The relationship between internet addiction and aggressive behavior among adolescents during the COVID-19 pandemic: Anxiety as a mediator

Protective and risk factors of anxiety in children and adolescents during COVID-19: A systematic review and three level meta-analysis

BACKGROUND

In order to gain a deepened understanding of the impact of public health emergency and to develop effective interventions and preventions, this study aimed to evaluate risk and protective factors associated with anxiety in children and adolescents and to explore potential moderators in the background of COVID-19 within the framework of socio-ecological model.

METHODS

A literature search was conducted in Web of Science, MEDLINE, PubMed, Scopus, EBSCO, ScienceDirect, Emerald, and CNKI for studies published from early 2020 to early 2023 that examined factors associated with anxiety among children and adolescents with age range of 6 to 17 years old. Random effects models and a three-level meta-analytic approach were used.

RESULTS

In total, 141 articles and 1,018,171 subjects were included, with 1002 effect sizes extracted. 32 protective factors and 48 risk factors were examined, yielding significance for 14 protective factors and 29 risk factors, including individual factors (e.g., gender, logOR = -0.37, 95 % CI [-0.47, -0.27], p < 0.001; age, logOR = -0.12, 95 % CI [-0.22, -0.02], p = 0.02; emotional functioning, logOR = -1.45, 95 % CI [-1.84, -1.05], p < 0.001; pre-existing condition logOR = 0.94, 95 % CI [0.58, 1.30], p < 0.001; electronic device or internet addiction, logOR = 1.81, 95 % CI [0.74, 2.88], p < 0.001), family factors (e.g., family socioeconomic status, logOR = -0.25, 95 % CI [-0.39, -0.10], p < 0.001; family functioning, logOR = -1.31, 95 % CI [-1.60, -1.02], p < 0.001; anxiety level of caregiver, logOR = 1.06, 95 % CI [0.75, 1.37], p < 0.001), community factors (e.g., overall social support, logOR = -0.93, 95 % CI [-1.84, -1.05], p < 0.001; school burden, logOR = 0.56, 95 % CI [0.21, 0.90], p = 0.002), and COVID-19-related factors (e.g., higher exposure risk in local community or city, logOR = 0.48, 95 % CI [0.17, 0.78], p = 0.002; distant learning, logOR = 0.73, 95 % CI [0.19, 1.28], p = 0.008; COVID-19-related distress, logOR = 1.42, 95 % CI [0.55, 2.29], p = 0.001;). The majority of studies showed no publication bias. Age group moderated the relationship between gender and level of anxiety (F (1,96) = 4.42, p = 0.038), and no other moderator showed significance.

LIMITATIONS

This study does not reveal causality but correlation in nature, and our findings should be interpretated with caution.

CONCLUSIONS

Public health emergencies could bring challenges to the mental health of children and adolescents. Prevention and intervention strategies for children and adolescents with high risks, and family-based and community-based programs should be encouraged to buffer the adverse impact on children and adolescents. This study has been prospectively registered at PROSPERO (registration number: CRD42022316746).

Further Evidence for the Dark-Ego-Vehicle Principle: Higher Pathological Narcissistic Grandiosity and Virtue Signaling Are Related to Greater Involvement in LGBQ and Gender Identity Activism

The dark-ego-vehicle principle (DEVP) suggests that individuals with so-called dark personalities (e.g., high narcissistic traits) are attracted to political and social activism that they can repurpose to satisfy their specific ego-focused needs (e.g., signaling moral superiority and manipulating others) instead of achieving prosocial goals. Currently, research on the DEVP is still rare. With two pre-registered studies, we sought further evidence for the DEVP by examining the associations of pathological narcissistic grandiosity with involvement in LGBQ activism (Study 1) and gender identity activism (Study 2). Socioeconomically diverse samples from the USA (Study 1; N = 446) and the UK (Study 2; N = 837) were recruited online via the research-oriented crowdsourcing platform Prolific. Individuals completed the Pathological Narcissism Inventory as well as measures of involvement in activism. Moreover, we assessed different covariates (e.g., altruism), and potential correlates within the narcissism-activism relationship (i.e., virtue signaling, dominance, and aggression). In addition, we examined potential relationships between other dark personality variables (e.g., psychopathy) and activism. In both samples, higher pathological narcissistic grandiosity was related to greater involvement in activism. As expected, virtue signaling was consistently involved in the relationship between pathological narcissistic grandiosity and activism. However, neither dominance nor aggression was related to individuals' involvement in activism. The results did also not consistently support a relationship between higher psychopathy and greater involvement in activism. Overall, the findings help to further specify the DEVP.

Examining Gender Differences in Aggression as a Predictor of Anxiety, Depression, and Suicide in a Cross-Sectional French Sample

Background and Aims

The expected outcomes of the Covid-19 pandemic have a supposedly worsened impact on mental health and suicidal risk. Traditionally, males were supposed to have heightened Aggression and impulsivity in stressful times. We aim to measure the actual differences that existed during the COVID-19 pandemic across male and female participants.

Methods

An overall number of 288 females/95 males (mean age: men = 34.97; women = 32.90 years) participants were recruited. The protocol included questionnaires about suicidal risk, anxiety, depression, impulsivity, aggression, hopelessness, and demographics.

Results

Differences exist in the sense of loneliness, the number of persons being isolated with, anxiety, and several impulsivity subdimensions. A correlation existed for both men and women for anxiety and depression, revealing the impact of aggression. Suicide men's scores correlated with anxiety and depression, lack of premeditation, and hopelessness. Women also had such correlation, except for lack of perseverance, social dimensions, and aggression. Analyses reveal the predictive impact of hopelessness and aggression on anxiety, depression, and suicidal risk predominantly in females.

Conclusion

Our results contradict common ideas that men have heightened aggression and impulsivity. Further research needs to address aggression issues.

Prediction of non-suicidal self-injury (NSSI) among rural Chinese junior high school students: a machine learning approach

AIMS

Non-suicidal self-injury (NSSI) is a serious issue that is increasingly prevalent among children and adolescents, especially in rural areas. Developing a suitable predictive model for NSSI is crucial for early identification and intervention.

METHODS

This study included 2090 Chinese rural children and adolescents. Participants' sociodemographic information, symptoms of anxiety as well as depression, personality traits, family environment and NSSI behaviors were collected through a questionnaire survey. Gender, age, grade, and all survey results except sociodemographic information were used as relevant factors for prediction. Support vector machines, decision tree and random forest models were trained and validated by the train set and valid set, respectively. The metrics of each model were tested and compared to select the most suitable one. Furthermore, the mean decrease Gini index was calculated to measure the importance of relevant factors.

RESULTS

The prevalence of NSSI was 38.3%. Out of the 6 models assessed, the random forest model demonstrated the highest suitability in predicting the prevalence of NSSI. It achieved sensitivity, specificity, AUC, accuracy, precision, and F1 scores of 0.65, 0.72, 0.76, 0.70, 0.57, and 0.61, respectively. Anxiety and depression were the top two contributing factors in the prediction model. Neuroticism and conflict were the factors that contributed the most to personality traits and family environment, respectively, in terms of prediction. In addition, demographic factors contributed little to the prediction in this study.

CONCLUSION

This study focused on Chinese children and adolescents in rural areas and demonstrated the potential of using machine learning approaches in predicting NSSI. Our research complements the application of machine learning methods to psychiatric and psychological problems.

The shield of the screen: The role of anger on the development of social media addiction and internet gaming disorder

This study aims to explore if the dimensions of anger can be risk factors for the development of social media addiction and an internet gaming disorder, considering that the correlation between anger and these specific subcategories of internet addiction can represent a core intervention in their prevention and treatment. 477 subjects, recruited among the general population, were assessed on-line by the following tools: STAXI-2; BSMAS, and IGDS9-SF. A correlation analyses showed a significantly positive relationship between the total score of the BSMAS and the STAXI-2 scales SANG (p < 0.0001), TANG (p < 0.0001), AX-O (p = 0.003), and AX-I (p < 0.0001), and between the total score of the IGDS9-SF and the STAXI-2 scales SANG (p = 0.002), TANG (p < 0.0001), AX-O (p = 0.001), AX-I (p < 0.0001), and AC-O (p = 0.004). A linear regression model showed how TANG and AX-I were direct predictors of the BSMAS total scores, and how AX-I was a direct predictor of the IGDS9-SF total scores. It appears plausible that there is a significant correlation between the dimensions of anger and the emergence of social media addiction and internet gaming: internet usage may serve as a coping mechanism for emotional or social challenges and as a protective screen to deal with negative emotions.

The impact of the pandemic on psychophysical well-being and quality of learning in the growth of adolescents (aged 11-13): a systematic review of the literature with a PRISMA method

Introduction

This study examines the social impact and psychological effects of the COVID-19 pandemic on the growth of adolescents students, aged 11-13, on well-being and learning.

Methods

Said review, therefore, will consider all the report of scientific works published since 2020 on the following platforms: SCOPUS, PsycoInfo, and Web of Science. Specifically, the research has selected all studies concerning students aged 11-13. Furthermore, the authors have restricted the scope of the study to two fundamental aspects of the above-mentioned subjects, such as their physical and psychological well-being and didactic learning following the COVID-19 pandemic. The justification for choosing such themes lies in the fact that the SARS-CoV-2 pandemic and the ensuing measures adopted to curb its spread have had -and very likely will continue having- sizable repercussions in the life of each individual, especially in students considered, whose psychological and physical well-being has been considerably affected.

Results

In particular, during the peak of the pandemic and its subsequent phases, the various measures issued to limit contagion have completely compromised and disregarded the rights of children and youngsters. Suddenly, leisure, sport, play, relations, and socialization disappeared from their lives. Besides, in the early stages of the pandemic, remote teaching replaced face-to-face teaching, later to become an intermittent system in the red- and orange-labelled areas of the country. Consequently, such measures have severely limited opportunities for learning, growth, curiosity and creating relationships that are typical of both a school and outside environment. Concerning the well-being of the subjects considered, a review of the target literature indicates a wide range of psychological and physical disorders, such as malaise, eating and sleep disorders, addiction to games, internet, alcohol, and drugs. For what regards, instead, the realm of learning, most studies highlight a diminished school performance as the main implication of remote teaching. Furthermore, a remarkable number of studies reveals substantial social inequalities; specifically, students coming from middle class families have managed to maintain higher quality educational standards in a critical context such as the pandemic, while those students coming from socially disadvantaged families have had fewer learning opportunities both in terms of time and range of experiences (due to lack of electronic devices, Internet connectivity, homework, continuity of after-school activities). In summary, if the school system pre-COVID-19 already presented significant limitations in its ability to reduce existing social inequalities, school closures during lockdowns pose enormous challenges in developing effective policies to compensate learning losses and inequalities.

Discussion

Therefore, based on the results shown, the necessity arises of an emergency plan with social and educational objectives to restore those social, emotional, and cognitive abilities that are compromised. In general, it is the responsibility of countries and governments to guarantee the right to education in these difficult times, while avoiding any type of inequalities and establishing a digital learning system, that allows to face situations such as those generated by the Coronavirus, thus preventing those situations of serious anxiety and stress that have affected most subjects.

The Interplay Between Problematic Internet Use, Anxiety, Depression and Functional Impairment in Front-Line Healthcare Workers During the COVID-19 Pandemic

OBJECTIVE

We aimed to assess the interplay between functional impairment and anxiety, depression, and problematic Internet use levels in front-line healthcare workers who work in inpatient clinics of coronavirus disease-2019 (COVID-19) during the COVID-19 pandemic.

METHODS

Beck Depression Inventory (BDI), Beck Anxiety Inventory (BAI), Internet Addiction Test (IAT), and Sheehan Disability Scale (SDS) were administered to assess the depression, anxiety, problematic Internet use, and functional impairment levels of the participants.

RESULTS

Two hundred thirteen participants were enrolled in the present study. Medical doctors showed significantly higher scores of IAT than the nurses and other medical staff (Kruskal-Wallis=6.519, p=0.038). Levels of SDS total are significantly correlated with scores of IAT (r=0.257, p<0.001), BDI (r=0.383, p<0.001), and BAI (r=0.308, p<0.001). All subdomain scores of SDS (social, family, work) and total scores of SDS were significantly and positively correlated with BAI, BDI, and IAT scores (p<0.05). In the separation mediation analysis, problematic Internet use partially mediated the relationship between anxiety-depression and global functional impairment.

CONCLUSION

Health politicians should produce policies to develop strategies for coping with consequences of anxiety and depression in healthcare professionals during any health crisis. In addition, we should raise healthcare professionals' awareness that problematic Internet use is not suitable for dealing with anxiety and depression and may even lead to increase of functional loss.

Relationships between experiences of humiliation on social networks, problematic phone use, and aggressive and altruistic behaviors in young adults

The purpose of this study was to analyze the relationships between cybervictimization in social networks, problematic smartphone use, aggressive behaviors, and prosocial altruistic tendencies in young adults. The sample consisted of 601 young adults (mean age = 19.96 years; SD = 2.27; 69.1% female) who were administered online assessments of experiences of humiliation on networks, problematic smartphone use, prosocial altruistic tendencies, and aggressiveness. Results indicated significant indirect effects of cyber victimization on aggressiveness and prosocial altruistic tendencies through problematic smartphone use. Problematic cell phone use explained the relationships between online humiliation and aggressive and prosocial altruistic behaviors. The results confirmed the positive relationship between cybervictimization and problematic cell phone use, consistent with previous research. However, the negative relationship between cybervictimization and altruistic prosocial tendencies was not corroborated. The findings emphasize the need to promote actions that foster social connectedness and interdependence among young individuals to develop their identity within the community.

Associations between internet addiction and school engagement among Turkish college students: mediating role of psychological distress

Introduction

Internet addiction has become a subject of growing concern with adverse consequences. This study aimed to investigate the mediating effect of psychological distress in the relationship between internet addiction and school engagement.

Methods

Data were obtained from 732 Turkish college students (M = 20.98, SD = 2.58). The data were collected through Young's Internet Addiction Test, Depression, Stress and Anxiety Scale (DASS21)-Short Form, and University Student Engagement Inventory. Mediation analysis was performed to investigate the mediating effects of depression, anxiety, and stress in the association between internet addiction and school engagement.

Results

The results of the study showed that internet addiction was positively associated with psychological distress and negatively associated with school engagement, whereas psychological distress had a negative relationship with school engagement. This study also found that depression, anxiety, and stress acted as mediators in the relationship between internet addiction and behavioral engagement, emotional engagement, and cognitive engagement.

Conclusion

This study has provided evidence that young adults with tendency of internet addiction may experience school engagement problems as well as psychological problems. Our findings underscore the need for special educational intervention programs aimed at encouraging college youth to limit their internet use for their future due to its negative consequences and raising awareness in this vulnerable group and their families.

The relationship between self-control and mental health problems among Chinese university students

Background

Mental health issues are often associated with poor self-control. Therefore, effective interventions against mental health problems should include self-control training. However, it is unclear whether the effect of self-control varies across different types of mental health problems.

Methods

A cross-sectional survey was conducted using the convenience sampling method at five universities in Chongqing, China, where 1,409 students reported their demographic information, level of self-control, and symptoms of irritability, depression, and anxiety. Descriptive statistical methods and a network analysis approach were employed to explore the relationship between self-control and symptoms of irritability, depression, and anxiety among 1,409 students. The bridging links between self-control and the three mental health problems were analyzed.

Results

The findings revealed a negative correlation between self-control and symptoms of irritability, depression, and anxiety among university students. Impulse control was found to be the bridge between self-control and irritability or anxiety symptoms, while resistance to temptation was the bridge between self-control and depressive symptoms.

Conclusion

These results demonstrate the different relationship between self-control with irritability, anxiety, and depressive symptoms. The findings of this study may shed light on future mental health interventions for university students during potential public health emergencies, such as prior knowledge of the main types of psychological problems among university students, which may allow for the development of precise self-control intervention strategies, such as targeting impulsivity or resistance to temptation.

Internet addiction and mental health disorders in high school students in a Peruvian region: a cross-sectional study

OBJECTIVES

To determine the association between internet addiction disorder (IAD) and anxiety and depressive symptomatology in high school students in two private schools in Chiclayo, Peru, during the COVID-19 pandemic.

MATERIALS AND METHODS

Analytical cross-sectional investigation of 505 adolescents from two private schools. The dependent variables were anxiety and depressive symptomatology, measured with the Beck Adapted Depression Questionnaire (BDI-IIA) and the Beck Anxiety Inventory (BAI), respectively. The main independent variable was IAD, measured with the Internet Addiction Test instrument(IATI). Prevalence ratios (PR) and 95% confidence intervals (95%CI) were estimated.

RESULTS

The average age was 14.16 years and 54.9% were women. 22.2% and 3.2% presented mild and moderate IAD; respectively. 9.3% presented severe anxiety and 34.3% severe depressive symptomatology. In the simple regression, adolescents with mild, moderate and severe IAD presented 19% (PR = 1.19; 95%CI: 1.05-1.35), 25% (PR = 1.25; 95%CI: 1.02-1.53) and 53% (PR = 1.47; 95% CI: 1.47-1.60) higher prevalence of depressive symptomatology; however, this association was not maintained in the multiple model. Anxiety increased 196% in adolescents with severe IAD (PR = 2.96; 95%CI: 1.86-4.71).

CONCLUSION

We found that 2, 1, and 3 out of 10 students presented IAD, depressive symptomatology, and anxiety, respectively. We did not find an association between IAD and depressive symptomatology, but we did find an association with anxiety. Among the factors associated with the development of depressive symptomatology were the male sex, the presence of eating disorders, subclinical insomnia, using devices for more than 2 h, and using the Internet for academic activities. About anxiety, the associated factors are the female sex, the presence of eating disorders, subclinical insomnia, and the use of the Internet as social interaction. We recommend implementing counseling programs in view of the imminent introduction of the Internet as a pillar in education.

Educational Intervention to Decrease Justification of Adolescent Dating Violence: A Comparative Quasi-Experimental Study

Adolescent dating violence has become a public health problem because of the associated high morbidity and mortality rates. Despite social awareness about dating violence, the high justification of violence among adolescents is one of the main risk factors for both perpetration and victimisation. Therefore, the objective of the present work was to evaluate the effectiveness of an educational intervention in reducing the justification of violence in adolescent dating. A quasi-experimental, longitudinal, prospective study with a control group was conducted. The study was carried out in six different schools in the Region of Murcia (Spain), and the participants were 854 students aged 14-18 years. The educational intervention was focused on reducing the justification of adolescent dating violence and consisted of 9 weekly 1 h group sessions. The Justification of Verbal/Coercive Tactics Scale (JVCT) and the Attitudes About Aggression in Dating Situations (AADS) survey were administered at baseline and at the end of the intervention in order to determine the justification of psychological and physical violence, respectively. At baseline, the justification of physical violence was at a medium-to-high level in boys (76.8%) and girls (56.7%), whereas psychological violence was much less justified. Concretely, female psychological violence was justified by 19.5% boys and 16.7% girls, while male violence was justified by 19.0% boys and 17.8% girls. After the educational intervention, a significant decrease in physical violence justification, especially in the AADS dimension of female aggression, was observed. The effect of the intervention was especially evident in psychological violence justification: a statistically significant difference was observed in the JVCT scores of boys (-6.4 and 1.3 points in the intervention and control groups, respectively; p = 0.031), but not of girls (p = 0.594). In conclusion, the educational intervention was adequate to reduce the justification of dating violence among the participants. It may provide adolescents with the skills and resources necessary to confront and resolve conflicts in relationships in a non-violent manner.

Dark-ego-vehicle principle: Narcissism as a predictor of anti-sexual assault activism

In this preregistered study, we tested the dark-ego-vehicle principle. This principle states that individuals with dark personalities, such as high narcissistic traits, are inclined to become involved in certain kinds of ideologies and political activism. We argue that narcissistic individuals can be attracted to anti-sexual assault activism because this form of activism may provide them with opportunities to obtain positive self-presentation (e.g., virtue signaling), gain status, dominate others, and engage in social conflicts to get their thrills. A diverse US sample (N = 313) completed online measures of narcissistic traits and involvement in anti-sexual assault activism. In addition, relevant covariates were assessed (i.e., age, gender, adult sexual assault history, sexual harassment myth acceptance, and altruism), and the interaction between narcissistic traits and gender was considered. The results of the multiple regression analysis showed that higher narcissistic traits predicted an individual’s higher involvement in anti-sexual assault activism over and above the covariates. However, this relationship was evident only for the women in this sample. Notably, a higher level of altruism in an individual was also substantially associated with higher involvement in anti-sexual assault activism. We discuss how the narcissism-by-gender interaction may be in line with the dark-ego-vehicle principle.

Understanding left-wing authoritarianism: Relations to the dark personality traits, altruism, and social justice commitment

In two pre-registered studies, we investigated the relationship of left-wing authoritarianism with the ego-focused trait of narcissism. Based on existing research, we expected individuals with higher levels of left-wing authoritarianism to also report higher levels of narcissism. Further, as individuals with leftist political attitudes can be assumed to be striving for social equality, we expected left-wing authoritarianism to also be positively related to prosocial traits, but narcissism to remain a significant predictor of left-wing authoritarianism above and beyond those prosocial dispositions. We investigated our hypotheses in two studies using cross-sectional correlational designs. Two nearly representative US samples (Study 1: N = 391; Study 2: N = 377) completed online measures of left-wing authoritarianism, the Dark Triad personality traits, and two variables with a prosocial focus (i.e., altruism and social justice commitment). In addition, we assessed relevant covariates (i.e., age, gender, socially desirable responding, and virtue signaling). The results of multiple regression analyses showed that a strong ideological view, according to which a violent revolution against existing societal structures is legitimate (i.e., anti-hierarchical aggression), was associated with antagonistic narcissism (Study 1) and psychopathy (Study 2). However, neither dispositional altruism nor social justice commitment was related to left-wing anti-hierarchical aggression. Considering these results, we assume that some leftist political activists do not actually strive for social justice and equality but rather use political activism to endorse or exercise violence against others to satisfy their own ego-focused needs. We discuss these results in relation to the dark-ego-vehicle principle.

The Effect of Future Time Perspective on Internet Dependence Among College Students in Pandemic Time: A Moderated Mediation Analysis

Purpose

Social isolation during the COVID-19 pandemic has greatly increased the probability of Internet dependence. This study sought to examine the relation between future time perspective and college students' Internet dependence, as well as the mediating role of boredom proneness and the moderating effect of self-control in the link between boredom proneness and Internet dependence.

Materials and Methods

A questionnaire survey was carried out among college students from two universities in China. A sample of 448 participants varying from freshmen to seniors completed questionnaires on future time perspective, Internet dependence, boredom proneness and self-control.

Results

Results indicated that college students with high future time perspective were less likely to fall into Internet dependence and boredom proneness mediated this relationship. The relation between boredom proneness and Internet dependence was moderated by self-control. Boredom proneness had a greater impact on Internet dependence for students with low self-control.

Conclusion

Future time perspective could influence Internet dependence through the mediating role of boredom proneness, which is moderated by self-control. The results advanced our understanding of how future time perspective affected college students' Internet dependence, revealing that intervention strategies which could improve students' self-control would be instrumental in reducing Internet dependence.

The relationship between negative life events and non-suicidal self-injury (NSSI) among Chinese junior high school students: the mediating role of emotions

BACKGROUND

Adolescent non-suicidal self-injury (NSSI) is common and adolescence is the most common period of first self-injury, and the occurrence of NSSI is influenced by negative life events and emotional symptoms. The mediating role of emotional symptoms in the interaction between negative life events and NSSI has not been carefully investigated yet.

METHODS

For middle school students in three schools in a Chinese province, the Adolescents Self-Harm Scale was used to investigate NSSI, the Adolescent Self-Rating Life Events Check List was used to investigate adolescent negative life events, and the Self-Rating Anxiety Scale and Self-Rating Depression Scale were used to assess their emotional symptoms. After the description of general data and the test for differences between groups, the relationship between negative life events, emotional symptoms and NSSI was analyzed using Pearson correlation analysis. Structural equation modeling was used to analyze the mediating role of emotions in negative life events and NSSI.

RESULTS

A total of 2376 junior high school students completed this survey, which revealed an annual NSSI prevalence of 37.1% (n = 881) and a higher prevalence of NSSI among girls and rural adolescents. Among adolescents who developed NSSI, 67.4% (N = 594) used multiple means of self-injury. The most common means of self-injury was hair pulling (51.0%), and the most common NSSI purpose and external factors/events were venting bad emotions or feelings (57.5%) and poor academic performance (44.9%), respectively. Negative life events, emotional symptoms and NSSI were positively associated (P < 0.05). Structural equation modeling with negative life events, emotional symptoms and NSSI as variables showed that the model-fit index matched the data well, with RMSEA = 0.073, AGFI = 0.945, GFI = 0.980, CFI = 0.985, NFI = 0.982, TLI = 0.968, IFI = 0.985, and negative life events, emotional symptoms (anxiety, depression) and NSSI all had direct effects with standardized path coefficients of 0.16, 0.19, and 0.23, respectively, with negative life events playing an indirect role in NSSI through emotional symptoms and emotional symptoms playing an incomplete mediating role in negative life events and NSSI.

CONCLUSION

The prevalence of NSSI was higher among Chinese junior high school students. Both negative life events and emotional symptoms were direct risk factors for NSSI. In addition, negative life events were also indirect risk factors for NSSI, and emotional symptoms played an incomplete mediating role in the relationship between the effects of negative life events and NSSI. This indicates that the combination of reducing the frequency of negative life events while maintaining individual emotional stability during adolescent development can effectively reduce the prevalence of NSSI in adolescents.

Adolescent Resilience during the COVID-19 Pandemic: A Review of the Impact of the Pandemic on Developmental Milestones

This review explores the literature regarding the ways in which the COVID-19 pandemic has affected the navigation of developmental milestones among adolescents, specifically those in late adolescence, across several domains of their lives. The exploration is contextualized globally, focusing on five key areas: mental health, physical health, education, peer relationships, and family relationships. Implications for practice and interventions are explored in each key area to provide recommendations for those working with adolescents, as well as future research. The changes brought about by the pandemic and the readjustment to what some have referred to as the "new normalcy" will undoubtedly have lasting effects on all areas of life for this cohort of adolescents, who have shown remarkable resilience navigating this new and unfamiliar world. These changes are synthesized, with the aim to highlight differences and similarities of the shared experiences of the pandemic globally. After exploring the current realities, this chapter goes on to outline the ways in which the experience of such a significant developmental period of one's life during the COVID-19 pandemic will have an impact on adolescents for years to come. Although it is still impossible to comprehend the long-term effects, in examining proximal effects, we can postulate distal implications and potential future effects, as well as possible ways to mitigate these implications as we transition back to more of what was experienced pre-pandemic life, from a post-pandemic experience.