVE

To assess the prevalence and factors associated with PSBP in Indonesian adolescent students in the COVID-19 pandemic.

SUBJECT/METHODS

We conducted a cross-sectional study in Yogyakarta Province, Indonesia, involving junior high school students. An anonymous online questionnaire in google form format was used to collect demographic data and the potential variables and screen the PSBP with the Strengths and Difficulties Questionnaire (SDQ). Logistic regression was applied to determine the independent variables.

RESULTS

Six hundred seventy-six subjects participated, including 237 males (35.1%) and 439 females (64.9%). There were 34.6% subjects with PSBP, with a peer-relation problem as the most common one. The multivariable logistic regression showed that subjects with longer screen time duration and more family conflicts were more likely to have PSBP, with an adjusted odds ratio (OR) of 1.5 (95% CI: 1.1-2.1, p = 0.025) and 2.4 (95% CI: 1.5-3.8, p < 0.001), respectively, whereas whom with better family cohesion are less likely to have the problem with an adjusted OR of 0.4 (95% CI: 0.3-0.6, p < 0.001).

CONCLUSIONS

There is a high prevalence of PSBP among Indonesian adolescent students during the COVID-19 pandemic. Longer screen time duration and more family conflict are associated with higher prevalence, whereas better family cohesion with lower prevalence of PSBP.

Off on the Wrong Foot: Task Avoidance at the Outset of Primary School Anticipates Academic Difficulties and Declining Peer Acceptance

The present study examined the academic antecedents of declining peer social status. Participants included 545 (311 boys, 234 girls) Finnish students followed from the 1^st through the 4^th grade (ages 6-8 at outset). Each year, teachers completed assessments of academic task avoidance and students completed standardized measures of reading and math achievement. Acceptance was assayed through peer nominations. Supporting the hypothesized model, the results indicated that a lack of interest and motivation at the outset of primary school leads to a downward spiral of academic difficulties and diminished peer acceptance. Specifically, academic task avoidance in 1^st and 2^nd grade anticipated declining math and reading achievement one year later, which in turn, anticipated decreases in peer acceptance the following year. The findings held after controlling for factors known to contribute to school and peer difficulties, such as friendlessness, school readiness, and emotional and behavioral problems.

Adolescent screen time: associations with school stress and school satisfaction across 38 countries

This study examined associations of watching television, electronic games, computer uses with school stress, and satisfaction among adolescents. Nationally representative data from 38 European and North American countries that participated in the 2014 Health Behaviour in School-aged Children (HBSC) survey were analysed. School stress and school satisfaction were each assessed using a 4-point self-reported item and then dichotomised. Participants reported discretional time spent on different screen-based activities. Of the 191,786 participants (age 13.6 [1.6] years; 51% girls), 35% reported high levels of school stress, while 30% reported high satisfaction with their school. Multilevel multivariable logistic regression modelling showed that adolescents reporting watching television > 4 h/day (≤ 1 h/day as reference) had 31% higher odds of school stress (OR 1.31; 95% CI: 1.27-1.35) and 36% less odds of school satisfaction (OR 0.64; 95% CI: 0.62-0.67). Prolonged electronic gaming (> 4 h/day) increased the odds of school stress by 26% (OR 1.26; 95% CI: 1.22-1.30) and decreased the odds of school satisfaction by 37% (OR 0.63; 95% CI: 0.61-0.65). Adolescents with prolonged computer use had 46% higher odds of school stress (OR 1.46; 95% CI: 1.42-1.50) and 39% lower odds of school satisfaction (OR 0.61; 95% CI: 0.59-0.63). Association estimates were more evident among younger adolescents than their older counterparts with no apparent gender differences.

CONCLUSION

Prolonged screen use, irrespective of type, was positively associated with school stress and inversely associated with school satisfaction with high computer use showing the highest adverse associations. Prospective research is needed to understand directionality and mechanisms of these relationships.

WHAT IS KNOWN

• Screen-based activities are adversely associated with various health and wellbeing indicators in adolescents.. • The relation between screen time and school-related outcomes is yet to understand fully.

WHAT IS NEW

• Prolonged screen time is associated with increased school stress and decreased school satisfaction in adolescents. • Computer use showed higher adverse associations than watching television or playing electronic games.

Distance learning during COVID-19 lockdown: Impact on adolescents with specific learning disorders and their parents

BACKGROUND

The transition of teaching from in-person to Distance Learning (DL) due to the COVID-19 pandemic led to negative effects on students' psychological wellbeing and academic achievement. The worst consequences have been experienced by students with so-called special educational needs, as well as by their parents. However, very little emphasis has been placed on the effects of DL in students with Specific Learning Disorders (SLD). The present work aimed to evaluate the effects of DL during the COVID-19 lockdown in Italian students with SLD and in their parents.

METHODS

An online survey was administered to 92 students with SLD and their parents after the COVID-19 lockdown. The survey consisted of four sections: participants' demographic information; perceived stress related to general aspects (i.e., social and family determinants) as well as specific aspects related to DL; attitudes and feelings toward DL; and academic grades before and after DL.

RESULTS

Students with SLD perceived stress mainly from social isolation/distancing and DL (p always ≤ 0.0001), especially from online classes and oral exams (p always ≤ 0.0001). Students who did not benefit from appropriate accommodations (i.e., individualized teaching and learning methods) during DL perceived 3 times more DL-related stress than those who used them as in-person learning (OR = 3.00, CI 95%: 1.24-7.28, p = 0.015). Girls perceived more stress from online lessons (OR = 0.40, CI 95%: 0.16-0.96, p = 0.04) and use of devices (OR = 0.33, CI 95%: 0.14-0.80, p = 0.015) than boys. Negative feelings (less motivation, reduced ability to understand lessons, interact, and stay focused) and positive feelings (less anxiety and more self-confidence with its own rate of learning) toward DL emerged. Higher academic grades also was observed after DL (p ≤ 0.0001). Lastly, strong and positive correlations emerged between students' and parents' perceived stress during DL (p always < 0.001).

IMPLICATIONS

The present study prompts special considerations for students with special educational needs not only when providing conventional instruction, but especially when it is necessary to suddenly modify teaching approaches.

Identifying Salient Stressors of Adolescence: A Systematic Review and Content Analysis

Stressors play a defining role in youth development and, in particular, in adolescent psychological and behavioral adaptation. However, the nature of stressors experienced during adolescence has not been reviewed or investigated comprehensively. To bridge this gap, this investigation conducted a systematic review of adolescent stressors reported in the literature (Study 1, N = 18 studies) and a content analysis of self-reported stressors (Study 2, N = 1,568 adolescents, Mean age = 15.5 years, 41.5% female adolescents). The results converged in the identification of negative stressors (i.e., health issues, parental conflicts, issues with parents, teachers, peers or friends, romantic issues, concerns about the future and school) and positive stressors (i.e., leisure time, finding oneself, school or other accomplishments, social acquisitions, receiving help, romance and friendship, birth and good time in the family), which are highly occurring and highly intense among adolescents. Overall, these findings can guide researchers and practitioners towards developing efficient stressors measures, integrative theories on adolescent stress and development, as well as effective interventions targeting specific stress processes in the domains of education, criminology and psychopathology.

School-Related Stressors and the Intensity of Perceived Stress Experienced by Adolescents in Poland

Higher stress reactivity during adolescence is a vulnerability marker of exposure to various environmental stressors. This study aimed to investigate the association between a high level of perceived stress experienced by adolescents and stressful stimuli induced from school environment, peer, and parental relationships. The data used were from a cross-sectional, observational study conducted in a stratified sample of 1846 adolescents (13-18 years) in the Wielkopolska province, Poland. Data were collected through self-administered questionnaires and anthropometric measurements. Perceived stress was assessed using the Perceived Stress Scale (PSS-10). The association of a high level of perceived stress with school-induced exposures was determined using multivariate logistic regression after adjusting for gender, age, height and weight status and interpersonal relationships (STATISTICA 13.1). It was found that girls were over three times more likely than boys to experience a high level of perceived stress. Moreover, girls appeared to be more vulnerable than boys to school-related stressors and weight status, while boys to stressors that can arise from interpersonal relationships. School environment was the only predictor factor of high perceived stress level with a large effect size in both boys (OR = 4.45; 95% CI: 3.11-6.36) and girls (OR = 6.22; 95% CI: 4.18-7.59). Given the findings of the present study, preventive programs are critical to mitigate the effect of stress from school on adolescents' health and well-being.

Predictors of mental health worsening among children and adolescents during the coronavirus disease 2019 pandemic

PURPOSE OF REVIEW

Restrictions put in place to contain the spread of coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) have significantly affected the lives of children and adolescents worldwide. School closure, home confinement and social distancing have the potential to negatively impact the mental health of this population. Several risk factors seem to contribute to worsening mental health of children and adolescents, with an increase of anxiety and depression symptoms. This review aims at exploring research available on risk factors that may worsen the mental health among children and adolescents during the pandemic.

RECENT FINDINGS

Some of these predictors in worsening the effects are social isolation, screen time and excessive social media use, parental stress and poor parent-child relationship, low socioeconomic status, preexisting mental health conditions and/or disabilities.

SUMMARY

Further research is needed in order to understand mental health effects of the COVID-19 pandemic, as well as risk factors associated with negative consequences. New findings will help in targeting evidence-based interventions to prevent and mitigate the negative effects of COVID-19 on the mental health of children and adolescents.

Investigating the effects of COVID-19 lockdown on Italian children and adolescents with and without neurodevelopmental disorders: a cross-sectional study

We conducted a cross-sectional study to compare the impact of social distancing and lifestyle changes that occurred during Corona Virus Disease 2019 (COVID-19) lockdown on children and adolescents with and without Neurodevelopmental Disorders (NDDs). An online questionnaire was administered in order to investigate the effects of NDD condition, socio-demographic status, familiar/home environment and COVID-19 exposure on their lives during a two months period of social isolation. We used logistic regression, focusing on five endpoints (remote learning, lifestyle, stress/anxiety, sociality, scolding) to define the extent of these effects. Most questions were paired up to parents and children, to verify the occurrence of agreement. 8305 questionnaires were analyzed, 1362 of which completed by NDDs and 6943 by controls. Results showed that the presence of a NDD, compared to controls, had a significant impact on: Remote Learning (i.e. subjects with NDDs experienced more difficulties in attending online classes and studying), Sociality (i.e. subjects with NDDs missed their schoolmates less), Scolding (i.e. subjects with NDDs were scolded more often) and Anxiety (i.e. subjects with NDDs were perceived by their parents as more anxious). Substantial agreement between parents and children arose from questions concerning Remote learning, Lifestyle and Scolding. The current study actually points out that having a NDD gives account for a stronger influence on school performance and on behavioral and psychological aspects, during a two months lockdown. Such results may provide useful information to governments and school authorities on how carrying through supportive strategies for youth affected by NDDs.

Long-Term Effects of Acceptance and Rejection by Parents and Peers on Educational Attainment: A Study from Pre-Adolescence to Early Adulthood

Acceptance and rejection by parents and peers play an important role in pre-adolescents' educational outcomes. Prior research focused on either parents or peers, did not encompass effects into adulthood, or considered either acceptance or rejection. This study investigated the relation between parental and peer acceptance and rejection, and their interplay, in pre-adolescence and educational attainment in early adulthood. A sample of 2229 pre-adolescents (M_age T1 = 11.11, SD = 0.56; 50.7% girls) was followed to early adulthood (M_age T5 = 22.29, SD = 0.65). Ordinal logistic regression showed that pre-adolescents' perceived parental acceptance was positively related to educational attainment in early adulthood, whereas peer rejection was negatively related, even when WISC score and socioeconomic status were considered. No interaction effects were found, revealing no "dual-hit effect" of being rejected by parents and peers, no "dual-miss effect" of being accepted by parents and peers, and no effects of acceptance in one context (i.e., parents or peers) buffering the negative effect of rejection in the other context. The findings underscore unique and long-term links of parental acceptance and peer rejection with early adults' educational attainment, underlining the importance of not only peers but also parents in adolescence. These insights can be used in promoting long-term educational outcomes through relationships with parents and peers.

Psychological Distress, Somatic Complaints, and Their Relation to Negative Psychosocial Factors in a Sample of Swedish High School Students

Background: Adolescence is a period in life characterized by major neurobiological, physiological, and psychological changes. Those changes may give rise to worsened mental health and an increased prevalence of somatic complaints combined with a negative psychosocial environment. Rapid changes in society, which may also affect young people in several ways, call for a renewed screening of today's adolescents' mental and somatic well-being. Aim: The present study's primary aim was to measure the level of self-rated psychological distress and the prevalence of somatic complaints in a sample of Swedish high school students. As a secondary aim, it identifies gender-specific patterns and examines mental and somatic health in relation to negative psychosocial factors (such as parental alcohol use problems or the experience of physical or psychological abuse). Method: Two hundred and eighty-seven Swedish high school students completed a survey including the Brief Symptom Inventory (BSI) and a questionnaire about the presence of defined somatic complaints. In order to examine the relationship between negative psychosocial factors and mental and somatic health, three groups were formed: those reporting (i) parental substance use problems, (ii) previous experience of abuse, (iii) none of these problems. Results: The majority of the Swedish high-school students (>80%) reported no or only a few problems with psychological distress and no or only one somatic complaint. Female students disclosed a significantly higher psychological distress level captured by each BSI domain. The number of somatic complaints was similarly distributed between the genders. The students rarely reported parental substance use problems, but almost 40% of the male and 50% of the female students indicated the experience of physical and/or psychological abuse. Such negative psychosocial circumstances were related to an increased level of anxiety in the male and an increased general level of psychological distress in female students. Conclusions: The study confirmed female students' higher psychological distress level. Gender differences in the type of somatic complaints, but not in the number were detected. The experience of physical and/or psychological abuse was found to significantly worsen psychological distress in students of both genders.

Usage activity, perceived usefulness, and satisfaction in a web-based acceptance and commitment therapy program among Finnish ninth-grade adolescents

Understanding adolescent usage activity and experiences in web-based psychological intervention programs helps in developing universal programs that can be adopted for promotion of adolescent well-being and prevention of mental health problems. This study examined the usage activity, perceived usefulness (i.e., learning of mindfulness, acceptance and value-related skills), and program satisfaction of 157 Finnish ninth-grade adolescents, who participated in a school-based five-week universal acceptance and commitment therapy web intervention called Youth Compass. Individual and growth environment-related antecedents were measured before the five-week intervention, adolescents' usage activity during the intervention, and perceived usefulness and satisfaction after the intervention. The results showed that female adolescents and adolescents with high self-regulation were more active program users and had more positive experiences of the program. Most of the adolescents used the program on at least a moderate level and perceived it to be moderately or highly useful and satisfactory. Four subgroups of adolescents were identified based on their usage activity, perceived usefulness, and satisfaction: adolescents in the satisfied group (41%) had average activity and high perceived usefulness and intervention satisfaction, the dissatisfied group (18%) had low activity and very low perceived usefulness and intervention satisfaction, the active group (8%) had very high activity and average perceived usefulness and intervention satisfaction, and the moderate group (33%) had average activity, perceived usefulness and intervention satisfaction. Gender, academic achievement, closeness to mother and teacher, and conflict with teacher were significantly related to subgroup membership. The results suggested that adolescent usage activity, perceived usefulness, and satisfaction with the Youth Compass program may to some extent be predicted based on different factors.