Adolescents' Psychological Well-Being: A Multidimensional Measure

Adaptation of the Mental Health Inventory (MHI-38) for Adolescents - Indonesian Version

Objective

This study validates the Indonesian version of the Mental Health Inventory-38 (MHI-38) for use among Indonesian adolescents. The adaptation process followed guidelines from the International Test Commission and involved translation, expert review, cognitive interviews, and psychometric evaluation. A total of 562 adolescents (mean age = 15.42, SD = 1.84) participated in the study.

Results

The MHI-38 demonstrated dual factors: psychological well-being and psychological distress. Internal consistency was high for the MHI-38 (α = 0.892) and its factors: psychological well-being (α = 0.894) and psychological distress (α = 0.952). Confirmatory factor analysis indicated a good fit (RMSEA = 0.048, CFI = 0.945, NFI = 0.908, TLI = 0.929). Psychological well-being correlated moderately with the Satisfaction with Life Scale (r = 0.469, p = 0.00) and positive affect (r = 0.448, p = 0.00), but negatively with the Kessler Psychological Distress Scale (r = -0.230, p = 0.00). Psychological distress correlated strongly with the Kessler Psychological Distress Scale (r = 0.910, p = 0.00) and negative affect (r = 0.857, p = 0.00), but negatively with the Satisfaction with Life Scale (r = 0.556, p = 0.00).

Conclusion

The Indonesian version of the MHI-38 demonstrated good psychometric properties and validity, making it a reliable tool for assessing mental health in Indonesian adolescents.

Emotion Regulation Difficulties and Relationship Satisfaction in Adolescent Couples: The Role of Conflict Resolution Strategies

Emotion regulation difficulties have been found to predict relationship satisfaction in adult samples, yet little is known with regards to the processes explaining these associations in adolescent dating relationships. Furthermore, among the available literature, most studies only consider one romantic partner. To address this gap, this study used a dyadic approach and considered the role of conflict resolution strategies (i.e., positive problem-solving, withdrawal, and conflict engagement) in the association between adolescents' emotion regulation and romantic relationship satisfaction. A sample of 117 heterosexual adolescent couples from Québec, Canada, was recruited (M_age = 17.68, SD = 1.57; 50% female, with 40.60% being in their first romantic relationship, and 48.29% reporting that this relationship was ongoing for more than a year). Results from APIMeM analyses indicated no direct effects between emotion regulation and relationship satisfaction. Significant indirect actor effects indicate that boys and girls with greater emotion regulation difficulties were less satisfied with their relationship via more withdrawal strategies. A partner effect emerged for girls, such that their boyfriend's regulation difficulties and greater withdrawal had a negative impact on their relationship satisfaction. This study identifies withdrawal as a key strategy in explaining the associations between emotion regulation difficulties and relationship satisfaction. Furthermore, it highlights that within adolescent couples, boys' withdrawal can be particularly deleterious to relational well-being.

Intensity of Tik Tok Use and Depression with Social comparison as a Mediator Variable

Tik Tok users until the end of 2021 managed to touch 2 billion worldwide. Being the second most populous country to use Tik Tok, a number of problems were reported. Starting from the very high frequency of use, to issues related to the mental health of its users. The study aims to find out the relationship between Tik Tok use and Depression and the social comparisons felt by its users. The type of research used in this study is correlational quantitative. There were 108 respondents in this study collected through Google forms. The measuring instrument used to see the intensity of social media use uses the intensity scale of using Tik Tok which consists of passion, attention, duration and frequency. Meanwhile, to measure Depression using Scala Beck and the level of social comparison using the IOWA scale. The results of the data analysis show that there is a significant relationship between the use of Tik Tok and Depression with social comparisons as a mediator

Academic Perfectionism, Psychological Well-Being, and Suicidal Ideation in College Students

High levels of perfectionism in college students can compromise their academic performance and psychological well-being. This study aims to analyze the implication of perfectionism in psychological well-being and suicidal ideation in the last year. A total of 1.287 students from different degrees reported their academic performance in the previous academic year and completed questionnaires on academic perfectionism, psychological well-being, and suicidal thoughts in the last year. In both men and women, academic perfectionism correlates positively with academic performance and negatively with the different dimensions of psychological well-being. Likewise, both the average grade in the previous year (β = 0.364) and the level of demand of the degree (β = -0.461) are mediating variables between perfectionism and psychological well-being. Furthermore, the interaction between perfectionism and academic performance is related positively to psychological well-being, but not to with suicidal ideation. So, the relation between suicidal ideation and perfectionism is positive (OR = 1.075), but this is negative with academic performance (OR = 0.900), although both variables show a mild predictive capacity. These findings suggest that the levels of perfectionism are associated differently with the mental health of students, since if perfectionism is effective (high academic performance), psychological well-being is high, although in our results, this interaction is not as important for suicidal thoughts.

Defining and Measuring Child and Youth Thriving: A Scoping Review

BACKGROUND AND OBJECTIVES

Promoting positive child and youth health and development requires clear definitions and comprehensive measures of child and youth thriving. The study's objectives were to identify the scope, range, and gaps in definitions and measures of thriving for children or youth (birth through young adult).

METHODS

Systematic searches of Pubmed, PsycInfo, Health and Psychosocial Instruments, Education Resources Information Center, and Scopus were conducted for articles that included definitions, conceptual frameworks, or measures of child and youth thriving. Inclusion criteria were that the articles: (1) provided a new definition or measure of child thriving, flourishing, or well-being; (2) focused on normally developing children 0 to 24 years old; and (3) were published between 2009 and 2022 in an English language peer-reviewed journal. Studies were categorized by child age, study type, population, and community-identified domains of thriving.

RESULTS

Of the 14 920 articles identified, 113 met inclusion criteria: 34 unique definitions or frameworks, 66 validated measures, and 12 articles presenting both a framework and measure. One-third of the articles focused on early childhood (0-5 years old); 47% on middle childhood (6-11 years old); 72% on adolescence (12-17 years old), and 22% on young adults (18-24 years old).

CONCLUSIONS

Current child thriving definitions, frameworks, and measures could be expanded in their coverage of age and key domains, such as racial equity and safety. Additional frameworks and measures focused on early childhood (0-5 years) and assessing thriving over time are needed.

Association between Physical Fitness Index and Psychological Symptoms in Chinese Children and Adolescents

The aim of this study was to determine the relationship between different physical fitness indices (PFIs) and psychological symptoms and each dimension (emotional symptoms, behavioral symptoms, social adaptation difficulties) of Chinese children and adolescents. Methods: A total of 7199 children and adolescents aged 13−18 in Jiangxi Province, China, were tested for grip strength, standing long jump, sit-ups, sit and reach, repeated straddling, 50 m run, 20 m shuttle run test (20 m SRT) items. The physical fitness indicators were standardized, converted to Z score and added up to obtain the PFI, and the self-assessment of the psychological section of the multidimensional sub-health questionnaire of adolescents (MSQA) to test the psychological symptoms, using the chi-square test to determine the psychological symptoms of different types of children and adolescents and binary logistic regression analysis to determine the association between psychological symptoms and different PFI grades. Results: The higher the PFI of Chinese children and adolescents, the lower the detection rate of psychological symptoms, emotional symptoms and social adaptation difficulties, from 25.0% to 18.4%, 31.3% to 25.7% and 20.1% to 14.4%, respectively. These results were statistically significant (χ2 = 14.073, 9.332, 12.183, p < 0.05). Taking the high-grade PFI as a reference, binary logistic regression analysis was performed. Generally, compared with the high-grade PFI, children and adolescents with a low-grade PFI (OR = 1.476, 95% CI: 1.200−1.814) or medium-grade PFI (OR = 1.195, 95% CI: 1.010−1.413) had a higher risk of psychological symptoms (p < 0.05). Conclusions: The lower the PFI of Chinese children and adolescents, the higher the detection rate of psychological symptoms, showing a negative correlation. In the future, measures should be taken to improve the physical fitness level of children and adolescents in order to reduce the incidence of psychological symptoms and promote the healthy development of children and adolescents.

Creation and validation of the pictorial ecological momentary well-being instrument (EMOWI) for adolescents

PURPOSE

Adolescence is characterized by the ongoing maturation of emotion-regulation skills and increased emotional reactivity. There is a need for a measurement tool suitable to the Ecological Momentary Assessment methodology, to better capture within-day variations in well-being, and provide fine-grained data that can help understand how environments, behaviors, and health intersect. This paper presents the development and evaluation of the Ecological MOmentary Well-Being Instrument for adolescents, designed for use in EMA.

METHODS

A mixed-methods study was conducted, using both qualitative and quantitative approaches, to develop and assess the EMOWI. A literature review, pictorial production by graphic designers, and qualitative interviews with French and Canadian professionals and adolescents helped design and evaluate the scale face validity. Quantitative evaluation of dimensionality, reliability, and validity was conducted in two samples of French 8th graders.

RESULTS

The resulting 8-item EMOWI showed excellent face validity. Confirmatory factor analysis supported a single factor hypothesis (RMSEA = 0.072). Internal consistency (Cronbach's alpha = 0.85) and intraday test-retest reliability (ICC = 0.83) were high. Correlations with existing scales were consistent with preset hypotheses. Ceiling effects were evidenced for all items, yet not on the global score. Quantitative estimations were similar for the verbal and pictorial versions, but qualitative findings argued in favor of the pictorial version.

CONCLUSION

The 8-item pictorial EMOWI is a short and innovative instrument to measure momentary well-being in adolescents aged 12 to 17 years. Its strong psychometric properties and its acceptability among adolescents make it an excellent candidate instrument for the Ecological Momentary Assessment of well-being in this population.

The effect of therapeutic group and problem-solving therapy on developmental aspects of adolescents in drug misuse prevention

Adolescents are socially and emotionally vulnerable to drug misuse. This study aims to determine the effect of therapeutic group (TG) and problem-solving therapy (PST) on adolescent developmental aspects in vocational high school for preventing drug misuse. This study was performed using a quasi-experimental design pre-post test without a control group. Subjects in this study were composed of 62 adolescents in the vocational high school selected using a purposive sampling technique and systematic random sampling. The subjects were given TG and PST. Data analysis was performed using repeated ANOVA with subsequent post hoc paired wise comparison test. The developmental aspects of adolescents increased significantly (p-value <0.05), which was higher after receiving TG and PST while remained in a good developmental category. There were significant differences from three times of measurement. TG and PST are recommended to be carried out to psychiatric-mental health nurses in improving developmental aspects as a protective factor in vocational high school students.

Parental Beliefs about Childhood and Adolescence from a Longitudinal Perspective

Research into family context as a socializing agent points to the need to take parental beliefs into account due to the role they play in both parenting strategies and, ultimately, in the psychosocial adjustment of children and adolescents. The present study aims to explore possible relationships between parental beliefs about childhood and adolescence from a longitudinal and qualitative perspective. The beliefs held by parents of teenagers about adolescence are compared with those they hold about childhood at that same moment, and the evolution of these ideas is charted over the course of 16 years as their children grow. A total of 102 parents participated in the longitudinal study. They completed two types of semi-structured interviews: one of them throughout the entire study period and the other once their children became teenagers. The results reveal an association between the type of beliefs parents hold about childhood and their perception of adolescence, and they indicate that these ideas change over time as more adjusted and modern beliefs about child development correlate with a more positive perception of adolescence. These results are interpreted from the perspective of their influence on beliefs about parenting styles, reflecting what is reported in the recent literature regarding the most successful styles for fostering children’s and adolescents’ psychosocial adjustment.

Teen Dating Relationships: How Daily Disagreements are Associated with Relationship Satisfaction

Being in a satisfying romantic relationship in adolescence is associated to many short- and long-term benefits. However, more research is needed to better understand what promotes relationship satisfaction in adolescence. To address this gap, this study used a diary approach to examine the relation between disagreements and daily variations in adolescent romantic relationship satisfaction. A sample of 186 adolescents was recruited (Mage = 17.08 years, SD = 1.48; 56% female). Multilevel modeling was used to evaluate how disagreement occurrences, resolution, and resolution strategies were related to daily perceived relationship satisfaction at both the between- and within-subjects levels. At the within-subjects level, satisfaction was lower on days when a disagreement occurred, especially for girls. Adolescents also reported lower relationship satisfaction on days when they used more destructive strategies than usual, and higher relationship satisfaction on days when they successfully resolved disagreements. This study demonstrates that adolescents' evaluations of their daily relationship satisfaction vary as function of disagreement processes.

The Relationship Between Psychological Well-Being and Autonomy in Young People According to Age

Psychological well-being manifests itself in all aspects of human activity and is essential to understanding whether young people experience life satisfaction and whether, as they mature, well-being can be associated with different levels of personal autonomy. This quantitative study was developed within the framework of international research on young people's autonomy in the transition to adulthood. Its main objectives were to analyze the relationship between psychological well-being and autonomy and examine potential variations between the two variables according to age. To this end, Ryff's Psychological Well-Being Scale and the Transition to Adulthood Autonomy Scale (EDATVA) designed by Bernal et al., were used with a sample of 1,148 young people aged 16-21 from Madrid, Spain, and Bogotá, Colombia. The results show that almost all the dimensions on the Psychological Well-Being Scale correlate significantly and positively with the dimensions on the EDATVA scale. Specifically, moderate correlations were obtained between self-organization on the EDATVA scale and purpose in life (r = 0.568; p = 0.01) and environmental mastery (r = 0.447; p = 0.01) on the Psychological Well-Being Scale. In turn, autonomy on Ryff's scale obtained the highest correlation (r = 0.382; p = 0.01) with understanding context on the EDATVA scale. It was also found that the older 18-21 age group obtained higher scores than the younger 16-17 age group in all dimensions on both the EDATVA and the Psychological Well-Being Scale. Earlier studies endorse the results found in this research, especially the differences in the scores for both scales according to age groups. This opens avenues for future research to analyze the relationship between psychological well-being and autonomy as independent variables in other sectors of the population.

Subjective Well-Being in Early Adolescence: Observations from a Five-Year Longitudinal Study

This article aims to redress the lack of longitudinal studies on adolescents' subjective well-being (SWB) and highlight the relevance of knowledge deriving from such research in designing public policies for improving their health and wellbeing in accordance with the stage of development they are in. To achieve this, the evolution of SWB during early adolescence (in adolescents aged between 10 and 14 in the first data collection) was explored over a five year period, considering boys and girls together and separately. This involved comparing different SWB scales and contrasting results when considering the year of data collection versus the cohort (year of birth) participants belonged to. The methodology comprised a generalized linear mixed model using the INLA (Integrated Nested Laplace Approximation) estimation within a Bayesian framework. Results support the existence of a decreasing-with-age trend, which has been previously intuited in cross-sectional studies and observed in only a few longitudinal studies and contrasts with the increasing-with-age tendency observed in late adolescence. This decrease is also found to be more pronounced for girls, with relevant differences found between instruments. The decreasing-with-age trend observed when the year of data collection is taken into account is also observed when considering the cohort, but the latter provides additional information. The results obtained suggest that there is a need to continue studying the evolution of SWB in early adolescence with samples from other cultures; this, in turn, will make it possible to establish the extent to which the observed decreasing-with-age trend among early adolescents is influenced by cultural factors.

Measurement Invariance of the Flourishing Scale among a Large Sample of Canadian Adolescents

Our aim was to examine measurement invariance of the Flourishing Scale (FS)—a concise measure of psychological wellbeing—across two study samples and by population characteristics among Canadian adolescents. Data were retrieved from 74,501 Canadian secondary school students in Year 7 (2018–2019) of the COMPASS Study and from the original validation of the FS (n = 689). We assessed measurement invariance using a confirmatory factor analysis in which increasingly stringent equality constraints were specified for model parameters between the following groups: study sample (i.e., adolescents vs. adults), gender, grade, and ethno-racial identity. In all models, full measurement invariance of the FS across all sub-groups was demonstrated. Our findings support the validity of the FS for measuring psychological wellbeing among Canadian adolescents in secondary school. Observed differences in FS score among subgroups therefore represent true differences in wellbeing rather than artifacts of differential interpretation.

Potential contributing roles of early affiliative memories, social safeness and body appreciation to adolescents' well-being

Interpersonal and body image-related factors have been associated with adolescents' well-being. Since data on positive body image in adolescence and its relationship with well-being remain scarce, the present study explored the roles of early affiliative memories, social safeness, and body appreciation in adolescents' well-being. Path analysis' results showed that social safeness and body appreciation mediated the relationship between early affiliative memories and physical, psychological and school environment well-being. This suggests that not only early affiliative memories are important for adolescents' well-being but also current feelings of social belonging and body appreciation. Future longitudinal studies should further confirm these results.

Sex and Relationship Education for the Autonomy and Emotional Well-Being of Young People

In the transition to adulthood, sexuality and emotional relationships constitute one of the most important dimensions for the achievement of personal autonomy and emotional well-being. Despite advances in sex education, sexuality, and relationships remain conflictive areas in the development of young people. Inequalities between men and women, gender identities and sexual violence, along with the beliefs and expectations surrounding these issues, persist as handicaps to having a fulfilling relationship and sex life. At this stage, emotional well-being is also consolidated by one’s perception of sexuality and relationships from models learned in childhood, in which gender stereotypes and sexuality based on relationships of domination and discrimination persist. Therefore, we examined how the sexual beliefs and practices reported by young people correlate with their level of personal autonomy and responsibility in terms of risky behaviors and toxic relationships. The study shows the extent to which sexual beliefs and habits are linked to decision-making, personal development and social problems derived from conflictive relationships, affecting young people’s overall well-being. A questionnaire was developed based on the theoretical constructs of comprehensive sexuality and equality education (United Nations Educational Scientific and Cultural Organization [UNESCO], 2010, 2018; World Health Organization [WHO], 2010) with the following dimensions: sex education, sexual habits and practices, motivations, concepts, and beliefs about sexuality. It was distributed in institutions of higher education (N579) in Spain, Portugal, Argentina, and Brazil, and the results revealed a discrepancy between the reported practices and behaviors and the beliefs and models of reference. Key issues included sexuality and relationships as an aspect of personal life that generates confusion and conflict, as well as the propagation of gender and sexist stereotypes that influence young people’s emotional well-being, particularly important aspect in those young people who are training as future education professional.

Anxiety and depression and their relation to the use of electronic devices among secondary school students in Al-Khobar, Saudi Arabia, 2018-2019

BACKGROUND:

Adolescence is a critical transitional period for the development of mental illnesses such as depression or anxiety, and these days, adolescents spend less time playing outside than they do using electronic devices. The aim of this study was to examine the relationship between the use of electronic devices and anxiety and depression in female secondary school students in Al-Khobar City, KSA.

MATERIALS AND METHODS:

This cross-sectional study included 903 female students selected from the four educational districs (Al-Khobar, Al-Thuqbah, Al-Dhahran and Al-Rakah). Data was collected using a self-administered anonymous questionnaire that included questions related sociodemographics and the use of electronic devices, the Beck Depression Inventory, and the Generalized Anxiety Disorder 7-item scale. Data analysis included descriptive statistics frequencies and percentages for categorical variables, and mean and standard deviation for continuous variables. Chi-square test was performed to test for significance for association between categorical variable. Odds ratios were calculated for association of anxiety and depression with various independent variables including the use of electronic devices. A binary logistic regression model was used to determine factors associated with anxiety and depression. All test were performed at 5% significance level.

RESULTS:

The mean age of the participants was 16.29 years (SD=0.84). About 98% reported using electronic devices; 67.3% used electronic devices 2 or more hours daily, and 81.5% used them at bedtime. About 66% students had moderate-to-severe anxiey and 70/5% had mild-to-severe depression. The logistic regression model showed that users of electronic devices at bedtime were 1.524 more likely to have anxiety (P=0.026), while spending more than 2 hours on the devices at bedtime were significantly associated with depression.

CONCLUSION:

The high prevalence of anxiety and depression among female students is worrisome. Finding suggests that adolescents might benefit from a restricted use of electronic devices. It is necessary to develop age-specific guidelines regarding duration of the use of electronic devices and to integrate the development of psychosocial skills into the school curriculum.

Toward Prevention of Doping in Youth Sport: Cross-Sectional Analysis of Correlates of Doping Tendency in Swimming

Doping is recognized as one of the most important problems in sports, but a limited number of studies have investigated doping problems in youth athletes. This study aimed to evaluate doping tendency (potential doping behavior (PDB)) and correlates of PDB in youth age swimmers. The participants were 241 competitive swimmers (131 females; 15.3 ± 1.1 years of age, all under 18 years old). Variables included predictors and PDB (criterion). Predictors consisted of sociodemographic factors (gender and age), sport-related variables (i.e., experience in swimming and sport achievement), variables explaining coaching strategy and training methodology, consumption of dietary supplements (DS), knowledge about doping, and knowledge about sports nutrition and DS (KSN). In addition to the descriptive statistics and differences between genders, a multinomial regression using PDB as the criterion (negative-, neutral-, or positive-PDB, with a negative-PDB as the reference value) was calculated to define associations between predictors and criterion. With only 71% of swimmers who declared negative-PDB results indicated an alarming figure. Boys with better KSN were more negatively oriented toward positive-PDB (OR: 0.77, 95%CI: 0.60–0.95). In girls, lower competitive achievement was evidenced as a risk factor for neutral-PDB (OR: 0.39, 95%CI: 0.24–0.63). Also, higher neutral-PDB (OR: 0.88, 95%CI: 0.81–0.96) and positive-PDB (OR: 0.90, 95%CI: 0.83–0.99) were identified in girls who began with intensive training in younger age. Because of the alarming figures of PDB, there is an evident need for the development of systematic antidoping educational programs in youth swimming. In doing so, focus should be placed on girls who began intensive training at an earlier age and those who did not achieve high competitive results.

Social and Behavioral Predictors of Adolescents' Positive Attitude towards Life and Self

Positive attitude is an important cognitive component of optimism. Although optimism has been widely studied in adolescents’ health, there is limited knowledge about social and behavioral determinants of their positive attitude. The aim of this study was to identify the main predictors of a positive attitude towards life and self in adolescence. Data were collected in 2010 from 2562 Polish adolescents, aged 15 to 17 years old, within the Health Behavior in School-Aged Children survey. A positive attitude was measured using the 4-item Positive Attitude Scale (PAS). Univariate analysis of variance was conducted and then hierarchical linear regression models adjusted for gender, age and family affluence were estimated. The mean PAS score was 13.25 (SD = 3.74), on the scale ranged 0–20. Eight out of 18 variables were included in the final model, which explained 25.1% of PAS variability. Communication in the family and with peers, as well as neighborhood social capital showed the strongest impact on positive attitude in adolescents. Physical activity, eating breakfast and school performance were also found to be important predictors. The results of the study highlight the need to include the development of interpersonal competences, promoting physical activity and supporting school performance, in adolescents’ mental health promotion programs, particularly in girls.

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.

Emotional Intelligence and Psychological Well-Being in Adolescents

The present study aimed to analyze the association between of the dimensions of emotional intelligence (attention, clarity, and repair) and different levels of perceived happiness (low, medium, and high) in adolescents. The sample consists of 646 students in the first, second, third, and fourth years of Secondary Education, 47.5% females and 52.5% males, between 12 and 17 years of age. The instruments used were the Spanish version of the Trait Meta Mood Scale-24 Questionnaire to measure perceived emotional intelligence and the Oxford Happiness Questionnaire. Multinomial logistic regression analysis and receiver operating characteristic (ROC) curve analysis were performed. The results suggest that as the capacity of understanding and regulation of emotional intelligence increases, happiness also increases. Adolescence is seen as an ideal time in life to encourage the development of emotional capacities that contribute to the greater happiness of individuals. In this way, the present study stresses the need to carry out practices leading to improvements in the adolescents’ emotional intelligence and therefore increase their happiness and emotional well-being.