International Journal of Adolescence and Youth

The prevalence of lifestyle-related diseases in children has been increasing as a result of irregular lifestyles. The present study aimed to assess the effects of parents’ sleeping habits and daily fatigue levels on the autonomic nervous system of their children. The study participants were 95 preschool-aged children and their parents. The children’s autonomic nervous system (i.e. low-frequency component (LF)/high-frequency component (HF) ratio, HF, and total power) was measured. The parents completed a questionnaire survey on sleep habits and daily level of fatigue. The results indicated that children whose parents went to bed late compared with early had a higher LF/HF ratio and lower HF during the day. The parents’ sleep durations were negatively associated with the parents’ severity of daily fatigue, suggesting that good sleep habits in parents helped prevent their own fatigue, thereby contributing to good sleep habits and stable autonomic nervous system activity in their children.

Based on the urgent need for time- and cost-effective interventions to address adolescent mental health issues, this study proposes a novel intervention using a short message video featuring a survivor of middle-school hardship. Conducted with 319 middle-school students, the study utilized a pre- and post-survey design. Participants watched either a 20-minute interview-style video featuring a bullying survivor or an educational video. Results showed that the message video significantly enhanced students’ self-perceived prospects and positive attitude towards stress, regardless of their personal bullying experience. Positive impressions of and empathy towards the speaker correlated with improved outcomes, although situational or personality similarities had less impact. Despite limitations, such as the temporary effect of the intervention, the results clearly show the possibility of using videos on the Internet for psychological interventions. In conclusion, this study highlights the potential of short message videos as a novel intervention tool for adolescent mental health.

Incorporating the perspectives of young people regarding their perspectives on ethical collaborative research may enrich our current understanding of ethical practices within such research, as young people are capable of providing creative, innovative and novel perspectives that otherwise remain unknown to the adult academic establishment. Youth, Ethics & Participation (YEP), a qualitative study conducted as part of the Health CASCADE project, aimed at engaging young people around the nature and meaning of ethics within collaborative research while developing moral awareness. Young people shared their perspectives on the meaning of ethical collaborative research, while showing their interest and ability of moral reasoning through the formulation of arguments explaining their position on a variety of ethically salient issues within collaborative research. The current study indicates that the engagement of young people in collaborative research is a potential source for instigating social change through their engagement in moral reasoning.

It is projected that Indonesia would experience a demographic bonus in 2045, when the country's population dependency ratio will peak at 53.35%. Studying population structure at the village level is essential in response to projections for Indonesia's future demographic structure. The aim of this research is to explore youth's position in the middle-income trap, dependency ratio, and the shifting demographic structure in 15 villages in Gianyar, Bali. Additionally, the study assesses the dependency ratio in rural areas and offers a method for determining the family-based dependency ratio. This study used a mixed methodology, using Data Desa Presisi (DDP). The study's conclusions show that 15 villages in Gianyar, Bali now have an ageing population structure. These results can offer an overview considering rural village development planning with population structure, focusing the human development perspective as an approach to resolve social and economic issues of youth in Indonesia. ARTICLE HISTORY

Evidence suggests that adolescent girls are struggling in everyday life, possibly contributing to rising mental health difficulties in this group. A better understanding of their situation is required, yet accessing their daily lives is challenging. This study adopted a novel approach, combining Interpretative Phenomenological Analysis with mobile-phone video diaries to explore how adolescent girls experience and make sense of their everyday lives, with a particular focus on what matters most to them. Participants aged 16–17 recorded diaries for two-weeks and were interviewed about the areas identified. Three themes: Sacrificing now under the weight of the future, The future is coming frighteningly fast and I’m not ready to be an adult and Don’t relax: struggling with relentless pressure and worry, reveal anguish caused by constantly looking towards the future, bringing a new perspective to this area and highlighting the need to help adolescent girls create space and value in their lives.

COVID-19 disrupted global education, prompting use of blended learning. Its impact on children’s quality of life (HRQoL) in low- and middle-income settings remains unclear. We conducted a cross-sectional study of 270 students (ages 8–18) in Bogotá, Colombia, comparing HRQoL and mental health symptoms between blended and in-person learning groups using the KIDSCREEN-27 and WHO RQC questionnaires. No significant differences in HRQoL scores were found between learning modalities. Females reported lower HRQoL than males across several dimensions. Sleep issues, fear, and lack of interest in play were linked to lower HRQoL regardless of teaching method. Blended learning was not associated with reduced quality of life or increased mental health symptoms compared to in-person learning among children and adolescents and should be considered as a viable alternative to in-person learning.

This study aims to explore the potential indirect role of ADHD symptoms, specifically inattention and impulsivity, in the relationship between problematic media use and aggression in Lebanese children. A cross-sectional study was conducted using a snowball sampling technique to recruit 892 parents of children aged between 6 and 12 years, from various Lebanese regions. The mean age of participants was M = 37.22, SD = 8.11; 77.9% were mothers, and 92.7% were married. The results revealed that higher levels of PMU were significantly associated with greater impulsivity (β = 0.37, p < .001) and inattention (β = 0.27, p < 0.001). In turn, impulsivity was positively associated with reactive aggression (β = 0.30, p < 0.001) and proactive aggression (β = 0.24, p < 0.001), while inattention was associated with both reactive (β = 0.39, p < .001) and proactive aggression (β = 0.31, p < .001). In addition, direct effects were observed between PMU and aggression: higher PMU was directly associated with both reactive aggression (β = 0.05, p < .001) and proactive aggression (β = 0.04, p < .001). The findings underscore the need for parental guidance and educational interventions that promote healthy media habits and teach emotional regulation strategies to children, particularly those with ADHD, in order to reduce the risk of aggression.

Generation Z represents a critical voting bloc in contemporary elections, comprising 20.74% (7.4 million voters) of West Java’s 2024 voter list. Despite their numerical significance, little is known about how Indonesian Gen Z acquires and engages with political information in the digital era. This study investigates Gen Z’s political information preferences during the 2024 general election, using an explanatory sequential design combining an online survey (n = 1,905) and focus group discussions (n = 12). Findings reveal that social media – particularly Instagram – dominates as their primary political news source, valued for its interactive and visual content. The results highlight a decade-long shift towards digital media consumption, emphasizing the urgency of leveraging social platforms for targeted political education to foster critical and informed electoral participation among young voters.

Background The present study aimed to validate the Arabic version of the Depression Anxiety Stress Scale for Youth (DASS-Y) and to evaluate the psychometric properties of a shortened 12-item version (DASS-Y-12) guided by the structure and item content of the adult DASS-12. Methods In this cross-sectional study, 758 adolescents completed the survey, using a snowball sampling technique. Results CFA indicated that the fit of the three-factor model of the DASS-Y and the DASS-Y-12 was excellent. Internal reliability of the scale was excellent in the long and short forms. Indices suggested that configural, metric, and scalar invariance was supported across gender in the long and short forms. Higher suicidal ideation and lower academic performance were significantly associated with higher depression, anxiety and stress as assessed by the DASS-Y and the DASS-Y-12. Conclusion The preliminary validation of the DASS-Y-12 suggests promising potential for clinical application in Arab countries by providing a culturally relevant tool for assessing psychological distress among adolescents.

One of the adolescent challenges which can have long-term consequences for both the individual and society is the issue of NEET (Not in Education, Employment, or Training). This study explores the role of religiosity on being NEET among youth in the three southernmost provinces of Thailand, the home of the majority of the Thai-Malay Muslim population. The analysis employed data from a survey conducted in 2021. The analytical sample includes 419 youth aged 18 to 24 years old. About 25% are NEET. Results from the multivariate analysis indicated that being NEET is significantly associated with a lower level of self-perceived religiosity and less frequent practice of religious activities. Findings highlight the significance of religiosity in preventing youth from the risk of being NEET.

Over the past three or four years, loneliness has been highlighted as a significant problem in Swedish schools. While staff-pupil relationships have been identified as important in dealing with such experiences, relatively little attention has been paid to the capacity of staff to do so. In this study I analyse the experiences of staff in dealing with student loneliness in schools. The discussions are based on 11 interviews with 16 school staff and their experiences were analysed using Bronfenbrenner’s (1979) theory of ecological systems. The findings highlight two main concerns of staff working with loneliness: (1) the potential of relationships, including the importance of caring relationships at the micro- and mesosystem levels of the school, and (2) the ways in which working with caring relationships can be overridden by exo-, macro- and chronosystem issues, such as staff shortages, staff workload and demands on pupils’ academic performance. Key implications are discussed.

The rising prevalence of non-suicidal self-injury (NSSI) among university students necessitates urgent investigation into its psychosocial predictive factors. This study examines the mediating role of depression in the relationship between dormitory interpersonal relationships and NSSI, while assessing the moderating effect of parent-child relationship among Chinese university students. A sample of 942 Chinese students (M = 20.89 years, SD = 1.89) completed validated measures of dormitory interpersonal relationships, depression, NSSI, and parent-child relationship. Results demonstrated that: (1) dormitory interpersonal relationships negatively predicted NSSI; (2) depression partially mediated the association between dormitory interpersonal relationships and NSSI; and (3) parent-child relationship moderated both the direct pathway and the latter half of the mediated pathway. Critically, these effects were amplified among students with poorer parent-child relationship. These findings underscore the interplay between microsystem environments and familial support in shaping NSSI risk, offering actionable insights for campus mental health interventions.

Social media (SM) use has surged dramatically over the past few decades due to widespread access to electronic devices and the internet. Although SM platforms provide various benefits, there are clear patterns of young people’s misuse, leading to violations of human rights. The article builds on earlier global studies by qualitatively analysing how university students perceive and experience SM use in promoting human rights (HR) violations. The data were collected through Focus Group Discussion (FGD) and face-to-face Key In-depth Interview (KII) techniques and analysed thematically through NVivo 12 software. The findings revealed a greater degree of awareness about SM and HRs. There were also instances of SM abuse motivated by peer pressure, financial gain, self-political interests, and relational conflicts. These contributed to abuses of children’s, women’s, and youth rights. It recommends that stakeholders teach youth about essential societal values and challenges associated with ICT use to avoid SM misuse.

Early adolescent children engage in Internet-based online activities on smartphones and social media, which may result in online risks, including sexual risks. Parental mediation to regulate accessed content and contacts on smartphones and social media may prevent risks. This exploratory, descriptive study investigated parental mediation with early adolescent children 11 to 14 years old. A sample of 102 parents completed a REDCap online or paper-based survey to measure active mediation, co-use, general restrictive mediation, content-specific restrictive mediation, and supervision in response to a pre-survey prompt regarding mediation they use to protect their early adolescent children from sexual risks online. IBM SPSS Statistics 22 were used to analyse parental mediation frequencies. Participants utilized active mediation to communicate about appropriate online activities and restrictive mediation to control accessed content and contacts. Participants infrequently co-used by being online with children or supervised online activities. Future research should explore barriers to co-viewing and supervision.

Yoga is a promising treatment for mental health, but its impact on first-year college students’ academic stress is not well understood. The present study presented a Yoga for Stress Management (YSM) protocol to examine its effects on psychological and physiological outcomes. Participants were randomly allocated to a yoga group (N = 27) or a control group (N = 32), with the yoga group participating in 45-minute sessions three times a week for eight weeks. Psychological measures indicated substantially larger decreases in stress (η² =.11, 95% CI [1.26, 2.60] vs. [3.80, 6.12]), depression (η² =.11, 95% CI [1.05, 3.17] vs. [2.15, 4.65]), and generalized anxiety (η² =.31, 95% CI [6.26, 8.62] vs. [11.28, 14.72]) for the yoga group, with group × time interactions. Physiological benefits consisted of decreased diastolic blood pressure (η² =.30, 95% CI [73.48, 78.52] vs. [75.80, 80.66]), greater root mean square successive difference (η² =.12, 95% CI [76.33, 92.87] vs. [56.68, 77.06]), and greater alpha electroencephalography activity (η² =.20, 95% CI [0.36, 0.37] vs. [0.34, 0.37]). Such results indicate that yoga successfully lessens psychological distress and improves physiological regulation among first-year college students.

Despite recent investments in England’s school mental health initiatives, these interventions continue to face challenges in sustainability and relevance. Youth participation in developing, delivering, and evaluating services can enhance their fit within school and community contexts. While evidence highlights the benefits of youth participation, little is known about the engagement approaches used as part of these mental health interventions. This study applied Davies’s (2009) Matrix Model to categorize 76 mental health participation activities across six local authorities in England. Findings reveal variations in youth influence and decision-making across participation methods, outlining key characteristics, aims, and features as reported by professional stakeholders. The results emphasize the need for intentional and transparent selection of participation approaches that align with programme goals. These insights have practical implications for school leaders, mental health researchers, intervention developers, and educational stakeholders seeking to integrate meaningful youth participation into mental health initiatives.

A strengths-based approach is essential for understanding adolescent flourishing; however, significant research gaps remain regarding its contributors, mediators, and moderators, especially in the Nigerian context. To address these gaps, this study examines character strengths and flourishing in Nigerian adolescents, focusing on affective and cognitive strengths, the mediating role of strength use, and gender as a potential moderator. A total of 2,123 adolescents (M age = 14.30, SD = 1.03) completed a questionnaire assessing demographics, character strengths, strengths use, and flourishing. Findings revealed that character strengths influence flourishing. Strength use partially mediated the relationship between both cognitive and affective strengths and flourishing, but gender had no moderating effect. These results highlight the importance of character strengths across cultures and age groups, the distinction between cognitive and affective strengths, and the crucial role of strength utilization to wellbeing. Further research should explore additional demographic factors to enhance understanding of character strengths in adolescent flourishing.

This study develops a machine learning model to predict narrative cohesion in children’s stories, classifying cohesion as complete, partial, or absent, using Gérard Genette’s narrative structure theory as a framework. It analyzes both human-created and AI-generated stories, including those from ChatGPT, by assessing linguistic, rhetorical, and stylistic elements such as narrative style, character development, time specification, event sequencing, and dialogue. The study employs a Decision Tree model to evaluate narrative cohesion, achieving optimal results with both recall and precision at 100%. These results demonstrate the model’s high accuracy in classifying narrative texts. By providing insights into narrative cohesion, the study enhances our understanding of children’s stories, offering a tool for better emotional comprehension and communication. Furthermore, it highlights the potential of AI and machine learning in analysing narrative structures. This research contributes to improving narrative text analysis and storytelling techniques, making it valuable for future applications in education, especially in enhancing the quality and coherence of children’s literature.

Body image perception in youth of the United Arab Emirates (UAE) may have changed due to exposure to global beauty standards. This study aimed at investigating the association between body appreciation, body mass index (BMI) and other demographic variables among undergraduates of a federal university in the UAE. We conducted a cross-sectional online survey using the Arabic-translated body appreciation scale-2 (BAS-2). The sample comprised 401 students (median age of 20 years; 72.3% female). Our main finding was that BMI showed a modest, yet significant, negative correlation with total BAS-2 score in females (Spearman’s rho = -0.202; p < 0.001) and a slightly more pronounced negative correlation in males (Spearman’s rho = -0.361; p < 0.001). In conclusion, the negative association between body appreciation and BMI appears to be stronger in young adult male undergraduates, compared with females in the UAE, highlighting the importance of including male students in interventions to improve body image.

Grounded in theory that psychological well-being predicts academic well-being, this cross-sectional study surveyed 84 students at Indonesian and Malaysian universities. Validated self-report scales assessed psychological well-being, academic well-being, mindfulness, and epistemic beliefs. Regression revealed psychological well-being explained 55.6 % of variance in academic well-being (β = 0.749, p < .001). Mindfulness correlated moderately with psychological well-being (β = 0.59, p < .001), whereas overall epistemic beliefs were nonsignificant; however, Certain Knowledge and Simple Knowledge showed small yet significant associations (β = 0.21, p = .041). Hayes PROCESS mediation confirmed a strong direct relationship between psychological and academic well-being (β = 0.942, p < .001). Indirect pathways through mindfulness (β = –0.104, 95 % CI [−0.220, 0.013]) or epistemic beliefs (β = 0.000, 95 % CI [−0.022, 0.026]) were minimal. The correlational pattern suggests cultivating present-moment awareness and nuanced views of knowledge may bolster psychological health and, consequently, academic adjustment.

To date, most studies linking youth well-being to character attributes focus on average effects based on between-person differences. In this study, we examined the within- and between-person relations among character attributes and well-being using an intensive longitudinal data set from the Compassion International (CI) Study of Positive Youth Development in Uganda. Participants (200 CI-enrolled youth, 49.5% female, Mage = 12.13, SDage = 2.19) completed a weekly survey of character attributes (e.g. generosity) and well-being across 10 to 15 occasions. Using doubly latent multilevel structural equation modelling, we found distinct patterns of associations between character constructs and well-being at both levels. Significant variability was also found at the within-person level associations, suggesting that average-level results may not apply to specific individuals. The different pattern of associations across levels and heterogeneity in the person-specific relationships, imply that character development programmes should consider person-specificity in character development to enhance effectiveness in fostering character and promoting overall well-being.

This study examines university graduates’ employability through latent profile analysis (LPA), identifying how career resources interact within distinct subgroups. We analysed five key resources: career planning, adaptability, resilience, political skills, and socio-professional support. In a sample of 2,553 Italian university students, five unique profiles emerged: Influencers, Visioners, Adapters, Networkers, and Pioneers. Results revealed significant differences in perceived employability across profiles, with Pioneers displaying the highest employability due to strong internal resources and moderate external support. Lower resilience and socio-professional support (Adapters, Networkers) were associated with reduced employability perceptions, while adaptability and political skills positively influenced employability. This study is among the first to classify graduates based on career strategies and employability. Findings highlight the need for personalized career interventions to strengthen both psychological resources and external support. Future research should validate these profiles across diverse contexts and explore their long-term impact on career sustainability.

This study examines the multifaceted relationships between depression and risk behaviours among high school students. It utilizes nearly 1.5 million samples to explore nine broad categories – driving unsafety, weapon-related behaviours, physical fights, suicidality, smoking, alcohol consumption, substance abuse, unhealthy eating, and physical inactivity – encompassing 50 individual components. Employing normalized association tests, logistic regressions, and bootstrapping methods, the analysis evaluates the strength and significance of the depression-risk behaviour association across demographic groups. This study also maps out the multidimensional pattern among intersectional subgroups, offering novel insights into how depression impacts diverse student populations. The results highlight the heterogeneity of depression’s effects across demographic subgroups, providing critical insights for tailoring mental health strategies. This research provides actionable findings informing educators, policymakers, and mental health practitioners, accentuating the need for targeted, data-driven interventions to mitigate risk behaviours and improve student well-being.

This quantitative study investigates the prevalence and patterns of cyberbullying victimization among Kyrgyz school-age children, exploring socio-cultural factors, digital literacy, and parental supervision as potential risk variables. Given the increasing digital access among Kyrgyz youth, examining cyberbullying experiences and related risks is essential. Data were collected from 664 students aged 13–18 using survey methods. Findings revealed significant cyberbullying exposure, identifying critical risk factors. Socio-demographic analysis indicated that students with lower digital literacy were more susceptible to cyberbullying, and parental supervision significantly influenced victimization rates.Additionally, males and females differed in cyberbullying behaviours, reflecting socio-cultural variations. Notably, lower digital literacy correlated with higher victimization risk. These results highlight the need for strengthened digital literacy training, targeted prevention strategies, and greater parental engagement in digital safety education.

This paper examines the entanglement of Iranian adolescents with digital data, specifically focusing on video games as significant sources of socialization and emotional development for this particular group. Using a new materialist framework and actor-network theory, we analyse their active participation in digital environments. Through ethnographic methods, including interviews and observations, we reveal how video games facilitate emotional and social growth, fostering peer connections and community among participants. Our findings indicate that these specific digital interactions have a significant impact on the self-perception and personal growth of the adolescents involved in this research, highlighting the active role of digital data in their lives. This study contributes to a deeper understanding of adolescent development in a digital age, illustrating the interplay between technology, identity, and emotional regulation within the context of contemporary socialization for Iranian youth.