Toward a psychology of positive youth development

The longitudinal association between sport participation and self-esteem in youth in the Netherlands: The role of sport type

OBJECTIVES

To investigate the longitudinal associations of sport participation with self-esteem in youth, and whether this relationship differs between team compared to individual, and non-esthetic compared to esthetic sports.

DESIGN

Prospective data on sport participation at age 10 and self-esteem at age 13 years was used, collected from 2970 participants within Generation R, a population-based cohort study in the Netherlands.

METHODS

Hours of sports per week were measured with a questionnaire, completed by the primary caregivers. Participation in sports was classified into team vs. individual and non-esthetic vs. esthetic sports. Self-esteem was assessed by the Harter's Self-Perception Profile. Linear regression analyses, adjusted for multiple testing were conducted to test the association between sports and self-esteem subdomains. Then, differences in self-esteem among youth participating in different types of sports were explored by two separate sets of linear regression with team and non-esthetic sports as the reference groups.

RESULTS

More hours of sports were associated with higher self-esteem (β = 0.081, pfdr < 0.001). This association was driven by the subdomains social acceptance (β = 0.057, pfdr = 0.004) and athletic competence (β = 0.242, pfdr < 0.001). Participation in individual or esthetic sports was associated with lower self-esteem compared to the team (β = -0.196, pfdr < 0.001) or non-esthetic (β = -0.172, pfdr = 0.002) sports.

CONCLUSIONS

Sport participation, particularly team and non-esthetic sports, may be beneficial for self-esteem among youth, driven by aspects like socializing and one's ability to do well at sports. The aspects of different types of sports could be considered for developing improved sport-related environments and effective physical activity interventions.

Enhancing career adaptability in college students: a Tai Chi-based sports intervention study

Introduction

This research explores the impact of Tai Chi, a traditional Chinese martial art, on the career adaptability of college students, utilizing a quasi-experimental design. With the increasing complexities in the transition from school to work, effective interventions that address both psychological and vocational needs are essential.

Methods

The study involved 70 senior college students, randomly assigned to either an intervention group that participated in an organized 8-week Tai Chi program based on positive youth development (PYD) or a control group with no intervention.

Results

Results indicated significant improvements in the intervention group in terms of both career adaptability and satisfaction of basic psychological needs, compared to the control group. Mediation analysis revealed that the increase in career adaptability induced by intervention was mediated by the satisfaction of basic psychological needs, underscoring the effectiveness of Tai Chi as a holistic intervention tool.

Discussion

This study contributes to the field by demonstrating that physical activity, particularly one embedded with deep cultural and philosophical significance like Tai Chi, can effectively enhance the career adaptability of college students. It advocates for the inclusion of PYD-based physical practices in developmental interventions aimed at preparing youth for the challenges of the modern workforce.

Systematic review and meta-analysis of developmental assets scales: A study protocol for psychometric properties

BACKGROUND AND AIMS

Application of developmental assets, one of existing Positive Youth Development (PYD) frameworks, has gained momentum in research, policy formulations, and interventions, necessitating the introduction of the most efficient scales for this framework. The present study protocol aims to conduct a systematic review and meta-analysis of developmental assets scales to document the underlying logic, objectives, and methodologies earmarked for the identification, selection, and critical evaluation of these scales.

METHODS AND MATERIALS

In accordance with the Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis Protocols (PRISMA-P), the intended search will encompass databases of PubMed, Scopus, Web of Knowledge, and PsycINFO, spanning from the inception of 1988 to 1st of April 2024. The review will include articles published published in English language focusing on individuals aged 10 to 29 years and reporting at least one type of reliability or validity of developmental assets scales. The review process will be in compliance with the COnsensus-based Standards for the selection of health Measurement INstruments (COSMIN), and the overall quality of evidence will be determined using the Grading of Recommendations, Assessment, Development and Evaluations (GRADE) guidelines.

DISCUSSION

This comprehensive assessment aims to identify potential biases in prior research and offer guidance to scholars regarding the optimal scales for developmental assets in terms of validity, reliability, responsiveness, and interpretability The evidence-based appraisal of the scales strengths and limitations is imperative in shaping future research, enhancing their methodological rigor, and proposing refinements to existing instruments for developmental assets.

IOC consensus statement on elite youth athletes competing at the Olympic Games: essentials to a healthy, safe and sustainable paradigm

With the pronounced ongoing growth of global youth sports, opportunities for and participation of youth athletes on the world sports stage, including the Olympic Games, are expected to escalate. Yet, adolescence is a vulnerable period of development and inherently dynamic, with non-linear and asynchronous progression of physical, physiological, psychological and social attributes. These non-concurrent changes within and between individuals are accompanied by irregular and unpredictable threats and impediments. Likewise, the evident age-based criteria and conventional path for those youth athletes deemed eligible candidates for the Olympic Games are not well or consistently defined. Furthermore, the unstructured and largely varying policies and practices across the sporting International Federations specific to youth participation underscore the need to establish a contemporary universal paradigm that would enable elite youth athletes to navigate an individualised healthy pathway to personal, athletic and sport success. First, we reviewed and summarised key challenges facing elite youth athletes and the relevant evidence fundamental to facilitating and supporting central aspects of health and well-being, while empowering safe, sustainable and positive engagement during athletic and personal advancement and competition. Second, we developed and present a modern elite youth athlete model that emphasises a child-centred, practical framework with corresponding guidelines and recommendations to protect health and well-being while safely and favourably managing international sport competition. Our proposed evidence-informed paradigm will enable and support individualised pathways for healthy, well-rounded and sustainable positive engagement while achieving sport success for youth contending or aiming to compete at world-class international sporting events.

Positive youth development of Tayal and Han adolescents in Taiwan: A cultural and structural perspective

INTRODUCTION

Using the Five Cs model of positive youth development (PYD), this study aimed to provide a socio-structural and cultural understanding of PYD in Indigenous Tayal youth by examining the specificity in the development of Five Cs (Competence, Confidence, Character, Caring, and Connection) between Tayal and Han youth in Taiwan.

METHODS

A sample of 847 Tayal and Han adolescents (43.8% Tayal, 47.9% girls, Mage = 14.83, SD = 0.50) were drawn from a larger study (September 2014 to August 2017). Adolescent participants completed questionnaires asking about their Five Cs, contribution behavior, and depressive symptomatology.

RESULTS

Measurement invariance was conducted to explore specificity between Tayal and Han youth's Five Cs performance. A bi-factor Five Cs model was identified and partial metric and partial scalar measurement invariance was established between the two samples. Across both groups an overarching PYD factor, which was associated with increased contribution and lower depressive symptomatology, was identified. Specificity was observed in the Tayal sample, particularly relating to indicators of Competence, Character, Caring, and Connection.

CONCLUSION

The findings of this study provide a sociocultural-informed lens regarding the specificity of development in Tayal youth. Character, Caring, and Connection appear to contribute significantly more to the overall PYD for Tayal adolescents than their Han peers. Findings relating to Competence suggest that the educational environment may not be aligned with the learning style of Tayal youth. This study has policy and practical implications for Tayal youth, and can further help inform program development in Taiwan and internationally.

Organized afterschool activities as a developmental context for children and adolescents

The last 40 years have been marked by a growing appreciation of organized afterschool activities as a developmental context, with evidence that these activities are linked to academic, social, and behavioral outcomes at least in the short term. In this chapter, we focus on research that builds on these earlier advances to extend afterschool research in two areas that are critical to the future of this field. First, we feature research that examines organized activities longitudinally from kindergarten through the end of high school, enabling us to study organized activities in relation to academic, social-emotional, behavioral, and health outcomes in both the short-run and long-run, including into adulthood. We then turn to a second advance: research focused on organized activities that serve minoritized children and adolescents. These studies identify the barriers minoritized youth often face and how activities can be designed to support their positive development, including efforts to provide culturally responsive programming. Promising directions for future research are presented in a third section.

Role of residential college participation in sense of belonging and academic learning

Objective: The present study examined the relationships among students' participation in Residential College (RC) activities, their sense of belonging, academic engagement, and academic achievement. Participants: Two hundred and forty-six undergraduate students from a public university in Macau participated in this study. Methods: A set of survey questions were responded by each participant via an online link. Results: Participation in RC activities cultivated students' sense of belonging toward RC which in turn contributed to their sense of belonging toward the university. Students' academic engagement mediated the relationship between sense of belonging toward UM and academic achievement. Conclusions: These findings confirmed previous studies demonstrating the important role of RC participation in student learning and development, and shed lights on the optimization of RC system in the university as well as student development in higher education.

The Relationship between Participation in Extracurricular Arts and Sports Activities and Adolescents' Social and Emotional Skills: An Empirical Analysis Based on the OECD Social and Emotional Skills Survey

In light of the 'double reduction' policy, which affords adolescents increased time for extracurricular pursuits, the strategic organization of these activities' form and content is imperative. Prior research has established a robust correlation between adolescent participation in extracurricular arts and sports and the enhancement in their social and emotional skills. Nevertheless, the relationship between extracurricular arts and sports activities and the various dimensions of social and emotional skills, as well as the connection between participation in different types of these activities and the enhancement in social and emotional skills, requires further investigation. Utilizing the Theory of Multiple Intelligence and data from the OECD-SSES2019 Suzhou (China) student survey, this study employs Ordinary Least Squares (OLS) and coarsened exact matching (CEM) methodologies to address these gaps. In China, participation in extracurricular arts and sports activities is significantly positively associated with various dimensions of social and emotional skills, with a synergistic effect observed between these activities in enhancing these skills. Additionally, this study finds age-related heterogeneity in the relationship between participation in extracurricular arts and sports activities and the improvement in social and emotional skills.

Reflections on the benefits and challenges of using co-produced artistic workshops to engage with young people in community settings

BACKGROUND

Despite increased focus on adolescence, young people's voices are often undervalued and underrepresented in health inequalities research and policy. Through exploring young people's priorities for their health and their community, we may begin to understand how public health interventions and policies can be more effective and equitable. Engaging with youth using art enables empowerment and self-expression on these complex topics.

METHODS

Creative workshops, co-produced with a young artist, were delivered at three youth centres to participants aged 11-18 years (n = 30) in disadvantaged areas of Bristol, UK. Participants engaged in art and were guided by a semi-structured topic guide through focus group discussion. Thematic analysis, supported by the young artist, was used to distil key policy priorities for young people to be delivered to the local authority.

RESULTS

The young people identified a list of key priorities. These were: (1) mental health, (2) feeling 'forgotten' as an age group and having safe city spaces to socialise, (3) the need for greater support for their education and career aspirations. I provide a brief summary of these priorities, but the focus of this article is on the critical reflections on this innovative way of engaging with young people about local policy. I provide key learning points for researchers looking to do creative public health work in community settings and involve marginalised young people.

CONCLUSIONS

Art is a promising way of engaging with young people in community settings and elevating marginalised voices. Co-producing with a local young artist enriched the project and partially alleviated power imbalances. This approach has potential for involving different groups within local policymaking and priority setting around health inequalities.

Youth Assets and Alcohol, Tobacco, and Other Drug Use: The Importance of Family Structure

This research analyzed data from the Youth Asset Study (YAS), a 4-year longitudinal investigation designed to examine the prospective influence of youth assets, which are believed to influence behavior at the individual, family, and community levels, on youth risk behaviors. The purpose was to determine if specific youth assets (e.g., responsible choices, family communication, community involvement) differentially protected adolescents from alcohol, tobacco, and other drug use (ATODU) according to family structure (one-parent and two-parent households). Five waves of data were collected annually over four years from a racially/ethnically diverse sample of adolescents (N = 722, 51.5% male, baseline mean age = 14.1 years). Pearson chi-square tests for independence were used to test for significant differences in the prevalence of assets between one-parent and two-parent households. Generalized linear mixed models were used to identify prospective associations between 17 youth assets and ATODU while stratifying by family structure and controlling for sociodemographic characteristics. Compared to adolescents living in one-parent households, adolescents living in two-parent households were significantly more likely to possess six of 17 assets. Among adolescents living in one-parent households, those who possessed any one of eight youth assets were significantly less likely to use ATODU. Among adolescents living in one-parent households, those with any one of seven assets were significantly less likely to use ATODU. Family- and community-level assets had the most significant asset/ATODU associations for adolescents living in one-parent households (AORs ranged from 0.23 to 0.61). Individual-level assets had the most significant asset/ATODU associations for adolescents living in two-parent households (AORs ranged from 0.38 to 0.60). The results suggest that developing asset-based interventions tailored to the adolescents' family structure may be useful in preventing adolescents from engaging in ATODU.

Associations between the number of siblings, parent-child relationship and positive youth development of adolescents in mainland China: A cross-sectional study

BACKGROUND

Positive development plays an important role in youth when dealing with stressful circumstances. According to the resource dilution theory, adolescents with or without siblings may receive different levels of emotional and material resources from their parents. The purpose of this study is to examine the association between the positive development of adolescents in China today with their family characteristics such as the number of siblings.

METHODS

A total of 2072 junior high and senior high school students (13 to 18 years old) in Chengdu, Sichuan, China, were investigated by cluster sampling. The Chinese Positive Youth Development scales (CPYDs) were used to measure positive youth development. The generalized linear model was used to explore the relationships among the number of siblings, parent-child relationships and positive youth development.

RESULTS

Adolescents from only-child families had better performance on positive development (H = 21.87, P < 0.001) and better relationships with parents (H = 15.1, P < 0.05). The positive development of male and female adolescents does not significantly differ in families with different numbers of siblings. The generalized linear model showed that a positive parent-child relationship is positively correlated with adolescent positive development (P < 0.05).

CONCLUSION

Positive youth development is not only associated with the number of siblings but also other modifiable familial factors. The positive relationship between parents and adolescents is of great practical value in daily life to improve youth development, and this might be the real lesson the resource dilution theory tells.

Retention in Junior Giants, a sport-based youth development program: what factors are associated with intentions to return?

Introduction

While evaluation research shows that physical activity-based youth development (PA-PYD) programs can have a positive impact on social and emotional growth, less is known about which participants return year after year and what factors are associated with their continued participation. The Junior Giants is a sport-based youth development program for 5-18-year-old boys and girls that is non-competitive and free to participate. The 8-week program uses baseball and softball as platforms for teaching life skills and fostering social emotional competencies. This mixed-methods study evaluated quantitative factors associated with intentions to return to the program the following year and qualitative reasons why parents/caregivers intended not to re-enroll their child.

Method

Parents/caregivers of Junior Giants participants (N = 8,495) completed online surveys about their child's demographics, social emotional climate and learning, character development, and intentions to return the following year.

Results

Descriptive data illustrated that parents/caregivers reported quite positive outcomes and experiences for their child. Chi-square and t-test analyses revealed significant differences (p < .001) between intended returners (n = 7,179, 84.5%) and those who reported no/undecided on returning (n = 1,316, 15.5%). Intended returners were significantly more likely to be identified as Latino and be in their second year of participation. Significant predictors of a binomial logistic regression [χ2 (df = 22) = 1,463.25, p < .001] included age, race/ethnicity, years played, character development, reading, league experiences, physical activity, and perceived support, with small to medium effect sizes. Using responses from a subset of 217 parents/caregivers who reported their child would not return to the program, a thematic analysis resulted in seven themes: Lack of Organization and Communication; Dissatisfied with Coaching, Didn't Learn Baseball/Softball, Not Competitive Enough, Skill Levels Not Matched, Aged Out, and Non-Program Related Reasons.

Discussion

Quantitative results contribute to the literature on predictors of retention in youth development programs, while qualitative findings echo common motives cited for dropout in youth sport. Both provide opportunities for reflection and potential changes to future programming.

Participation in organised sport to improve and prevent adverse developmental trajectories of at-risk youth: A systematic review

Background

Healthy after-school activities such as participation in organised sport have been shown to serve as important resources for reducing school failure and other problem/high-risk behaviour. It remains to be established to what extent organised sport participation has positive impacts on young people in unstable life circumstances.

Objectives

What are the effects of organised sport on risk behaviour, personal, emotional and social skills of young people, who either have experienced or are at-risk of experiencing an adverse outcome?

Search Methods

The database searches were carried out in March 2023 and other sources were searched in May 2023. We searched to identify both published and unpublished literature.

Selection Criteria

The intervention was participation in leisure time organised sport. Young people between 6 and 18 years of age, who either have experienced or are at-risk of experiencing an adverse outcome were eligible. Primary outcomes were problem/high-risk behaviour and a secondary outcomes social and emotional outcomes. Studies that used a control group were eligible for. Studies that utilised qualitative approaches were not.

Data Collection and Analysis

The number of potentially relevant studies was 43,716. Thirteen studies met the inclusion criteria. Only seven studies could be used in the data synthesis. Five studies were judged to have a critical risk of bias and were excluded from the meta-analysis. One study did not report data that enabled the calculation of effect sizes and standard errors. Meta-analyses were conducted on each conceptual outcome separately. All analyses were inverse variance weighted using random effects statistical models.

Main Results

Two studies were from Canada, one from Australia, and the remaining from the USA. The timespan of the interventions was 23 years, from 1995 to 2018. The median number of participants analysed was 316, and the median number of controls was 452. A number of primary outcomes were reported but each in a single study only. Concerning secondary outcomes, two studies reported the effect on overall psychosocial adjustment at post-intervention. The standardised mean difference was 0.70 (95% CI 0.28-1.11). There was a small amount of heterogeneity. Three studies reported on depressive symptoms at 0-3 years follow-up. The standardised mean difference was 0.02 (95% CI -0.01 to 0.06). There was no heterogeneity between the three studies. In addition, a number of other secondary outcomes were reported each in a single study only.

Authors' Conclusions

There were too few studies included in the meta-analyses in order for us to draw any conclusion. The dominance of Northern America clearly limiting the generalisability of the findings. The majority of the studies were not considered to be of overall high quality and the process of excluding studies with critical risk of bias from the meta-analysis applied in this review left us with only 7 of a total of 13 possible studies to synthesise. Further, because too few studies reported results on the same type of outcome, at most three studies could be combined in a particular meta-analysis and no meta-analysis could be performed on any of the primary outcomes.

Parental support in esports through the lens of the theory of planned behaviour

Esports have grown substantially in the last decade and may be an effective way of engaging and exposing the youth, who is not actively participating in traditional sports, to the benefits of sports related performance environments. However, due to negative stereotypes about gamers and concerns about esports, parents might be hesitant to support their children's esports participation and may instead actively discourage it. The purpose of this perspective article was to discuss the determinants of parental support based on the theory of planned behaviour. Parents attitudes seem to be mostly negative and their perceived behavioral control is likely low due to a lack of knowledge about esports. The subjective norms are mixed and seem to be growing progressively more positive. Based on the theory of planned behaviour, parents seem unlikely to support their children's esport participation, however, more research is needed. Recommendations on how to increase the likelihood of parental support are discussed.

The effects of life skills of Korean college student athletes on adaptation and satisfaction in college life

OBJECTIVE

To investigate the effects of college student athletes' life skills on adaptation and life satisfaction.

PARTICIPANTS

246 college student athletes (Mage = 20.24 ± 1.11; 75% of males) who were registered in the Korea Sports Association in South Korea.

METHODS

A cross-sectional study design was used. College student athletes completed self-reported surveys in 2019. Study variables include life skills, adaptation to college, and life satisfaction as performed by bivariate analysis, ANOVA, and multiple regression analysis.

RESULTS

Life skills, adaptation to college, and life satisfaction were partially correlated to each other and differed by gender and sport types (p < .05-.01). College student athletes' life skills were significant predictors of adaptation to college life and life satisfaction.

CONCLUSIONS

Developing and establishing life skills programs in and outside of campus may help promoting college student athletes' well-being.

Reaching Young People in Urban and Rural Communities with Mental Health and Wellbeing Support Within a Youth Sports Development Program: Integrating In-Person and Remote Modes of Service Delivery

Embedding mental health and wellbeing programs within youth sports development programs can help provide more young people with mental health support. However, delivering such programs in multiple locations across metropolitan, regional, and rural areas requires novel solutions to overcome geographic and logistical barriers. We examined the delivery of an integrated system delivered within an Australian junior rugby league program. The program included online assessment and feedback about youth mental health, as well as connection with evidence-informed resources and referral sources via parent telephone and email support. There were four methods of delivering player workshops during training sessions: (a) In-person Delivery Only, (b) In-person + Remote Real-time (video-conferenced), (c) In-person + Remote Prerecorded (video-recorded), and (d) Remote Delivery Only (video-conferenced and/or video-recorded). In-person delivered player workshops were facilitated by local rugby league personnel. Remote delivered workshops were facilitated by psychologists from the mental health research team. Participants were 671 boys (12-15 years; M age = 13.35; SD = 0.35) in 21 metropolitan, regional and rural locations. Regardless of delivery condition, players with elevated anxiety, depression and behavioural problems reported significant declines in symptoms from pre- to post-program, and those within healthy ranges did not change from pre- to post-program. Player workshop enjoyment ratings were higher in the In-person + Remote Real-time condition and the Remote Delivery Only condition than the In-person Delivery Only condition. However, non-completion of the post-program assessment across all conditions was higher than in prior studies and a comparison group of players who did not complete the program was not included. Mental health benefits may be observed across in-person and remote modes of delivering mental health workshops within youth sports programs. However, the involvement of mental health personnel, whether in-person or remotely, and mixed delivery modes, may be important for young people's retention and satisfaction.

Can you See What We See? African American Parents' Views of the Strengths and Challenges of Children and Youth Living with Adversity

A premise of positive youth development is that social competencies can develop in adversity and co-exist with problem behaviors. This research tested whether African American youth ages 9-17 who had experienced significant family stressors would form groups that displayed combinations of adversity, problem behavior, and strengths. Parents of a nationally representative sample of African Americans children were interviewed on child difficulties and strengths as part of the CDC's 2019 National Health Interview Survey. About 15% of the national sample of African American youth had experienced violence or parental incarceration, depression, or drug abuse. Latent class analysis (LCA) using indicators of adversity and strengths identified four distinct classes. Class 1 included youth who experienced multiple adversities, exhibited few strengths, and were high in behavior problems. Members of both classes 2 and 3 were more likely to experience parental incarceration but exhibited altruism. Class 3 also experienced parental mental health problems. Members of class 4 had the highest exposure to violence but were comparatively high in altruism and affability. Regression analysis revealed that the groups differed from one another on emotional health but not on physical health controlling for age and gender. These findings support a focus by mental health prevention programs on building on the strengths of children growing up in adversity.

Implications of time and space factors related with youth substance use prevention: a conceptual review and case study of the Icelandic Prevention Model being implemented in the context of the COVID-19 pandemic

PURPOSE

This research examines the implementation of the Icelandic Prevention Model (IPM) in Canada to identify opportunities revealed by the COVID-19 pandemic to re-design our social eco-system to promote wellbeing. This paper has two objectives: 1) to provide a conceptual review of research that applies the bioecological model to youth substance use prevention with a focus on the concepts of time and physical space use and 2) to describe a case study that examines the implementation of the IPM in Canada within the context of the COVID-19 pandemic.

METHOD

Study data were collected through semi-structured qualitative interviews with key stakeholders involved in implementing the IPM.

RESULTS

Findings are organized within three over-arching themes derived from a thematic analysis: 1) Issues that influence time and space use patterns and youth substance use, 2) Family and community cohesion and influences on developmental context and time use and 3) Opportunities presented by the pandemic that can promote youth wellbeing.

CONCLUSION

We apply the findings to research on the IPM as well as the pandemic to examine opportunities that may support primary prevention and overall youth wellbeing. We use the concepts of time and space as a foundation to discuss implications for policy and practice going forward.

Using artificial intelligence to assess personal qualities in college admissions

Personal qualities like prosocial purpose and leadership predict important life outcomes, including college success. Unfortunately, the holistic assessment of personal qualities in college admissions is opaque and resource intensive. Can artificial intelligence (AI) advance the goals of holistic admissions? While cost-effective, AI has been criticized as a "black box" that may inadvertently penalize already disadvantaged subgroups when used in high-stakes settings. Here, we consider an AI approach to assessing personal qualities that aims to overcome these limitations. Research assistants and admissions officers first identified the presence/absence of seven personal qualities in n = 3131 applicant essays describing extracurricular and work experiences. Next, we fine-tuned pretrained language models with these ratings, which successfully reproduced human codes across demographic subgroups. Last, in a national sample (N = 309,594), computer-generated scores collectively demonstrated incremental validity for predicting 6-year college graduation. We discuss challenges and opportunities of AI for assessing personal qualities.

Resilience, Positivity and Social Support as Perceived Stress Predictors among University Students

Since the COVID-19 pandemic, researchers have been trying to identify which personal resources can contribute to minimizing the mental health costs in students incurred due to the restrictions that disrupted safety and predictability in their academic lives. The aim of the study was to verify if and how individual factors (resilience and positivity) and socio-environmental factors (social support and nationality) allow prediction of the level of perceived stress. University students (n = 559) from Poland, Serbia, and Italy were surveyed using the Perceived Stress Scale (PSS-10), the Brief Resilience Scale (BRS), the Positivity Scale (PS), and the Interpersonal Support Evaluation List (ISEL-12). Personal resources-positivity, resilience, and support-were found to be positively interrelated and significantly associated with stress levels. Additionally, gender and nationality differentiated stress levels. A general linear model (GLM) showed that levels of perceived stress are best explained by resilience, positivity, tangible support, and gender. The results obtained can strengthen students' awareness of personal resources and their protective role in maintaining mental health, as well as contribute to the creation of prevention-oriented educational activities. Nationality was not a significant predictor of the level of perceived stress, which highlights the universality of examined predictors among university students from different countries and suggests that interventions aimed at enhancing these resources could benefit students across different cultural contexts.

Potential connection between positive frustration in family leisure time and the promotion of adolescent autonomy

Family relationships during leisure time in adolescence have the potential to promote positive development, particularly in terms of autonomy. However, the scientific literature that links specifically positive family leisure to the development of adolescent autonomy is scarce, and lower when analyzing the role of frustration in leisure time. Grounded in Self-Determination Theory (SDT) this article examines the potential relationship between positive frustration in family leisure time and the promotion of adolescent autonomy. For that purpose, the manuscript addresses four objectives to be discussed consecutively: (1) to delimit the concept of adolescent autonomy and point out the difficulty of parental support; (2) to explore positive frustration, a concept aligned with Csikszentmihalyi's theory of flow, as a construct that can promote socio-emotional development in adolescence; (3) to describe the components of family leisure; and (4) to understand how the experience of optimal frustration may be linked to the development of adolescent autonomy during family leisure time. From this central question, several additional inquiries emerge: the interplay of frustration and failure in adolescence, the importance of parents and adolescents spending quality time together, the enjoyment in structured family leisure time, the autonomy-supportive parenting in leisure time activities in relation to daily activities, the need to strengthen adolescent bonds developed in infancy, and the complexity of paternal and maternal autonomy granting.

Being a mentor in the digital era: An exploratory study of the benefits undergraduate student mentors derived from providing virtual mentoring to youth

The purpose of the study was to understand mentors' perceptions of the benefits they derived from providing virtual mentoring to youth at risk of school failure and justice system involvement in an alternative school-based mentoring program. Using data collected from 38 university student mentors, we used a qualitative case study design focused on generating highly credible descriptions of mentors' perceptions of how they were affected by their experiences providing virtual mentoring. The three conceptual themes that emerged in our analysis were that virtual mentors described experiencing the following outcomes: (1) the reduction of biases and development of cultural humility, (2) the development of communication and leadership skills, and (3) a cultivation of civic responsibility and a sense of empowerment to make a difference. These findings suggest that providing virtual mentoring to youth may be one important tool for building competencies for undergraduate students.

Towards the development of a quality youth sport experience measure: Understanding participant and stakeholder perspectives

Quality sport experiences may be a key underlying mechanism through which continued sport participation may facilitate positive youth development. However, what constitutes a quality sport experience for youth is poorly understood due to a lack of comprehensiveness among existing measures. This study aimed to identify the salient factors that constitute quality sport experience for youth by capturing athletes and stakeholder perspectives with a broader goal of developing a more robust quality sport experiences measure. A total of 53 youth athletes and stakeholders (i.e., parents, coaches, and sport administrators) completed semi-structured interviews or focus groups about what they felt were important aspects of a quality sport experience for youth. Inductive content analysis of the data identified four themes representing important indicators for a quality sport experience for youth: fun and enjoyment, opportunity for sport skill development and progress, social support and sense of belonging, and open and effective communication. These higher order themes were found among each of the groups that have important interpersonal relationships with athletes, as well as among athletes themselves. Each of these themes were also related to one another. Collectively, findings outline a framework to understand what constitutes a quality sport experience for youth. The Quality Sport Experience Framework for Youth will help in the development of a quantitative tool to assess this construct and enable researchers to examine how these experiences contribute to continued engagement in sport and positive developmental outcomes among youth sport participants.

I Would Like to Do It Very Much! Leisure Participation Patterns and Determinants of Brazilian Children and Adolescents With Physical Disabilities

PURPOSE

To describe the patterns, preferences, and predictors of participation in leisure activities of children and young people with physical disabilities from Brazil.

METHODS

This is a cross-sectional study that included 50 children/young people with physical disabilities from the southeast of Brazil. The children were assessed using the Children's Assessment of Participation and Enjoyment and Preferences for Activities.

RESULTS

Children/young people participated in an average of 38% of the activities, with a greater number and frequency of informal, recreational, social, and self-improvement activities. The average frequency of participation in the activities was twice in the previous 4 months. The enjoyment in the participated activities was high. There was a greater preference for recreational, social, and physical activities. Age and functional classification were predictors of participation.

CONCLUSION

This study of children with disabilities from the southeast of Brazil supports studies in other low- and middle-income countries, demonstrating low diversity and intensity of participation in leisure activities, but with high levels of enjoyment.

Effectiveness of the Positive Youth Development (PYD) Program on reducing aggression among high school female students

BACKGROUND

The positive youth development program highlights the abilities of adolescents and young people. This concept emphasizes that teenagers are capable of making positive changes (such as: flexibility, Responsibility, Identify abilities). This study aimed to determine the effectiveness of the Positive Youth Development (PYD) program on reducing aggression among high school female students in Yazd city. Iran.

METHODS

This was a quasi-experimental study, using pretest-posttest design with a control group. In the 2019-2020 academic year, the statistical population comprised all female students in high school first and second years in the city of Yazd, Iran. Using purposive sampling and based on include and exclude criteria (high risk of aggression due to their scores on a screening test and Parental consent to participate in the class) 30 female students were selected. Randomly, they were assigned to an experimental(n = 15) and control groups(n-15). The Buss-Perry Aggression Questionnaire was conducted on students. The experimental group had 8 intervention sessions, whereas the control group received no intervention. The data were subsequently examined using Analysis of Covariance(ANCOVA).

RESULTS

The dependent t-test revealed a significant difference between the pretest-posttest aggression scores in the experimental group, but there was no significant difference in the control group. There was no significant difference in the mean scores of physical aggression, anger, and hostility in the experimental and control groups, but a significant difference was found between the experimental and control groups in the mean verbal aggression scores.

CONCLUSION

training of positive youth development did not affect on aggression and its three dimensions (physical aggression, anger, and hostility) and only affected adolescent verbal aggression.

Everyday life during the childhood cancer trajectory-childhood cancer survivors' descriptions of the role of caring support

Background

Being diagnosed with cancer in childhood often has a direct impact on the child's opportunities to participate in activities and the child's sense of belonging in different life situations. Experiences of illness in youth affect the lives of these individuals in numerous ways and they need pronounced support to regain their normal life after treatment.

Purpose

To illustrate how childhood cancer survivors describe the role of the caring support provided by healthcare professionals at diagnosis and during the cancer trajectory.

Methods

A mixed methods approach was applied. Swanson's Theory of Caring was used to deductively analyze the answers in a study-specific questionnaire with Likert scales (1-5). Descriptive and comparative statistics and exploratory factor analyses were performed.

Results

Sixty-two former patients, diagnosed with solid tumors/lymphoma in 1983 to 2003 in Sweden, participated. The mean time passed since treatment was 15.7 years. Swanson's caring processes Being with and Doing for were the most prominent loading categorical factor indicators. Higher scores for healthcare professionals being emotionally present (Being with), doing for others what they would do for themselves (Doing for) and being willing to understand the sick child's situation (Knowing) were highlighted by survivors older than 30 years, compared to those younger than 30 years (p = 0.041, p = 0.045, and p = 0.013, respectively). An increased vulnerability regarding their ability to cope with difficulties (Maintain belief) was found among participants who were treated during adolescence, related to schoolchildren (p = 0.048), and among those who had been treated with extra-cranial irradiation in comparison with no extra-cranial irradiation (p = 0.004). The role of having a partner in comparison with being single was underlined among those who felt they had acquired the tools they needed to take care of themselves (Enabling) (p = 0.013). The total explained variance was 63%.

Conclusions

A person-centered care approach during treatment for childhood cancer, reflected by a caring model, highlights the role of healthcare professionals being emotionally present, involving children, performing actions, and with an approach that has potential long-term implications. Childhood cancer patients and survivors need not only clinically competent professionals, but professionals who provide caring interactions with compassion.

From Strength-Based Parenting to Subjective Well-Being of College Students: A Chain Mediating Role of Personal Growth Initiative and Strengths Use

Previous research demonstrated a positive relationship between strength-based parenting (SBP) and subjective well-being (SWB). However, the underlying mechanisms still need further research. Based on the social cognitive theory and developmental assets framework, we investigated the influence of SBP on college students' SWB through the mediating role of personal growth initiative (PGI) and strengths use. A total of 621 Chinese college students were recruited. Participants completed self-report scales about the SBP, PGI, strengths use and SWB. The results showed that SBP had a positive impact on college students' SWB. On the one hand, PGI and strengths use mediated the above relationship respectively. On the other hand, SBP influenced SWB through the chain mediating effect of PGI and strengths use. The findings indicate that exploring the relationship between SBP and SWB has positive implications for family education and youth development.

PROTOCOL: Participation in organised sport to improve and prevent adverse developmental trajectories of at-risk youth: A systematic review

This is the protocol for a Campbell systematic review. The main objective of this review is to answer the research question: What are the effects of organised sport on risk behaviour, personal, emotional and social skills of young people, who either have experienced or is at-risk of experiencing an adverse outcome? Further, the review will attempt to answer if the effects differ between participants characteristics such as gender, age and risk indicator or between types of sport (e.g., team/individual, contact/non-contact, intensity and duration).

Inspiring IDEA: Girls on the Run's developmental approach to and assessment of inclusion, diversity, equity, and access programming

Introduction

Evaluation studies of positive youth development (PYD) programs show promising impact on children's psychosocial and behavioral outcomes, but less is known about how programming affects youth of varying racial, ethnic, and cultural identities. Girls on the Run, a physical activity-based PYD program, has developed curricula and coach training with a lens toward inclusion, diversity, equity, and access (IDEA). The purpose of this study was to assess the program's effectiveness in achieving IDEA programming goals.

Methods

Surveys were completed by youth (n = 342), caregivers (n = 2,375), and coaches (n = 1,406), and focus groups/interviews were conducted with 12 youth, 20 caregivers, and 9 coaches, diverse in race, ethnicity, ability, and other identities. Survey and focus group/interview questions addressed participants' thoughts and experiences regarding inclusion, diversity, equity, andaccess in Girls on the Run.

Results

Quantitative analyses of survey responses revealed favorable responses by all groups that the program: (a) provides a safe, inclusive, and supportive climate for all youth; (b) consists of teams with racially and ethnically diverse backgrounds; and, (c) successfully engages in strategies to reduce barriers to participation. Qualitative analyses of focus group/interview data resulted in 5 higher-order themes: (a) positive sentiments by girls, caregivers, and coaches; (b) social justice in the curriculum; (c) access to programming; (d) considerations regarding racial diversity; and, (e) serving gender-diverse participants.

Discussion

Collective findings characterized Girls on the Run as successful in meeting its pledge toward inclusion, diversity, equity, and access to participation. All groups recognized the program's positive impact on girls' social and emotional learning and fostering an atmosphere of community connectedness. Curricular lessons and coach training align with evidence based strategies for inclusive and equitable programming, which can serve as an exemplar for other out-of-school-time programs.

Type and Breadth of High School Extracurricular Activity Involvement and Postsecondary Psychosocial Well-Being among Diverse Youth

Many youth experience declines in psychosocial well-being during the transition from high school to postsecondary. Hypothesizing that extracurricular activity involvement in high school functions as a resource factor, the current study examines type and breadth as predictors of psychosocial well-being one year postsecondary. The sample (N = 4070) consisted of students from diverse ethnic-racial and socio-economic status backgrounds (30% Latinx; 60% had a parent without a college degree; 47% cisgender female). Eleventh grade involvement in sports was linked with lower loneliness, social anxiety, and depressive symptoms, and higher self-worth, whereas special interest clubs were associated with lower social anxiety and depressive symptoms. Examining breadth, one or two activities were linked with optimal psychosocial well-being. The results suggest that sports and special interest clubs, and up to two activity domains, are associated with optimal psychosocial well-being, providing recommendations for extracurricular programming and youth involvement.

The importance of compassion and respectful care for the health workforce: a mixed-methods study

Background

Compassionate and respectful care (CRC) is an essential element for health care providers (HCPs), which builds a positive environment and intimacy among health care professionals, patients, and families. However, there is a lack of studies examining the prevalence of and factors associated with compassionate and respectful care practice in low-resource countries. Therefore, this study aimed to assess the practice of compassionate and respectful care and its associated factors among the health workforce (HWF).

Methods

This mixed-methods study was conducted through quantitative and qualitative data collection from April to May 2019 in North Shewa Zone health care facilities (NSHFs). For quantitative analysis, participants were selected using a systematic random sampling technique. Participants for qualitative analysis were selected using a purposive sampling technique. Data entries were made by EpiData version 3.2 and exported to SPSS version 23 software for analysis. Bivariable and multivariable logistic regression analyses were performed to determine the associated factors. Thematic analysis was carried out for qualitative data.

Results

A total of 392 HWF responded to a self-administered survey, and 72 participants participated in focus group discussions (FGDs). Four categories of themes emerged: definition/knowledge, barriers, benefit, and leadership will. The prevalence of compassionate and respectful care practices was 38.8% and 46.2%, respectively. Female gender, health officer role, having a monthly salary equal to or greater than 5000 Ethiopian birr, and a positive attitude were significantly associated with compassionate care practice. The age category of 30-39, positive attitude, and ensuring a safe and clean care environment were significantly associated with respectful care practice.

Conclusion

Compassionate and respectful care among HWF requires an actual demonstration of humanity and kindness to promote person-centered practice for their clients. Therefore, the Ethiopian Federal Ministry of Health should emphasize CRC continuity by including it in the health care curriculum, improving the health care ethics skill gap, designing appropriate policy to reduce workload, and promoting patient rights.

Measuring Youth Perceptions of Being Known and Loved and Positive Youth Development: Cross-National Findings from Rwanda and El Salvador

Background

Dynamic, relational developmental systems-based models of development emphasize that developmentally-nurturant youth-adult relationships elicit in youth perceptions of being known and loved. Although such perceptions are foundations of positive youth development (PYD), such measures do not exist.

Objective

We sought to create a theoretically-predicated measure of youth perceptions of being known and loved by capitalizing on data sets in two countries (Rwanda and El Salvador) wherein a multi-national study of PYD was being conducted by Compassion International (CI).

Method

With Rwanda data (n = 1,204, M age  = 11.84, 50% CI-supported), exploratory and confirmatory factor analyses enabled refining the measure for robustness and parsimony. Measures of intentional self-regulation, hopeful future expectations, transcendence, and contribution were used for validation of the known and loved measure within the nomological net of constructs proposed in the Lerner and Lerner PYD model. Confirmatory factor analyses supported the use of the model within the El Salvador data set (n = 1,205, M age  = 13.03, 51% CI-supported).

Results

Robust psychometric properties were established in both national settings. Measurement invariance was found across age, gender, urban-rural location, CI-enrollment status, and nations, and involved both mean differences and correlations among latent factors.

Conclusions

The results provide evidence for a theory-predicated measure of youth perceptions of being known and loved and that scores for this construct covary within a nomological net specified in the Lerner and Lerner model of PYD. These findings serve international development organizations seeking theory-predicated measures for use in evaluating PYD programs in low- and middle-income countries.

Supplementary Information

The online version contains supplementary material available at 10.1007/s10566-022-09725-6.

Extracurricular activities and adjustment among students at disadvantaged high schools: The mediating role of peer relatedness and school belonging

INTRODUCTION

Participation in extracurricular activities (ECAs) during high school is likely to be associated with higher intrinsic motivation, as well as lower externalizing problems and depressive symptoms, particularly for students in schools located in socioeconomically disadvantaged neighborhoods. However, few studies have explored the processes underlying these positive associations. In this study, we examined whether peer relatedness and school belonging mediated the links between participation in these activities and adolescent academic and psychosocial adjustment and whether another indicator of poverty, namely material deprivation, moderated these links.

METHODS

Canadian students (n = 638; 59% girls) at disadvantaged high schools were surveyed at two-time points.

RESULTS AND CONCLUSIONS

Results show that peer relatedness can explain the associations between extracurricular activity participation and (a) school intrinsic motivation and (b) depressive symptoms. Results also revealed that the indirect effect involving the number of activities, peer relatedness, and depressive symptoms was only significant among students living in highly deprived areas. These results highlight the contribution of peer relatedness as a potential mediator of the positive association connecting extracurricular activity participation to adjustment among disadvantaged students.

Tobacco Smoke Exposure, School Engagement, School Success, and Afterschool Activity Participation Among US Children

BACKGROUND

Tobacco smoke exposure (TSE), defined as secondhand smoke (SHS) and thirdhand smoke (THS), is associated with negative health consequences. This study's objective was to assess the associations between home TSE status and school engagement, school success, and afterschool activity participation among school-aged children.

METHODS

We conducted a secondary analysis of 2018-2019 National Survey of Children's Health cross-sectional data. Children ages 6-11 years (N = 17,466) were categorized into home TSE groups: no home TSE; THS exposure only; and SHS and THS exposure. Weighted logistic and Poisson regression models were built.

RESULTS

Compared to children with no home TSE, children with home THS exposure only and SHS and THS exposure were at decreased odds of being engaged in school (AOR = 0.69, 95%CI = 0.57, 0.83; AOR = 0.63, 95%CI = 0.41, 0.97, respectively), and at increased odds of having ≥1 school-to-home contact about child problems in school (AOR = 1.83, 95%CI = 1.50, 2.23; AOR = 1.58, 95%CI = 1.05, 2.37, respectively). Children with THS exposure only were at increased odds of missing ≥1 school day (AOR = 1.43, 95%CI = 1.13, 1.81). Children with THS exposure only (ARR = 0.90, 95%CI = 0.83, 0.96) and SHS and THS exposure (ARR = 0.74, 95%CI = 0.61, 0.89) were at reduced likelihood of participating in a higher number of afterschool activities.

CONCLUSIONS

Children exposed to home tobacco smoke are at unique risk for poorer school engagement and success.

Emotional Well-Being of Children and Youth with Severe Motor and Communication Impairment: A Conceptual Understanding

BACKGROUND

Children and youth with severe motor and communication impairment (SMCI) have difficulty providing self-expression through typical speech, writing with a paper and pencil, or using a standard keyboard. Their emotional expressions can be missed by peers and novel caregivers.

PURPOSE

To describe the indicators and components of emotional experiences for children/youth with SMCI.

METHODS

Primary guardians of nine children/youth with SMCI were involved in photo/video data collection and follow-up qualitative interviews. Twenty-one familiar people (e.g., friends, family members, and/or care team) participated in semi-structured qualitative interviews.

RESULTS

A conceptual understanding of emotional well-being specific to the population has been developed consisting of nine themes, encompassed by four domains i) Core Attributes, ii) Personal Experiences, iii) Surroundings, iv) Expression and Reception.

CONCLUSIONS

Emotional experiences of children/youth with SMCI are diversely expressed. Primary guardian and familiar person insight can be amplified to positively impact care and participation.

Fostering Youth Female Athletes' Decision-Making Skills through Competitive Volleyball: A Mixed Methods Design

Decision-making is one of the most important life skills for young athletes to succeed in their daily lives and can be improved through Positive Youth Development (PYD) programs. Although the application of this type of programs has increased within educational and recreational sports, there is a lack of research relating PYD through competitive sports. Therefore, the objective of this study was to determine whether an intervention with competitive female youth players improves their decision-making. A hybrid PYD program was applied (37 trainings and 14 games) using convergent mixed methods. 15 girls (8-10 years) and a male coach participated in the study. Semi-structured interviews and field notes were used to collect qualitative data and the Decision-Making Style in Sport questionnaire was used to collect quantitative data. The results showed a positive perception of the improvement in decision-making in both the players and the coach; however, there was no statistical significance between the pretest and the posttest, and the integration between qualitative and quantitative data was mostly discrepant. Despite the lack of significance in the statistical analysis, the findings suggest that the intervention program appears to have beneficial effects on the development of decision-making skills in the players.

Maternal depression and adolescent optimism

The life course perspective posits that parents' and children's lives are linked through shared experiences and interdependent contexts such as the household. In this paper, we draw on the life course perspective to examine the relationship between maternal depression and adolescent optimism, an important trait that reflects adolescents' positive expectations for the future, and how features of the family context explain this association. We use data from the Fragile Families and Child Wellbeing Study (N = 3013), taking advantage of the study's longitudinal measures of maternal depression that span a 15-year period. First, we find that current maternal depression is negatively associated with optimism among adolescents. Second, we find that the family environment and parent-child relationships, but not economic wellbeing, explain the association between maternal depression and adolescent optimism. These findings inform our understanding of how parent and adolescent wellbeing are linked and, importantly, how the family environment conditions how adolescents envision their futures.

Adolescent’s time use and skills development: Do cognitive and non-cognitive skills differ?

This study looks at the association of adolescent’s time use on the acquisition of cognitive and non-cognitive (psychological and social) skills, thus contributing to the literature on parental investment and skills development. Specifically, using data relating to adolescent’s time spent on school, study, sleep, and play, we investigate how these relate to cognitive and non-cognitive skills of older Indian children. For cognitive skills we use Peabody Picture Vocabulary Test (PPVT), which is a well-accepted measure of verbal intelligence. For non-cognitive skills, we construct a self-esteem variable using pride and shame questions; and a resilience variable using questions pertaining to whether an adolescent can get external help for coping with problems. Our results suggest that time use in all four types of activity has a positive association in the development of cognitive skills but competing associations when it comes to non-cognitive skills. We conclude that parental inputs into skills development, such as guidance about adolescent’s time-use, are likely to have a differential association depending on the kind of skills being developed.

Sport: A Holistic Approach to Lifestyle Medicine

Sport represents a holistic health tool that unifies multiple pillars of lifestyle medicine. Sport can mitigate both the ongoing health disparities in communities that were present before COVID-19 and those exacerbated after COVID-19. The significance of this recommendation is highlighted by the impact sport participation has on creating healthy relationships, managing stress, and delivering physical activity among diverse populations. Importantly, sport can offer meaning and value to its participants, particularly when COVID-19 has limited people's ability for purposeful activity and social interaction. Clinicians are urged to consider the broad utility of sport for the prevention and treatment of unhealthy behaviors.

Flow Experience and Emotional Well-Being among Italian Adolescents during the COVID-19 Pandemic

Research highlighted the negative consequences of the COVID-19 pandemic on adolescents' emotional well-being worldwide. In the attempt to identify resources which could facilitate adolescents' adjustment, this study examined the occurrence of flow experience and related activities, and the association between flow and emotional well-being among Italian teenagers. In Spring 2021, 150 students (40.7% girls) aged 15-19 completed instruments assessing flow and related activities before and during the pandemic, and current positive and negative affect. Findings revealed that only 24.7% of the participants currently reported flow; over half of those reporting flow before the pandemic did not experience it subsequently, and only 6.5% of those not reporting flow before the pandemic currently experienced it. Participants with flow both before and during the pandemic reported higher positive affect than teens who never experienced flow (p = .011), or lost it (p = .006). No group differences were detected for negative affect. Learning, structured leisure, and interpersonal relations were the domains most frequently associated with flow before and during the pandemic, but after the pandemic onset a reduction in the variety of flow activities and limited identification of new flow domains were observed. The association of flow with higher emotional well-being even in pandemic times suggests the potential usefulness of interventions promoting flow retrieval under adverse circumstances.

Effectiveness and Factors Associated with Improved Life Skill Levels of Participants of a Large-Scale Youth-Focused Life Skills Training and Counselling Services Program (LSTCP): Evidence from India

(1) Background: To empower and facilitate mental health promotion for nearly 18 million youth, a pioneering state-wide Life Skills Training and Counselling Services Program (LSTCP) was implemented in Karnataka, India. This study assesses the changes in life skills scores, level of life skills and factors associated with increased life skills among participants of the LSTCP. (2) Method: This pre-post study design was conducted on 2669 participants who underwent a six-day structured LSTCP. Changes in mean life skills scores and level of life skill categories pre- and post-LSTCP were assessed. Multivariate logistic regression was performed to assess the factors associated with increases in life skills. (3) Results: The LSTCP resulted in significant changes in life skill scores and level of life skills, indicating the effectiveness of the training. All life skill domains, except empathy and self-awareness, increased post-training. There was a positive shift in the level of life skills. Age (AOR = 1.34, CI = 1.11-1.62), gender (AOR = 1.39, CI = 1.15-1.68), education (AOR = 1.44, CI = 1.05-1.97) and physical (AOR = 1.02, CI = 1.01-1.03) and psychological (AOR = 1.02, CI = 1.01-1.03) quality of life was associated with an increase in life skills among participants. (4) Conclusions: The LSTCP is effective in improving the life skills of participants. The LSTCP modules and processes can be used to further train youth and contribute to mental health promotion in the state.

Responding to Teenagers’ Emotional Meltdowns: How Outward Bound Instructors Facilitate Development of Anxiety Management Skills

Rates of intense anxiety among teenagers have risen dramatically, a major concern. Outward Bound (OB), a wilderness expedition program that promotes learning through challenge experiences, is found to help youth decrease anxiety. To understand how program staff support this learning, we asked 30 OB instructors to describe their successful work with a youth following an intense anxiety episode (a “meltdown”). Using grounded theory analyses we identified eight practices OB instructors employed that facilitated the youth’s emotional learning. Examples include: helping them open up to examine their emotions, providing tools for detecting and regulating rising anxiety, and instructor-youth co-planning to manage upcoming anxiety-inducing situations. The analyses also revealed the intentionality in each practice: when it was used, its goals, strategies employed, and how each facilitated youth’s active emotional learning. Youth’s learning processes across practices evolved from being instructor-initiated to youth-driven. The skills youth learned progressed from understanding emotions, to controlling imminent anxiety, to controlling anxiety about future situations, to taking responsibility for the impact of their emotions on others. These OB practices, we suggest, can be flexibly adapted to other youth development settings to help teens build competencies to manage anxiety, including when taking on new demanding challenges.

Trajectories of Substance Use and Well-being in Early and Middle Adolescence Shaped by Social Connectedness

Increasing substance use and decreasing well-being are typical in adolescence, yet how social contexts shape disparate development during this time is less well-understood. A latent growth class analysis was conducted that identified groups of early (N = 706; Age_m  = 12.20) and middle (N = 666; Age_m  = 14.38) adolescents distinguished by rates of substance use and well-being over three years. In both cohorts, the largest group reported low substance use and high well-being, with a smaller group exhibiting maladaptive trajectories for both substance use and well-being. Two additional groups were identified during middle adolescence characterized by either low well-being or high substance use. Family connectedness was a protective factor, while high peer connectedness was a risk factor for substance-use groups and low peer connectedness for languishing.

An influence among influences: The perceived influence contribution scale development and use

Many youth programs seek [DW1] to understand their influence over time on participant outcomes. This paper offers a methodology for measuring a participant's perception of a program's contribution amid their perception of other youth influences such as those from family, school, peer groups, hobbies, and other organized activities. The instrument built on the large body of work on youth influences in order to capture the dominant factors in development of the item bank. In addition to item development, the paper documents face validity followed by content assessment of items using a research panel, a principal component analysis using a second panel, and a full pilot with older teens in other summer intensive programs. The scale's implementation for baseline and annual follow-up measures of an intensive summer research experience revealed stable and high relative contribution to older teen participants' academic and career decision making over time. The final scale includes 19 items in 6 factors of family & religion; interests organized by others; adult responsibilities; school; arts; and interests organized by self. The scale proved to be responsive to changes in influences while remaining stable over time.

"Setting Them Up for Success": Including Youth on the Autism Spectrum in 4-H

Youth on the autism spectrum often face challenges accessing services in rural communities compared to those who live in higher resource areas. There is a particular need for services that support skills that will help youth transition to adulthood and future employment. 4-H is a national youth development program that is well-positioned to address the needs of youth on the autism spectrum; however, minimal empirical evidence exists about the implementation and effectiveness of inclusive practices in 4-H programs. The goal of this study was to better understand barriers to enrollment and to identify gaps in support for youth on the autism spectrum participating in 4-H. Twenty Extension Educators in Indiana participated in two focus groups. Thematic analysis of focus group transcripts identified barriers to enrollment including awareness of 4-H as an inclusive program and difficulties navigating 4-H culture. Our analysis identified themes related to new training content and delivery including a resource portfolio, communication, individualized accommodations, and working within the existing leadership training structure. Findings support the benefits of 4-H as a program that can promote life skills and personal development for youth on the autism spectrum but also highlight a significant need for additional training opportunities and resources to increase uptake and improve the implementation of inclusive practices.

Effects of the COVID-19 Pandemic on Leisure among the Youth of Spain

The COVID-19 pandemic has significantly transformed the lives of millions, including young people, who are in a vital stage during which leisure has had a preponderant role in their lifestyles, characterized by the search for experiences outside the family environment and forms of leisure dependent on friendships as a source for well-being (physical, cognitive, social, and emotional). This article explores how leisure becomes a form of negotiation among social needs, normative demands, and a particular crisis. It analyzes the transformations of leisure of young Spanish university students during confinement and the new normality. The sample is made up of 1066 young undergraduate university students between 17 and 25 years old residing in Spain. The quantitative findings revealed that (1) young people now value their leisure more than before the pandemic; (2) young people have transformed their leisure time and feel that their leisure has not been the same and will not be the same again; (3) the pandemic has especially affected their routines, relationships with friends, and psychological well-being; (4) they perceive that society has treated young people unfairly in relation to their leisure. The findings show the need to develop leisure policies and programs that address the short- and medium-term effects and transformations caused by COVID-19 on youth leisure.

Scaffolding Positive Creativity in Secondary School Students

Guided by research in creativity studies, moral development, and positive youth development, this paper proposes four principles to guide education toward positive creativity: (1) building prosocial motivation, (2) building emotion skills to build persistence, (3) building an understanding of creativity as dynamic, and (4) building self-concept of positive creativity. To illustrate applying these theoretically derived principles to teaching positive creativity, we provide examples from the inspirED program for secondary school students, which aims to build a more positive social and emotional climate through student-led creative projects. The four phases of the inspirED program—Assess the problems, Brainstorm ideas, Complete a project, and Debrief the project’s impact—are mapped onto the four principles of teaching for positive creativity.

Roots to Grow and Wings to Fly: An Ethnography of Psychosocial Development in Adolescent Performance Sport

This study aimed to explore the potential for sport to support psychosocial development in young people in a youth performance setting using a novel realistic evaluation approach. Part 1 of this two-paper series published in this Special Issue identified the programme theories—how the programme is supposed to work. A wide and deep network of context, generative mechanisms and outcomes responsible for psychosocial development in this youth performance basketball club emerged. The first paper also concluded that the outcomes and the experience are highly contextual and individualised. In this second part, the stakeholder’s programme theories were tested during a full-season ethnography of the same club. Immersion in the day-to-day environment generated a fine-grain analysis of the processes involved, including: (i) sustained attentional focus; (ii) structured and unstructured skill-building activities; (iii) deliberate and incidental support; and (iv) feelings indicating personal growth. Personal development in and through sport is thus shown to be conditional, multi-faceted, time-sensitive and idiosyncratic. The findings of this two-part study are considered to propose a model of psychosocial development in and through sport. This heuristic tool is presented to support sport psychologists, coaches, club administrators and parents to deliberately create and optimise developmental environments.