Understanding the interplay between political participation and political efficacy is crucial for fostering democratic engagement. This two-wave panel study investigated the potentially reciprocal relationship between non-institutionalized political participation and internal and external political efficacy among adolescents. The study drew on a German sample of 444 students from Grade 7 and Grade

Few large Social and Emotional Learning program trials have been conducted outside the USA. This dissemination study analyzed the effectiveness of the Positive Attitude Upper Middle program in Portugal. The sample was composed of 2231 middle school students (Mage = 12.63, SD = 1.09; 47.3% girls), 669 in control groups, and 1562 distributed between the two intervention groups (led by experienced or

Gender expression is important for mental health, with masculinity and femininity having differential significance for unique adolescents. Yet, most empirical work on gender expression assumes it is trait-like or similarly shifting across teens. This intensive longitudinal study examined state-like aspects of gender expression and heterogeneity in adolescent-specific associations with depressive symptoms

Although celebrated for supporting well-being, social relationships can also bring conflict and stress. Despite extensive focus on their bright side—social support—less attention is paid to their dark side—social strain—especially among socioeconomically disadvantaged young adults in high-stress conditions. This study examined how support and strain from parents, friends, and romantic partners contribute

Given the detrimental effects of school bullying, it is essential that teachers are provided with effective guidelines on how to implement targeted interventions if a case of bullying comes to their attention. Yet to date, most research has focused on how bullying can be prevented, rather than how it should be intervened upon. To address this gap, the current study compared the short- and longer-term

As risk for both non-suicidal self-injury and depression increases at adolescence, it is critically important to clarify equivocal findings regarding the temporal ordering of these health concerns. Addressing the limitations of past research, which included the use of only two data waves and analyses that do not account for within-person variance, the aim in this study was to examine the temporal ordering

Although global research on the 5Cs model of Positive Youth Development (PYD; competence, confidence, connection, character, and caring) has expanded in recent years, there is a lack of understanding about distinct and consistent PYD profiles across youth from diverse socio-cultural contexts. To address this gap, this study utilized a person-oriented analytic approach to examine the PYD profiles of

With the rise of social media, racism in the digital landscape has become ubiquitous potentially impacting the academic adjustment of college students of color. The role of anti-racist online coping strategies, such as seeking resources, support, and actively managing social networks in mitigating the negative effects of online racism has been understudied. Racial group differences and anti-racist

Cross-racial/ethnic friendships are associated with positive outcomes related to social cohesion; however, attention to the specific school contextual factors that promote these friendships during adolescence and how such factors vary by adolescents’ social positions is lacking. This study examined how school diversity and interracial climate were related to students’ friendship diversity and whether

Prior research shows that parental psychological flexibility can benefit children’s social adjustment, but its role in mitigating peer victimization remains unclear. This study addressed this gap by examining the potential mediating roles of executive function and social anxiety in the longitudinal relationship between parental psychological flexibility and peer victimization. The sample comprised

Family systems theory emphasizes the combined influence of various family factors and the heterogeneity across families. Prior research has separately examined the effects of helicopter parenting and parent-child relationships on adolescent self-regulation-related behaviors, leaving their combined influence unclear. This study adopts a person-centered approach to identify latent profiles of helicopter

Defending behavior in bullying plays a vital role in mitigating bullying. However, previous research has reported inconsistent findings regarding the potential psychosocial risks faced by defenders. The current study aimed to systematically examine and quantify the associations between defending behavior in bullying and defenders’ psychosocial outcomes through a series of three-level meta-analyses

Despite valuable insights into the predictors of high-quality romantic relationships, research has yet to examine the mediating role of peer relationship characteristics in linking parent-adolescent relationship quality to romantic relationship quality. In two longitudinal studies, the present research tested whether adolescents’ relationship quality with best friends mediates the associations between

Research on adolescent aloneness and well-being yielded mixed results and adolescents’ specific motivations for spending time alone remain underexamined from a qualitative perspective. High-ability adolescents have been proposed to experience a greater affinity for aloneness than typical adolescents, yet empirical evidence on this differential need and specific motivations for time spent alone is lacking

Critical reflection is a necessary yet not sufficient prerequisite for critical action, but little is known about conditions that facilitate associations between the two. This study investigates when associations between critical reflection on racism and antiracist action among White youth in the Netherlands are stronger, examining critical motivation, parental ethnic-racial socialization, and intergroup

Social media activity focused on physical appearance can heighten body dissatisfaction in adolescents. However, the mechanisms behind this association remain insufficiently examined. This three-wave longitudinal study analyzed data from 2500 Czech adolescents (aged 11–16, M = 13.4, SD = 1.7, 50% girls) to examine whether the comparison with social media appearance ideals and the internalization of

Anti-bullying interventions often encourage peer bystanders to defend their victimized peers. However, concerns have been raised that defending could put youth at risk for being victimized themselves. Despite these concerns, there is limited research on the longitudinal links between defending and victimization. Addressing limitations of previous research, the current study examined bidirectional associations

Interventions focused on adolescents’ identity development have shown promising results, but questions remain as to which adolescents benefit most from them. This preregistered study examined how personality traits (Big Five domains and higher-order meta-traits) moderate adolescents’ responsiveness to the Identity Project, a school-based intervention supporting ethnic-racial identity development. A

There is a consensus in situated expectancy-value theory research that value beliefs better predict career aspirations and choices than competence beliefs and thus should be the main target of interventions aimed to motivate youth for STEM (science, technology, engineering, math) careers. However, research on the longer-term causal effects of the two constructs and their indirect effects is missing

Emerging adults (ages 18–29 years) in post-secondary school experience significant disruptions in sleep and increased vulnerability to mental health challenges. One burgeoning mental health concern that may be exacerbated by poor sleep is nonsuicidal self-injury (NSSI). Prior cross-sectional studies have shown that poor sleep is commonly reported among young adults who engage in NSSI. However, daily

Advocacy carries the potential for LGBTQ+ youth (e.g., lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, and queer youth) to have a voice against injustice, even while carrying potential risks, yet limited research has identified factors that correspond with their engagement in it. This study utilized three waves of data from 48 school-based Gender-Sexuality Alliances (GSAs) to consider whether taking on GSA leadership

Mutual antipathies are characterized by reciprocated disliking. The current study identifies behavioral attributes that forecast participation in mutual antipathies. Participants were 313 (170 girls, 143 boys) Florida public school students (9–14 years old; Mage = 11.09, SDage = 0.90) who thrice nominated disliked classmates during a single school year (approximately 6.5 weeks apart). Behavioral attributes

Research indicates complex associations between adverse childhood experiences (ACEs) and adolescent peer relationships. ACEs are related to lower peer status, yet the links between ACEs, peer characteristics, and peer relationship quality are inconclusive. The current literature has several further conceptual and methodological limitations, including a lack of attention to ACEs’ co-occurring nature

Despite previous studies examining the relationship between problematic Internet use and academic stress in adolescents, significant limitations remain, especially in terms of the nature of the stress and moderators. This study systematically examines the association between academic stress and problematic Internet use in adolescents, using a three-level meta-analysis. Following the Preferred Reporting

Discriminatory teacher beliefs and behaviors, as reflected in a discriminatory climate, are negatively related to student adjustment, but little is known about the classroom processes contributing to this relationship. This study investigated the role of teaching quality as a mechanism behind the associations between a discriminatory climate at school and students’ school adjustment. The study used

Few studies simultaneously examined how parent-adolescent discrepancies in reporting psychological control and autonomy support predicted adolescents’ adjustment and the moderation by adolescent gender remains unknown. This longitudinal study addressed these gaps using a Chinese sample of 310 adolescents (158 girls; Mage = 13.34, SD = 0.36) and their parents. Adolescents reported depression and resilience

Although much research has focused on parents’ role in racial and ethnic socialization, the influence of peers on how youth perceive race in society remains underexplored despite peers’ significant impact on youth identity and social-cognitive development. This study examined how peer and parental messages about race compare in shaping young adults’ responses to prejudice feedback. Participants were

Numerous studies have explored the link between co-rumination and depressive symptoms, but a consensus remains elusive. This study proposes a dual-pathway model to explain this relationship through a “positive path” (adaptive response) and a “negative path” (distress response). It also conducts a meta-analysis to evaluate the exact association between co-rumination and depressive symptoms in children

Mexican-origin populations tend to reside in disadvantaged neighborhoods, increasing adolescents’ vulnerability to internalizing symptoms. While prior research highlights neighborhood disadvantage’s impact on adolescents, few studies explore its effects on both perceived parenting (maternal and paternal) and internalizing symptoms and the underlying mechanism (i.e., subjective neighborhood violence)

Because educational attainment is associated with well-being in the long term, it is important to understand the developmental processes that enhance academic outcomes during adolescence. Also, although the importance of friends is well documented in adolescence, little is known about how close friends’ characteristics work together with youth’s own characteristics to shape adolescents’ educational

Considering the potential detrimental impact of poverty on psychological development and the resulting harmful cycles, implementing poverty alleviation interventions is necessary for children and adolescents. Although several meta-analyses have demonstrated the effectiveness of monetary poverty reduction programs, there remains a significant gap in understanding how multidimensional poverty reduction

Adolescence is a vulnerable period for the onset of mental disorders and risk behaviours. Based on the Health-Promoting Schools Framework, whole-school interventions offer a promising strategy in this developmentally-sensitive cohort, through championing a systems-based approach to promotion and prevention that involves the key stakeholders in an adolescent’s life. The evidence-base surrounding the

Current understanding of the longitudinal relationships between different aspects of peer relationships and mental health problems in early- to mid-adolescence is limited. In particular, the role played by gender in these developmental cascades processes is unclear, little is known about within-person effects between bullying victimization and internalizing symptoms, and the theorized benefits of friendship

Although evidence from previous studies suggests that adolescents with negative coping styles who experienced victimization are more likely to exhibit depressive symptoms, these associations have not yet been disentangled to separate between-person differences from within-person effects. To investigate the within-person bidirectional relationships among relational victimization, coping styles and depressive

Young women of color frequently face discrimination, reflecting the intersecting societal influences of sexism and racism. Although friendships play a significant role in women’s lives, there is a lack of research on the role of friendships in navigating exposure to gendered racial discrimination (in-person and social media) and associated mental health. This study investigated the extent to which

Youth’s social status (popularity and likability) relates with social status goals as well as bullying and prosocial behaviors within the context of classroom norms for bullying and prosocial behaviors, but less clear is how each of these factors interrelates with each other. The current study empirically analyses the concurrent relationships among social status goals, bullying and prosocial behaviors

Research shows that both-sex attracted adults have poorer mental health than other- and same-sex attracted adults, but evidence regarding whether similar disparities exist among adolescents remains limited. To investigate this, the current study examines differences in life satisfaction and emotional problems between both-, other- and same-sex attracted adolescents. It also studies whether bullying

Relationships with adults in organized activities play a crucial role in the positive outcomes associated with these experiences, yet little is known about how these relationships evolve throughout adolescence or how they are differentially associated with mental health. Important distinctions could also be made regarding activity types. The sample consisted of 292 participants (58% female; M age =

Developmental research has mostly focused on negative body image, somewhat neglecting the role positive body image plays in adolescent development. To fill this gap, the present longitudinal study investigated the directionality of effects among positive body image, identity, and eating disorder symptoms across one year. Two waves of data were collected from a sample of 915 high school students in

Psychological need crafting denotes individuals’ pro-active attempts to fulfill their psychological need for autonomy, relatedness, and competence. Although previous research has shown that need crafting contributes to adolescents’ mental health, little is known about the factors involved in adolescents’ daily efforts to engage in need crafting. This study considers psychological energy as both an

Autonomy-supportive parenting benefits adolescents’ psychosocial adjustment, but daily fluctuations in adolescent difficulties and parenting stress can reduce autonomy support and lead to more controlling practices. However, currently it is not yet well understood why some parents seem better able to deal with the daily upheavals characteristic of adolescence, while other parents may resort to controlling

Anxiety symptoms is prevalent among college students and is associated with a range of detrimental consequences. Self-compassion and emotion regulation difficulties are important factors affecting anxiety symptoms, but their functional mechanism and longitudinal correlation are still unclear. This three-year longitudinal study (baseline: n = 5785, 48.2% of female, Mage = 18.63 years, SD = 0.88; T1

Although there is a link between peer victimization, emotional symptoms, and disability or chronic condition in adolescence, less is known about the role of stable, individual differences compared to developmental processes. The current study addressed this gap by examining developmental relations between peer victimization, emotional symptoms, and disability or chronic condition. Three waves of self-report

Research has shown that positive family and individual contexts can prevent adolescents from developing internalizing and externalizing symptoms. However, less is known about the various ways resilience occurs longitudinally, considering compensatory (i.e., additive) effects and protective (i.e., moderation) effects of contextual (external) resources and individual (internal) assets. Further, few studies

Theoretical accounts emphasize the importance of context sensitivity in emotion regulation, yet research often neglects this. This study explored how adolescents’ use of three emotion regulation strategies—cognitive reappraisal, distraction, and rumination—interacted with stressor intensity and perceived controllability to influence daily emotions. A total of 249 adolescents participated in a daily

Although social media provides a crucial platform for self-development in emerging adulthood, the link between online self-presentation and mental health outcomes remains unclear. Thus, the associations among real self, ideal self, different types of false self-presentations, and depressive symptoms were examined over time (T1–T3) in the present study, along with the mediating role of self-concept

Knowledge is lacking on whether adolescents’ motivations for social media use predict internalizing symptoms, and few studies have considered the moderating role of extraversion. In 2017 (T1) and 2018 (T2), 197 adolescents (49.70% girls, Mage = 13.15, SD = 0.36) from a large metropolitan area participated in this study. Adolescents reported on their social media use motivations and extraversion (at