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Adolescent well‐being: A concept analysis
Abstract
Although there is a vast literature on the concept of well‐being, there appears to be no consensus regarding its meaning. A clear conceptualization of adolescent well‐being is necessary as the foundation for interventions and research addressing this phenomenon. Adolescence is a transitional period characterized by rapid growth, gaining independence, and learning social skills as well as behaviours that lay the foundations for future well‐being. Therefore, the purpose of this paper was to analyse the concept of adolescent well‐being and identify its attributes, antecedents, and empirical referents based on the literature. The Walker and Avant (2019) method was used. Ninety‐four articles were included in the final review. The defining attributes of adolescent well‐being were identified as autonomy, connectedness, optimism and competency. The antecedents were grouped under internal and external factors. Internal factors included the behavioural, physical, psychological, and spiritual domains. External factors included the environmental, economic, education, leisure, social, and safety as well as security domains. For the adolescent to reach well‐being, all these domains must be present, albeit, the social domain was highly stressed. The consequences of adolescent well‐being included eudaimonia, having high resilience as well as low risk‐taking behaviours and delinquency. Empirical referents were discussed in terms of ways of measuring the defining attributes. Stemming from the eudaimonic perspective, to promote adolescent well‐being, care providers need to integrate in education, practice, and research the importance of establishing positive relations and connectedness, to enhance adolescent autonomy and optimism and assist them to grow into competent and self‐fulfilled beings.
... Inspired by this viewpoint, the theory of adolescent suicidality and self-destruction (Haghish, 2024) addresses the limitations of ideation-to-action models by offering an overarching framework that explains why passive and indirect nonsuicidal self-destructive behaviors may precede active and direct suicidal behavior, and how these conditions may relate to one another. Grounded in holistic machine learning research on suicide risk assessment , theories of adolescent well-being (Avedissian and Alayan, 2021;Ross et al., 2020), and Beck's (1979) cognitive triad, this theory conceptualizes self-destruction (symbolic, passive, active, or suicidal) as a gradual process resulting from holistic well-being shrinkage, opposing the motivational vs. volitional phases of ideation-to-action theories. It broadens Beck's triad from three domains (negative views of self, world, and future) to six orientations relevant to adolescent physical, individual, and social-environmental well-being (see Fig. 1). ...
... Instead, a more comprehensive assessment of adolescent wellbeing within biopsychosocial contexts seems essential for better understanding the motivations and risks associated with suicidal thoughts and behaviors (Hjelmeland and Loa Knizek, 2020). Moreover, the consistency of these findings with broader models of adolescent well-being (Avedissian and Alayan, 2021;Ross et al., 2020), reinforces the argument that adolescent suicidality and self-destruction require a multidimensional perspective encompassing various domains of physical and mental health and well-being. The findings of this study confirm previous studies reporting that factors such as internalizing problems (T. A. Duarte et al., 2020b) and substance use with the intention of selfaggression or stress release (E. ...
... Similarly, the threestep theory focuses predominantly on entrapment and the inescapability of pain, neglecting the protective dimensions of hope and optimism. These distinctions are particularly significant for adolescents, who face substantial pressures regarding education, career, and future quality of life (Scanlon et al., 2019) and their optimism about future plays a significant role in their well-being (Avedissian and Alayan, 2021). Positive future orientation has been linked to approach motivation (Røysamb and Nes, 2016), and has demonstrated strong ties to resilience, proactive coping (P. A. Gable and Dreisbach, 2021;Røysamb and Nes, 2016), overall well-being (Rincón Uribe et al., 2022), and health-promoting behaviors (Carver and Scheier, 2017), serving as a protective factor against suicidal behavior (Chang et al., 2013;Haghish et al., 2023a;Quiroga and Walton, 2014). ...
Clinical differentiation between adolescent suicidal self-harm (SSH) and nonsuicidal self-harm (NSSH) is a significant challenge for mental health professionals, and its feasibility is controversial. The aim of the present study was to determine whether adolescent SSH can be differentiated from NSSH based on a holistic multimodel domain analysis (HMDA) of individual, psychological, sociodemographic, and environmental data without relying on intent and acquired capability for suicide. The study also sought to compare the compatibility of the HMDA result with four theories of suicide: the interpersonal theory of suicide, the three-steps theory, the integrated motivational-volitional model, and the theory of adolescent suicidality and self-destruction. This cross-sectional study analyzed data from a nationwide survey conducted from 2017 to 2019 in Norway. The sample included 26,904 adolescents (mean age = 15.01; 29.9 % males), who self-reported suicidal and nonsuicidal self-harm. The meta-learner classification model reached an AUC of 77.0 % and a 70.0 % for both sensitivity and specificity in differentiating the two conditions. Exploratory factor analysis suggested eight factors for clustering the important risk and protective indicators: 1) disordered eating and future orientation, 2) sleep disturbance, 3) orientation toward affects and self, 4) risk-taking behavior, 5) peer relationships, 6) victimization, safety, and security, 7) family relationships, and 8) substance use. These factors emphasize that domains central to adolescent physical, personal, social, and expected future well-being provide invaluable information about risk of suicidal and self-destructive behavior. The results also indicated that despite their high comorbidity, adolescent SSH and NSSH are multifaceted and can be differentiated without relying on suicide-related information. These findings fully supported the theory of adolescent suicidality and self-destruction and partially supported the ideation-to-action theories.
... However, within this study, eudaimonia and hedonia were not discussed as part of their conceptualisation, which is surprising given that these concepts have featured heavily as the theoretical background of wellbeing studies. For example, Avedissian and Alayan (2021) reviewed the literature to reach a conceptualisation of broader "adolescent wellbeing", which was broken down into internal (e.g. physical, psychological) and external (e.g. ...
... Empirical referents show evidence of the concept, by detailing how the concept and defining attributes can be measured, i.e. how a concept can be identified, and distinguished, by measuring phenomena that are either direct or associated (Avedissian & Alayan, 2021;Walker & Avant, 2005). In line with best practice, it is recommended that a robust and comprehensive understanding of empirical referents includes both subjective assessment through qualitative statements of lived experiences and perceptions, in addition to objective assessment through reliable and valid standardised instruments (Ahanonu & Jooste, 2016;Avedissian & Alayan, 2021). ...
... Empirical referents show evidence of the concept, by detailing how the concept and defining attributes can be measured, i.e. how a concept can be identified, and distinguished, by measuring phenomena that are either direct or associated (Avedissian & Alayan, 2021;Walker & Avant, 2005). In line with best practice, it is recommended that a robust and comprehensive understanding of empirical referents includes both subjective assessment through qualitative statements of lived experiences and perceptions, in addition to objective assessment through reliable and valid standardised instruments (Ahanonu & Jooste, 2016;Avedissian & Alayan, 2021). ...
The number of children experiencing poor emotional wellbeing, which can lead to clinically significant mental health conditions in the long term, is increasing rapidly, as are government initiatives outlining the ‘frontline role’ of the school in supporting children’s emotional wellbeing during critical periods such as primary-secondary school transitions. However, both concepts (‘primary-secondary school transitions’ and ‘emotional wellbeing’) are poorly and inconsistently conceptualised and/or theoretically defined. This has significant consequences for identifying and supporting children’s emotional wellbeing. The aim of this concept analysis is to report a synthesis of the extant literature and define emotional wellbeing in the context of primary-secondary school transitions as a concept of emerging importance. The Walker and Avant (2005) method was utilised as a framework. Attributes, antecedents, and empirical referents were identified through synthesis of methodological approaches (specifically an international systematic literature review, UK-wide survey and 10 focus groups) and the mapping of multiple stakeholder perspectives (specifically researchers, educational practitioners, policy influencers and/or makers, and children). Attributes of emotional wellbeing in the context of primary-secondary school transitions include children’s affective experience of navigating primary-secondary school transitions in the here-and-now (e.g. presence of both positive and negative emotions), and their evaluations of their emotional wellbeing both globally and in the context of specific domains. Antecedents include children’s perceptions of their internal and external resources to manage the demands of primary-secondary school transitions and maintain a stable affective state. Consequences (positive and negative) include academic attainment, social adjustment, and school belonging in the short-term, and mental health, life chances, and social inequalities in the long-term. Our novel conceptualisation overcomes limitations in existing understanding of both primary-secondary school transitions and emotional wellbeing, establishing a foundation for developing a more cohesive and theoretical body of work within the field. Our conceptualisation and operational definition will have notable positive implications in advancing future research, policy, and practice, which are outlined.
... Regarding adolescence, Avedissian & Alayan (2021) conducted their study to explore the concept of adolescent well-being and to delineate its characteristics, precursors, and empirical indicators through a review of existing literature. Ninety-four articles were examined in the nal analysis. ...
... However, there is a notable distance between these aspects and the categories at the top, such as health and peace. Likewise, positive relationships are something that also appears among the most important meanings of psychological well-being from the perspective of the participants (Avedissian & Alayan, 2021;Carpenter et al., 2009;Millennium Ecosystem Assessment, 2005;Ry , 1989;Seligman, 2011). However, it is striking that peer relationships, such as friendships, do not appear among the most relevant categories; instead relationships with family are highlighted. ...
... is is a dimension considered relevant in well-being models such as those proposed by Carpenter et al. (2009) andthe Millennium Ecosystem Assessment (2005). It is usually considered more as an external factor that in uences subjective and psychological well-being (Avedissian & Alayan;. However, the context of Colima, Mexico has been notoriously violent in recent years, with the presence of organized crime that has caused the city of Colima to be considered the most violent in the world due to its homicide rate (Cure Violence Global, 2023). is context may be in uencing adolescents to give it greater relevance to security than other dimensions that theories usually consider. ...
Full text in: https://psychologyinrussia.com/volumes/?article=13131
Background. Well-being is distinguished by its complex and multifaceted characteristics, integrating both objective and subjective components, so each person's point of view is relevant. In conducting research concerning well-being, it is important account for both age considerations and cultural variability. Additionally, the influence the COVID-19 pandemic should be considered given how it impacted the public including corresponding effects on peoples’ perceptions of well-being.
Objective. The study’s purpose was to analyze the meaning of psychological well-being from the perspective of late adolescents presiding in Colima, Mexico during the post-pandemic era.
Design. A non-experimental, cross-sectional and exploratory research design was used. The Natural Semantic Networks technique was used as the instrument of measurement, employing psychological well-being as the stimulus concept to study a sample of 112 high school students in late adolescence (92 women, 20 men, ages 17 to 21; average = 17.3). The Natural Semantic Networks research technique enabled the exploration of participants' subjective meanings associated with well-being.
Results. The analysis identified a set of primary categories of well-being defined by participants including: health, both physical and mental; low-arousal emotions, such as peace and serenity; positive affect like happiness; positive relationships, mainly with family; security; self-control; and self-acceptance.
Conclusion. This research highlights that no single theory fully captures adolescents' understanding of well-being. Crucial elements considered by the most important theories are missing from participants conceptual frameworks. Additionally, COVID-19 pandemic has affected adolescent perceptions of well-being, especially it its impact on mental health. Peace is also valued as relevant by participants, especially desirable in the midst of emotional turbulence. Results show the need for a more comprehensive perspective on well-being that incorporates specific dimensions of each age group within a cultural and temporal context.
Keywords: psychological well-being; subjective well-being; psychological meaning; late adolescence; COVID-19 pandemic; natural semantic networks
... When AWH feel included and supported in a social context, their psychosocial health improves, leading to positive social interactions, improved individual functioning, and quality of life (Filia et al., 2018;Floyd et al., 2017;Haase et al., 1999). They interact more with health care providers, family members, and community, shaping AWH's minds into opportunity for progress (Avedissian & Alayan, 2021). ...
... Adolescence is a transitional period marked by rapid growth and the selection of various choices and behaviors that may be exacerbated by HIV if the fundamental SDoH are not met (Avedissian & Alayan, 2021). It is affected by the community where the adolescent lives (Avedissian & Alayan, 2021), social protection (Haberer et al., 2017), and early childhood experiences like childhood adversity and conflicts, including abuse, neglect, and sexual violence; family violence; attachment and separation; and exposure to various activities which allow adaptation to various challenges and experiences (Daines et al., 2021). ...
... Adolescence is a transitional period marked by rapid growth and the selection of various choices and behaviors that may be exacerbated by HIV if the fundamental SDoH are not met (Avedissian & Alayan, 2021). It is affected by the community where the adolescent lives (Avedissian & Alayan, 2021), social protection (Haberer et al., 2017), and early childhood experiences like childhood adversity and conflicts, including abuse, neglect, and sexual violence; family violence; attachment and separation; and exposure to various activities which allow adaptation to various challenges and experiences (Daines et al., 2021). The study conducted by Audi et al. (2021) revealed that food security and housing have a big impact on the adherence to ART and improved quality of life. ...
The concept of successful living in the context of adolescents with HIV lacks clarity and is unexplored. Without a common understanding of successful living among adolescents with HIV (AWH) in Sub-Saharan Africa (SSA), health care interventions focusing on this population may continue to fall short, resulting in avoidable morbidity and mortality. Therefore, this analysis used Rodgers Evolutionary Concept Analysis method to identify attributes, antecedents, consequences, and related concepts of successful living among AWH in SSA. Health care interventions are encouraged to promote successful living among AWH to achieve behavioral and clinical outcomes.
... Adolescence is a critical transitional period marked by significant physical, cognitive, and socioemotional changes that are often associated with increased stress (Avedissian & Alayan, 2021). At the same time, difficulties meeting developmental tasks during this transitional age can have a significant and sustained effect on the future well-being of these young people, with more than 75% of psychiatric disorders presenting between the ages of 11 and 18 years (Costello et al., 2011;McGorry & Van Os, 2013). ...
... Much is known about adult well-being and its antecedents and consequences. However, less attention has been paid to the developmental consequences of adolescent well-being, with a small but growing interest in the study of early antecedents of adolescent well-being (Avedissian & Alayan, 2021). The current study aims to address this gap by examining whether exposure to various combinations of established family risks for maladjustment in childhood is differentially predictive of well-being in early adolescence. ...
... Further support for the importance of early experience comes from work, showing that transitioning toward increased adversity between 9 and 36 months is associated with more risk behaviors and worse mental health outcomes in adolescence (Wadman et al., 2020). Finally, given that adolescence is a time of marked increases in stress (Avedissian & Alayan, 2021) and the emergence of mood disorders (Costello et al., 2011;McGorry & Van Os, 2013), focusing on differential impacts of unique risk constellations and transitions on adolescent well-being is particularly warranted as these efforts may have implications for early targeted prevention for at-risk groups. ...
Although prior work indicates that exposure to multiple family risk factors negatively impacts adjustment in childhood and adolescence, few studies have examined whether children in high-risk families transition in and out of adversity during early childhood and whether patterns of change matter for adjustment in adolescence. Using data from a sample of 216 caregiver-child dyads participating in a study of prenatal cocaine exposure (116 exposed and 100 non-exposed; 50.9% girls), we used latent transition analysis to identify distinct profiles of early exposure to caregiver substance use (SU) and SU-related familial risk (caregiver psychological distress, exposure to violence, harshness, and low sensitivity) and the association between these profiles and adolescent well-being (i.e., hope, happiness, and life satisfaction). Assessments occurred when children were 13, 24, 36, and 48 months and during kindergarten (Mmonths = 66.16, SD = 4.47) and early adolescence (Myears = 13.26, SD = 0.88). Caregivers self-identified as 72.09% Black, 15.81% White, 10.23% Hispanic/Latinx, 1.40% other, and 0.47% American Indian. Four profiles of varying levels of exposure to caregiver SU and SU-related risks were identified from infancy to kindergarten: SU/family risks, no SU/low family risks, SU/negative parenting, and SU/low family risks. Most children stayed in the same profile (64.2%), while the rest transitioned between profiles. Children exposed to caregiver SU and family adversity had lower positive outcomes in adolescence. Stable membership in the SU/family risks profile had significant maladaptive consequences on adolescent well-being. Implications for research and the design of tailored interventions to promote well-being among at-risk youth are discussed.
... Healthy life skills are defined as all behaviours that individuals believe, prefer and use to protect their physical and mental health. Even if individuals have sufficient knowledge about healthy nutrition, they may not have healthy nutrition skills (Avedissian and Alayan 2021). Healthy life skills include regular exercise, healthy nutrition, stress management, not using tobacco products, health awareness and responsibility (Rashidi et al. 2023). ...
... One of the risky groups in terms of unhealthy nutrition is university students. Unhealthy and irregular eating behaviours are more common during this period because young people are more open to external factors and their lives become faster (Avedissian and Alayan 2021;Rashidi et al. 2023;Turkish Statistical Institute 2022). Until recently, food and nutrition literacy has focused on early and middle adolescents. ...
Health literacy is important for maintaining healthy diets and lifestyles. This study examined the relationship between nutrition literacy and healthy life skills of university students. This study was a descriptive and correlational design. The students' Food and Nutrition Literacy Scale knowledge sub‐dimension mean score was found to be 10.30 ± 2.11, at the limited knowledge level, the attitude sub‐dimension mean score was 49.32 ± 7.26, at the limited attitude level, and the behaviour sub‐dimension mean score was 31.04 ± 5.71, at the limited level. The mean Scale of Healthy Life Skills in University Students score of the university students was 62.96 ± 9.99, at a moderate level. Multiple regression analysis showed that the mean scores obtained from the attitude and behaviour sub‐dimensions, studying in the Faculty of Nursing, being 18 years old, and studying in the first or second year were the main variables influencing the healthy life skills of university students. The food and nutrition literacy of the students was limited and their healthy life skills were at a moderate level. As the food and nutrition literacy of the students increased, their healthy life skills became more positive.
... It involves engaging in activities aligned with an integrated sense of self , all while recognizing the influence and interdependence of established social connections (Ryan and Deci, 2018). Autonomy, regarded as a defining attribute of adolescents' wellbeing (Avedissian and Alayan, 2021;Bi et al., 2022), encompasses valuational, emotional, cognitive, and behavioral elements that develop at varying rates (Karabanova and Poskrebysheva, 2013). During this phase, individuals aim to form a unique sense of self and identity distinct from parental influences. ...
... Family time shared between parents and children, such as leisure time, can be used to develop adolescent autonomy (Joussemet et al., 2008;Lee et al., 2012;Denovan and Macaskill, 2017;Rodríguez-Meirinhos et al., 2020) while achieving this state of flow and creating the environmental conditions that favor the promotion of wellbeing (Iwasaki et al., 2005;Ross et al., 2020;Avedissian and Alayan, 2021). Both parents may manage it differently (Paquette, 2004;Vrolijk et al., 2020), or their competence may be distinctively perceived. ...
Family relationships during leisure time in adolescence have the potential to promote positive development, particularly in terms of autonomy. However, the scientific literature that links specifically positive family leisure to the development of adolescent autonomy is scarce, and lower when analyzing the role of frustration in leisure time. Grounded in Self-Determination Theory (SDT) this article examines the potential relationship between positive frustration in family leisure time and the promotion of adolescent autonomy. For that purpose, the manuscript addresses four objectives to be discussed consecutively: (1) to delimit the concept of adolescent autonomy and point out the difficulty of parental support; (2) to explore positive frustration, a concept aligned with Csikszentmihalyi’s theory of flow, as a construct that can promote socio-emotional development in adolescence; (3) to describe the components of family leisure; and (4) to understand how the experience of optimal frustration may be linked to the development of adolescent autonomy during family leisure time. From this central question, several additional inquiries emerge: the interplay of frustration and failure in adolescence, the importance of parents and adolescents spending quality time together, the enjoyment in structured family leisure time, the autonomy-supportive parenting in leisure time activities in relation to daily activities, the need to strengthen adolescent bonds developed in infancy, and the complexity of paternal and maternal autonomy granting.
... External factors such as changes in economic status or peer pressure can impact the decisions made by adolescents during this phase [10]. Internal factors include the developmental needs of an adolescent that are influenced by their interactions with their parents and other significant adults in their lives for example teachers [11]. The impact of these internal and external factors is seen in the patterns of adolescent well-being and behavior exhibited by the adolescent during this period [11]. ...
... Internal factors include the developmental needs of an adolescent that are influenced by their interactions with their parents and other significant adults in their lives for example teachers [11]. The impact of these internal and external factors is seen in the patterns of adolescent well-being and behavior exhibited by the adolescent during this period [11]. Adolescence is a critical stage in the development of an individual, as they begin to explore their identity and become more independent from their parents [12,13]. ...
Background
This is one of the few studies that examines adolescent Internet addiction (IA) among Middle Eastern population. The purpose of this study is to determine whether adolescents’ family and school environments play a role in their Internet Addiction.
Methods
We conduced a survey that included 479 adolescents in Qatar. The survey collected demographic data, the Internet Addiction Diagnostic Questionnaire (IADQ), the Brief Family Relationship Scale (BFRS) and questions from the WHO Health Behavior in School-aged Children (HBSC) survey that assess school environment, academic performance, teacher support, and peer support of the adolescents. Factorial analysis, multiple regression, and logistic regression were used for statistical analysis.
Results
Family environment and school environment were negative and significant predictors of adolescent Internet addiction. The prevalence rate was 29.64%.
Conclusion
Results imply that interventions and digital parenting programs should not only target adolescents, but also include entities in the developmental environment of adolescents, i.e. their family and school.
... And the lack of subjective wellbeing (SWB) is one of the more obvious manifestations [1][2][3]. SWB is defined as people's relevant evaluation of their holistic quality of life and emotions in several dimensions in accordance with their own judgment criteria as a foundation, which leads to satisfaction with life and the various emotions that result from it [1,4,5]. Current researches are increasingly emphasizing the positive effects of SWB on physical and mental health, longevity, prevention of mental illness, and attitude toward life [6,7]. ...
... Current researches are increasingly emphasizing the positive effects of SWB on physical and mental health, longevity, prevention of mental illness, and attitude toward life [6,7]. And the existed evidences have shown that high school students with higher SWB have higher levels of mental health, higher levels of creativity, and better relationships with others, while high school students with low SWB have lower levels of mental health and quality of life [5,8,9]. Therefore, it is particularly important to study the SWB of high school students, especially to identify the most prominent issues in SWB that affect high school students, in order to provide more targeted interventions and coping strategies to improve their SWB and then promote their mental health. ...
Background
The psychological situation of high school students during adolescence is not promising, and the most obvious manifestation is the lack of subjective well-being (SWB). This network analysis presents a model of the interaction and correlation between different items of SWB, identifying the most central items for high school students.
Methods
Through offline and online surveys, 4,378 questionnaires were sent out and finally 4,282 Chinese high school students were available. The response rate was 97.807%. The study used the eLASSO method to estimate the network structure and centrality measures. This algorithm used the EBIC to select the best neighbor factor for each node.
Results
The average age for high school students was 16.320 years old and the average SWB score was 76.680. The distribution of SWB between male and female students was significant different (P < 0.001). S8 (Have you been anxious, worried, or upset) was the node with the highest strength and expected influence. The network structure and centrality remained stable after discarding 75% of the sample at random. Except for S15 (How concerned or worried about your health have you been), all nodes were positively correlated with each other (P < 0.01). The network structure of SWB was similar for female and male students (network strength: 8.482 for male participants; 8.323 for female participants; P = 0.159), as well as for rural and urban students (network strength: 8.500 for rural students; 8.315 for urban students; P = 0.140).
Conclusion
Targeting S8 (Have you been anxious, worried, or upset) as a potential intervention target may increase high school students’ SWB effectively.
... Their unhealthy choices and behaviors affect their well-being and result in negative consequences that persist throughout life, increasing mortality and morbidity. 2 Declaration of Interests: The authors certify that they have no commercial or associative interest that represents a conflict of interest in connection with the manuscript. ...
The aim of this study was to evaluate the association of body image perception and self-assessment of oral health with other associated factors in a sample of Brazilian adolescents. This cross-sectional study involved a total of 281 adolescents aged 14 to 19 years enrolled in 29 public schools from May 2021 to December 2023 in the urban area of Juiz de Fora, state of Minas Gerais, Brazil. The total enrollment of 9,502 participants in the first stage of the study () was considered for sample size calculation. The prevalence of negative self-assessment of oral health in the adolescent population was estimated at 18%, with a standard error of 1%, a 95% confidence interval, and a 20% loss to follow-up. Participants completed a questionnaire via the Google Forms platform, which gathered information on their socioeconomic status, self-perception of body image, self-assessment of oral health, and self-esteem. Bivariate analysis and logistic regression models were used to evaluate the associations between variables. Variables with p < 0.10 in the bivariate analysis were included in the logistic regression model. Variables with p < 0.05 were retained in the final model. The final logistic regression model revealed that adolescents with a higher socioeconomic status rated their oral health as excellent or good. Additionally, those who reported not living with their parents and had a low level of self-esteem had a poor oral health self-assessment. Adolescents’ perception of their body image was not associated with oral health self-assessment. On the other hand, socioeconomic factors, family structure, and self-esteem influenced adolescents’ oral health self-assessment.
... Receiving a cancer diagnosis when someone is an adolescent or young adult disrupts the normal course of their development. This critical life phase involves significant physical, social and emotional growth and maturation [7]. However, cancer and its treatment can substantially impede the progression of these essential developmental milestones and processes [60]. ...
Adolescents and young adults (AYAs) are at a critical juncture in their lives, often pursuing education, starting careers, forming relationships and gaining independence. Cancer disrupts these pivotal life transitions, causing significant emotional and psychological stress. Advocacy plays a crucial role in promoting awareness, access to care and support for AYAs with cancer. This paper aims to identify and examine the potential barriers to access to cancer treatment and advocacy among AYAs with cancer in Africa. A selective literature review was conducted to provide a foundation for the discussion. The search involved databases such as PubMed, Scopus and Google Scholar, using keywords such as 'AYAs,' 'cancer,' 'advocacy,' 'Africa,' 'barriers' and 'factors.' Relevant articles were selected based on their relevance, recency and quality, focusing on empirical studies and seminal and theoretical papers. Drawing from existing literature, expert opinions and case studies , several key barriers are explored, including social and cultural stigma surrounding cancer, limited access to health education and support services, economic constraints and inadequate healthcare infrastructure. Sociocultural norms and taboos can lead to a lack of open dialogue about cancer, hindering advocacy efforts. Furthermore, poverty and financial constraints often impede access to treatment and support resources, limiting opportunities for AYAs to engage in advocacy initiatives. Inadequate healthcare systems , lack of specialised care facilities and limited training for healthcare professionals also pose significant challenges. This paper highlights the urgent need to address these multifaceted barriers through collaborative efforts involving healthcare providers, poli-cymakers and community organisations. Recommendations are provided for developing culturally sensitive advocacy programs, improving health literacy and strengthening healthcare infrastructure to empower AYAs with cancer and amplify their voices in Africa.
... Adolescence is a pivotal stage of life, marked by significant social, emotional, and physical development. During this period, many factors that shape lifelong well-being become well established (Avedissian and Alayan, 2021). A disruption of these development factors by stressors may have serious consequences (Ross et al., 2020). ...
Objectives
To understand the association between violent crime victimization and mental health outcomes among adolescents in Mexico, and to define the link between the nominal classification of violent crime and mental health outcomes.
Methods
We used fixed-effects linear and logistic regressions and survey data from the 2018–2019, 2021, 2022, and 2023 National Health and Nutrition Survey (n = 26,187). Survey waves were conducted in all 32 Mexican states during: July 2018–June 2019, July–December 2021, July–December 2022, and July–October 2023.
Results
Violent crime victimization was associated with higher scores of having depressive symptoms (CESD-7) (b = 1.93 points, ± 0.26), and greater likelihood of suicidal ideation (adjusted odds ratio (aOR) = 5.32, ± 0.86) and suicide attempts in the last twelve months (aOR = 6.87, ± 2.74). More serious classes of violent crime relate to worse mental health outcomes among adolescents. Specifically, kidnapping, the most serious class of violent crime in our data, correlates with worse mental health outcomes when compared to robbery or aggravated assault.
Conclusions
Violent crime victimization is linked to increased depressive symptoms, suicidal ideation, and suicide attempts among adolescents. More serious classes of violent crime are associated with worse mental health outcomes in this population.
... A better understanding of the adverse effects of discrimination on adolescent well-being and the role of (protective and risky) health behaviors can substantially contribute to identifying ways to mitigate health disparities. We focus on satisfaction with life in general as a key component of well-being because it encompasses both mental and somatic health and is more prone to differences in adolescence than specific illnesses, which are more likely to manifest later in life (e.g., Avedissian & Alayan, 2021). ...
Objetivo: La adolescencia es una base fundamental para la salud durante toda la vida y una fase vulnerable a los efectos adversos de la discriminación. Evaluamos el impacto de la discriminación percibida en el bienestar de los adolescentes durante 2 años y los efectos mediadores de las conductas protectoras (actividad física, nutrición, sueño) y de riesgo (uso de sustancias) para la salud. Métodos: Se examinó a adolescentes (N = 9,957; edadM = 14.90 años) del panel multinacional CILS4EU (una encuesta longitudinal en cuatro países europeos) en tres oleadas. Las relaciones directas e indirectas se analizaron utilizando modelos de trayectoria, ajustando los comportamientos de salud, el bienestar y las variables de control (edad, género, estatus socioeconómico, migración, religión) evaluadas en la Ola 1. Resultados: Los adolescentes reportaron la mayor cantidad de casos de discriminación dentro del ambiente escolar. La discriminación percibida en la Ola 1 se asoció significativamente con una disminución del bienestar en la Ola 3 (β = −.04, p < .001) y una disminución de las conductas protectoras (actividad física: β = −.02, nutrición: β = −.04, sueño: β = −.04) y un aumento de las conductas de salud riesgosas (uso de sustancias: β = .03) en la Ola 2. La nutrición y el sueño mediaron la relación entre la discriminación percibida y el bienestar; no se encontró mediación para la actividad física y el consumo de sustancias. Conclusiones: Incluso en datos observacionales con intervalos de evaluación de 1 año, los efectos perjudiciales a largo plazo de la discriminación percibida en el bienestar de los adolescentes son evidentes, mediados por cambios en la nutrición y las conductas de sueño. Estos resultados amplían investigaciones anteriores, centradas predominantemente en el uso de sustancias, que muestran que la discriminación percibida también predijo menos conductas protectoras de la salud. La adolescencia representa una ventana estratégica para abordar la discriminación y promover comportamientos saludables y el bienestar para mitigar las disparidades de salud a largo plazo.
... Both adolescent depression (Patel et al. 2007;Kieling et al. 2011) and well-being (Avedissian and Alayan 2021) are known to be complex and multifaceted and, therefore, require an in-depth exploration of a multifactorial causal model for assessing overall adolescent mental health. The existing evidence has identified a range of interpersonal, social, health and lifestyle, personality, coping, psychosocial, cognitive, and biological factors contributing to adolescent depression and well-being (Patel et al. 2007;Kieling et al. 2011). ...
Adolescent depression is a highly recurrent and disabling mental health condition affecting a significant proportion of adolescents. Conversely, adolescent well‐being is a positive state of health and enhanced quality of life. Depression and well‐being are critical metrics of life quality. However, little is known about the biopsychosocial markers that differentiate between these states. Stemming from our extensive longitudinal emotional vulnerability in adolescents ((EVA) research, this study identified potential vulnerability markers by examining associations between a range of biopsychosocial factors and depression and well‐being in a relatively homogenous sample of adolescents at baseline. N = 425 adolescents (60.5% female and 34.4% male) between 12 and 18 years (M = 15.06, SD = 1.75) were recruited from 12 state and independent schools. A comprehensive battery of standardized measures was administered to assess various biopsychosocial factors, including background demographic and clinical characteristics, lifestyle factors, neural‐cognitive mechanisms, psychological and social stress‐related factors, coping style, and personality traits. Multiple Regression analyzes using the backward eliminations indicated that less physical activity, more social media usage, eating disorder risk, greater perceived stress, higher neuroticism, excessive rumination and negative self‐reference bias accounted for 68% of depressive symptoms. Lower stress, less social media usage, and positive cognitive interpretation bias were sufficient to account for 51% of well‐being scores. The present findings suggest key bio‐psycho‐social risk and resilience factors that may play a role in predicting adolescent depression and well‐being. Upon further examination of our longitudinal follow‐up studies, these results will directly contribute to developing preventative intervention strategies.
... Adolescence is a period of the lifecycle marked by rapid and critical bodily, cognitive, and social transformations that are impactful on youth's psychological well-being [1][2][3]. In light of this, several lines of research have attempted to identify those factors that could sustain adolescents' optimal mental and physical health in such a time of transition [4,5]. ...
Background/Objectives: This study examines the relations between democratic parenting and adolescents’ subjective well-being, focusing on the potential moderating role of youth environmental sensitivity. Three environmental sensitivity models (diathesis–stress, vantage sensitivity, differential susceptibility) were tested to unveil the heterogeneity of the effects of democratic parenting on adolescents’ subjective well-being according to the type of environmental influences (positive, negative, both positive and negative) youths are more susceptible to. Methods: A sample of 321 Italian adolescents (75% females; Mage = 16.83, SD = 1.35) completed online self-report measures assessing perceptions of democratic parenting, environmental sensitivity, and various dimensions of subjective well-being (positivity, vitality, anxiety, and general health). Results: Three path analysis models were run to evaluate the associations between democratic parenting, environmental sensitivity, and youths’ well-being. The results showed that democratic parenting was positively related to adolescents’ positivity, vitality, and general health and negatively to anxiety. Adolescents with higher environmental sensitivity reported reduced subjective well-being. A moderating effect of environmental sensitivity was detected such that highly sensitive adolescents had lower general health when democratic parenting was low. Conclusions: These findings support a diathesis–stress model, suggesting that environmental sensitivity might be a vulnerability factor in less supportive environments.
... Apriori analysis is employed as the association rule mining model to determine the factors associated with depression during the critical developmental stage of ages (16-17) [22]. To achieve this, all 165-170 variables obtained from the data extraction process of each wave are considered. ...
Purpose
The severity of depression among young Australians cannot be overstated, as it continues to have a profound impact on their mental health and general wellbeing. This study used machine learning (ML) algorithms to analyse longitudinal data, identifying key features to predict depression, assess future risk, and explore age-specific behaviours that contribute to its progression over time. The results emphasize the significance of early detection to prevent unfavourable consequences and shed light on the alterations in depressive symptoms during various stages of development.
Methods
Three widely regarded ML techniques—random forest (RF), support vector machine (SVM), and logistic regression (LR)—are being applied and compared with a longitudinal data analysis. Additionally, the Apriori algorithm is being utilized to explore potential relationships between health, behaviour, and activity issues with depression among different age groups (10–17).
Results
The analysis results indicate that the RF model is performing exceptionally well in diagnosing depression, with a 94% accuracy rate and weighted precision of 95% for non-depressed and 88% for depressed cases. In addition, the LR model shows promising results, achieving an 89% accuracy rate and 91% weighted precision. Moreover, insights from the Apriori algorithm underscore the significance of early detection by examining potential associations between health, behaviour, and activity problems and depression across diverse age groups.
Conclusion
Combining early screening programs with the RF model and the Apriori algorithm is crucial for understanding depression and developing effective prevention strategies. Emphasizing Apriori's factors and regularly updating strategies with new information will enhance depression management and prevention.
... Another essential factor that significantly impacts adolescents' happiness is the presence of a safe and suitable environment in which they reside or engage in activities. Research indicates that children or adolescents raised in environments free from emotional or physical abuse experienced greater happiness [13]. Also, research shows that family support is a key predictor of adolescents' happiness [14,15]. ...
Background: Happiness and health are crucial elements of adolescents’ lives that significantly impact mental well-being and societal engagement. This article hypothesizes that a suitable school environment may be one of the components that can impact students’ subjective feelings of happiness and health. This research aimed to determine the association between a negative school environment, such as experiencing bullying and feeling insecure at school, and students’ happiness and health. Methods: The study was conducted in 2023, surveying students in grades 7–10 from two Lithuanian cities and their districts. The study included 1992 students (females 50.2%) with a mean age of 14.53 ± 1.12. Results: It was observed that male students felt healthier and happier than females. Also, male students felt safer at school more often than females. A positive correlation was found between a student’s feeling of safety at school and their happiness and health. Regression analysis revealed that a feeling of safety at school was the most significant positive factor associated with male students’ sense of happiness and health. Also, the most important factors for females were a feeling of safety at school, bullying, and how often teachers stop bullying. Conclusions: It was found that feelings of insecurity at school, experiences of bullying, and how often teachers stop bullying can be associated with students’ subjective feelings of happiness and well-being. School environmental factors can affect students’ happiness and well-being differently depending on gender. It is essential to focus on vulnerable student populations when creating preventive programs to enhance adolescents’ sense of safety in schools.
... Efforts must be directed toward providing comprehensive nutritional support, delaying marriage and pregnancy, and breaking the cycle of under nutrition across generations (7). Beyond nutrition, economic conditions, education, social, and environmental factors play pivotal roles in optimal growth during adolescence and support future well-being (8). Social determinants of health have significant impact during this phase, influencing the nutritional status of future generations. ...
Introduction
Adolescence is a phase of life marked by rapid growth. Adequate nutrition is essential during this developmental stage, leading to significant physical performance, improved cognitive ability, and productivity. Improving adolescent girls’ nutrition is crucial for breaking the intergenerational cycle of malnutrition, but research in Pakistan has largely focused on children under five and pregnant women, often neglecting this vulnerable group.
Objective
This study aimed to determine the contextual and sociodemographic factors contributing toward undernutrition to improve the health and nutritional status of adolescent girls.
Methods
A school based cross sectional study was conducted as the baseline survey for a mixed methods study leading to a pilot cluster randomized controlled trial. n = 84 girls (10–14 years) from two public schools were selected by simple random sampling. Data were collected through a structured questionnaire including socio demographic profile, anthropometric measurements, dietary patterns, preferences, safe water and hygiene practices, access to health care facilities, and understanding of malnutrition-related symptoms. The data collected were analyzed through SPSS version 27.0. The chi-square test was used to determine the association between the two BMI categories; underweight and normal weight, and various socio-demographic variables.
Results
Among the total of 84 adolescent girls, overall mean height was 143.9 ± 8.1 cm and mean weight was 34.4 ± 6.9 kg, while mean BMI was 16.4 ± 2.2 kg/m². 86.9% of girls were underweight, whereas 13.1% had a normal BMI. The z-scores for both height-for-age and BMI-for-age were in negative values, i.e., −1.62 ± 0.89 and −1.18 ± 1.05, respectively.
Conclusion
Findings of this study demonstrated that the high burden of underweight among school-going adolescent girls needs targeted approaches like nutrition education interventions to enhance awareness about healthy dietary behaviors, food preferences, and ensuring access to safe, sufficient, and healthy diet.
Recommendation
A multipronged approach is required to improve health and nutritional status of adolescent girls by involving individuals, families, education sector, health and other relevant sectors. Larger scale studies are still required for better understanding of the issue and to guide in designing targeted programs to address specific needs of this particular age group.
... At the same time, greater paranoia is associated with lower levels of well-being in adolescents (Kingston, Parker, and Schlier 2022). Well-being, which is positively associated with life satisfaction, happiness, and resilience with respect to emotional and behavioral health (Avedissian and Alayan 2021), may be an important predictor of functional outcomes in youth, such as academic success (Cárdenas et al. 2022). Given the transdiagnostic nature of paranoia, its relatively high prevalence in adolescence, and evidence that even subclinical presentations can be detrimental to mental health and well-being, research exploring factors that may influence paranoia and related outcomes is needed to inform interventions for adolescents. ...
Introduction
Paranoid ideation is a relatively common experience in adolescence, yet it has not been well‐explored in relation to psychological well‐being and functioning in general population samples of youth. The current study aimed to investigate the relations between paranoia (operationalized as “persecutory ideation”), well‐being, and two domains of functioning, social (e.g., interpersonal relationships) and role (e.g., school and home responsibilities), in adolescence.
Methods
This nonclinical sample of adolescents (n = 462, aged 14–17 years, 50% male, 50% female) was recruited from the United Kingdom and the United States via an online survey in 2022.
Results
Correlations indicated significant associations between persecutory ideation, in the negative direction, and well‐being, in the positive direction, with both social and role functioning. With respect to social, but not role, functioning, these associations remained significant in linear regression analyses controlling for the effects of depression, past‐year bullying/victimization, and past‐year adverse life events. A subsequent analysis indicated that the association between persecutory ideation and social functioning was moderated by well‐being. Persecutory ideation was significantly associated with social functioning at the lowest level of well‐being (1 SD below the mean), but not at moderate (mean) or high (1 SD above the mean) levels of well‐being.
Conclusions
Results suggest that among adolescents, persecutory ideation is negatively associated with functioning. Furthermore, novel findings suggest that well‐being may buffer the association between persecutory ideation and social functioning. Therapeutic interventions targeting well‐being may be helpful for youth experiencing paranoia, especially with respect to maintaining relationships and social connectedness.
... Well-being is evoked, framed, shaped, and discussed in much abortion-related literature in passing rather than being articulated in terms of a definition, theory, framework, or measurement. There have been nascent efforts in related sexual and reproductive health domains to engage more explicitly with well-being -for example in maternal health (Jomeen and Martin 2018, Wadephul, Glover et al. 2020, Kelly, Kurinczuk et al. 2022, sexual health (Lorimer, DeAmicis et al. 2019, Mitchell, Lewis et al. 2021, and adolescent health (Ross, Hinton et al. 2020, Avedissian andAlayan 2021). ...
... Adolescence represents the period of life between the ages of 10 and 19 that is characterized as a transitional stage marked by rapid growth, increased autonomy, and identity development (Avedissian & Alayan, 2021). As mentioned, the positive parenting approach suggests that parenting skills should coordinate with the needs of each developmental stage of sons and daughters (Rodrigo et al., 2015). ...
Currently, it is known that the parenting perceived by adolescents impacts their development and well-being. However, there are few scales that
allow the measurement of parenting from the perspective of adolescent children. The objective of this study is to psychometrically validate two brief
scales (mother and father) assessing parental skills perceptions by Argentine adolescents. 271 adolescents aged between 12 and 19 years (M
= 14.97; DT = 1.66) participated in the exploratory study (55% women, 43.50% men, 1.50% not specified). 288 adolescents with the same age
range (M = 15.05; DT = 1.64) experienced the confirmatory analysis (51.40% women, 45.80% men, 2.80% not specified). The study evaluated the
content validity and the discriminative capacity of the items, further analyzing the structure of the scale, its internal consistency, and the concurrent
validity. The EFA yielded three factors accounting for 59.26% of the variance in the mother’s version and two factors explaining 59.17% of the va�riance in the father’s one. The CFA brief version showed satisfactory fit indices. Results revealed an Alpha of .88 (mother version) and of .93 (father
version). The correlations for concurrent validity were significant and in the direction of what was theoretically expected. The validated scales allow
for estimating parental competencies perceptions in a valid, reliable, and practical way. The scales represent a methodological contribution and have
theoretical implications by promoting research on this psychological construct.
... Avedissian & Alayan menyatakan bahwa kesejahteraan pada usia remaja terus berkembang. 13 Namun, sedikit yang diketahui tentang konsekuensi jangka panjang dari TBC pada kesehatan dan kesejahteraan dalam kelompok usia ini. 1 TBC tidak hanya mempengaruhi kesehatan remaja selama periode sakit, tetapi juga menyebabkan gejala sisa jangka panjang untuk kesehatan fisik dan mental. Remaja dengan TBC memiliki kerentanan sosial dan emosional yang menempatkan remaja pada risiko hasil pengobatan yang lebih buruk, termasuk mangkir dari pengobatan, kegagalan pengobatan, dan kematian. ...
Pendahuluan : Remaja telah diketahui berada pada peningkatan risiko infeksi baru dan tingkat kegagalan pengobatan yang lebih tinggi. Selain dampak pengobatan yang buruk, rendahnya dukungan sosial, dan masalah kesehatan mental juga mendukung temuan tersebut. Tujuan: Menggambarkan dampak pengobatan TBC terhadap kesejahteraan remaja. Metode: Review ini menggunakan pendekatan scoping review. Sumber literatur di peroleh melalui pencarian dengan menggunakan database yang terdiri dari PUBMED, Google Scholar, Science Direct dan Proquest. Kata kunci yang digunakan“Adolescents” OR “Youth” AND “Tuberculosis” AND “Impact” OR “Effect” AND “Wellbeing” OR “Happiness” OR “Life Satisfaction” OR “Quality of Life”. Kriteria inklusi dalam pemilihan artikel yaitu 1) rentang publikasi artikel 10 tahun terakhir; 2) Bahasa inggris; 3) tema artikel terkait dengan dampak TBC terhadap kesejahteraan remaja, 4) tersedia full teks dan spesifik. Hasil: Berdasarkan artikel yang didapatkan, peneliti mengklasifikasikan kesejahteraan dalam empat aspek yaitu aspek fisik, psikologis, sosial, dan ekonomi. Kesimpulan: Pengobatan TBC berdampak pada seluruh aspek perkembangan remaja. Dibutuhkan pelayanan TBC yang ramah untuk remaja sehingga dapat mempertahankan kesejahteraan remaja selama menjalani pengobatan.
... The causes of poverty in Indonesia are very diverse and interesting to explore [2]. Poverty is a complex concept with multiple definitions and needs to be properly understood using a simple assessment of the economic level [3]. Poverty is a classic problem that has existed for a long time [4]. ...
... Adolescence is a pivotal period of development during which the groundwork for subsequent physical, cognitive, emotional, social, and economic well-being is established [1]. Moreover, the period of adolescence is regarded as a pivotal phase in the progression of emotional development. ...
Adolescence is a critical phase during which teens undergo significant developmental processes that contribute to their overall growth and maturation. Meanwhile, it is noteworthy that the family continues to hold significant sway, exerting a considerable impact on the overall well-being of individuals in this stage of life. The primary objective of this study was to investigate the potential association between emotional intelligence, well-being, and family dysfunction as a mediating factor among teenagers. This research aimed to distinguish itself from previous studies that mostly concentrated on the individual development of adolescents. A sample consisting of 249 adolescents ranging in age from 12 to 17 years (mean age = 13.98 years, standard deviation = 0.57) was surveyed. Descriptive analyses were performed on the collected data, and three variables were computed using correlation and regression methods. The findings indicated a significant positive correlation between emotional intelligence in adolescents and their overall well-being, while also revealing a notable negative correlation between emotional intelligence and family dysfunction. The findings from the regression analysis demonstrate a statistically significant relationship between the development of emotional intelligence during adolescence and the occurrence of family dysfunction. This demonstrates the significance of a conducive familial environment in shaping the prospective growth of teenagers.
... While the personalization, long-term goal, and balance and harmony in terms of social connection has no significant relationship on other indicator may not always be direct or immediately apparent, they can still have important implications for the overall well-being and performance of varsity players while the relationships between these factors and other indicators may vary, it's important to recognize their potential impact on the holistic development and success of varsity players. This is supported by the statement of Avedissian T, Alayan N. (2021). Although there is a vast literature on the concept of well-being, there appears to be no consensus regarding its meaning. ...
... For the participants, they narrated how their children value less on attending school and explored many things out of their control. Avedissian, & Alayan (2021), on the transitional stage of adolescence is marked by quick development, independence, and the acquisition of social skills and behaviors that set the stage for future wellbeing. Their behaviors maybe confusing for parents, can be antisocial, aggressive, and rebellious. ...
The presence of children-at-risk (CAR) in some of the Filipino home challenges parenting. Using a case study design, this study explored select parents-beneficiaries of Pantawid Pamilyang Pilipino Program (4Ps) in Ozamiz City ways of parenting Children-at-Risk (CAR). Purposeful sampling was employed to choose the 13 participants. Data were collected from multiple sources such as Focus Group Discussion (FGD), In-depth Interview (IDI), Key Informant Interview (KII), and material artifacts. Trustworthiness was observed. Reflexivity statement was written to disclose the role of the researcher. To determine the codes, categories, and themes, data were analyzed using HyperResearch software. The findings highlight the following themes such as corrective-supportive parenting, ways of addressing CAR’s transitional struggles, and establishing open communication. From these themes, it can be inferred that parenting styles may differ from other parents because parenting children-at-risk has neither set of techniques nor gold standard. Parents need to be skillful, creative, and be attentive listeners to the unspoken feelings and desire of their children. Future research may be conducted to determine patterns of parenting and children’s behavior in other cities and municipalities with cases of CAR.
... The transition from childhood to adolescence brings many changes, including being influenced from inside and outside factors of social environment. Externally, they get peer pressure in decision making and internally requirements developmental changes, largely influenced by their parents and teachers (Avedissian & Alayan, 2021). The socioecological model of Bronfenbrenner (1979) suggests, that there are various ecological structures, present in the surroundings of the adolescences and their behaviors get influenced from them. ...
... Steinberg (2005) explains that psychosocial developmental tasks involve changes in an individual's previous psychological state and social relationships, which can unsettle their previous equilibrium. As emphasized by several authors (Sandu et al., 2011;Avedissian and Alayan, 2021), the formation of personal identity and the establishment of a healthy sense of independence, particularly in relation to tasks surrounding identity and autonomy, are significant factors for adolescents and can be used to analyze aspects of their wellbeing. Despite the common belief that emotional autonomy and identity commitment lead to greater wellbeing, previous research on the concurrent and predictive relationships between these constructs has produced conflicting results and has not been empirically studied in Filipino adolescent samples (Perez, 2012). ...
Developmental tasks theory suggests that the wellbeing of adolescents can be better understood by considering their developmental tasks, rather than just viewing it as a specific age. This concept has significantly influenced contemporary studies on the transition to adulthood. Study explains that psychosocial developmental tasks involve shifts in an individual's psychological state and social relationships, potentially disrupting their previous equilibrium. Authors stress the importance of forming personal identity and fostering a healthy sense of independence, especially concerning identity and autonomy tasks, as crucial elements for adolescent wellbeing analysis. In line with this, the study focuses on the concurrent and predictive relationship between identity process of commitment, emotional autonomy, and psychological wellbeing among adolescents. Four hundred fifty-four (454) participants with an age ranged from 15 to 19 years (m = 17.96) completed surveys measuring emotional autonomy, identity commitment, and psychological wellbeing. The findings revealed that both emotional autonomy and identity commitment predicted psychological wellbeing, but in different ways. The study revealed that emotional autonomy is inversely associated with psychological wellbeing in middle and late adolescents, indicating that their ability to establish independence from their parents or relinquish unrealistic parental expectations may be linked to a decline in their mental health. The results also indicated that identity commitment is moderately and positively related to psychological wellbeing, suggesting that when adolescents have a clear sense of their identity, they may experience greater wellbeing. This finding underscores the importance of encouraging adolescents to explore their values, interests, and goals, as well as providing them with support and guidance throughout the process. Additionally, the findings of the study revealed that emotional autonomy has a negative influence on psychological wellbeing when identity commitment is low or average. Specifically, when individuals have a low level of identity commitment, emotional autonomy significantly predicts lower psychological wellbeing. Similarly, when identity commitment is at an average level, emotional autonomy also has a detrimental effect on psychological wellbeing. Lastly, the study revealed that when individuals have a high level of identity commitment, emotional autonomy does not have a significant impact on psychological wellbeing. In simpler terms, when individuals possess a strong sense of commitment to their identity, their level of emotional autonomy does not play a significant role in influencing their psychological wellbeing.
... Factors within each adolescent and their surrounding environment will interact to direct them toward their optimal conditions and developmental outcomes (Benson, 2007;Lerner et al., 2011), in this case, their psychological well-being. Internal and external factors must be available as much as possible to maintain a psychologically well adolescent (Avedissian & Alayan, 2021;Žukauskienė, 2014). ...
The positive youth development (PYD) framework notes that adolescents have the strength and potential for positive development due to supportive internal and external factors, despite the challenges they face. Positive outcome of adolescents’ development and that is beneficial for their growth is psychological well-being (PWB). In 2020, the COVID-19 pandemic brought many challenges to adolescent mental health. It amplified risk factors while depriving them of protective factors. The study examined the effects of various internal and external factors in predicting adolescent psychological well-being, both simultaneously and independently, amidst the COVID-19 pandemic. This was a population-based, quantitative study that used a cross-sectional design comprising of 13,072 middle and high school students from 12 provinces in Indonesia. The data were analyzed using bivariate linear regression and multiple linear regression. The final model indicated that adolescents’ psychological well-being was significantly predicted by internal (age, prosocial behavior, hyperactivity, conduct, emotional, and peer problems) and external (father’s education and participation in organized activities) factors (F(8,13063) = 710.39, p < .001, R² = 0.303), with emotional problems (β = − 0.261) and prosocial behavior (β = 0.239) being the strongest predictors. Our results revealed that these factors, specifically internal ones, largely contribute to Indonesian adolescents’ psychological well-being.
... The question of meaning in life may be of particular importance for adolescents as this is a vulnerable time, defined by the transition from childhood to adulthood activating issues related to identity, personal values, existential mattering, significance, education, mastery, friendship, and independence. Studies have shown that having a sense of meaning and purpose in life is crucial during adolescence (Krok 2018), particularly for adolescents' experience of wellbeing (Krok 2018;Lin and Shek 2019), with autonomy, connectedness, optimism, and competency emerging as defining attributes (Avedissian and Alayan 2021). Seeing how important meaning in life is for human functioning in general, and for adolescents in particular, experiencing meaning in life may be essential for adolescents at risk. ...
The Windjammer project started in 2018 as a social entrepreneurship program in Norway for adolescents at risk of social drop-out and societal exclusion. While the effects on society of such programs are difficult to measure, aspects such as perceived meaning in life are largely overlooked in the literature. This study explored wellbeing and the processes of creating meaning among adolescents at risk during a one-month tall ship adventure. Three methodological approaches were used. First, psychological and demographic data from the Windjammer participants (n = 122) were compared to a national adolescent survey (Ungdata, n = 793,879) serving as a comparison group. Second, using sensory ethnography, the sailing experience of seven adolescents from one adventure was explored in depth through interviews while onboard the ship. Third, a mixed-methods approach was used to further explore three individual adolescents’ experiences of the adventure. Overall findings show that Windjammers experienced life as less meaningful than the general adolescent population. Interviewed Windjammers talked about transformative experiences, although quantitative data showed a slight decrease in meaning following the adventure. Overall, the tall ship adventure was found to involve four overarching themes: commitment, social wellbeing, familiarization with seamanship, and self-acceptance.
... There is a negative association between adolescents' well-being and risk-taking behaviors and delinquency, which is attributed to factors such as autonomy, self-regulation, and particularly resilience. Resilience is widely recognized as a crucial factor in preventing extremism as it enables adolescents to steer away from risky behaviors (Avedissian & Alayan, 2021). It plays a significant role in helping individuals resist the allure of extremism and make positive choices, serving as a preventive measure against extremism Koirikivi et al., 2021). ...
We examined the relationship between adolescents' extremist attitudes with a multitude of mental health, well-being, psycho-social, environmental, and lifestyle variables, using state-of-the-art machine learning procedure and nationally representative survey dataset of Norwegian adolescents (N = 11,397). Three key research questions were addressed: 1) can adolescents with extremist attitudes be distinguished from those without, using psycho-socio-environmental survey items, 2) what are the most important predictors of adolescents' extremist attitudes, and 3) whether the identified predictors correspond to specific latent factorial structures? Of the total sample, 17.6% showed elevated levels of extremist attitudes. The prevalence was significantly higher among boys and younger adolescents than girls and older adolescents, respectively. The machine learning model reached an AUC of 76.7%, with an equal sensitivity and specificity of 70.5% in the test dataset, demonstrating a satisfactory performance for the model. Items reflecting on positive parenting, quality of relationships with parents and peers, externalizing behavior, and well-being emerged as significant predictors of extremism. Exploratory factor analysis partially supported the suggested latent clusters. Out of the 550 psycho-socio-environmental variables analyzed, behavioral problems, individual and social well-being, along with basic needs such as a secure family environment and interpersonal relationships with parents and peers emerged as significant factors contributing to susceptibility to extremism among adolescents.
... Yet while adult research recognizes life satisfaction and eudaimonia as important, adolescent research overlooks eudaimonia (Casas & González-Carrasco, 2021). This is contrary to a systematic review underlining eudaimonia as the most important wellbeing experience for adolescent development (Avedissian & Alayan, 2021) and psychosocial theory (Erikson, 1950) underlining self-actualization as the central task of adolescence. Given its developmental pertinence and studies suggesting eudaimonia declines during adolescence, there is a need for wellbeing-attainment research with adolescents to examine eudaimonia in addition to life satisfaction (Keyes & Westerhof, 2012). ...
This study examines the global issue of adolescent well-being by conducting a bibliometric analysis of 1,162 publications from the Scopus database, covering the period from 2003 to March 2023. The research aims to identify the most influential contributors, including countries, authors, journals, and key topics, within the field of adolescent well-being. The findings reveal that the USA, the UK, and Italy are the most active countries in this area of research, indicating their strong focus on adolescent well-being issues. Leading authors such as Landsverks and Barth are recognized as highly influential contributors to the field, with their work being frequently cited. The study also highlights prominent academic journals, including Children and Youth Services Review, Child Abuse and Neglect, and Journal of Youth and Adolescence, which have emerged as key platforms for disseminating research on adolescent well-being. These journals have played a crucial role in shaping academic discourse, as evidenced by their high citation counts. In terms of research topics, the analysis identifies major themes such as contributing factors to adolescent well-being and interventions aimed at improving it. These topics have been the focus of extensive research, reflecting the global concern for understanding and addressing the challenges faced by adolescents. The study provides a detailed overview of the current trends in research on adolescent well-being, offering valuable insights for future studies. Overall, the findings contribute to the growing body of literature in this area and underscore the importance of continued research on adolescent well-being at a global level.
Caregivers play an important role in adolescent socialization and well‐being. However, the conditions under which caregivers' emotion socialization works in various stages of adolescence are not fully understood. This paper investigates (1) the association between caregiver's emotion socialization, adolescent social competence, and both subjective and psychological well‐being as well as (2) the moderating effect of relationship quality on these associations in samples ranging from early adolescence to emerging adulthood. Hypotheses were tested in two majority White American samples using longitudinal (sample 1, n = 241 adolescents, age 11–18, 45.2% girls, 58.01% White) and cross‐sectional (sample 2, n = 506 emerging adults, age 18–21, 85.4% girls, 77.86% White) designs, respectively. Results consistently supported the moderation effect of caregiver–adolescent relationship quality in samples ranging from early adolescence to emerging adulthood, highlighting a close caregiver–adolescent relationship as an important “channel” to support caregivers' socialization effort in adolescent subjective and psychological well‐being.
Internet addiction among adolescents is an increasingly discussed social issue worldwide. Therefore, it is essential to deepen our understanding of its development to prevent both short-and long-term negative outcomes. The present study aimed to investigate the role of parents in the development of internet addiction in their children. The study sample consisted of 100 young individuals enrolled in colleges and universities, with participants aged between 16 and 28 years. The results of the analysis indicate that parents play a crucial role in determining their children's internet use. There was a strong correlation found between internet addiction and co-parenting behaviors, especially when combined with severe and rejecting parenting approaches. In addition, a powerful prediction of children's internet illnesses was a discordant style of co-parenting together with strictness and overprotection. The association between co-parenting and internet addiction was also influenced by gender.
El objetivo de este estudio es analizar los factores de riesgo y las consecuencias asociadas a la preeclampsia en adolescentes embarazadas, a partir de un relevamiento de publicaciones científicas realizadas entre 2019 y 2024 en bases de datos como PubMed, Scielo y Elsevier, se realizó un estudio descriptivo y exploratorio con un enfoque observacional y transversal, además de los factores sociales, como las condiciones económicas precarias y el acceso restringido a los servicios de salud prenatal, también se detectaron factores biológicos como la inmadurez uterina, la obesidad y la desnutrición. Los resultados demostraron que la preeclampsia en la adolescencia aumenta el riesgo de complicaciones fetales, como bajo peso al nacer, parto prematuro y mortalidad fetal, así como consecuencias maternas, como síndrome HELLP, hemorragia y eclampsia, este estudio destaca la necesidad de intervenciones específicas que se centren en iniciativas de educación sobre salud reproductiva y atención prenatal temprana, en particular para los grupos vulnerables, ademas, se determinó que para reducir la prevalencia y la gravedad de la preeclampsia en las adolescentes se requiere una estrategia integral que tenga en cuenta tanto los aspectos biológicos como los sociales.
Objective: This research aims to measure the impact of learning reflection activities on student well-being and learning achievement. The independent curriculum is a transformative curriculum from the previous curriculum. One of the goals of the independent curriculum is to create prosperous students (student well-being). The well-being of students will have an impact on high academic achievement. One effort to realize these two things is by carrying out learning reflection activities. Method: The subjects of this research were students in phase B, namely class IV students at Gambirono State Elementary School 03. This research is quantitative and experimental, with a pretest-posttest control group design. The data collection method was a student well-being questionnaire and a test on Indonesian language subjects. The learning reflection used is the 4F model. The data analysis technique uses the t-test. Results: The research results show that learning reflection using the 4F model impacts student well-being and learning achievement in Indonesian language subjects. Novelty: This research can be used as a reference for schools and teachers in creating a comfortable atmosphere, input about the pattern of student learning outcomes with their level of school well-being, support the importance of comfort to support student learning outcomes, and be used as a reference and consideration for similar research.
This study investigates the relationship between various environmental capabilities (physical, social, leisure, and emotional) and adolescent well-being across multiple dimensions (physical, emotional, and social well-being). Data were collected through questionnaires distributed to 737 adolescents aged 12 to 19 in Tabriz, Iran, in 2022. The study focused on selected sites displaying specific adolescent behaviours in urban spaces, including natural, commercial, sports, urban pathways and intersections, and cultural settings. The questionnaires were used to evaluate environmental capabilities as independent variables and adolescent well-being as the dependent variable.Multivariate regression Analyses were employed to examine the impact of environmental capabilities on adolescent well-being within the defined typologies of urban spaces. The regression analysis unveiled that the commercial sites significantly influenced adolescent well-being, particularly physical well-being (regression coefficient = 0.437). It was found that environmental capabilities, categorized as physical, social, leisure, and emotional, assume a pivotal role in adolescents’ well-being across physical, emotional, and social dimensions.
Childhood and adolescence are pivotal developmental stages for psychological health. An understanding of psychological mechanisms related to well-being is important for promoting positive life outcomes for youth. Research generally shows that the basic psychological need for autonomy is significantly associated with well-being. To examine the magnitude and sources of variation in this relationship, we conducted a meta-analysis of 90 reports to analyze the average effect of autonomy need satisfaction (ANS) and frustration (ANF) on indicators of psychological well- and ill-being for K-12 (Kindergarten to 12th grade) youth. Results indicated that ANS was positively associated with psychological well-being and negatively associated with psychological ill-being among youth. Further, ANF was negatively associated with psychological well-being and positively associated with psychological ill-being. Moderator analyses indicated that the association between ANS and well-being was stronger for studies conducted with children and adolescents in East Asian countries compared to studies conducted in the USA, Canada, or Northern Europe when controlling for publication status and measurement reliability. Results also showed that the average correlation between ANS and well-being was stronger for studies located in more collectivistic countries compared to individualistic countries when controlling for publication status and measurement reliability. The relationship between ANS and ill-being was stronger for studies conducted in the USA and Canada compared to East Asian and European contexts. Together, results suggest that autonomy satisfaction is related to the well- and ill-being of youth across cultural contexts, but that there is cultural variation in the association between experiences of autonomy and well-being.
This project aims to create an Islamic-centered parenting education module implemented in Youth Family Guidance (Bina Keluarga Remaja - BKR) programs to help parents educate and equip their teenagers for future success. The module was created by gathering parenting education resources for teenagers from an Islamic viewpoint that align with the current content in BKR activities. The Islamic content is incorporated into all BKR operations. The module was developed using the three stages of the Plomp model: preliminary study, prototype development, and assessment. This research has resulted in an Islamic-centered parenting module called "How to Educate Muslim Teenagers in Reaching the Future". The validators deemed the module very valid and practical after testing. The module has been partially implemented and feedback from observers and informants suggests that it can effectively enhance parents' comprehension and abilities in educating and caring for adolescent children during BKR activities.
Objectives
Health education programmes that utilizes multicomponent classroom teaching strategies have the potential to enhance knowledge, attitudes, and actions of adolescents concerning health risk behaviors (HRBs). This study assessed the effect of a school-based context-specific health education intervention (CsHEI) on knowledge of HRBs among in-school adolescents in public- and private-owned secondary schools in Nigeria.
Methods
In-school adolescents were recruited into this quasi-experimental study using stratified random sampling from secondary schools in Ile-Ife, Osun-State, Nigeria. Knowledge of HRBs was assessed pre- and post-implementation of a CsHEI. The intervention was a four-week instructor-led health education class on HRBs, delivered over a 2-h class activity per week. Data was summarized using descriptive statistics as well as Inferential statistics.
Results
With a mean age of 14.9 ± 1.56 years, a total of 145 females (54.3 %) and 122 males (45.7 %) participated in this study. Over 70 % of the participants had good knowledge of HRBs prior to the intervention with the pre-test mean general knowledge of HRB ( t =−3.13, p=0.002) and knowledge of personal safety ( t =−2.99, p=0.003) being significantly lower between students in public-schools compared to their private-school counterparts. Post-intervention, a significant improvement in participants’ knowledge was observed in all HRB domains with over 90 % of participants having a good knowledge of HRBs.
Conclusions
The CsHEI improved knowledge of in-school adolescents in public- and private-owned secondary schools in Osun state, Nigeria in all domains of HRBs. Integrating the CsHEI with other health behavioral change strategies can mitigate prevalence of HRBs among adolescents, thereby improving health-outcomes and well-being of adolescents.
Introduction
Video slot machines (VSMs), which are available on electronic gaming machines and online platforms, are widely recognized for their high potential to trigger harmful gambling behaviors. Yet, the psychological factors associated with VSM use among adolescents remain poorly investigated.
Methods
We estimated adjusted odds ratios (OR) and corresponding 95% confidence intervals (CI) of current regular (at least monthly) VSM use according to self-efficacy beliefs regarding everyday problem-solving ability, along with current and expected personal fulfillment at the social, and educational level among 7,959 Italian high school students aged 15–17.
Results
Current regular VSM use was reported by 108 students (1.4%). Notably, this behavior was more frequently reported by those with either particularly high or low self-ratings in problem-solving ability, current and expected social fulfillment, as well as by those with lower self-ratings in both current and expected educational/work fulfillment.
Conclusions
These findings underscore that during adolescence, gambling behaviors are associated with diverse psychological profiles, each entailing distinct vulnerabilities. Effectively addressing adolescent gambling necessitates a comprehensive approach, with a strong emphasis on educational support. Given the increasing challenges in curbing underage exposure and access to the most harmful gambling formats, this study offers valuable insights for the design of health promotion and prevention strategies.
Whereas the ability to solve problems before they occur is an essential skill, many problems, expected and unexpected, do prevail from time to time. These problems, known as “stressors”, create difficult situations to people concerned, causing tension, worry, and occasionally overwhelming feelings. The latter is called “stress” or more accurately “stress responses”. Adaptive stress responses help initiate effective problem coping mechanisms that remove the stressors or in some cases, adapt to unsolvable stressors. Maladaptive stress responses, including the development of helplessness and hopelessness, in contrast, lead to the disruption of normal homeostasis and increase the risk of stress-related pathology, including a variety of neurological and psychiatric disorders (Chen and Nakagawa, 2020). Importantly, a large proportion of individuals do not necessarily demonstrate maladaptive stress responses and develop stress-related pathology even when they encounter relatively strong stressors, indicating the existence of resilience (Feder et al., 2009; Kalisch et al., 2017). As a key personal asset in face of various stressors including disasters, accidents, crisis, and the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic, advancing our understanding of resilience, therefore, is a critical focus of investigation in psychology, psychiatry, and neuroscience. This Research Topic is a collection of 12 articles in these fields that help us gain novel insights into stress coping and resilience.
This study was designed to shed light on the relationship between victimization and offending, a pattern commonly known as the victim-offender overlap, by exploring whether victimization and pessimism toward the future interact in association with self-reported delinquency. This study was performed on 1,300 (444 males, 645 females, and 211 sex not identified) members of the 2018 High School Senior Monitoring the Future cross-sectional study. Multiple regression analysis was conducted using a maximum likelihood estimator and bias-corrected bootstrapped 95% confidence intervals. The analysis revealed that victimization and the victimization × pessimism interaction correlated significantly with delinquency, after controlling for a series of demographic, family, and peer factors. These results indicate that pessimism toward the future may exacerbate the already strong relationship known to exist between victimization and delinquency.
Modern wellness is a concept that has been discussed in the literature since the 1960's. To better understand wellness complexities in a school setting, a concept analysis was conducted using a modified version of Walker and Avant's method incorporating the nursing paradigm in the implications. A literature review was conducted and except for background information, the publication dates were limited to 2017-2022. Key search terms included "wellness," "school wellness," "wellness concept." Additional literature reviews were conducted based on data related to the definitions, attributes, antecedents, and consequences of wellness that were collected from the reviewed studies. Defining attributes of wellness included healthy habits, conscientiousness, and optimum state of health. The antecedents, consequences, and empirical referents of wellness were identified with examples from the literature and case exemplars. Wellness is a dynamic process that has unique implications for school health and school nurses. This concept analysis lays the foundation for future research incorporating nursing domains.
Introduction
The mechanism underlying the positive longitudinal link between adolescents' friendship quality and their well‐being is unclear. The present study was performed to investigate whether this longitudinal association between friendship quality and well‐being was established via adolescents' global self‐esteem, and to examine gender differences in these associations.
Methods
Online questionnaire data were collected in two waves (in Spring 2018 and Spring 2019) from 1298 Dutch adolescents aged 11–17 years (mean age 13.7 ± 1.1 years, 53.2% girls).
Results
Multigroup path analyses revealed a significant indirect effect between friendship quality and well‐being over time via global self‐esteem for girls. For boys, significant direct effects of friendship quality on global self‐esteem and well‐being were found, but no significant indirect effect.
Conclusions
The findings indicate that higher‐quality friendships improve boys' global self‐esteem and well‐being directly, and that they affect girls' well‐being indirectly and positively, by improving their global self‐esteem. These results suggest that preventive and intervention‐based strategies for the promotion of well‐being during the developmental stage of adolescence should incorporate focus on friendships, global self‐esteem, and gender specificities.
Background
Positive youth development (PYD) models are effective in improving adolescent sexual health. Adolescent programs including peer educators, parents and the wider community also demonstrate effectiveness in improving sexual health outcomes. An innovative Positive Adolescent Sexual Health (PASH) Conference model has been introduced in Northern NSW, Australia. It is run by the North Coast PASH Consortium, which is based on a health promotion framework. It takes a positive and holistic approach to sexual health education, and incorporates peer educators, parents, community workers and teachers. This study provides an introductory evaluation of the PASH Conference and identifies areas for increased effectiveness. It is intended as an early piece of research to inform future evaluations and to provide introductory information for public health educators.
Methods
Data collection included semi-structured interviews with 13 key stakeholders of the PASH Conference. Interviews were recorded, transcribed verbatim and analysed using deductive thematic analysis.
Results
Subjects included 2 teachers, 2 parents, 2 youth conference workers, 2 organisers, 2 presenters and 3 Peer Educators engaging Peers (PEEPs). Stakeholders perceived that young people were engaged to strengthen their sexual health and wellbeing due to many factors. These followed 3 themes: a safe and open learning environment, empowerment of young people and involvement of the support system and broader community. Multiple recommendations were identified across 2 themes: changes to conference format and planning, and enhancing stakeholder engagement.
Discussion
The PASH Conference is a promising new youth development design promoting positive adolescent sexual health, which may provide a feasible model for public health educators to trial. Elements of the conference identified as engaging to youth align well with those in PYD research literature. This study provides an early piece of research to inform the design of future research on the PASH Conference including evaluation of behavioural outcomes. It provides introductory information to inform PASH Conference development to further increase its effectiveness.
This study aims at creating a standardized language for each patient admitted to Cardiac Rehabilitation Unit (CR) by identifying nursing diagnosis, interventions, results/objectives expected and related correlations. The primary outcome was identifying health needs of all patients admitted to CR. The secondary outcomes were the identification of North American Nursing Diagnosis Association -International diagnoses (NANDA-I), of nursing intervention classification (NIC), of nursing outcomes classification (NOC) and their correlation NANDA-NIC-NOC linkage (NNN linkage) in order to define a standardized language for all nursing staff. This is a retrospective study involving a sample of 168 patients discharged from CR. The NANDA-I, the NIC, the NOC and the most frequently used NNN connections were identified and collected by using structured form including the 11 functional models of Marjory Gordon. Data from 76 patients were analyzed (92.1% male; mean age (± SD) 62.7±9 yrs; IQ range: 42-82). The main NANDA-I nursing diagnosis belongs to psychological sphere, but not to physiological domains. The statement NIC has allowed to put into practice actions of health prevention and education. Nursing care documentation and NNN taxonomic language promotes a wide diffusion of nursing discipline culture and significant qualitative improvement of patient’s care, further improving the communication between nurses and other health professionals.
Individual well-being is a complex concept that varies among and between individuals and is impacted by individual, interpersonal, community, organizational, policy and environmental factors. This research explored associations between select environmental characteristics measured at the ZIP code level and individual well-being. Participants (n = 3288, mean age = 41.4 years, 71.0% female, 57.9% white) were drawn from a registry of individuals who completed the Stanford WELL for Life Scale (SWLS), a 76-question online survey that asks about 10 domains of well-being: social connectedness, lifestyle and daily practices, physical health, stress and resilience, emotional and mental health, purpose and meaning, sense of self, financial security and satisfaction, spirituality and religiosity, and exploration and creativity. Based on a nationally-representative 2018 study of associations between an independent well-being measure and county-level characteristics, we selected twelve identical or analogous neighborhood (ZIP-code level) indicators to test against the SWLS measure and its ten constituent domains. Data were collected from secondary sources to describe socio-economic (median household income, percent unemployment, percent child poverty), demographic (race/ethnicity), and physical environment (commute by bicycle and public transit), and healthcare (number of healthcare facilities, percent mammogram screenings, percent preventable hospital stays). All continuous neighborhood factors were re-classified into quantile groups. Linear mixed models were fit to assess relationships between each neighborhood measure and each of the ten domains of well-being, as well as the overall SWLS well-being measure, and were adjusted for spatial autocorrelation and individual-level covariates. In models exploring associations between the overall SWLS score and neighborhood characteristics, six of the twelve neighborhood factors exhibited significant differences between quantile groups (p < 0.05). All of the ten SWLS domains had at least one instance of significant (p < 0.05) variation across quantile groups for a neighborhood factor; stress and resilience, emotional and mental health, and financial security had the greatest number of significant associations (6/12 factors), followed by physical health (5/12 factors) and social connectedness (4/12 factors). All but one of the neighborhood factors (number of Federally Qualified Health Centers) showed at least one significant association with a well-being domain. Among the neighborhood factors with the most associations with well-being domains were rate of preventable hospital stays (7/10 domains), percent holding bachelor’s degrees (6/10 domains), and median income and percent with less than high school completion (5/10 domains). These observational insights suggest that neighborhood factors are associated with individuals’ overall self-rated well-being, though variation exists among its constituent domains. Further research that employs such multi-dimensional measures of well-being is needed to determine targets for intervention at the neighborhood level that may improve well-being at both the individual and, ultimately, neighborhood levels.
Background:
Rapid demographic, epidemiological, and nutritional transitons have brought a pressing need to track progress in adolescent health. Here, we present country-level estimates of 12 headline indicators from the Lancet Commission on adolescent health and wellbeing, from 1990 to 2016.
Methods:
Indicators included those of health outcomes (disability-adjusted life-years [DALYs] due to communicable, maternal, and nutritional diseases; injuries; and non-communicable diseases); health risks (tobacco smoking, binge drinking, overweight, and anaemia); and social determinants of health (adolescent fertility; completion of secondary education; not in education, employment, or training [NEET]; child marriage; and demand for contraception satisfied with modern methods). We drew data from the Global Burden of Diseases, Injuries, and Risk Factors Study (GBD) 2016, International Labour Organisation, household surveys, and the Barro-Lee education dataset.
Findings:
From 1990 to 2016, remarkable shifts in adolescent health occurred. A decrease in disease burden in many countries has been offset by population growth in countries with the poorest adolescent health profiles. Compared with 1990, an additional 250 million adolescents were living in multi-burden countries in 2016, where they face a heavy and complex burden of disease. The rapidity of nutritional transition is evident from the 324·1 million (18%) of 1·8 billion adolescents globally who were overweight or obese in 2016, an increase of 176·9 million compared with 1990, and the 430·7 million (24%) who had anaemia in 2016, an increase of 74·2 million compared with 1990. Child marriage remains common, with an estimated 66 million women aged 20-24 years married before age 18 years. Although gender-parity in secondary school completion exists globally, prevalence of NEET remains high for young women in multi-burden countries, suggesting few opportunities to enter the workforce in these settings.
Interpretation:
Although disease burden has fallen in many settings, demographic shifts have heightened global inequalities. Global disease burden has changed little since 1990 and the prevalence of many adolescent health risks have increased. Health, education, and legal systems have not kept pace with shifting adolescent needs and demographic changes. Gender inequity remains a powerful driver of poor adolescent health in many countries.
Funding:
Australian National Health and Medical Research Council, and the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation.
The objective was to update the factor structure of the Gothenburg Well-Being scale (GWB) for use in older adolescents. A cross-sectional population of final-year high school students (17–20 years; N = 5395) completed three questionnaires with classroom administration as part of a larger investigation into health and lifestyle. Students completed the GWB, which is composed of 43 polar-opposite adjective VAS scales, the RS-11 resilience questionnaire and an 8-item Body Image scale. Model fit to the previously data-derived six-factor model (GWB Child) was tested. The data were then randomly divided into training and test datasets and a theoretically hypothesised model was tested and revised. Model 1 did not have adequate model fit. The theoretically hypothesised Model 2 had better fit; however, a modified model (Model 3 GWB Adolescent), using nine questions loading on factors of Mood, Stress Balance and Activation with one general factor of Well-being, was found to meet all model fit criteria (GFI .978; TLI .970, CFI .980; RMSEA .059). Measurement invariance was attested across datasets and gender. Internal reliability was satisfactory (Cronbach’s alpha 0.59). Convergent validity was demonstrated by correlation with resilience (r = .42) and body image (r = .35). Discriminant known-groups analysis gave results in the predicted direction for gender. The findings contribute to the validity of the GWB Adolescent, which explores relevant elements of well-being in late adolescence and can be used for group comparisons. Further testing is required to identify relationships with independent aspects of late adolescent life and clinical variables.
Experts in preventive medicine and public health have long-since recognized that health is more than the absence of disease, and that each person in the ‘waiting room’ and beyond manifests the social/political/economic ecosystems that are part of their total lived experience. The term planetary health—denoting the interconnections between the health of person and place at all scales—emerged from the environmental and preventive health movements of the 1970–1980s. Roused by the 2015 Lancet Commission on Planetary Health report, the term has more recently penetrated mainstream academic and medical discourse. Here, we discuss the relevance of planetary health in the era of personalized medicine, gross environmental concerns, and a crisis of non-communicable diseases. We frame our discourse around high-level wellness—a concept of vitality defined by Halbert L. Dunn (1896–1975); high-level wellness was defined as an integrated method of functioning which is oriented toward maximizing the potential of individuals within the total lived environment. Dunn maintained that high-level wellness is also applicable to organizations, communities, nations, and humankind as a whole—stating further that global high-level wellness is a product of the vitality and sustainability of the Earth’s natural systems. He called for a universal philosophy of living. Researchers and healthcare providers who focus on lifestyle and environmental aspects of health—and understand barriers such as authoritarianism and social dominance orientation—are fundamental to maintaining trans-generational vitality at scales of person, place, and planet.
Objective: The authors examined the end of semester outcomes (December, 2017) on the Wellness Inventory and demographics among college students taking a Physical Education (PED 101) course at a university in the southeast United States. Participants: College students were assessed at the end of the semester for health and well-being outcomes according to the Wellness Inventory. Results: Results showed that there were few gender or age differences for the dimensions of well-being. However, there were significant differences for most of the dimensions of health and well-being between frequent exercisers and infrequent exercisers. There were also significant differences between students who reported being in excellent health versus students who reported being in fair or poor health. Conclusions: Consistent exercise throughout the week may play a role in overall health and well-being. The results from this study warrant further investigation into the relationship between the exercise frequency and the dimensions of health and well-being.
Forty years ago, the 134 national government members of the WHO signed the Alma Ata Declaration. The Declaration made Primary Health Care (PHC) the official health policy of all members countries. Emerging from the conference was the consensus that health was a human right based on the principles of equity and community participation. Alma Ata broadened the perception of health beyond doctors and hospitals to social determinants and social justice. In the following years implementing this policy confronted many challenges. These included: (1) whether PHC should focus on vertical disease programmes where interventions had the most possibility of success or on comprehensive programmes that addressed social, economic and political factors that influenced health improvements; (2) whether primary care and PHC are interchangeable approaches to health improvements; (3) how equity and community participation for health improvements would be institutionalised; and (4) how financing for PHC would be possible. Experiences in implementation over the last 40 years provide evidence of how these challenges have been met and what succeeded and what had failed. Lessons from these experiences include the need to understand PHC as a process rather than a blueprint, to understand the process must consider context, culture, politics, economics and social concerns, and therefore, to recognise the process is complex. PHC needs to be examined within evaluation frameworks that address complexity. Recent developments in monitoring and evaluation have begun to respond to this need. They include realist evaluation and implementation research.
Importance
Growth in financing has underpinned progress in most areas of health. Adolescent health has recently become a global priority, with inclusion in the Global Strategy for Women’s, Children’s and Adolescents’ Health, but little is known about patterns of financing and development assistance for adolescent health (DAAH).
Objective
To provide estimates of DAAH at global, regional, and country levels.
Design, Setting, and Participants
In this quality improvement study, data from the Creditor Reporting System were used to estimate flows of total DAAH and per-adolescent DAAH and to assess its distribution by donors, regions, and countries and the leading causes of burden of disease (ie, disability-adjusted life-years) in 132 developing countries between January 1, 2003, and December 31, 2015. Through use of a key word search and various funding allocation methods, 2 sets of estimates were produced: adolescent-targeted DAAH that included disbursements to projects with a primary adolescent health target and adolescent-inclusive DAAH that included disbursements to projects with either a primary or partial adolescent health target, as well as projects that could benefit adolescent health but did not include age-related key words.
Main Outcomes and Measures
Estimates of DAAH distinguishing between adolescent-targeted and adolescent-inclusive DAAH.
Results
There were 19 921 projects in 132 countries in the adolescent-targeted estimation between 2003 and 2015, with a total funding amount of 806.8 million; United Nations Population Fund, 389.9 million; United Kingdom, 218.6 million) together provided 56.9% of all adolescent-targeted DAAH. Sub-Saharan Africa received the largest cumulative DAAH per adolescent ($5.37) during the period. In 2015, among the 10 leading causes of disability-adjusted life-years, HIV and AIDS received the largest DAAH, followed by interpersonal violence, tuberculosis, and diarrheal diseases. Other leading causes, including road injuries and depressive disorders, received few disbursements, especially among the low-income countries.
Conclusions and Relevance
Despite an increasing rate, DAAH composed a small proportion of total development assistance for health, suggesting that adolescent health has gained little donor attention. Moreover, recent allocations of DAAH have not aligned well with either the burden of disease or the areas where the benefits of investment are likely to be high.
There is some evidence that mindful parenting, a parenting approach that involves the practice of bringing mindful awareness to the parent-child relationship, is associated with several positive psychosocial outcomes in adolescents. However, only a few studies have investigated the mechanisms that may underlie that association. This study explores whether the link between mindful parenting and adolescents’ well-being is mediated by adolescents’ attachment representations, self-compassion and mindfulness skills. The sample comprised 563 parent-child dyads (95.6% mothers). Adolescents (61.5% girls) had a mean age of 14.26 years (SD = 1.66, range = 12–20). Parents completed a measure of mindful parenting, and adolescents completed measures of attachment representations, self-compassion, mindfulness, and well-being. Mindful parenting was indirectly associated with adolescents’ self-compassion and mindfulness through a more secure perception of the relationship with the parents, and was indirectly associated with adolescents’ well-being through perceived attachment security, self-compassion and mindfulness. The path model was invariant across stages of adolescence but some relations in the model varied across gender. Self-compassion and mindfulness seem to develop within a parent-child relationship characterized by affection, self-regulation, and mindful awareness. These two resources, along with mindful parenting and positive representations of the parent-child relationship, are associated with adolescents’ well-being.
Childhood poverty is associated with poorer adolescent health and health behaviours, but the importance of the timing of poverty remains unclear. There may be critical or sensitive periods in early life or early adolescence, or poverty may have cumulative effects throughout childhood. Understanding when poverty is most important can support efficient timing of interventions to raise family income or buffer against the effects of low income, but answers may vary across social contexts. The US and the UK are a useful comparison with similar liberal approaches to cash transfers, but very different approaches to healthcare provision. Utilising data from large population studies in the US (n = 9408; born 1979-1996) and UK (n = 1204; born 1991-1997), this study employs a structured life course approach to compare competing hypotheses about the importance of the timing or pattern of childhood exposure to poverty in predicting adolescent health limitations, symptoms of psychiatric distress, and smoking at age 16 (age 15/16 in US). Household income histories identified experience of poverty (measured as <60% of the national median equivalised income for a given year) in early life (ages 0-5), mid-childhood (ages 6-10) and early adolescence (ages 11-15). The Bayesian Information Criterion (BIC) compared fit across models with variables representing different life course patterns of exposure to poverty. Adolescent distress was not associated with poverty in either country. In both countries, however, variables representing cumulative or persistent experiences of poverty exhibited optimal fit of all poverty exposure variables in predicting adolescent smoking and health limitations. There was also evidence of an early life sensitive period for smoking in the US. Poverty was more persistent in the US, but associations between poverty and outcomes were consistent across countries. Although poverty can have cumulative effects on health and behaviour, early interventions may offer the best long-term protection.
Adolescence is a critical stage of life characterised by rapid biological, emotional, and social development. It is during this time that every person develops the capabilities required for a productive, healthy, and satisfying life. In order to make a healthy transition into adulthood, adolescents need to have access to health education, including education on sexuality1; quality health services, including sexual and reproductive; and a supportive environment both at home and in communities and countries. The global community increasingly recognises these vital needs of adolescents, and there is an emerging consensus that investing intensively in adolescents’ health and development is not only key to improving their survival and wellbeing but critical for the success of the post-2015 development agenda.2 The suggested inclusion of adolescent health in the United Nations secretary general’s Global Strategy for Women’s and Children’s Health is an expression of this growing awareness and represents an unprecedented opportunity to place adolescents on the political map beyond 2015. Ensuring that every adolescent has the knowledge, skills, and opportunities for a healthy, productive life and enjoyment of all human rights3 is essential for achieving improved health, social justice, gender equality, and other development goals. We argue that the priority in the revised Every Women Every Child Global Strategy needs to be giving adolescents a voice, expanding their choices and control over their bodies, and enabling them to develop the capabilities required for a productive, healthy, and satisfying life. We call for a global, participatory movement to improve the health of the world’s adolescents as part of a broader agenda to improve their wellbeing and uphold their rights.
Highlights:
The distinction among the concepts of comfort, well-being and QoL is often unclear.This ambiguity can lead to redundancies, gaps, and knowledge dispersion.The concepts are not surrogate terms but related concepts sharing common attributes.
Aim:
To analyze the differences and similarities of the concepts of comfort, well-being and quality of life (QoL).
Methods:
Review of concept analysis research on PubMed, Cinahl (full text) and Scielo, using the search terms "Comfort", "Well-being", "Quality of Life" and "Concept Analysis".
Results:
Eighteen studies were included. Comfort is a broader holistic concept while well-being is mainly related to psycho-spiritual dimensions. QoL reflects the individual perception of satisfaction with life.
Conclusions:
The concepts are not surrogate terms, but related concepts sharing common attributes. Caution should be taken in further research, particularly as regards the correct use and framing of the concepts.
Introduction: This study sought to explore and describe the interpretation which adolescents ascribe to the term wellness at a selected high school in the Western Cape Province of South Africa.
Methods: A qualitative research design was utilized. Nine focus-group discussions were conducted among 58 adolescents. Sample was selected purposefully and collected data was analyzed using open coding.
Results: Findings reflected adolescents’ interpretations of the term wellness in the realm of holistic well-being transcending the nonexistence of illness or sickness in the body. The interpretations given include: healthy living which embrace eating enough nutritious foods, exercising regularly and being actively involved in physical activities; practicing self-care habits such as personal hygiene and grooming; well-being of the mind (psychological, emotional); having a balanced personality and interpersonal processes; being focused and goal directed and spiritual well-being.
Conclusion: It is imperative to consider adolescents’ understandings of wellness when planning, designing, implementing and evaluating adolescent wellness programs.
Unlabelled:
Few qualitative studies have explored adolescent boys' perceptions of health.
Aim:
The aim of this study was therefore to explore how adolescent boys understand the concept of health and what they find important for its achievement.
Methods:
Grounded theory was used as a method to analyse interviews with 33 adolescent boys aged 16 to 17 years attending three upper secondary schools in a relatively small town in Sweden.
Results:
There was a complexity in how health was perceived, experienced, dealt with, and valued. Although health on a conceptual level was described as 'holistic', health was experienced and dealt with in a more dualistic manner, one in which the boys were prone to differentiate between mind and body. Health was experienced as mainly emotional and relational, whereas the body had a subordinate value. The presence of positive emotions, experiencing self-esteem, balance in life, trustful relationships, and having a sense of belonging were important factors for health while the body was experienced as a tool to achieve health, as energy, and as a condition.
Conclusion:
Our findings indicate that young, masculine health is largely experienced through emotions and relationships and thus support theories on health as a social construction of interconnected processes.
Wellbeing is complex, holistic, and subjectively perceived. Issues such as gender, age, and environment seem to affect it. Therefore, the aim of this qualitative study was to describe the meaning of seasonal changes, nature, and animals towards 13–16-year-old girls’ wellbeing in Northern Finland. In the spring of 2014, through purposive sampling, a total of 19 girls participated in semi-structured interviews from various parts of Northern Finland. The data were analysed using content analysis. Afterwards, the analysis combining the category participatory involvement with environment was found, and this consisted of three main categories: adaptation to seasonal changes, restorative nature, and empowering interactivity with animals. Seasonal changes had an effect on girls’ wellbeing; in the summertime, they felt happy and vivacious, active, and outgoing. Instead, during the winter months, girls’ mood and activity seemed to be lower and they felt lazier and depressed. Nature brought mainly positive feelings to girls; being in nature was experienced as liberating and relaxing, and it offered opportunities to relax and have sensory perceptions. Interaction with animals was perceived as empowering. They were experienced as altruistic and comforting companions. Animals were important to girls, and they contributed to girls’ lives through positive effects towards their mental and physical wellbeing. Based on the results of this study, we can recommend that being in nature and interacting with animals should be supported because they seem to have benefits towards adolescent girls’ health and wellbeing. In order to facilitate the negative effects of winter, the school days should be arranged in such a way that it would be possible for girls to have outdoor activities during the daytime. The challenge for the future is perhaps the purposeful utilisation of nature's and the animals’ positive effects towards their wellbeing.
Systematic reviews and meta-analyses have become increasingly important in health care. Clinicians read them to keep up to date with their field [1],[2], and they are often used as a starting point for developing clinical practice guidelines. Granting agencies may require a systematic review to ensure there is justification for further research [3], and some health care journals are moving in this direction [4]. As with all research, the value of a systematic review depends on what was done, what was found, and the clarity of reporting. As with other publications, the reporting quality of systematic reviews varies, limiting readers' ability to assess the strengths and weaknesses of those reviews.
Several early studies evaluated the quality of review reports. In 1987, Mulrow examined 50 review articles published in four leading medical journals in 1985 and 1986 and found that none met all eight explicit scientific criteria, such as a quality assessment of included studies [5]. In 1987, Sacks and colleagues [6] evaluated the adequacy of reporting of 83 meta-analyses on 23 characteristics in six domains. Reporting was generally poor; between one and 14 characteristics were adequately reported (mean = 7.7; standard deviation = 2.7). A 1996 update of this study found little improvement [7].
In 1996, to address the suboptimal reporting of meta-analyses, an international group developed a guidance called the QUOROM Statement (QUality Of Reporting Of Meta-analyses), which focused on the reporting of meta-analyses of randomized controlled trials [8]. In this article, we summarize a revision of these guidelines, renamed PRISMA (Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic reviews and Meta-Analyses), which have been updated to address several conceptual and practical advances in the science of systematic reviews (Box 1).
Box 1: Conceptual Issues in the Evolution from QUOROM to PRISMA
Completing a Systematic Review Is an Iterative Process
The conduct of a systematic review depends heavily on the scope and quality of included studies: thus systematic reviewers may need to modify their original review protocol during its conduct. Any systematic review reporting guideline should recommend that such changes can be reported and explained without suggesting that they are inappropriate. The PRISMA Statement (Items 5, 11, 16, and 23) acknowledges this iterative process. Aside from Cochrane reviews, all of which should have a protocol, only about 10% of systematic reviewers report working from a protocol [22]. Without a protocol that is publicly accessible, it is difficult to judge between appropriate and inappropriate modifications.
Subjective wellbeing and health are closely linked to age. Three aspects of subjective wellbeing can be distinguished-evaluative wellbeing (or life satisfaction), hedonic wellbeing (feelings of happiness, sadness, anger, stress, and pain), and eudemonic wellbeing (sense of purpose and meaning in life). We review recent advances in the specialty of psychological wellbeing, and present new analyses about the pattern of wellbeing across ages and the association between wellbeing and survival at older ages. The Gallup World Poll, a continuing survey in more than 160 countries, shows a U-shaped relation between evaluative wellbeing and age in high-income, English speaking countries, with the lowest levels of wellbeing in ages 45-54 years. But this pattern is not universal. For example, respondents from the former Soviet Union and eastern Europe show a large progressive reduction in wellbeing with age, respondents from Latin America also shows decreased wellbeing with age, whereas wellbeing in sub-Saharan Africa shows little change with age. The relation between physical health and subjective wellbeing is bidirectional. Older people with illnesses such as coronary heart disease, arthritis, and chronic lung disease show both increased levels of depressed mood and impaired hedonic and eudemonic wellbeing. Wellbeing might also have a protective role in health maintenance. In an analysis of the English Longitudinal Study of Ageing, we identify that eudemonic wellbeing is associated with increased survival; 29·3% of people in the lowest wellbeing quartile died during the average follow-up period of 8·5 years compared with 9·3% of those in the highest quartile. Associations were independent of age, sex, demographic factors, and baseline mental and physical health. We conclude that the wellbeing of elderly people is an important objective for both economic and health policy. Present psychological and economic theories do not adequately account for the variations in patterns of wellbeing with age across different parts of the world. The apparent association between wellbeing and survival is consistent with a protective role of high wellbeing, but alternative explanations cannot be ruled out at this stage.
Copyright © 2014 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.
Background and Objectives: The assessment of wellbeing is a top priority in health sciences. The aim of this paper is to review the history of the concept of wellbeing and "Quality of Life" (QoL), and to understand the theories and assumptions that guided this field in order to provide a conceptual framework that may eventually facilitate the development of a formal synset (grouping of synonyms and semantically similar terms) of health-related wellbeing. Methods: The history of the concept of wellbeing and QoL was reviewed in order to provide a conceptual framework. Results: Huge differences exist on the definition of "Wellbeing" and its relationship with QoL, "Happiness" and "Functioning" in the health context. From a dimensional perspective, health related wellbeing could be regarded as an overarching construct characterised by asymmetrical polarity, where "wellbeing" embeds the concept of "ill-being" as "health" incorporates de concept of "disease". Conclusions: A common conceptual framework of these terms may eventually facilitate the development of a formal synset of health-related wellbeing. This terminological clarification should be part of a new taxonomy of health-related wellbeing based on the International Classification of Functioning, Disability and Health (ICF) framework that may facilitate knowledge transfer across different sectors and semantic interoperability for care management and planning.
Objectives To report the findings of a literature review of the concept of wellbeing and consider its operational and heuristic potential within a range of disciplines.
Design A literature review to examine the philosophical roots of wellbeing and the contributions of the main disciplines uncovered by the review; economics, psychology, health studies, sociology, anthropology and biomedicine.
Setting 'Wellbeing' is a concept of increasing interest to those working in health promotion, social and public health medicine and medical sociology. Despite its popularity, wellbeing lacks a clear conceptual base and there is little consensus about how it may be identified, measured and achieved.
Method Although conducted rigorously this was more of a scoping exercise than a systematic review. The reviewer was given a fairly broad exploratory brief including qualitative and quantitative dimensions. The search was restricted to articles in the English Language between the years 1980-2001.
Results Most disciplines tended to be biased towards one or two aspects of the three major aspects of physical, social and psychological Wellbeing, with the main exception of child wellbeing studies. Those working in economics made a significant contribution to understanding conceptual elements of wellbeing. The fields of psychology and biomedicine were more concerned with negative than positive affect. There was a particular lack of consensus and research around social wellbeing.
Conclusion Although wellbeing may indeed be extremely useful as a unifying concept for all those involved in health improvement or health research,at present it is being used unreflectively, thus potentially masking differences.
Background
Although most countries in the European Union are richer and healthier than ever, health inequalities remain an important public health challenge. Health-related problems and premature death have disproportionately been reported in disadvantaged neighbourhoods. Neighbourhood social capital is believed to influence the association between neighbourhood deprivation and health in children and adolescents, making it a potentially interesting concept for policymakers.
Methods
This study aims to review the role of social capital in health inequalities and the social gradient in health and well-being of children and adolescents. A systematic review of published quantitative literature was conducted, focussing on (1) the mediating role of neighbourhood social capital in the relationship between socio-economic status (SES) and health-related outcomes in children and adolescents and (2) the interaction between neighbourhood social capital and socio-economic characteristics in relation to health-related outcomes in children and adolescents. Three electronic databases were searched. Studies executed between 1 January 1990 and 1 September 2011 in Western countries (USA, New Zealand, Australia and Europe) that included a health-related outcome in children or adolescents and a variable that measured neighbourhood social capital were included.
Results
Eight studies met the inclusion criteria for the review. The findings are mixed. Only two of five studies confirmed that neighbourhood social capital mediates the association between neighbourhood deprivation and health and well-being in adolescents. Furthermore, two studies found a significant interaction between neighbourhood socio-economic factors and neighbourhood social capital, which indicates that neighbourhood social capital is especially beneficial for children who reside in deprived neighbourhoods. However, two other studies did not find a significant interaction between SES and neighbourhood social capital. Due to the broad range of studied health-related outcomes, the different operationalisations of neighbourhood social capital and the conceptual overlap between measures of SES and social capital in some studies, the factors that explain these differences in findings remain unclear.
Conclusions
Although the findings of this study should be interpreted with caution, the results suggest that neighbourhood social capital might play a role in the health gradient among children and adolescents. However, only two of the included studies were conducted in Europe. Furthermore, some studies focussed on specific populations and minority groups. To formulate relevant European policy recommendations, further European-focussed research on this issue is needed.
W. Wilson's (1967) review of the area of subjective well-being (SWB) advanced several conclusions regarding those who report high levels of "happiness." A number of his conclusions have been overturned: youth and modest aspirations no longer are seen as prerequisites of SWB. E. Diener's (1984) review placed greater emphasis on theories that stressed psychological factors. In the current article, the authors review current evidence for Wilson's conclusions and discuss modern theories of SWB that stress dispositional influences, adaptation, goals, and coping strategies. The next steps in the evolution of the field are to comprehend the interaction of psychological factors with life circumstances in producing SWB, to understand the causal pathways leading to happiness, understand the processes underlying adaptation to events, and develop theories that explain why certain variables differentially influence the different components of SWB (life satisfaction, pleasant affect, and unpleasant affect). (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2012 APA, all rights reserved)
Reigning measures of psychological well-being have little theoretical grounding, despite an extensive literature on the contours of positive functioning. Aspects of well-being derived from this literature (i.e., self-acceptance, positive relations with others, autonomy, environmental mastery, purpose in life, and personal growth) were operationalized. Three hundred and twenty-one men and women, divided among young, middle-aged, and older adults, rated themselves on these measures along with six instruments prominent in earlier studies (i.e., affect balance, life satisfaction, self-esteem, morale, locus of control, depression). Results revealed that positive relations with others, autonomy, purpose in life, and personal growth were not strongly tied to prior assessment indexes, thereby supporting the claim that key aspects of positive functioning have not been represented in the empirical arena. Furthermore, age profiles revealed a more differentiated pattern of well-being than is evident in prior research. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2012 APA, all rights reserved)
Well-being is a complex construct that concerns optimal experience and functioning. Current research on well-being has been derived from two general perspectives: the hedonic approach, which focuses on happiness and defines well-being in terms of pleasure attainment and pain avoidance; and the eudaimonic approach, which focuses on meaning and self-realization and defines well-being in terms of the degree to which a person is fully functioning. These two views have given rise to different research foci and a body of knowledge that is in some areas divergent and in others complementary. New methodological developments concerning multilevel modeling and construct comparisons are also allowing researchers to formulate new questions for the field. This review considers research from both perspectives concerning the nature of well-being, its antecedents, and its stability across time and culture.
Human beings can be proactive and engaged or, alternatively, passive and alienated, largely as a function of the social conditions in which they develop and function. Accordingly, research guided by self-determination theory has focused on the social-contextual conditions that facilitate versus forestall the natural processes of self-motivation and healthy psychological development. Specifically, factors have been examined that enhance versus undermine intrinsic motivation, self-regulation, and well-being. The findings have led to the postulate of three innate psychological needs--competence, autonomy, and relatedness--which when satisfied yield enhanced self-motivation and mental health and when thwarted lead to diminished motivation and well-being. Also considered is the significance of these psychological needs and processes within domains such as health care, education, work, sport, religion, and psychotherapy.
This handbook presents the most comprehensive account of eudaimonic well-being to date. It brings together theoretical insights and empirical updates presented by leading scholars and young researchers. The handbook examines philosophical and historical approaches to the study of happy lives and good societies, and it critically looks at conceptual controversies related to eudaimonia and well-being. It identifies the elements of happiness in a variety of areas such as emotions, health, wisdom, self-determination, internal motivation, personal growth, genetics, work, leisure, heroism, and many more. It then places eudaimonic well-being in the larger context of society, addressing social elements. The most remarkable outcome of the book is arguably its large-scale relevance, reminding us that the more we know about the good way of living, the more we are in a position to build a society that can be supportive and offer opportunities for such a way of living for all of its citizens.
Purpose
The purpose of this study was to capture a more holistic view of what adolescents expect, as health care consumers, in their interactions with their primary care providers. Annual preventive health care visits aim to assist adolescents in establishing or maintaining a healthy lifestyle and to assume a more independent role in their health care. Despite national guidelines that support the importance of wellness visits, these visits are utilized at declining rates throughout adolescence.
Method
Noblit and Hare’s (1988) meta-ethnographic approach was used to synthesize 12 qualitative studies.
Results
The synthesis revealed five overarching metaphors that described adolescents' expectations of their primary health care providers: Talk with Me--Not at Me, Accept Me, Respect My Privacy and Confidentiality, Show Me You Are a Professional, and A Trusted Relationship.
Conclusions
This study provides a more holistic view of adolescents’ expectations of their primary care providers. Strategies are suggested for providers to better meet their expectations and build trusted relationships with adolescents in the primary care setting.
Background. Lifestyle medicine has emerged as a transformational force in mainstream health care. Numerous health promotion and wellness programs have been created to facilitate the adoption of increased positive, modifiable health behaviors to prevent and lessen the effects of chronic disease. This article provides a scoping review of available health promotion interventions that focus on healthy adult populations in the past 10 years. Methods. We conducted a scoping review of the literature searching for health promotion interventions in the past 10 years. Interventions were limited to those conducted among healthy adults that offered a face-to-face, group-based format, with positive results on one or more health outcomes. We then developed a new health promotion intervention that draws on multiple components of included interventions. Results. Fifty-eight articles met our inclusion criteria. Physical activity was the primary focus of a majority (N = 47) of articles, followed by diet/nutrition (N = 40) and coping/social support (N = 40). Conclusions. Efficacious health promotion interventions are critical to address the prevention of chronic disease by addressing modifiable risk factors such as exercise, nutrition, stress, and coping. A new intervention, discussed is this article, provides a comprehensive approaches to health behavior change and may be adapted for future research.
In the context of retailing, ‘wellness consumption’ cannot be defined by a product or service category, but by shopping motives. As previous research strongly suggests our consumption patterns to be influenced both by age and generational effects, in the current study we explore the wellness orientations of consumers at different ages/belonging to different generations as they manifest in everyday practices, especially in the context of retailing. Drawing on that, we aim to shed light on implications of the population ageing on retailing-related wellness industry. The main focus is on Baby Boomers. Starting with a random sample of 18–75-year-olds (N=1600), we extracted six dimensions connected to different aspects of wellness. Next, the dimensions extracted among aged 18–75 and 55−64 were fed into respective cluster analyses which both yielded seven segments. The differences in the composition of wellness dimensions indicate that age-/generation-specific segmentation is warranted and will return in more accurate estimations of the market potential and more targeted marketing activities. Examination of the parallel typologies enabled us to gain a broader understanding of differences between generations. There was an obvious age-/generation-based pattern in the cluster memberships in the 18–75 sample, all clusters offering different opportunities for the wellness market.
Unprecedented global forces are shaping the health and wellbeing of the largest generation of 10 to 24 year olds in human history. Population mobility, global communications, economic development, and the sustainability of ecosystems are setting the future course for this generation and, in turn, humankind. At the same time, we have come to new understandings of adolescence as a critical phase in life for achieving human potential. Adolescence is characterised by dynamic brain development in which the interaction with the social environment shapes the capabilities an individual takes forward into adult life.3 During adolescence, an individual acquires the physical, cognitive, emotional, social, and economic resources that are the foundation for later life health and wellbeing. These same resources define trajectories into the next generation. Investments in adolescent health and wellbeing bring benefits today, for decades to come, and for the next generation. Better childhood health and nutrition, extensions to education, delays in family formation, and new technologies offer the possibility of this being the healthiest generation of adolescents ever. But these are also the ages when new and different health problems related to the onset of sexual activity, emotional control, and behaviour typically emerge. Global trends include those promoting unhealthy lifestyles and commodities, the crisis of youth unemployment, less family stability, environmental degradation, armed conflict, and mass migration, all of which pose major threats to adolescent health and wellbeing. Adolescents and young adults have until recently been overlooked in global health and social policy, one reason why they have had fewer health gains with economic development than other age groups. The UN Secretary-General's Global Strategy for Women's, Children's and Adolescents' Health initiated, in September, 2015, presents an outstanding opportunity for investment in adolescent health and wellbeing. However, because of limits to resources and technical capacities at both the national and the global level, effective response has many challenges. The question of where to make the most effective investments is now pressing for the international development community. This Commission outlines the opportunities and challenges for investment at both country and global levels (panel 1).
The aim of the present paper was to study the impact of a gratitude building intervention on adolescents’ gratitude and well-being indicators. The sample comprised 177 students aged 11–14 years (M
Age = 12.29 years, SD = 0.67, 58 % male) attending two schools in North India. Using quasi-experimental design, participating classrooms from both schools were randomly allocated to intervention group (n = 95) or control group (n = 82). Participants completed an assessment battery comprising measures of well-being, positive and negative affect, life satisfaction, gratitude and cognition of benefit-appraisal at pre-test and post-test. Intervention group attended 30-min-long weekly sessions based on the gratitude curriculum (Froh et al. School Psychology Review, 132–152, 2014) for five consecutive weeks while control group attended neutral sessions for the same duration. Analysis of covariance was used to examine the differences between the intervention and control groups at post-test. Results suggested significant intervention effects on psychological well-being, positive affect, positive feelings, life satisfaction and gratitude. The cascading effect of gratitude was also observed. Overall findings rendered favourable evidence for Froh et al.’s (School Psychology Review, 132–152, 2014) gratitude intervention among North Indian adolescents.
Lifestyle factors serve an important determinant of health and are critical to youths’ psychosocial development. This cross-sectional survey study aimed to assess the associations between lifestyle practices and mental health and substance use among a sample of 152 Chinese-Canadian youth in the Greater Toronto Area. Findings indicated that youths’ sedentary behaviors are linked to increased depressed mood, stress, and suicidal ideation. Moreover, a lack of healthy eating habits is associated with increased substance use. The use of a buddy program, installation of peer counseling, and an implementation of a holistic health policy may help promote healthy living for Chinese-Canadian youth.
This article reports findings from three qualitative studies exploring supports for positive transitions of American Indian/Alaska Native (AI/AN) youth to adulthood. Community-based participatory methods were employed through a research partnership involving a culturally based community agency, the Native American Youth and Family Center (NAYA), the National Indian Child Welfare Association, and Portland State University. Studies utilized a Relational Worldview (RWV) framework, where well-being is understood as a balance among the domains of mind, body, spirit, and context. Collectively, findings demonstrate that NAYA employs culturally grounded interventions to overcome the traumatic histories and current oppressive conditions affecting low-income urban AI/AN youth with mental health challenges and to support their well-being and transition to adulthood. In addition, addressing the mental health and well-being of AI/AN youth in culturally appropriate ways involves consideration of all RWV domains. Recommendations for behavioral health practice are to connect AI/AN youth to culturally specific services whenever possible, utilize cultural consultants, and implement holistic and positive approaches to mental health.
Purpose:
The purpose of this study was to develop the Holistic Wellness Assessment (HWA) that incorporates conventional dimensions of wellness with a new dimension of wellness influencing young adults: financial wellness that is psychometrically sound and developmentally appropriate.
Design of the study:
The study design to establish the initial psychometrics of the HWA was the single-group design. The cross-sectional nature of this design allowed for the postclassification of the participants into different demographic groups facilitating comparisons of the instrument's derived subscales.
Method:
From 5,075 university students, 2,090 participants completed an online 285-item HWA and 2,086 respondents provided demographic information.
Results:
Exploratory factor analysis of the HWA revealed eight dimensions: Self-Regard, Self-Awareness and Responsibility, Sustainability, Relational, Risk Prevention, Spirituality, Physical Health, and Health Care Maintenance.
Findings:
Four of the eight factors were consistent with existing models of wellness. Three new dimensions of wellness- Self-Regard, Self-Awareness and Responsibility, and Sustainability-emerged from the comprehensive item set that included financial wellness and will set the stage for the development and expansion of wellness models and theories.
Conclusion:
Initial psychometric analysis suggests that this instrument may prove useful in the young adult population for measuring wellness awareness curriculum and behavior change outcomes.
An operational definition of depressive disorder was used to define a group of prepubertal children attending a hospital-based out-patient child psychiatry clinic. The construct validity of depressive disorder in childhood was demonstrated by comparing this group with a matched control group on historical and clinical data. A self-rating scale was evolved by determining which items of an initial inventory discriminated the depressed groups from the clinic control group and comparison groups from a normal school and from a residential school for maladjusted pupils. The final self-rating scale requires further validation on an independent depressed group, but it had high internal consistency, factorial validity and satisfactory stability. Possible applications of the scale are discussed.
A systematic review the child well-beingliterature in English was conducted withsearches in five databases to assess thecurrent state of child well-being research andanswer the following questions: (1) How is childwell-being defined? (2) What are the domains ofchild well-being? (3) What are the indicators ofchild well-being? and (4) How is childwell-being measured? This review updates andexpands a previous review of the childwell-being literature spanning 1974–1992. Results indicate that well-being is a commonlyused but inconsistently defined term frequentlyincluded in the study of child development. There are five distinct domains of childwell-being: physical, psychological, cognitive,social, and economic. Positive indicators areused more often in the physical, cognitive,social, and economic domains, while morenegative or deficit indicators are used in thepsychological domain. There is littleagreement in the research literature on how tobest measure child well-being.
Well-being can be defined in terms of an individual's physical, mental, social, and environmental status with each aspect interacting with the other and each having differing levels of importance and impact according to each individual. A change in the different aspects of well-being of an individual may be reflected in an alteration of behavior or the performance of a task or activity. Although the current research environment has emphasized the importance of well-being, little emphasis has been placed on this concept from the individual's point of view or perspective. The definition of well-being is usually assumed or lacking in clarity with similar terms used interchangeably. Well-being has been measured in research using various scales, which may not capture the complexity of the concept. This integrative review clearly indicates the need to explore how individuals define and conceptualize health and wellness and to discover what they perceive to be the major facilitators and barriers to health and wellness for themselves and other individuals living with disability.
The aim of the study was to investigate the impact of parental socioeconomic status (SES) on subjects' well-being and health behaviour in adolescence, early adulthood and adulthood, and whether these impacts remained after controlling for the person's own SES.
All 16-year-old ninth-grade school pupils of one Finnish city completed questionnaires at school. Subjects were followed up using postal questionnaires when aged 22 and 32 years.
Females of manual class origin had lower self-esteem and more distress symptoms from adolescence to adulthood than those from a non-manual background. Lower self-esteem was found among males from manual class families in adolescence and early adulthood. In both genders, no significant class differences were found in depression, health status or prevalence of chronic illness. Unhealthier behaviours regarding smoking and physical activity were more prevalent among both genders of manual class origin, and females of this group had higher rates of overweight and higher body mass index scores. After controlling for the person's own SES, the effect of parental SES diminished but remained significant for smoking in both genders and for physical activity in males up to 22 years, and for self-esteem and BMI in females up to 32.
This follow-up study contributes to the health inequality debate investigating parental SES differences in health behaviour and somatic health, and particularly in psychological health, which is relatively rarely investigated. The results indicate that parental SES has effects on early adult and adult well-being and health behaviour other than those mediated by current SES.
Adolescents learn health behaviors in a sociocultural context of community, family, and peers. Although many adolescents engage in behaviors that protect and promote health, others engage in behaviors that threaten or compromise their health. The purpose of this review article is to provide an overview of health-risk behaviors and the morbidities and mortalities of adolescence that are related to these behaviors. Interventions that address these health behaviors and outcomes are presented along with suggestions for a holistic nursing response to this important public health concern.