School Dropout Intention and Self-esteem in Immigrant and Native Students Living in Poverty: The Protective Role of Peer Acceptance at School

The Burden of Self-Blame: Bullying Victimization and Internalizing Problems in Native and Migrant Adolescents

Understanding the psychological factors influencing adolescents' well-being is crucial, particularly when considering the unique challenges and experiences of migrant youth. The present study investigated the three-way interaction involving bullying victimization experiences, self-blame attribution bias, and migrant background in relation to internalizing problems. The study involved 430 adolescents aged 14 to 17 years (43% girls; 27% with a migrant background). Results indicated that among native Italian individuals, bullying victimization was significantly and positively associated with internalizing problems, regardless of the level of self-blame attribution bias. In contrast, among migrant adolescents, this association was significant only at high levels of self-blame attribution bias. The findings suggest that migrant adolescents with high self-blame attribution bias may interpret bullying victimization through the lens of their minority status, which exacerbates feelings of inferiority and vulnerability to internalizing problems. Conversely, migrant adolescents who attribute their bullying victimization to external factors, rather than internalizing negative stereotypes, may demonstrate greater psychological resilience against internalizing problems. This study advances our understanding of the unique challenges faced by migrant adolescents in Italy, helping to identify specific risk and protective factors for their psychosocial adaptation. Targeted interventions aimed at reducing self-blame and fostering healthier cognitive patterns could help mitigate the negative effects of bullying victimization and promote psychological resilience among migrant adolescents.

Self-Efficacy and Psychological Well-Being in Adolescents: Evaluating the Moderating Role of Socioeconomic Status and Cultural Factors

BACKGROUND/OBJECTIVES

Adolescence is a crucial developmental stage characterized by significant psychological and emotional changes. Within the school context, academic self-efficacy (ASE) influences students' emotional well-being, including positive and negative affective states. Research has shown that both ASE and emotional well-being are associated with socioeconomic status (SES) and immigrant background. This study aims to examine whether SES and immigrant background moderate the relationship between ASE and positive/negative affect among adolescents.

METHODS

Data were collected from a representative sample of 26,564 10th-grade students in Italian schools. ASE, positive and negative affect, SES, and immigrant background were assessed through validated measures. Multigroup structural equation modeling (multigroup SEM) was conducted to test the moderating roles of SES (low, middle, high) and immigrant background (native, first-generation immigrant, second-generation immigrant) on the relationship between ASE and affective states.

RESULTS

The results indicated that ASE significantly predicted positive affect (β = 0.34, p < 0.001) and negative affect (β = -0.17, p < 0.001) across all groups. However, results indicated no significant differences in the ASE-emotional affect relationship across SES and immigrant background groups, indicating that neither SES nor immigrant background moderated these associations.

CONCLUSIONS

The findings suggest that ASE is associated with both positive affect and negative affect in adolescents, irrespective of SES and immigrant background. This highlights the universal importance of fostering ASE in school settings to support emotional well-being across diverse demographic groups.

The effect of social withdrawal on life satisfaction among multicultural adolescents: The mediating and moderating effects of parental support

Background

The number of multicultural adolescents is continuously increasing, and they tend to experience more psychological difficulties than their non-multicultural peers.

Objective

This study investigates the mediating and moderating effects of parental support on the relationship between social withdrawal and life satisfaction among multicultural adolescents.

Methods

This secondary data analysis utilized the Multicultural Children & Adolescents Panel Survey conducted by the National Youth Policy Institute. The analysis included data from 2018 and involved 1197 multicultural adolescents. The data were analyzed using the R-Statistics 4.1.1 program.

Results

Social withdrawal and parental support had a detrimental impact on life satisfaction among multicultural adolescents. Parental support also played a partial mediating role in the connection between social support and life satisfaction. Furthermore, parental support was a moderating factor capable of mitigating the negative influence of social withdrawal on life satisfaction.

Conclusion

Measures to reduce social withdrawal and increase parental support are very effective in improving the life satisfaction of multicultural adolescents. More focused professional intervention measures for social withdrawal and parental support must be considered when seeking and preparing support measures to improve the life satisfaction of multicultural adolescents.

Validation study for the Academic Maladjustment Questionnaire on a Romanian sample

Introduction

The problem of academic dropout in the first year of studies represents an important issue for higher education, in that it accounts for an important indicator of quality but also for the negative consequences it produces on individual, institutional and social level. The main aim of the study is to validate and evaluate a robust measure of overall academic maladjustment.

Method

The participants were 809 first-year students from various Romanian universities.

Results

The results showed a reliable version of the instrument with a factorial structure that did not deviate significantly from the authors' initial model. The exploratory and confirmatory factor analysis revealed a unified score including six dimensions, procrastination, dishonesty - unethical behavior, test anxiety, machiavellian attitude, neuroticism, and somatization. Our results confirmed that besides academic achievement, personal factors are important indicators of adjustment, showing that personal resources management, emotional and behavioral strategies are components of adjustment. Our study revealed a medium and positive correlation between overall maladjustment and academic dropout intention, procrastination seemed to be the most relevant predictor of dropout intention.

Discussion

Academic adjustment acts as a safeguard against dropping out, and it is crucial to acknowledge that most students enter college with the intention of completing their studies.

Addressing Adolescents' Prejudice toward Immigrants: The Role of the Classroom Context

According to social learning theory, classrooms are essential socialization contexts for intergroup attitudes, but analyses of contextual factors net of the impact of individual variables affecting prejudice toward immigrants are very limited. This study was conducted on a large sample of Italian adolescents (N = 2904; Mage = 13.70; females = 48.5%; 168 classrooms). It examined the role of classroom contextual factors affecting adolescents' prejudice toward immigrants, relying on the combination of groups' warmth and competence, and their antecedents (i.e., competition and status). Multilevel structural equation analyses revealed that classroom contextual factors (i.e., classroom socio-economic status-SES; classroom open to discussion climate; classroom educational achievements) indirectly affected, at the class level, adolescents' perceived warmth and competence of immigrants through the mediating role of perceived competition (and status) of immigrants. These findings suggest that interventions targeting the classroom context can help to hinder prejudice in adolescence at the class level.

Children's emotional and behavioral response following a migration: a scoping review

Background

Migration is a present and pressing global phenomenon, as climate change and political instability continue to rise, more populations will be forced to relocate. Efficient strategies must be in place to aid the transition of vulnerable populations - such as children - and strategic interventions designed based on an understanding of their particular needs and risks.

Aim of the review

This article reviewed recent research regarding the mental health of migrant children identifying a wide array of common characteristics to their emotional and behavioral responses following a migration, and compiled an extensive list of protective and risk factors. 48 studies were selected from Proquest, WOS, SCOPUS, and Pubpsych published between 2015 and 2022 covering studies of children around the world.

Findings

The migration-related factors that most negatively impacted children's mental health were experiences such as discrimination, loss of access to governmental and educational resources, premigration trauma, loss of community, cultural distance and acculturation, the burden on the family unit, and socioeconomic difficulties. Thus, with the right interventions and policy changes, it is possible to make migration a non-traumatic experience in order to avoid the common emergence of depressive symptoms, PTSS (post-traumatic stress symptoms), anxiety, and other mental health issues. Supporting the family unit's transition, encouraging peer connections, and directing government aid to expedite resources upon arrival will serve as protective factors for children while they integrate into their new environment.

Mental health and adaptation among newcomer immigrant youth in United States educational settings

Schools play a vital role in the acculturation process of newly migrated youth. Social and academic factors within school settings predict a wide variety of adaptation outcomes. Age and grade also impact the ways that school experiences can shape the post-migration adjustment trajectories of migrant youth. Negative school experiences can exacerbate migration trauma, whereas positive school experiences play an important protective role in overcoming migration-related challenges and adjusting to a new cultural context. Emerging research also suggests that the school environment presents a valuable opportunity for service delivery, as students are readily accessible during the school day which reduces systemic barriers to engagement. Socio-emotional prevention and intervention can address migration trauma, foster resiliency, and help lead the way to acculturative and academic success. Teachers, counselors, coaches and mentors who engage with newcomer immigrant youth in schools can play a pivotal role in easing migration-related challenges by encouraging positive emotional attachments, linking to resources, and helping to navigate new systems. These professionals benefit from specialized training on the unique needs and best practices for supporting the learning, engagement, development, and adaptation of newcomer youth.

Adolescence dropout risk predictors: Family structure, mental health, and self-esteem

This study investigated the predictive roles of family structure, mental health, and self-esteem in dropout risk among school-going adolescents in the Ibadan Municipality of Oyo State, Nigeria. A quantitative research design approach was adopted. A total of 287 school-going adolescents with consistent record of absenteeism were randomly selected from 14 schools in the Ibadan Municipality. A single adapted questionnaire divided into sections was used to collect data. The hypotheses raised were tested using the Pearson's product-moment correlation and multiple regression analysis. The study established that the relationship between dropout risk, lack of family structure (r = 0.491, n = 287, p < 0.05), mental health (r = 0.373, n = 287, p < 0.05), and self-esteem (r = 0.428, n = 287, p < 0.05) of the participants was significant. Furthermore, the joint influence of the predictive variables (family structure, mental health, and self-esteem) was also significant on dropout risk (R = 0.489, adjusted R² of 0.398). The study concludes that dropout risk among school-going adolescents can be safeguarded with factors such as family structure, mental health, and self-esteem as guided against. Hence, the family structure, mental health, and self-esteem are very crucial if the upsurge of school dropout that is bedeviling the society will be reduced to bearable level or eradicated.

Adolescents’ Characteristics and Peer Relationships in Class: A Population Study

Background: This study aimed to investigate differences in adolescents’ social relationships with classmates of diverse gender, socioeconomic status, immigrant background, and academic achievement. Methods: A population of 10th-grade students (N = 406,783; males = 50.3%; M_age = 15.57 years, SD_age = 0.75) completed the Classmates Social Isolation Questionnaire (CSIQ), an instrument specifically designed to measure two distinct but correlated types of peer relationships in class: peer acceptance and peer friendship. To obtain reliable comparisons across diverse adolescent characteristics, the measurement invariance of the CSIQ was established by means of CFAs and then latent mean differences tests were performed. Results: Immigrant background, academic achievement, and socioeconomic status all proved to be important factors influencing relationships with classmates, while being a male or a female was less relevant. Being a first-generation immigrant adolescent appears to be the foremost risk factor for being less accepted by classmates, while having a low academic achievement is the greatest hindrance for having friends in the group of classmates, a finding that diverges from previous studies. Conclusions: This population study suggests that adolescent characteristics (especially immigrant background, socioeconomic status, and academic achievement) seem to affect social relationships with classmates.

The Associations between Contextual and Cultural Stressors, Internalizing Symptoms, and Social Support

The current study aims to examine the associations between neighborhood safety, racial-ethnic discrimination, and depressive symptoms, as well as explore social support as a protective factor using the Minority Stress Model for three different BIPOC groups (i.e. African American, Puerto Rican, and Dominican). African American and Latino youth living in urban environments often encounter multiple stressors at the same time, and it is critical to learn more about how these stressors influence well-being in tandem. The results showed that among African American youth safety concerns were associated with depressive symptoms while discrimination was associated with Latino youth's depressive symptoms.