Type and Timing of Negative Life Events Are Associated with Adolescent Depression

Connections between Parental Phubbing and Electronic Media Use in Young Children: The Mediating Role of Parent-Child Conflict and Moderating Effect of Child Emotion Regulation

In this digital age, where parental attention is often diverted by digital engagement, the phenomenon of "parental phubbing," defined as parents ignoring their children in favor of mobile devices, is scrutinized for its potential impact on child development. This study, utilizing questionnaire data from 612 parents and Structural Equation Modeling (SEM) with moderated mediation, examines the potential association between parental phubbing and young children's electronic media use. The findings revealed a correlation between parental phubbing and increased electronic media use in children. Parent-child conflict, informed by instances of parental phubbing, was identified as a partial mediator in this relation. Notably, children's emotion regulation emerged as a moderating factor, with adept regulation linked to reduced adverse effects of parental phubbing and improved relational harmony. These findings underscore the importance of parental awareness of their digital behaviors and the benefits of fostering robust parent-child relationships and supporting children's emotional regulation to nurture well-adjusted "digital citizens" in the contemporary media landscape.

Association between Electronic Media Use and Internalizing Problems: The Mediating Effect of Parent-Child Conflict and Moderating Effect of Children's Age

In today's digital world, children are exposed extensively to electronic media, making it an integral part of their daily lives. However, excessive use of electronic media during childhood has been associated with various internalizing problems. Moreover, parent-child conflict and children's age may be closely associated with children's problem behaviors. The current study employed a cross-sectional design and conducted a questionnaire survey of 711 parents to examine the association between children's electronic media use and their internalizing problems. Furthermore, this study probed the mediating role of parent-child conflict within this association and the moderating effect of children's age. The results of structural equation modeling showed a positive correlation between children's use of electronic media and their internalizing difficulties. Parent-child conflict served as a mediating factor in this association. Results also showed that the association between parent-child conflict and internalizing problems becomes more pronounced as children grow older. These findings imply that parents should encourage their children to develop healthy habits in using electronic media while fostering positive relationships. Parents should also be mindful of the psychological changes as children age and provide guidance to help them become proficient digital citizens.

Current status of nonsuicidal injuries and associated factors among junior high school students in Hainan Province, China: a cross-sectional study

BACKGROUND

To summarize the general status of nonsuicidal self-injury (NSSI) behaviour and the characteristics of junior high school students and to determine the risk factors associated with NSSI behaviour.

METHODS

Five middle schools in the rural and urban areas of Hainan Province were randomly selected for this cross-sectional study, and junior high school students were administered questionnaires, including the General Sociodemographic Questionnaire, Ottawa Self-Injury Scale, Anxiety Self-Rating Scale, Depression Self-Rating Scale, Adolescent Lifestyle Scale, and Parenting Style Scale.

RESULTS

The NSSI rate among junior high school students in Hainan Province was 28.9%, with a higher prevalence among girls than boys (P < 0.05). The age range was 11-16 years, with a mean age of 13.08 ± 0.911 years. The most common form of self-injury was scratching/bruising, followed by hitting oneself, pulling out hair, biting, head banging, and cutting. The NSSI methods of scratching/bruising, hitting oneself and cutting more commonly occurred in girls than boys (P < 0.05). The most common sites of self-injury were the face, scalp, lips, forearm/elbow, axilla/wrist, hands/fingers, and thighs/knees. Significant differences were observed in the distribution of self-injury sites (nose, lips, genitals, and axillae/wrists) between the two genders (p < 0.05). The most important motivation for undertaking NSSI behaviours was to release negative emotions. The risk factors affecting NSSI behaviours were female gender (OR = 1.793), depression (OR = 1.961), anxiety (OR = 1.495), interpersonal relationship factors (OR = 1.099), academic stress factors (OR = 1.062), maternal emotional warmth (OR = 0.97), and maternal overinterference (OR = 1.036).

CONCLUSIONS

The NSSI rate among junior high school students in Hainan was 28.9%, affecting girls more than boys. The form and site of self-injury between boys and girls were significantly different. The motivation for committing self-injurious behaviours was mainly to regulate bad emotions. Risk factors for NSSI behaviours included female gender, anxiety, depression, interpersonal relationship factors, academic stress factors, and maternal emotional overinterference, while maternal emotional warmth was a protective factor.

A cross-sectional study of non-suicidal self-injury in a Chinese adolescent inpatient cohort

Background

Non-suicidal self-injury (NSSI) is a significant predictor of completed suicide and is increasingly recognized as a serious public health concern. Multiple factors, including social, familial, mental, and genetic factors could influence the occurrence of this behavior. Identifying the early risk factors is important for screening and preventing this behavior.

Methods

Here, we recruited a total of 742 adolescent inpatient participants from a mental health center and conducted a series of diagnostic interviews and questionnaires to assess NSSI behavior and other events. Bivariate analysis was used to detect differences between groups in NSSI and non-NSSI. Then, binary logistic regression was fitted to identify predictors of NSSI as a function of these questionnaire scores.

Results

Of the 742 adolescents examined, a total of 382 (51.5%) participants engaged in NSSI. Bivariate analysis showed that age, gender, depression, anxiety, insomnia, and childhood trauma was significantly associated with NSSI. Logistic regression results suggested that females had 2.43 higher odds of engaging in NSSI when compared to their male counterparts (OR = 3.43, 95%CI = 2.09-5.74, p = 1.70 × 10^-6). Depression was a primary risk predictor for NSSI with each additional increase in symptoms of depression increasing the odds of engaging in NSSI by 18% (OR = 1.18, 95%CI = 1.12-1.25, p = 2.25 × 10^-8).

Conclusion

More than half of the adolescent inpatients with psychiatric disorders have NSSI experience. Depression and gender were the risk factors for NSSI. Age at a specific range had a high prevalence of NSSI.

Research hotspots and theme trends in post-traumatic growth: A co-word analysis based on keywords

Objectives

To analyze and summarize the research hotspots and advancement of post-traumatic growth (PTG) over the past 15 years based on co-word analysis of keywords, and provide references for PTG-related research and clinical intervention.

Methods

All studies related to PTG were retrieved from PubMed and Web of Science (WOS) from January 2013 to July 2022. A total of 11 Medical Subject Headings (MeSH) and keywords were used to identify qualified studies. Bibliographic Item Co-occurrence Matrix Builder (BICOMB; version 2.0) was used to conduct high-frequency keywords extraction and matrix setup, Graphical Clustering Toolkit (gCLUTO; version 1.0) was employed to perform clustering analysis, and SPSS (version 25.0) was used to carry out strategic diagram analysis.

Results

A total of 2,370 publications were selected, from which 38 high-frequency keywords were extracted. The results revealed six research hotspots on PTG during the period from 2013 to 2022, including research on i) emotional reactions after negative life events, ii) PTG among cancer survivors, iii) rumination and resilience after trauma, iv) PTG among children and adolescents, v) role of social support and coping strategy in PTG, and vi) association between PTG and quality of life.

Conclusions

This co-word analysis effectively reveals an overview of PTG over the past 15 years. The six research categories deduced from this study can reflect that the research content in the field of PTG is abundant, but some research topics have not yet been mature. The findings of this study are of great value to future investigations associated with PTG.

Stressful life events, psychosocial health and general health in preschool children before age 4

BACKGROUND

The impact of stressful life events (SLEs) in early childhood is often ignored. We aimed to examine longitudinal associations between SLEs and psychosocial and general health in preschool children.

METHODS

Twelve SLEs occurring before the age of 24 months were assessed and categorized by frequency (no events, 1-2 SLEs, and > 2 SLEs) and overall tension (no events, low, and high) (n = 1431). Psychosocial and general health were measured three times at the age of 24, 36 and 45 months. The associations were examined by logistic regression models using generalized estimating equations to handle repeated measurements.

RESULTS

Half (48.4%) of the families experienced SLEs, and 23.8% perceived high-tension SLEs before the children were aged 24 months. Gender differences were observed in the association between SLEs and psychosocial health. Compared to girls without SLEs, girls who experienced > 2 SLEs [OR = 3.31, 95% confidence interval (CI) 2.05-5.35] or high-tension SLEs (OR = 3.01, 95% CI 2.07-4.39) had higher odds of psychosocial problems from 24 to 45 months. The odds ratios in boys were 2.10 (95% CI 1.36-3.24) and 1.47 (95% CI 1.06-2.03), respectively. Moreover, only girls' risk of psychosocial problems increased after experiencing 1-2 SLEs (OR = 2.15, 95% CI 1.54-3.00) or low-tension SLEs (OR = 1.90, 95% CI 1.31-2.74). Regarding general health, children who experienced > 2 SLEs (OR = 1.96, 95% CI 1.21-3.18) and high-tension SLEs (OR = 1.60, 95% CI 1.12-2.28) had higher odds of poor general health from 24 to 45 months.

CONCLUSIONS

The findings emphasized that young children's psychosocial and general health can be impacted by experiencing SLEs in early childhood. Attention and adequate support for families experiencing SLEs are needed to minimize the potential negative effect of SLEs on child health, particularly in girls.

The longitudinal association between potential stressful life events and the risk of psychosocial problems in 3-year-old children

Background

Experiencing certain potentially stressful life events can impact psychosocial well-being among school-aged children and adolescents. This study aims to evaluate the association between life events occurring before age 2 and risk of psychosocial problems at 3 years of age.

Methods

All parents invited for the regular well-child visit when their child was 2 years of age by the preventive Youth Health Care in the Rotterdam-Rijnmond area, the Netherlands, were invited to participate in this study. In total 2,305 parents completed the baseline questionnaire at child age 2-years; 1,540 parents completed the questionnaire at child age 3-years. The baseline questionnaire included a life events assessment (12 items), and tension caused by the event (range 0-3). At child age 3-years the questionnaire included the Strengths and Difficulties Questionnaire (SDQ) to assess risk of psychosocial problems. Logistic regression models were applied.

Results

In the current study 48.5% of families experienced ≥1 life event before child age 2 years. Divorce and problems in the relationship between the parents received the highest perceived severity score [respectively 2.1 (SD = 0.8) and 2.0 (SD = 0.7)]. Children experiencing ≥1 event before the age of 2 years were at higher risk of psychosocial problems at 3 years of age, compared to children that had experienced no life event (1-2 events OR = 1.50, 95%CI: 1.09; 2.06, and >2 events OR = 2.55, 95%CI 1.64; 4.00, respectively). When life events caused high perceived levels of tension, there was also an association with an increased risk of psychosocial problems at age 3-years (OR = 2.03, 95%CI 1.43; 2.88).

Conclusions

Approximately half of children in our study experienced a potential stressful life event before the age of 2 years. Results suggest an association between experiencing a life event and risk of psychosocial problems at child age 3-years. These findings emphasize the need for child health care professionals to pay attention to life events taking place in the life of young children in order to provide appropriate support.

Longitudinal relationship between quality of life and negative life events among adolescents during COVID-19 pandemic: a cross-lagged panel analysis

BACKGROUND

The negative association of quality of life (QoL) and negative life evens (NLEs) among adolescents has been proved by cross-sectional studies, without exploring sex differences. This study aimed to explore the longitudinal associations between QoL and NLEs among adolescents during novel coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic and whether there are sex or age differences.

METHODS

A stratified cluster sampling was used to select 1421 students in primary school and middle school in Chongqing, China. From November 2020 (T0) to December 2021 (T2), the Adolescent Self-Rating Life Events Checklist and the Adolescent Quality of Life Scale were used to collect 3 waves of data. The correlations between study variables were conducted by the Pearson correlation analyses. The direction and strength of the longitudinal associations were analyzed using cross-lagged panel analyses.

RESULTS

Results showed significant changes in both variables during COVID-19 pandemic (P < 0.001). Cross-sectional analyses showed stable negative correlations between NLEs and QoL stratified by sex or by age (P < 0.001). Sex and age differences in longitudinal relationships were shown by cross-lagged panel analyses. For males, NLEs had a short-term bi-directional association with QoL [βA-D = -(0.091-0.340), P < 0.05]; for females, QoL had a short-term correlation with NLEs [βA = -0.119), βC = -0.109), P < 0.001]. In the youngest age group, NLEs had a short-term bi-directional correlation with QoL [βA-D = -(0.098-0.428), P < 0.05]. There was a short-term association between total QoL and NLEs among students except the 14∼15 year group [βA = -(0.071-0.149), βC = -(0.086-0.119), P < 0.05], the long-term association between total QoL and NLEs was only significant in adolescents aged 14∼15 years (βE = -0.132, P < 0.05). The strength of NLEs was slightly higher than that of total QoL, but lower than that of QoL in each dimension.

CONCLUSION

There were negative longitudinal relationships between NLEs and QoL during COVID-19 pandemic, and the strength of the associations varied across sex or age. Strengthening QoL in different dimensions may be a promising way to reduce NLEs during the pandemic among adolescents, and interventions should be tailored according different sex and ages.

Network analysis on the relationship between posttraumatic stress disorder, psychiatric co-morbidity and posttraumatic growth among Chinese adolescents

BACKGROUND

This study investigated the association between posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD), psychiatric co-morbidity and posttraumatic growth (PTG) among Chinese adolescents using network analysis.

METHODS

867 Chinese adolescents (male = 424, female = 443) were recruited from three secondary schools. They completed the Posttraumatic Stress Disorder Checklist for DSM-5, the Posttraumatic Growth Inventory, and the General Health Questionnaire-28.

RESULTS

Domains of each construct mainly clustered within their respective communities with several bridging edges identified. The prominent roles of bridging nodes and edges (positive and negative) were highlighted. Key bridging nodes were negative alterations in cognitions and mood for PTSD, anxiety and insomnia for psychiatric co-morbidity and appreciation of life for PTG.

LIMITATIONS

The cross-sectional nature of the present study may preclude the identification of real causal relationships between nodes.

CONCLUSIONS

Following a trauma, adolescents displayed posttraumatic stress along with general psychological disorder symptoms. These distress reactions could affect the way they appreciated life and their motivation to seek future life possibilities. Findings from the current study may provide some clue for the facilitation of posttraumatic growth among clinical patients.

Posttraumatic growth and postpartum depression in women after childbirth: The moderating role of postpartum negative life events

AIM

This study aimed to investigate the implications of postpartum negative life events on postpartum depression and posttraumatic growth in women after childbirth.

METHODS

A sample of 280 postpartum women at a level III hospital in China provided data on postpartum depression, negative life events, and posttraumatic growth with a cross-sectional design.

RESULTS

The scores of both postpartum depression and negative life events exhibited a quadratic correlation with posttraumatic growth in women after childbirth, and negative life events significantly moderated the associations between depression and overall posttraumatic growth and its three dimensions: personal strength, spirit change, and relating to others.

CONCLUSIONS

Women can experience positive psychological growth after childbirth, and this study provides new evidence of an interaction between postpartum depression and negative life events in the prediction of psychological growth, highlighting the moderating role of negative life events. This study could help direct mental health professionals to target interventions that provide more psychological support to reduce the impact of depression and negative life events, which will be conducive to improving women's psychological growth.

Stressful Events and Adolescent Psychopathology: A Person-Centred Approach to Expanding Adverse Childhood Experience Categories

Stress from cumulative adverse childhood experiences (ACEs) can pose a serious risk of experiencing anxiety, depression, and other mood disorders in adolescence. However, there is a paucity of research identifying specific profiles or combinations of exposure to other forms of stressful life events and their impact on adolescent psychopathology. This study attempted a conceptual expansion of the ACE checklist by examining these stressful events. The study used cross-sectional data from a modified version of the CASE Study survey where 864 adolescents (56% female, n = 480), aged from 11 - 18 years were recruited from four post-primary schools in the North-West region of NI. Latent class analysis of the 20-item stressful events checklist revealed 3 distinct risk classes: a low-risk class (53.5%), at-risk class (42.7%), and an immediate-risk class (3.8%). Results showed those at most risk of adolescent psychopathology had the highest probability of encountering interpersonal relationship issues, experiencing family dysfunction, and having close friends experiencing psychological difficulties. Findings indicate that the original ten ACE categories may be too narrow in focus and do not capture the wide range of childhood adversity. Expanding the ACE checklist to include other stressful events is discussed as these may also be antecedents to psychopathologic responses.

Negative life events and internalizing problems among Romanian youth

During adolescence individuals face multiple stressful events, but it is not clear how these impact adolescents' adjustment and what factors buffer their negative effects. The present exploratory study investigates the relationship between frequency, proximity, and intensity of negative life events and occurrence of internalizing symptoms in a sample of Romanian adolescents. 2690 youth aged 15-16 from capital city of Romania filled in a series of measures from Youth in Europe Study. Hierarchical regression was employed to test for the explanatory value of individual (gender and family status), relational (parents and peer support), and negative life events on depressive and anxiety symptoms. Frequency and proximity of negative life events explained 35.8% in the displaying of depressive symptoms. After controlling for individual and relational variables, occurrence, proximity, and intensity of negative life events significantly contributed to explaining heightened anxiety symptoms (R² = .246). Adolescents reporting more frequent, earlier in time and more intensive negative events also reported more depressive and anxiety symptoms, thus, supporting the relationship between occurrence of adversities and negative mental health outcomes.

The Association between Stressful Life Events and Emotional and Behavioral Problems in Children 0-7 Years Old: The CIKEO Study

Background: Stressful life events (SLEs) are recognized risk factors for emotional and behavioral problems, but the association is understudied among young children. Our aim was to examine the association between exposure to SLEs and emotional and behavioral problems in young children up to 7 years old. Methods: We analyzed baseline data from 959 children (mean age = 3.3 years; SD = 1.9; 47.5% girls) in the CIKEO study, a community-based longitudinal study in the Netherlands. Linear regression was used to assess the associations between the total as well as the individual exposure to SLEs experienced in the past 12 months, and emotional and behavioral problems assessed by CBCL 1.5-5. Interactions of SLEs and child age, sex, ethnic background, and socioeconomic status were explored. Results: Higher total exposure to SLEs, as indicated by the number of SLEs, was significantly associated with higher CBCL total, internalizing and externalizing problem scores (p for trend < 0.05). The results did not differ by child age, sex, ethnic background, or family SES. Six out of the 12 SLEs explored were independently associated with greater CBCL total/externalizing/internalizing scores (p < 0.05). Conclusions: Exposure to SLEs is associated with higher levels of emotional and behavioral problems in young children, and the impact of SLEs may vary depending on the types of events. Stressful life events might be a useful target for interventions to improve emotional and behavioral well-being among young children.

Identification of Depression Among Elderly During COVID-19

Elderly population is increasing, while the world has been facing the novel coronavirus (COVID-19), which causes a greater adverse impact among older population in various aspects of their lives, such as depression, daily routine disruption, illness, and social and emotional issues. The purpose of this study was to assess the elderly’s depression during the COVID-19 pandemic, and the risk factors including socio-demographic, physical and psychosocial conditions, as well as family support. The method used was cross-sectional design, with a total sampling of 457 participants. The measuring instruments used were ADL (Activities of Daily Living Scale) and IADL (Lowton and Brody Instrumental Activities of Daily Living Scale) for physical activities assessment, APGAR (Adaptability, Participation, Growth, Affection, Resolution) for family support function assessment, and Geriatric Depression Scale (GDS) for depression level measurement, with additional questions for psychosocial assessment. 212 elderlies (46.4%) were found with no depression tendency, 183 elderlies (40%) had a tendency of depression, and 62 elderlies (13.6%) had depression. These depression issues were significantly linked to retirement and income among elderly, dependency, fitness and health status, family and social support, and sources of funds. In the presence of depression, control measures for social, health, and psychosocial support must be implemented in order to minimize its impact among the elderly.

Impact of Adverse Childhood Events on the Psychosocial Functioning of Children Affected by Parental HIV in Rural China

Introduction: Children affected by parental HIV are more likely than unaffected peers to experience trauma and are at-risk for negative psychological and social outcomes. This study aimed to examine the relationship between adverse childhood events and psychosocial functioning among children affected by parental HIV. Methods: A total of 790 children ages 6-17 from Henan, China were enrolled in a longitudinal, randomized controlled trial of a resilience-based psychosocial intervention. At baseline, children reported on numerous psychosocial factors, including trauma exposure, symptoms of anxiety and depression, and peer social functioning. We used linear regression analysis to test the direct effect of trauma exposure on peer social functioning. We then tested whether depression and anxiety symptoms served as two potential parallel mediators in the association between trauma exposure and peer social functioning. Results: Trauma exposure was significantly associated with poor peer social functioning (β = -0.10, p = 0.005) when controlling for key covariates. When depression and anxiety symptoms were added to the model, the association between trauma exposure and peer social functioning became nonsignificant. Instead, there were significant indirect effects from trauma exposure to peer social functioning via depression (β = -0.06, 95%CI[-0.09, -0.03]) and anxiety (β = -0.02, 95%CI[-0.04, -0.00]). Conclusion: This study is among the first to link trauma exposure to peer social functioning deficits for children affected by parental HIV and demonstrates that symptoms of anxiety and depression mediate this relationship. Findings underscore the need for comprehensive psychosocial support for children affected by HIV, including screening for trauma exposure and mental health disorders.

Stressful life events and depressive symptoms among adolescents in Malaysia: the mediating role of maladaptive cognitive schema

OBJECTIVES

The present study aimed to examine the mediational role of maladaptive cognitive schema in the association between stressful life events, which are operationalised as major (i. e. negative life events) and minor (i. e. daily hassles) life stressors, and depressive symptoms among adolescents.

METHODS

A cross-sectional correlational study was conducted to recruit participants across four selected states of Kedah, Kelantan, Melaka and Selangor in Peninsular Malaysia. This study involved a total of 1,032 adolescents from 25 government secondary schools, identified using probability proportional to size cluster sampling technique. Data were collected through a self-report questionnaire.

RESULTS

Using structural equation modelling analyses, findings revealed a full mediation effect of maladaptive cognitive schema between negative life events and depressive symptoms, and a partial mediation effect between daily hassles and depressive symptoms.

CONCLUSIONS

This study provided valuable insights about the significance of maladaptive cognitive schema as a mediator in the stress-depression association and advanced the understanding of mechanism underlying development of depressive symptoms among adolescents in Malaysia. Findings also benefit the clinical practice in the development of targeted depression prevention and intervention programs.

Associations between screen time, negative life events, and emotional and behavioral problems among Chinese children and adolescents

BACKGROUND

Mental health problems among children and adolescents are a pressing public health issue. This study aimed to investigate the associations between screen time (ST), negative life events (NLEs), and emotional and behavioral problems (EBPs) among Chinese children and adolescents.

METHODS

A total of 5959 boys and girls from 14 elementary and junior high schools of four cities in China were included in this study. EBPs were assessed by the Strengths and Difficulties Questionnaire (SDQ), NLEs were evaluated by the Adolescent Self-Rating Life Events Checklist (ASLEC), and ST data were obtained through self-reporting. Descriptive analyses, chi-squared tests, and logistic regression were performed using SPSS 23.0.

RESULTS

There were significant associations between ST/NLEs and EBPs. Participants with high exposure to ST or NLEs were more likely to have EBPs than those with low exposure to ST or NLEs. The simultaneous associations of ST and NLEs on EBPs were stronger than those of ST or NLEs, individually.

LIMITATIONS

This was a cross-sectional research study; therefore, it could not judge causality or direction. ST and NLEs were retrospective and might have recall biases.

CONCLUSIONS

Our results showed positive associations between ST, NLEs, and EBPs. The results indicate that interventions should be considered to decrease ST and NLEs for children and adolescents.

Associations of family relationships and negative life events with depressive symptoms among Chinese adolescents: A cross-sectional study

Objectives

The main objective of this study was to explore the associations of family relationships and negative life events with depressive symptoms among Chinese adolescents.

Methods

A cross-sectional study of 3081 middle school students was conducted in Ganzhou City, Jiangxi Province, China. Students were asked to complete questionnaires regarding family relationships, negative life events, and depressive symptoms. A mediation analysis was carried out using a multiple regression analysis and the PROCESS macro method.

Results

Of all participants, 19.9% reported experiencing depressive symptoms. The prevalence of depressive symptoms was 13.0% and 29.2% in participants with good and poor parental relationships, and the prevalence of depressive symptoms was 11.4% and 30.9% in participants with closed and alienated parental-child relationships, respectively. Parental relationships, parental-child relationships, and negative life events were positively correlated with depressive symptoms. The effect of parental relationships on depressive symptoms was fully mediated by negative life events (Effect = 0.052, 95% CI = [0.023, 0.082]), while the effect of parent-child relationships on adolescent depressive symptoms was partially mediated by negative life events (Effect = 0.075, 95% CI = [0.048, 0.104]).

Conclusions

Our results showed a high prevalence of depressive symptoms in Chinese adolescents. Poor family relationships may have the potential to increase the risk of depressive symptoms, and they could affect depressive symptoms through negative life events.

Executive Function and Resilience as Mediators of Adolescents' Perceived Stressful Life Events and School Adjustment

This study investigated psychological mechanisms underlying the relationship between stressful life events and school adjustment in Chinese adolescents. The Adolescent Self-rating Life Events Checklist, the Adolescent Executive Function Scale, the Chinese version of the Resilience Scale, and the School-adjustment Scale were administered to 1101 Chinese adolescents (465 males, 636 females), aged 11–19 years, from three secondary schools. Results from serial mediation analysis revealed that perceived stressful life events could affect school adjustment through the mediation of executive function and resilience. The mediation effect contained three paths, the separate mediation effect of executive function, the separate mediation effect of resilience, and the serial mediation effect of executive function and resilience. These findings provide valuable insights into the effect of perceived stressful life events on school adjustment of Chinese adolescents, and suggest that, the researchers and educators could enhance school adjustment in vulnerable groups by improving their executive function and resilience.