Early Adolescent Affect Predicts Later Life Outcomes

Emphasizing symbolic capital: its superior influence on the association between family socioeconomic status and adolescent subjective well-being uncovered by a large-scale multivariate network analysis

Background

Family socioeconomic status (FSES) serves as a significant determinant for subjective well-being. However, extant research has provided conflicting evidence on the correlation between FSES and adolescent students' subjective well-being (SSWB).

Methods

Data were collected from 12,058 adolescent students (16 years of age) by the Programme for International Student Assessment (PISA) 2018. Multivariate canonical correlation and Mantel test were utilized to investigate the specific connection between FSES and SSWB. Furthermore, a Gaussian EBICglasso graph-theoretical model was used to capture the topological properties of the FSES-SSWB network and reveal the interplay among multifarious components of FSES and SSWB.

Results

FSES was positively correlated with SSWB. In the FSES-SSWB network, parental educational attainment and occupation status demonstrated the highest centrality values, thereby contributing significantly to the relationship between FSES and SSWB. However, family wealth, along with educational and cultural resources, displayed lower centrality values, signifying their weaker roles in this relationship.

Conclusion

Our findings suggest that symbolic capital, rather than family affluence, exerts a dominant influence on adolescent SSWB. In other words, SSWB may not be detrimentally influenced by a deficiency in monetary resources. However, it is more susceptible to being unfavorably impacted by inferior parental educational attainment and occupational standing.

The Relative Importance and Performance of Key Life Domains on Global Life Satisfaction in Early Adolescents

OBJECTIVE

This study aimed to investigate the relative importance of key life domains of early adolescents and to explore the heterogeneities across age cohorts and countries at different levels of economic development.

METHODS

The repeated cross-sectional survey data for 10 countries (England, Israel, Romania, Norway, Malta, Nepal, Estonia, Ethiopia, South Korea, and Germany) from the second (2013-2014) and third (2016-2019) waves of the International Survey of Children's Well-Being study were used. Early adolescents from the 10- and 12-year age groups were included. A total of 14 key life domains were investigated on their influence to the global life satisfaction. Partial least squares structural equation modeling was used and an importance-performance map analysis was conducted.

RESULTS

A total of 23 732 respondents in wave 2 (49% from 10-year-old group) and 22 265 respondents in wave 3 (50% from 10-year-old group) were studied. On average, possessions and safety are the top 2 most important domains within the second wave for 10-year-olds. However, when split based on country-income groups, health comes out on top for low-to-middle-income countries followed by possessions, with safety domain ranking much lower at seventh. For the 12-year-old group, possessions and safety rank highest on average irrespective of the country's level of income. Although areas of priority varied across countries, future came out as one of the most important areas adolescents considered needing improvement across age groups and over time.

CONCLUSION

Findings from this study revealed substantial heterogeneity across nations and provide important information for prioritizing policy implementation to improve subjective well-being among early adolescents.

Chronic bullying victimization and life satisfaction among children from multicultural families in South Korea: Heterogeneity by immigrant mothers' country of origin

BACKGROUND

Despite existing literature on the link between bullying victimization and psychological well-being, little is known about the potential lasting negative effects of chronic bullying victimization, especially among children from multicultural families (CMF).

OBJECTIVE

This study examined the longitudinal association between chronic bullying victimization and life satisfaction among CMF in Korea, and further investigated whether this association differs by immigrant mothers' country of origin.

PARTICIPANTS AND SETTING

This study utilized data from the Multicultural Adolescents Panel Study (MAPS) 2011-2019, a nationally representative longitudinal study of CMF in Korea who were between the ages of 9 and 12 at baseline (N = 1375).

METHODS

Fixed effects models were employed to address potential bias resulting from unobserved time-invariant confounders. Three theoretical models were proposed to examine the trajectory patterns of change in life satisfaction among chronically bullied children: cumulative effects, immediate-sustained effects, and short-lived effects models.

RESULTS

The longitudinal trajectories of change in life satisfaction associated with chronic bullying victimization were consistent with an immediate-sustained effects model. Heterogeneous patterns in the association by mothers' country of origin were observed. A cumulative effects model was supported for children with Southeast Asian mothers, indicating that chronic bullying victimization leads to a cumulative decrease in life satisfaction. For children with Chinese and Japanese mothers, the results supported either immediate-sustained or short-lived effects models.

CONCLUSIONS

Efforts to improve the psychological well-being of CMF should consider the potential long-term risk of chronic bullying victimization, particularly among youth with mothers from Southeast Asia.

In the Words of Early Adolescents: A Novel Assessment of Positive Psychological Well-Being Predicts Young Adult Depressive Symptoms

PURPOSE

Given the burden of depression in young adulthood, identifying protective early life factors is important. Protective factors like positive psychological well-being may be challenging to assess via conventional methods if early adolescents lack personal insight or informants disagree. We investigated whether essays written by 11-year-olds could indicate the presence of positive psychological well-being and predict depressive symptom levels in young adulthood, beyond informant reports of problematic behaviors.

METHODS

Data were from 4,599 individuals in the 1958 National Child Development Study who wrote an essay at age 11 about how they imagined their life at age 25. Coders rated essays for seven facets of positive psychological well-being, which were averaged together (α = 0.92). Participants self-reported depressive symptoms (yes/no) at age 23 on the 24-item Malaise Inventory. Depressive symptoms were modeled as a sum, both continuously (range = 0-24) and dichotomously (depressed: total scores ≥8). Linear and logistic regressions adjusted for relevant age 11 covariates including teacher-reported internalizing and externalizing behaviors.

RESULTS

Unadjusted logistic regression showed a 1-SD higher positive psychological well-being score in early adolescence was associated with reduced odds of being depressed 12 years later (odds ratio = 0.83, 95% confidence interval [0.75, 0.93], p = .001). Associations remained when adjusting for all covariates (odds ratio = 0.87, 95% confidence interval [0.78, 0.98], p = .02); patterns were similar with continuous depressive symptoms.

DISCUSSION

A well-being measure derived from the words of 11-year-olds was associated with young adult depressive symptoms independent of teacher-reported internalizing and externalizing behaviors. Incorporating early adolescents' perspectives on positive functioning provides valuable information about current and future health beyond problem behaviors.

Well-Being Inequality Among Adolescents and Young Adults

PURPOSE

This study aimed to examine patterns of well-being across developmental stages and patterns of inequality in well-being among young adults and adolescents. Well-being exists when adolescents and young adults thrive and can achieve their full potential.

METHODS

We used individual-level survey data from the Gallup World Poll from 164 countries between 2009 and 2017 (N = 446,934). Regression analyses were used to determine associations.

RESULTS

We documented substantial inequality in well-being across three developmental stages (adolescence, early adulthood, young adulthood). Health, education, income, and social relations are strongly associated with mean well-being and well-being inequality. We showed, for mean well-being, the relative importance of these factors varies over life-cycle stages. For inequality, most factors were consistent across developmental groups; however, we identified certain characteristics that were only relevant at certain developmental stages.

DISCUSSION

Given the policy importance of well-being at all stages of life and the significance of adolescence and early adulthood in developing positive health-related behaviors, policies and programs targeting the highlighted characteristics are likely to be effective but require a multisectoral approach.

Positive affect during adolescence and health and well-being in adulthood: An outcome-wide longitudinal approach

BACKGROUND

Several intergovernmental organizations, including the World Health Organization and United Nations, are urging countries to use well-being indicators for policymaking. This trend, coupled with increasing recognition that positive affect is beneficial for health/well-being, opens new avenues for intervening on positive affect to improve outcomes. However, it remains unclear if positive affect in adolescence shapes health/well-being in adulthood. We examined if increases in positive affect during adolescence were associated with better health/well-being in adulthood across 41 outcomes.

METHODS AND FINDINGS

We conducted a longitudinal cohort study using data from Add Health-a prospective and nationally representative cohort of community-dwelling U.S. adolescents. Using regression models, we evaluated if increases in positive affect over 1 year (between Wave I; 1994 to 1995 and Wave II; 1995 to 1996) were associated with better health/well-being 11.37 years later (in Wave IV; 2008; N = 11,040) or 20.64 years later (in Wave V; 2016 to 2018; N = 9,003). Participants were aged 15.28 years at study onset, and aged 28.17 or 37.20 years-during the final assessment. Participants with the highest (versus lowest) positive affect had better outcomes on 3 (of 13) physical health outcomes (e.g., higher cognition (β = 0·12, 95% CI = 0·05, 0·19, p = 0.002)), 3 (of 9) health behavior outcomes (e.g., lower physical inactivity (RR = 0·80, CI = 0·66, 0·98, p = 0.029)), 6 (of 7) mental health outcomes (e.g., lower anxiety (RR = 0·81, CI = 0·71, 0·93, p = 0.003)), 2 (of 3) psychological well-being (e.g., higher optimism (β = 0·20, 95% CI = 0·12, 0·28, p < 0.001)), 4 (of 7) social outcomes (e.g., lower loneliness (β = -0·09, 95% CI = -0·16, -0·02, p = 0.015)), and 1 (of 2) civic/prosocial outcomes (e.g., more voting (RR = 1·25, 95% CI = 1·16, 1·36, p < 0.001)). Study limitations include potential unmeasured confounding and reverse causality.

CONCLUSIONS

Enhanced positive affect during adolescence is linked with a range of improved health/well-being outcomes in adulthood. These findings suggest the promise of testing scalable positive affect interventions and policies to more definitively assess their impact on outcomes.

Anhedonia in adolescents at transdiagnostic familial risk for severe mental illness: Clustering by symptoms and mechanisms of association with behavior

BACKGROUND

Anhedonia is a transdiagnostic symptom of severe mental illness (SMI) and emerges during adolescence. Possible subphenotypes and neural mechanisms of anhedonia in adolescents at risk for SMI are understudied.

METHODS

Adolescents at familial risk for SMI (N = 81) completed anhedonia (e.g., consummatory, anticipatory, social), demographic, and clinical measures and one year prior, a subsample (N = 46) completed fMRI scanning during a monetary reward task. Profiles were identified using k-means clustering of anhedonia type and differences in demographics, suicidal ideation, impulsivity, and emotional processes were examined. Moderation analyses were conducted to investigate whether levels of brain activation of reward regions moderated the relationships between anhedonia type and behaviors.

RESULTS

Two-clusters emerged: a high anhedonia profile (high-anhedonia), characterized by high levels of all types of anhedonia, (N = 32) and a low anhedonia profile (low-anhedonia), characterized by low levels of anhedonia types (N = 49). Adolescents in the high-anhedonia profile reported more suicidal ideation and negative affect, and less positive affect and desire for emotional closeness than low-anhedonia profile. Furthermore, more suicidal ideation, less positive affect, and less desire for emotional closeness differentiated the familial high-risk, high-anhedonia profile adolescents from the familial high-risk, low-anhedonia profile adolescents. Across anhedonia profiles, moderation analyses revealed that adolescents with high dmPFC neural activation in response to reward had positive relationships between social, anticipatory, and consummatory anhedonia and suicidal ideation.

LIMITATIONS

Small subsample with fMRI data.

CONCLUSION

Profiles of anhedonia emerge transdiagnostically and vary on clinical features. Anhedonia severity and activation in frontostriatal reward areas have value for clinically important outcomes such as suicidal ideation.

Sparking Virtuous Cycles: A Longitudinal Study of Subjective Well-Being and Grit During Early Adolescence

In cross-sectional research, subjective well-being and grit are found to be positively correlated. Their mutually reinforcing effects are particularly relevant for youth entering early adolescence because, during this developmental period, both well-being and grit have been shown to predict consequential outcomes later in life. However, their mutual relation has not yet been investigated in early adolescence. This study, therefore, examined the possibility of a virtuous cycle linking subjective well-being and grit during early adolescence. Self-report questionnaires of grit and subjective well-being were completed by N = 5291 children in China (47.6% girls; initial Mage = 9.69, SDage = 0.59) on six occasions over 3 academic years. In random-intercept cross-lagged panel models (RI-CLPMs), within-person changes in grit predicted within-person changes in subjective well-being 6 months later, and vice versa. Notably, analyses revealed an asymmetry in this cycle: paths from subjective well-being to grit were stronger and more reliable than the converse. Likewise, facet-level analyses showed that the predictive power of the perseverance component (of grit) and the affective component (of subjective well-being), respectively, was greater than the passion and cognitive components, respectively. These findings highlight the potential of boosting happiness for catalyzing positive youth development and, in addition, foreground the utility of studying these composite constructs at the facet level.

Association Between Atopic Dermatitis and Suicidal Behaviors in North Korean Adolescent Defectors From 2011 to 2019

OBJECTIVE

To evaluate the association between atopic dermatitis (AD) and suicidal behaviors in adolescent defectors among residents who escaped from North Korean (adolescent defectors, n=423) and adolescents with South Korean parents (Korean adolescents, n=540,265).

METHODS

The study used data from the Korea Youth Risk Behavior Survey conducted from 2011 to 2019. Differences in general characteristics, health behaviors, suicidal ideation, suicide plans, suicide attempts, and AD between adolescent defectors and Korean adolescents were examined. Multiple logistic regression analysis was used to determine the association between AD and suicidal behaviors.

RESULTS

The adolescent defectors group had lower AD (16.3% vs. 24.2%), poorer subjective health (10% vs. 6%), smoked more (47% vs. 18%), drank more (60% vs. 43%), lived with family less frequently (56% vs. 96%), and were more than twice as likely to have depression (42% vs. 27%), suicidal ideation (30% vs. 14%), a suicide plan (23% vs. 5%), or have made a prior suicide attempt (19% vs. 3%) compared with the Korean adolescent group (p<0.001). The adjusted odds ratio for the adolescent defectors group compared to the Korean adolescent group was 1.66 for suicidal ideation, 3.59 for suicide plans, and 4.34 for suicide attempts (p<0.001). AD was found to be associated with suicide plans and attempts in adolescent defectors and associated with suicidal ideation in Korean adolescents.

CONCLUSION

AD was significantly associated with suicide plans and suicidal attempts among adolescent defectors and suicidal ideation in Korean adolescents, based on a random sample of middle- and high-school students.

Physical Activity as a Means to Improve Subjective Vitality of University Students

Purpose: This study compared physical self-concept and subjective vitality of police, physical education, and psychology students. Moreover, the study investigated whether students who reported a higher level of physical activity differently rated physical self-concept and subjective vitality and whether physical activity was associated with subjective vitality. Methods: The study sample included 422 university students (249 females) from three state academic institutions: University of Criminal Investigation and Police Studies (n = 165), Faculty of Sport and Physical Education (n = 156) and Faculty of Psychology (n = 101). The mean age was 20.85 ± 3.59 years. They completed a physical self-description questionnaire, the subjective vitality scale, and a physical activity questionnaire using the Survey Monkey platform. Multivariate analysis of variance investigated the differences in physical activity, physical self and vitality, while regression analysis investigated the association of physical self and physical activity with subjective vitality. Results: Police students and physical education students reported higher levels of physical activity and perceived higher their own physical self and subjective vitality than psychology students. From the whole sample, students who were sufficiently physically active also scored higher on physical self-concept and subjective vitality. There was a significant association of physical activity level with subjective vitality. Conclusion: Physical activity was directly associated with students' subjective evaluation of their own health. It can be concluded that students should aim to attain a minimum of 150 min per week of physical activity. Students and faculties should be involved in the attainment of minimal levels of physical activity. This could improve students' subjective perception of self, along with objective measures of health and wellbeing.

Do markers of daily affect mediate associations between interpretation bias and depressive symptoms? A longitudinal study of early adolescents

INTRODUCTION

Early adolescence represents a time of heightened vulnerability for depression. Negative interpretation biases have been associated with increases in depressive symptoms during this developmental period; however, the mechanisms underlying the association between interpretation biases and depression remain poorly understood. Cognitive theories posit that interpretation biases give rise to depression by modulating daily affect, particularly in the context of stress. However, this has not yet been directly examined. The present study tested affect intensity and instability as mechanisms linking negative interpretation biases with change in adolescent depressive symptoms.

METHODS

Ninety-four adolescents (aged 11-13 years; 51% boys) from Vancouver, Canada, were recruited for this longitudinal study. At baseline (Time 1), participants self-reported depressive symptoms and completed the Scrambled Sentences Task to assess negative interpretation biases. Next, participants completed daily diaries to assess positive affect (PA) and negative affect (NA) during a naturalistic stressor-the first 2 weeks of high school (Time 2). Finally, participants self-reported depressive symptoms 3 months later (Time 3). Path models were conducted to test whether PA and NA intensity and instability mediated prospective associations between negative interpretation biases and depressive symptom changes.

RESULTS

Although NA intensity, NA instability, and PA instability predicted increases in depressive symptoms, only NA intensity mediated associations between interpretation biases and symptom changes. Neither PA intensity nor instability mediated these associations.

CONCLUSIONS

Elevated daily NA represents a specific mechanism through which stronger negative interpretation biases predict increases in depressive symptoms in adolescence.

Distinct Neural Representations and Cognitive Behaviors Attributable to Naturally Developed Active Avoidance or Reactive Escape Strategies in the Male Rat

BACKGROUND

The high individual variability in coping with stress is often attributed to genetic background differences, sustained environmental conditions, or a combination of both. However, the neural mechanisms underlying coping style variability are still poorly understood.

METHODS

Here we examined the impact of a single extended emotional challenge on coping style variability and the associated involvement of the hippocampus, medial prefrontal cortex (mPFC), and periaqueductal gray (PAG). Male Sprague-Dawley rats (n = 170) were trained in an extended 2-way shuttle avoidance (eTWSA) task for 7 days, and daily avoidance rates were measured. Forced swim test, elevated plus maze, or Morris water maze was tested before or after eTWSA exposure. Excitotoxic lesion of the hippocampal dentate gyrus (DG) was performed by Ibotenic infusion. Transient pharmacological blocking of DG, mPFC, or PAG was performed by muscimol or CNQX+TTX infusion.

RESULTS

Exposing rats to eTWSA was found to lead to naturally developing dichotomous, not continuous, coping styles, which we termed active avoidance (AA) or reactive escape (RE). Prior emotional responses did not predict the developing coping style. AA was associated with beneficial outcomes, including reduced behavioral despair and improved spatial learning. RE led to impaired spatial retrieval. AA was abolished by lesioning or pharmacological blocking of the DG. RE was prevented by blocking mPFC or PAG.

CONCLUSION

The results indicate that a single exposure to a significant emotional challenge can lead, in otherwise healthy individuals, to dichotomous development of an active or reactive coping style with distinctive neural correlates and subsequent behavioral significance.

Psychological Well-Being, Everyday Functioning, and Autonomy In Emerging Adults with a Congenital Heart Defect

OBJECTIVE

To characterize the psychological well-being, everyday functioning, and autonomy of emerging adults with congenital heart disease (CHD) and explore how they relate to the executive function (EF) deficits commonly observed in this population.

STUDY DESIGN

Questionnaires assessing psychological well-being (encompassing psychosocial functioning and resilience), EF, and age-appropriate indicators of everyday function and autonomy (eg, housing, education, employment, relationship status) were completed by participants with CHD (16-26 years) who underwent open-heart surgery during infancy and age- and sex-matched controls.

RESULTS

A total of 58 emerging adults with CHD and 57 controls participated in this study. Mean scores on the resilience and psychosocial functioning questionnaires were not significantly different between CHD and control participants. Emerging adults with CHD also did not differ from controls in terms of holding a driver's license, involvement in a romantic relationship, or current employment status. Multiple linear regression identified that better EF was associated with better psychological well-being.

CONCLUSIONS

This study supports the need for systematic screening for EF deficits during adolescence and early adulthood to promote optimal well-being in this population. Further research is required to continue to document the everyday experiences of adolescents and young adults with CHD to identify protective factors associated with a successful and satisfying transition to adult life.

Prenatal Cannabinoid Exposure Elicits Memory Deficits Associated with Reduced PSA-NCAM Expression, Altered Glutamatergic Signaling, and Adaptations in Hippocampal Synaptic Plasticity

Cannabis is now one of the most commonly used illicit substances among pregnant women. This is particularly concerning since developmental exposure to cannabinoids can elicit enduring neurofunctional and cognitive alterations. This study investigates the mechanisms of learning and memory deficits resulting from prenatal cannabinoid exposure (PCE) in adolescent offspring. The synthetic cannabinoid agonist WIN55,212-2 was administered to pregnant rats, and a series of behavioral, electrophysiological, and immunochemical studies were performed to identify potential mechanisms of memory deficits in the adolescent offspring. Hippocampal-dependent memory deficits in adolescent PCE animals were associated with decreased long-term potentiation (LTP) and enhanced long-term depression (LTD) at hippocampal Schaffer collateral-CA1 synapses, as well as an imbalance between GluN2A- and GluN2B-mediated signaling. Moreover, PCE reduced gene and protein expression of neural cell adhesion molecule (NCAM) and polysialylated-NCAM (PSA-NCAM), which are critical for GluN2A and GluN2B signaling balance. Administration of exogenous PSA abrogated the LTP deficits observed in PCE animals, suggesting PSA mediated alterations in GluN2A- and GluN2B- signaling pathways may be responsible for the impaired hippocampal synaptic plasticity resulting from PCE. These findings enhance our current understanding of how PCE affects memory and how this process can be manipulated for future therapeutic purposes.

Sleep, Affect, and Emotion Reactivity in First-Year College Students: A Daily Diary Study

BACKGROUND

Sleep is an important factor in well-being, especially during the transition to college when academic and social commitments increase. Identifying factors that contribute to poor sleep (including short duration and increased variability in duration) can support development of interventions. Affect and emotion reactivity are factors that could contribute to sleep, and have not been studied in relation to sleep variables among first-year college students during their adjustment to the college environment. This adjustment might be difficult for some students, and therefore elicit affect fluctuations that contribute to poor sleep. Alternatively, sleep could contribute to daily affect. The present daily diary study examined bidirectional relations between daily sleep and affect, as well as between emotion reactivity and sleep (duration and variability) and affect (daily and overall variability) in first-year college students.

METHOD

First-year college students (n = 244; 86.1% female) completed a baseline survey including measures of emotion reactivity and anxiety and depressive symptoms, followed by 7 days of a once-per-day diary, reporting on their affect and sleep duration.

RESULTS

On days when individuals reported increased sleep duration, they also tended to experience greater positive affect the following day (p = .01). Those who experienced high levels of emotion reactivity also experienced more negative affect (p < .001) and negative affect variability (p < .001).

CONCLUSION

Emotion reactivity might identify college students who experience more negative affect and are possibly at risk to develop mental health disorders. The importance of sleep health should continue to be emphasized to students as they transition to college.

The association between physical activity and subjective well-being among adolescents in southwest China by parental absence: a moderated mediation model

OBJECTIVES

Built on the Positive Youth Development (PYD) framework, this study examined how physical activity affected the subjective well-being of adolescents in the multi-ethnic area of southwest China. The mediating role of school connectedness as an external development asset and the moderating role of resilience as an internal development asset were specified and tested within the framework of sport-based PYD.

METHODS

A cross-sectional survey of 3143 adolescents (47.2% boys with mean age = 12.88 and SD = 1.68) was conducted in 2020. A structural equation model (SEM) was developed to estimate the direct effect of physical activity, the mediating effect of school connectedness, and the moderating effect of resilience on adolescents' subjective well-being. Multi-group comparison was made to investigate differences and similarities across three parental absence subgroups: (1) both parents present, (2) one parent absent, and (3) both parents absent.

RESULTS

As surmised, physical activity, school connectedness, and resilience all positively and significantly affected adolescents' subjective well-being. SEM analyses revealed that school connectedness mediated the effect of physical activity on subjective well-being. Moreover, resilience moderated both the direct and indirect effects of physical activity (through school connectedness) on subjective well-being. Finally, the multi-group comparison revealed a moderating effect of parental absence on the moderated mediation model.

LIMITATIONS

This study is a cross-sectional survey, so inference of causal associations among the study variables is impossible.

CONCLUSIONS

Healthy lifestyle behaviors, school-supportive settings, and positive individual development assets can enhance the subjective well-being of adolescents in southwest China, especially those whose parents were absent. Physical activity interventions informed by the PYD framework should be incorporated into public health programs designed to foster the physical and mental health of left-behind adolescents in southwest China.

Geographic, Socio-Demographic and School Type Variation in Adolescent Wellbeing and Mental Health and Links with Academic Competence in the United Arab Emirates

Interest in adolescents' wellbeing and mental health is growing worldwide, but little research in this area has been conducted in certain world regions and countries such as the United Arab Emirates (UAE). Geographic, socio-demographic and school type differences in adolescent wellbeing and mental health are commonly observed in the field, and the UAE is a diverse country where these types of differences have been found for other outcomes (notably, academic). Yet, no prior national study has explored these differences in terms of wellbeing and mental health in the nation. We address this gap by investigating differences across emirates, gender, socio-economic status, immigrant status, school sector and school curriculum for overall life satisfaction, positive affect, negative affect, meaning and purpose in life, and internalizing difficulties. We use linear regression to analyse cross-sectional data from the Programme for International Student Assessment (PISA) study from 2015 and 2018. We find substantial geographic, socio-demographic and school type differences in levels (2018) of wellbeing and mental health -which vary across distinct domains- and declines (2015-2018) of wellbeing. Better wellbeing and mental health are observed in the northern emirates and among boys. Better wellbeing and poorer mental health are observed among nationals (compared to expatriates) and in public schools (compared to private schools). Despite presenting the best academic outcomes, British schools present the worst wellbeing and mental health outcomes. However, results show the absence of a trade-off between academic competence and wellbeing and mental health, with evidence of a small positive association with wellbeing.

Development of subjective well‐being and its relationship with self‐esteem in early adolescence

Despite evidence indicating that self-esteem (SE) may be considered a precondition to subjective well-being (SWB), there are inconclusive findings regarding its developmental links with SWB. Considering the declines in SWB, the purpose of this study is to examine the developmental changes in SWB and its relationship with SE in early adolescence. The data of 11,231 adolescents aged 11 and 14 years old (50% females) from the Millennium Cohort Study were utilized. Latent mean comparison indicated that SWB declined substantially between 11 and 14 years old in the United Kingdom. Cross-lagged modelling showed that SWB was developmentally unstable and that SE predicted later changes in SWB, whereas SWB did not predict changes in SE. SWB declines in the United Kingdom are mostly linked to less satisfaction with secondary school contexts and peer relationships. In short, SE is an important factor that can contribute to adolescents' SWB. Implications for educational policy and practice are discussed.

Boosting Student Wellbeing Despite a Pandemic: Positive Psychology Interventions and the Impact of Sleep in the United Arab Emirates

Positive psychology interventions hold great promise as schools around the world look to increase the wellbeing of young people. To reach this aim, a program was developed to generate positive emotions, as well as improve life satisfaction, mental toughness and perceptions of school kindness in 538 expatriate students in Dubai, United Arab Emirates. Starting in September 2019, the program included a range of positive psychology interventions such as gratitude, acts of kindness and mental contrasting as examples. Life satisfaction and mental toughness at mid-year were sustained or grew by the end of the year. Positive affect, emotional wellbeing and social wellbeing increased at post-intervention 1, compared to baseline. However, this improvement reverted to baseline levels at post-intervention 2, when data were collected during the COVID-19 pandemic. Only psychological wellbeing, negative affect, perceptions of control, and school kindness were increased at post-intervention 2. During the lockdown, students moved less, but slept and scrolled more. Those who extended their sleep duration reported greater wellbeing. Boosting wellbeing through the use of positive psychology interventions works – even in a pandemic – and extended sleep duration appears to be a driving factor for this observation.

Well-Being Science for Teaching and the General Public

Research on well-being has exploded in recent years to more than 55,000 relevant publications annually, making it difficult for psychologists-including key communicators such as textbook authors-to stay current with this field. Moreover, well-being is a daily concern among policymakers and members of the general public. Well-being science is relevant to the lives of students-illustrating the diverse methods used in the behavioral sciences, presenting highly replicated findings, and demonstrating the diversity of individuals and cultures. Therefore, in this article, we present eight major findings that teachers and authors should seriously consider in their coverage of this field. These topics include processes such as adaptation, influences such as income, the benefits of well-being, and cultural and societal diversity in well-being and its causes. We also examine how much these topics were covered in 15 of the most popular introductory psychology textbooks. Although some topics such as social relationships and well-being were discussed in nearly all textbooks, others were less frequently covered, including the validity of self-reported well-being, the effects of spending on happiness, and the impact of culture and society on well-being. We aim to ensure more complete coverage of this important area in psychology courses.

The impact of stress and coping strategies on life satisfaction in a national sample of adolescents: A structural equation modelling approach

Although stress strongly predicts life satisfaction, the psychosocial mechanisms underlying this association remain unclear. To investigate the possible mediating role of coping, we conducted a cross-sectional study that assessed youths' life stress levels, propensity to engage in three different coping styles (i.e., active coping, internal coping, & withdrawal), ​and life satisfaction in a probabilistic, two-stage stratified cluster sample of 1830 high school seniors (986 females; age range: 17-22 years old) from 26 schools in or around the four largest cities in Croatia. We used correlational analyses and structural equation modelling to test the hypothesis that coping mediates the relation between stress and life satisfaction. The tested model was marginally acceptable: χ²  = 1613.85, df = 177, p < 0.001, goodness-of-fit-index = 0.92, Comparative Fit Index = 0.91, Tucker-Lewis Index = 0.89, root mean square error of approximation = 0.067 (90% CI = 0.064 to 0.070), standardized root mean squared residual = 0.056. As hypothesized, stress was related to life satisfaction directly (βc' = -0.22, p < 0.01) but also indirectly (βab = -0.05, p < 0.01) by affecting youths' likelihood of engaging in withdrawal behaviours, such as avoiding problems, distracting, or using anger, alcohol, or drugs. The proportion of the total effect mediated by withdrawal was 19.4%. In contrast, neither active nor internal coping were significant mediators. Based on these results, we conclude that preventive and educational programs for enhancing youth mental health may benefit from reducing adolescents' stress levels and stress-related withdrawal behaviour, and by encouraging youth to use active coping strategies instead.

The Role of Junior Adolescents' School Well-Being/Ill-Being Characteristics in School Anxiety Variations

Difficulties that junior adolescents (aged 11-13 years old) experience in terms of academic adaptation, which are indicated through school anxiety and academic wellbeing characteristics, often lead to a dramatic decrease in academic performance, behavioral problems, and deterioration of their health. The purpose of this investigation is to determine the structure of characteristics of school wellbeing/ill-being of junior adolescents and their role in variations of school anxiety, which largely define academic adaptation. In this study, based on positive psychology and a systematic approach, the level of distinctiveness of characteristics of school wellbeing is carried out with the help of comparative analysis; the factor structure of these characteristics is identified; the characteristics of wellbeing and their coordinated combinations (factors) are determined as predictors of school anxiety. The sample consisted of 120 students of the 5th-7th grades, aged M = 11.5; SD = 1.04 (49.2% girls, 50.8% boys) who attended Saratov secondary schools. To study the level of school anxiety, we used the Philips' School Anxiety Scale (SAS), and indicators of school wellbeing were measured with the original scales developed by the authors of the study. Statistical processing of the results was carried out with regression analysis and factor analysis. The results showed that the school wellbeing of junior adolescents forms a complex structure that includes cognitive, personal, emotional, social, and psychophysiological characteristics of school life. It was found that from 16% up to 53% of the deviation of variables characterizing school anxiety is conditioned by the assessment of variables characterizing emotional states, the ability of self-regulation, cognitive capabilities, and interest in learning. The study determined a high level of tension in adolescents in the field of emotions' self-regulation, unpleasant physical sensations at school, before and after attending school, in the course of planning their school day and reflecting on educational activities. The most powerful factors of school anxiety in junior adolescents are physical distress, low ability to self-regulate and social adaptation, lack of independence in a learning activity, and personal immaturity.

Recommendations for Assessment of Social, Emotional, and Behavioral Health for the National Children's Study

The Social Emotional Behavioral (SEB) Team of the National Children's Study (NCS) was tasked with making recommendations for assessment of important aspects of social-emotional health and function in children. This paper describes the constructs recommended for assessment along with the rationale for their assessment. These constructs, representing aspects of Social Relationships, Social Capital, Temperament, Negative Affect, Externalizing Behavior, Social Competence, Self-efficacy, Self-image, Psychological well-being, Ethnic/racial Socialization, Perceived Discrimination, Sexual Orientation, Religiosity, and Perceived Stress and Resilience were identified as being critical to the understanding of children's health and development from birth to age 21.

Effects of prenatal synthetic cannabinoid exposure on the cerebellum of adolescent rat offspring

Cannabis is the most commonly used illicit drug worldwide. Recently, cannabis use among young pregnant women has greatly increased. However, prenatal cannabinoid exposure leads to long-lasting cognitive, motor, and behavioral deficits in the offspring and alterations in neural circuitry through various mechanisms. Although these effects have been studied in the hippocampus, the effects of prenatal cannabinoid exposure on the cerebellum are not well elucidated. The cerebellum plays an important role in balance and motor control, as well as cognitive functions such as attention, language, and procedural memories. The aim of this study was to investigate the effects of prenatal cannabinoid exposure on the cerebellum of adolescent offspring. Pregnant rats were treated with synthetic cannabinoid agonist WIN55,212-2, and the offspring were evaluated for various cerebellar markers of oxidative stress, mitochondrial function, and apoptosis. Additionally, signaling proteins associated with glutamate dependent synaptic plasticity were examined. Administration of WIN55,212-2 during pregnancy altered markers of oxidative stress by significantly reducing oxidative stress and nitrite content. Mitochondrial Complex I and Complex IV activities were also enhanced following prenatal cannabinoid exposure. With regard to apoptosis, pP38 levels were significantly increased, and proapoptotic factor caspase-3 activity, pERK, and pJNK levels were significantly decreased. CB1R and GluA1 levels remained unchanged; however, GluN2A was significantly reduced. There was a significant decrease in MAO activity although tyrosine hydroxylase activity was unaltered. Our study indicates that the effects of prenatal cannabinoid exposure on the cerebellum are unique compared to other brain regions by enhancing mitochondrial function and promoting neuronal survival. Further studies are required to evaluate the mechanisms by which prenatal cannabinoid exposure alters cerebellar processes and the impact of these alterations on behavior.

Social Determinants of Health and Well-Being of Adolescents in Multicultural Families in South Korea: Social-Cultural and Community Influence

Objectives: Adolescents in multicultural families (AMFs) are exposed to numerous stressors and face environmental vulnerability within the family, school, and community systems, which may affect their health and well-being. Concrete discussion on policies is lacking due to insufficient data on the levels of well-being of AMFs in South Korea. This study aimed to investigate social-cultural and community factors affecting their well-being. Methods: A cross-sectional study was conducted with a convenience sample of 206 AMFs (aged 13-18 years) from 16 general schools and three multicultural schools across eight large cities. AMFs completed a self-administrative questionnaire assessing well-being, individual factors (acculturative stress, health behavior), social and community factors (social support, sense of community), and environmental factors (school type, economic status). Data were analyzed using structural equation modeling. Results: Social support and sense of community significantly and directly affected well-being. The economic status and type of school had an indirect effect on well-being, whereas the effect of acculturative stress was not significant. Factors significantly affecting adolescents' well-being were social support, sense of community, economic status, and type of school. Conclusion: Addressing well-being may be the strategy leading AMFs to grow into healthy adults. These results could help educators, health professionals, and policymakers to identify ways to enhance the well-being of AMFs.

The Impact of Differential Parenting: Study Protocol on a Longitudinal Study Investigating Child and Parent Factors on Children's Psychosocial Health in Hong Kong

Adolescents who believe that their parents treat them differently from their siblings have poorer psychosocial well-being than otherwise. This phenomenon, which is known as parental differential treatment or PDT occurs in up to 65% of families. Past studies have examined socio-demographic variables (e.g., child gender, age, and birth order) as predictors of PDT, but these immutable characteristics do little to inform interventions and help these adolescents. Hence, this study extends past research by investigating links among parent empathy, parent perception of PDT, child perception of PDT, child perception of fairness and child well-being (self-esteem, depression, anxiety, and trust in the relationship with parents). Furthermore, this study tests whether adolescent personality (openness, conscientiousness, extraversion, agreeableness, and neuroticism), child empathy, and child perception of fairness moderate these links. This study will utilize a two-wave longitudinal design with a 1-year lapse. Data will be collected from 760 Chinese adolescents studying from Secondary One to Secondary Three in 18 schools in Hong Kong and from their parents. We test our theoretical model via a multilevel structural equation model (ML-SEM). This study both addresses (a) theoretical debates about relations among empathy, PDT, fairness, and psychosocial well-being and (b) focuses on modifiable factors and behaviors, to inform future interventions, such as parent education.

A Meta-Analysis of Friendship Qualities and Romantic Relationship Outcomes in Adolescence

Romantic relationships are one of the most significant interpersonal ties in adolescence, thus understanding factors that may contribute to their formation and quality are important. The current meta-analysis focuses on links between friendship quality and romantic relationship outcomes for adolescents up to 18 years. In a series of meta-analyses (k = 28 studies, N's = 946-4,040), friendship qualities were not related to romantic involvement. However, we did find robust evidence of continuity between friendship qualities and romantic relationship qualities. Additionally, adolescents experienced more negative quality in their romantic relationships than in their friendships. These findings suggest that friendships have implications for adolescents' romantic relationships, although more research is needed on specific quality associations, and the mediators of these relations.

Types of love as a function of satisfaction and age

Research studies on love have focused on the study of typologies, among which Sternberg's triangular theory of love and the typology of Hendrick and Hendrick deriving from that of Sternberg have been the most common and empirically verified. Love types have been linked to all types of sociodemographic and psychological variables. However, these studies possess shortcomings: When the data are analyzed according to age, only a few ranges are studied; with respect to other variables such as satisfaction, typically only two levels are studied, and no continuous study is conducted. This study attempts to overcome these limitations. It analyzes types of love according to the two systems noted earlier and based on two variables: age and satisfaction. For satisfaction, the Satisfaction With Life Scale (SWLS) by Diener et al. was used, and 439 subjects aged 15 to 89 years participated in the study. The results show that both of the variables-age and satisfaction-explain that love types occur in varying degrees; however, satisfaction is more predictive than is age. Possibilities for future research are discussed.

Psychological Well-Being During Adolescence: Stability and Association With Romantic Relationships

The concept of well-being is complex and is in common use not only in the area of health but also in the field of human development. Well-being depends on both the individual and the environment, and during childhood and adolescence, the environmental factor can be decisive. Family, school, and peers are widely recognized as significant contexts for successful development, but romantic context is also undoubtedly important. Romantic relationships constitute a new dimension in the adolescent's social life, but little attention so far has been paid to their importance in well-being. Defined as developmental tasks, they have been associated both positive and negative outcomes, although their impact on well-being has not yet been clarified. This study uses a eudaimonic approach to evaluate four dimensions of psychological well-being: self-acceptance, positive interpersonal relationships, autonomy, and life development, and has a two-fold objective: (1) to analyze adolescents' levels of psychological well-being and their stability over time, and (2) to analyze the association between romantic relationships and adolescents' psychological well-being. Using a longitudinal design, we analyzed data from a sample of 747 adolescents from Andalusia (Spain) between 13 and 17 years old (50.5% girls, mean age wave 1 = 14.55, SD = 0.84). The results revealed medium to high levels of psychological well-being, which remained stable throughout the time of the study, and an increase in wave 2 only in positive interpersonal relationships dimension. The Structural Equation Modeling analysis showed romantic relationships as a predictor of psychological well-being, having a positive link with positive interpersonal relationships and with life development, and a negative link with autonomy and self-acceptance. These results are discussed in terms of the need to use approaches focused on the specific characteristics and evolution of well-being during adolescence, as well as on the importance of considering romantic relationships as developmental assets which have the potential to influence well-being during these years.

Psychological Well-Being During Adolescence: Stability and Association With Romantic Relationships

The concept of well-being is complex and is in common use not only in the area of health but also in the field of human development. Well-being depends on both the individual and the environment, and during childhood and adolescence, the environmental factor can be decisive. Family, school, and peers are widely recognized as significant contexts for successful development, but romantic context is also undoubtedly important. Romantic relationships constitute a new dimension in the adolescent’s social life, but little attention so far has been paid to their importance in well-being. Defined as developmental tasks, they have been associated both positive and negative outcomes, although their impact on well-being has not yet been clarified. This study uses a eudaimonic approach to evaluate four dimensions of psychological well-being: self-acceptance, positive interpersonal relationships, autonomy, and life development, and has a two-fold objective: (1) to analyze adolescents’ levels of psychological well-being and their stability over time, and (2) to analyze the association between romantic relationships and adolescents’ psychological well-being. Using a longitudinal design, we analyzed data from a sample of 747 adolescents from Andalusia (Spain) between 13 and 17 years old (50.5% girls, mean age wave 1 = 14.55, SD = 0.84). The results revealed medium to high levels of psychological well-being, which remained stable throughout the time of the study, and an increase in wave 2 only in positive interpersonal relationships dimension. The Structural Equation Modeling analysis showed romantic relationships as a predictor of psychological well-being, having a positive link with positive interpersonal relationships and with life development, and a negative link with autonomy and self-acceptance. These results are discussed in terms of the need to use approaches focused on the specific characteristics and evolution of well-being during adolescence, as well as on the importance of considering romantic relationships as developmental assets which have the potential to influence well-being during these years.

Well-Being and Romantic Relationships: A Systematic Review in Adolescence and Emerging Adulthood

Adolescence and emerging adulthood are both stages in which romantic relationships play a key role in development and can be a source of both well-being and negative outcomes. However, the limited number of studies prior to adulthood, along with the multiplicity of variables involved in the romantic context and the considerable ambiguity surrounding the construct of well-being, make it difficult to reach conclusions about the relationship between the two phenomena. This systematic review synthesizes the results produced into this topic over the last three decades. A total of 112 studies were included, following the Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis Protocols (PRISMA-P) guidelines. On the one hand, these works revealed the terminological heterogeneity in research on well-being and the way the absence of symptoms of illness are commonly used to measure it, while on the other hand, they also showed that romantic relationships can be an important source of well-being for both adolescents and emerging adults. The findings underline the importance of providing a better definition of well-being, as well as to attribute greater value to the significance of romantic relationships. Devoting greater empirical, educational, and community efforts to romantic development in the stages leading up to adulthood are considered necessary actions in promoting the well-being of young people.

The Young Adult Love Lives of Happy Teenagers: The Role of Adolescent Affect in Adult Romantic Relationship Functioning

This study assessed early adolescent positive and negative affect as long-term predictors of romantic conflict, anxious and avoidant attachment, romantic and social competence, and relationship satisfaction in adulthood utilizing a longitudinal, multi-informant study of 166 participants assessed annually at ages 14-17, and again at ages 23-25. Positive affect in adolescence predicted greater self-rated social competence during late adolescence and greater self-rated romantic competence and less partner-reported hostile conflict almost a decade later. Negative affect predicted lower social and romantic competence. Results generally remained significant after controlling for personality traits, providing greater support for the hypothesis that affect has a robust, direct relation to romantic development over time.

Advances and Open Questions in the Science of Subjective Well-Being

Subjective well-being (SWB) is an extremely active area of research with about 170,000 articles and books published on the topic in the past 15 years. Methodological and theoretical advances have been notable in this period of time, with the increasing use of longitudinal and experimental designs allowing for a greater understanding of the predictors and outcomes that relate to SWB, along with the process that underlie these associations. In addition, theories about these processes have become more intricate, as findings reveal that many associations with SWB depend on people's culture and values and the context in which they live. This review provides an overview of many major areas of research, including the measurement of SWB, the demographic and personality-based predictors of SWB, and process-oriented accounts of individual differences in SWB. In addition, because a major new focus in recent years has been the development of national accounts of subjective well-being, we also review attempts to use SWB measures to guide policy decisions.

Does Happiness Promote Career Success? Revisiting the Evidence

Empirical research demonstrates a relationship between happiness and career success. For example, happy people receive higher earnings, exhibit better performance, and obtain more favorable supervisor evaluations than their less happy peers. Researchers have posited that success leads to happiness, but Boehm and Lyubomirsky reviewed the relevant research in 2008 and argued that the alternative hypothesis—that happiness causes success—may be equally plausible. A decade later, we return to the literature to supplement studies we previously cited with new research and to determine whether the results of cross-sectional, longitudinal, and experimental investigations provide additional support for this hypothesis. We conclude that the evidence continues to persuasively suggest that happiness is correlated with and often precedes career success and that experimentally enhancing positive emotions leads to improved outcomes in the workplace.

Early-life family income and subjective well-being in adolescents

Purpose

Subjective well-being (SWB) in youths positively relates to family income, however its association with income during childhood is unclear. Using longitudinal data from the US Panel Study of Income Dynamics (n = 2234 adolescents, age 12–19 years), we examined whether the timing and duration of low family income in childhood was associated with adolescent SWB.

Methods

We categorized family income during childhood into state-specific quintiles. Adolescent SWB was assessed using a 12-item questionnaire (score range 3–18). We used marginal structural modelling to test for sensitive periods of exposure to low income and tested cumulative effects of income by modelling the number of years spent in the poorest income quintiles.

Results

A period in early childhood (age 0–2 years) was particularly sensitive to low family income. Adolescent SWB was 1.65 (95% CI 0.40, 2.91) points lower in those who grew up in the poorest income quintiles during early childhood compared with the top quintile. Further, each childhood year spent in the poorest income quintiles was associated with a 0.10 point (95% CI 0.04, 0.16) lower SWB score in adolescence.

Conclusions

The timing and duration of low family income in childhood both predict individual differences in adolescent SWB. Further studies are needed to clarify the mechanisms of these models and inform public policies.

Transforming Life: A Broad View of the Developmental Origins of Health and Disease Concept from an Ecological Justice Perspective

The influential scientist Rene J. Dubos (1901–1982) conducted groundbreaking studies concerning early-life environmental exposures (e.g., diet, social interactions, commensal microbiota, housing conditions) and adult disease. However, Dubos looked beyond the scientific focus on disease, arguing that “mere survival is not enough”. He defined mental health as fulfilling human potential, and expressed concerns about urbanization occurring in tandem with disappearing access to natural environments (and elements found within them); thus modernity could interfere with health via “missing exposures”. With the advantage of emerging research involving green space, the microbiome, biodiversity and positive psychology, we discuss ecological justice in the dysbiosphere and the forces—financial inequity, voids in public policy, marketing and otherwise—that interfere with the fundamental rights of children to thrive in a healthy urban ecosystem and learn respect for the natural environment. We emphasize health within the developmental origins of health and disease (DOHaD) rubric and suggest that greater focus on positive exposures might uncover mechanisms of resiliency that contribute to maximizing human potential. We will entrain our perspective to socioeconomic disadvantage in developed nations and what we have described as “grey space”; this is a mental as much as a physical environment, a space that serves to insidiously reinforce unhealthy behavior, compromise positive psychological outlook and, ultimately, trans-generational health. It is a dwelling place that cannot be fixed with encephalobiotics or the drug-class known as psychobiotics.