The dimensions of successful young adult development: A conceptual and measurement framework

Sibling bullying reported by emerging adults: Profiling the prevalence, roles, and forms in a cross-country investigation

Prevalence estimates of sibling bullying indicate it occurs more frequently and with more negative consequences than peer bullying, yet many countries do not track or investigate the phenomenon. University students from Argentina, Estonia, and the United States were surveyed to investigate their retrospective experiences involving sibling bullying, how often it occurred, the roles held, and the forms communicated. In the aggregated data, roughly 50 % of the sampled emerging adults (N = 3477) reported experience with sibling bullying, with the dual role of bully-victim being the most frequently reported role held by males and females, with the second role being bully for males and victim for females. Verbal forms of bullying were most frequently reported by males and females, with physical, relational, and technological forms occurring less frequently, indicating the importance of studying the messages conveyed during bullying incidents. Variations between biological sex, bullying role and form were detected that indicate siblings experience bullying in ways that are unique from peer bullying. Country comparisons revealed bullying frequencies varied among males and females, suggesting sibling bullying experiences are likely to be culturally influenced. More research is warranted to examine the negative impact bullying has on sibling psycho-social development and the potential transfer to non-familial relationships and contexts. Discussion of these findings and the implications for academics and practitioners alike is provided.

Comparing the healthy development of youth Australian Rules Footballers across talent development and community settings

Objectives

This study aimed to compare talent development athletes to community-level athletes in Australian Rules Football across various markers of healthy youth development.

Methods

Survey data were collected from 363 youth athletes (126 women, 232 men, 5 not reported; Mage=18.69 years, SDage=2.62 years, age range 16-25 years) playing Australian Rules Football at a talent development (recruited from Australian Football League Talent Pathway, n=220) or community (n=143) level. Measures included markers of physical health (eg, general health, risk-taking behaviours), psychological and emotional well-being (eg, mental health symptoms, life satisfaction), family and social relationships (eg, social support, relationship status), educational and occupational attainment/engagement (eg, career satisfaction, education), ethical behaviour (eg, moral self-image), civic engagement, life skills (eg, self-mastery, coping), and demographics.

Results

Based on regression models, relative to community-level athletes, talent development athletes reported better physical health (d=0.51), lower injury rates (OR=0.50) and less problematic drug use (d=-0.46). Talent development athletes also reported better psychological and emotional well-being, evidenced by lower stress (d=-0.30), higher life satisfaction (d=0.47) and less problematic gambling (d=-0.34). Additionally, talent development athletes reported higher family support (d=0.49), lower likelihood of poor educational outcomes (less than expected educational stage; OR=0.37), lower intention to complete less than year 12 education (OR=0.18), higher career satisfaction (d=0.42), higher self-mastery (d=0.37) and higher perfectionistic striving (d=0.59).

Conclusion

Findings demonstrate markers of healthier development within talent development athletes relative to community athlete peers. Investment in community-level sports may be warranted to improve healthy development. However, further causal evidence is required.

Improving Students Access to Primary Health Care Through School-Based Health Centers

BACKGROUND

More than 20 million children in the United States lack access to primary health care.

PRACTICE LEARNING

Research shows that students with regular access to physical and mental health services have fewer absences, are more social, less likely to participate in risky behaviors, have improved focus and higher test scores.

IMPLICATION FOR SCHOOL HEALTH POLICY, PRACTICE, AND EQUITY

School-based health centers (SBHCs) can be an important, valuable and viable health care delivery option to meet the full-range of primary health care needs of students where they spend the majority of their wake hours, ie, in school. Children in rural and other underserved communities, as well as those underinsured, non-insured, economically challenged, underserved, and the most vulnerable among us are especially at risk.

CONCLUSIONS

This paper discusses the history, value, and importance of SBHCs from myriad perspectives, including physical and emotional wellbeing, academic and social success, and the promotion of a positive transition to adulthood. In addition, the authors' experiences that resulted in building the first SBHC in the Mid-Hudson Valley Region of New York State are shared. These experiences form the foundation for creating an important roadmap for individuals and school leaders that are interested in bringing a SBHC to their school and district.

Association of adversities and mental health among first- and second-generation Arab American young adults

The prevalence of mental health problems among young adults is widely recognized. However, limited research has examined the mental health of Arab American young adults specifically. To address this gap in the literature, this study aimed to investigate the effects of multiple stressors including adverse childhood experiences (ACEs), discrimination, and bullying victimization on the mental health of first- and second-generation Arab American young adults. The participants (N = 162) were recruited from a Midwest university using online and in-person methods. They were screened and completed a demographic questionnaire and self-report measures of ACEs, discrimination, bullying victimization, and mental health. Hierarchical multiple regression analysis was conducted to examine the effect of psychosocial stressors on mental health and the moderating effect of generation (first vs. second) on that relationship. Female gender, increased perceived discrimination, and more ACEs were associated with lower mental health scores (β = -0.316, p < 0.001, β = -0.308, p < 0.001, and β = -0.230, p = 0.002, respectively). There was a significant negative relationship between victimization and mental health for first-generation Arab Americans (β = -0.356, p = 0.010). However, that association all but disappeared for second-generation participants (β = 0.006, p = 0.953). The results highlight the impact of multiple adversities on Arab American young adults' mental health and indicate important nuances related to their generation in the association between bullying victimization and mental health. Implications for practice and future research are discussed.

Current and Cumulative Stress Experiences: A Model for Arab American Young Adults

BACKGROUND

The effect of multiple stressors on immigrant young adults' endocrine functioning and health outcomes has not been comprehensively investigated.

AIMS

This study tested a theoretical model of cumulative and current stressor effects on the hypothalamic-pituitary-adrenocortical (HPA) axis functioning and health-related quality of life (HRQL) among Arab American young adults.

METHODS

Using a cross-sectional design, we recruited 160 participants, ages 18 to 24 years, from an urban university in the Midwest. Cumulative stress was assessed by self-report measures of childhood adversity, bullying victimization, and perceived ethnic discrimination. Current perceived stress was measured using the Perceived Stress Scale (PSS) while cortisol levels were measured in participants' hair. Structural equation modeling tested the effects of cumulative and current stress on cortisol and HRQL.

RESULTS

Cumulative stress was negatively associated with HRQL (standardized path coefficient = -.51, p < .05). Interestingly, however, cumulative stress was inversely associated with hair cortisol level (standardized path coefficient = -.51, p < .05). Current stress was positively associated with cortisol level (standardized path coefficient = .43, p < .05) and negatively associated with the mental HRQL (standardized path coefficient < -.37, p < .05).

CONCLUSION

Cumulative stress exhibited a different effect on HPA functioning from current perceived stress. Mental health was significantly impaired by both cumulative and current perceived stress. Implications for mental health nursing practice and research among Arab Americans are discussed.

Differences in the Efficiency of Cognitive Control across Young Adulthood: An ERP Perspective

Young adulthood is a period of major life changes when everyday life becomes much more complex compared to adolescence. Such changes require highly efficient cognitive control. Developmental studies show that structural changes in the brain areas that support complex behavior continue into the early 20s. However, despite the fact that at the beginning of young adulthood, important behavioral and brain restructuring still occurs, most studies use broad age ranges for young adults (from 18 to 40 years of age) as a reference point for "adult" behavior. The aim of this study was to investigate age-related differences in the efficiency of cognitive control across young adulthood. In total, 107 individuals participated in this study and were divided into three age groups: 19-21, 23-26, and 28-44. We used a visual word categorization task to assess cognitive efficiency and event-related potentials (ERPs) to track events that take place from the stimulus onset until the actual behavioral response. We found age differences in both performance and amplitudes of the ERP components during the early stages of processing - P2 and N2. Our findings provide important evidence for the continuation of age-related changes in brain dynamics that underlie the efficiency of cognitive control even in the early 20s.

Transitioning to adulthood: Are conventional benchmarks as protective today as they were in the past?

More young adults in the United States are studying beyond high school and working full-time than in the past, yet young adults continue to have high poverty rates as they transition to adulthood. This study uses longitudinal data on two cohorts of young adults from the 1979 and 1997 National Longitudinal Study of Youth to assess whether conventional benchmarks associated with economic success-gaining an education, finding stable employment, and delaying childbirth until after marriage-are as predictive of reduced poverty today as they were in the past. We also explore differences in the protective effect of the benchmarks by race/ethnicity, gender, and poverty status while young. We find that, on average, the benchmarks associated with economic success are as predictive of reduced poverty among young adults today as they were for the prior generation; however, demographics and features of the economy have contributed to higher poverty rates among today's young adults.

Biopsychosocial correlates of fatigue in young adult survivors of childhood traumatic brain injury: A prospective cohort study

This prospective cohort study aimed to evaluate the potential role of injury, socio-demographic and individual psychological factors in predicting long-term fatigue outcomes in young adult survivors of childhood TBI at 16-years post-injury. The study included 51 young adults diagnosed with childhood TBI from 2-12 years of age. Twenty age-and-sex-matched controls were included for comparison. Findings showed that almost one-in-four TBI participants (24%) endorsed clinically elevated fatigue at 16-years post-injury. Despite the relatively large proportion of TBI participants endorsing clinically significant fatigue, group comparisons revealed that the TBI and control groups did not significantly differ on fatigue symptom severity or rates of clinically elevated fatigue. For the TBI group, post-injury fatigue was significantly associated with socio-demographic and psychological factors, including lower educational level, higher depression symptom severity, and more frequent substance use. Higher fatigue was also associated with lower self-reported quality of life (QoL) in the physical, psychological, and environmental domains, even after controlling for depressive symptom severity, socio-demographic, and injury-related factors. Overall, findings show that a substantial proportion of young adults with a history of childhood TBI experience clinically elevated fatigue at 16-years post-injury. Identification and treatment of modifiable risk-factors (e.g. depression symptoms, substance use) has potential to reduce fatigue.

Health and Social Vulnerabilities Among Unstably Housed and Homeless Young Adults During the COVID-19 Pandemic

The role of housing as a social driver of health is well-established, with stable housing being an important factor in reducing health inequities. During developmentally critical periods such as young adulthood, unstable housing and related social marginalization have profound effects on development and later health, social, and economic wellbeing. This exploratory study analyzed data from a population-based, longitudinal sample of young adults (average age 31 years) from Washington State (n = 755) to compare health and economic impacts of the early days of the COVID-19 pandemic, with a focus on housing status. Descriptive results suggest the pandemic exposed underlying vulnerabilities for young adults experiencing homelessness and housing instability, with an overall widening of inequities related to financial difficulties and increased risk for poor mental health and social isolation. Findings suggest that these vulnerabilities are magnified in the context of public health crises and strengthen the case for population-based studies investigating potential modifiable causes of housing instability to inform prevention and early intervention at the earliest possible point in a young person's development. Studies examining the severity of COVID-related hardships on young adult health and social outcomes are vital for establishing an evidence base for strategic policy action that seeks to prevent a rebound in young adult homelessness and housing instability post-pandemic. These studies would bolster both emergency preparedness responses that account for the unique needs of vulnerable populations and upstream population-level prevention approaches beginning long before the imminent risk for housing instability develops.

Heterogeneity in the trajectories of psychological distress among late adolescents during the COVID-19 pandemic

Background

The coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic has constrained opportunities in social, educational and professional domains, leading to developmental challenges for adolescents initiating their transition to adulthood. Meta-analysis indicated that there was a small increase in psychological distress during the first year of the COVID-19 pandemic. However, significant heterogeneity in the psychological response to the COVID-19 pandemic was noted. Developmental antecedents as well as social processes may account for such heterogeneity. The goal of this study was to characterize trajectories of psychological distress in late adolescence during the COVID-19 pandemic.

Methods

5014 late adolescents born between 2000 and 2002 from the UK Millennium Cohort Study completed online self-reported assessments at three occasions during the first year of the COVID-19 pandemic (May 2020, September/October 2020 and February/March 2021). These surveys assessed psychological distress, loneliness, social support, family conflict, as well as other pandemic stressors. Information on developmental antecedents were obtained when cohort members were 17 years of age.

Results

Four distinct trajectories class were identified. Normative class (52.13%) experienced low and decreasing levels of psychological distress, while moderately increasing class (31.84%) experienced a small, but significant increase in distress over time and increasing class (8.75%) exhibited a larger increase in distress after the first wave of the pandemic. Inverted U-shaped class (7.29%) experienced elevated psychological distress during the first wave of the pandemic, followed by a decrease in distress in subsequent waves of the pandemic. Larger longitudinal increases in loneliness were noted among individuals in the elevated distress trajectory, compared to other trajectories. Pre-pandemic psychopathology was associated with elevated distress early in the pandemic.

Conclusions

The largest trajectory showed low and declining psychological distress, highlighting the resilience of the majority of late adolescents. However, a subgroup of adolescents experienced large increases in psychological distress, identifying a group of individuals more vulnerable to pandemic-related stress.

Socioeconomic Status and Students' Mental Health during the COVID-19 University Closure: Mediating Roles of Perceived Social Support and Self-Efficacy

Despite the need for urgent actions in response to the exacerbated inequalities in mental health resulting from the COVID-19 pandemic, there remains a significant gap in research into the relationships and underlying mechanisms between socioeconomic status (SES) and various mental health outcomes among students during the COVID-19 university closure. With a sample of 839 students from a university in Lanzhou, the capital city of China's Gansu Province, which was closed during the 2022 autumn semester due to the COVID-19 outbreak, this study examined the relationships between SES and both the negative and positive mental health outcomes, with a particular inquiry into the mediating roles of perceived social support and self-efficacy. The results show that SES had significant and negative total associations with psychological distress (β = -0.119, p < 0.001) and loneliness (β = -0.132, p < 0.001), while having significant and positive total associations with life satisfaction (β = 0.90, p < 0.01) and affective well-being (β = 0.108, p < 0.01). Moreover, perceived social support and self-efficacy independently and sequentially mediated the associations between SES and various mental health outcomes. Research implications for the design and improvement of university measures to reduce the socioeconomic inequalities in students' mental health are also discussed.

Testing Cross-Generational Effects of the Raising Healthy Children Intervention on Young Adult Offspring of Intervention Participants

This study tested whether effects of a preventive intervention delivered in elementary school showed benefits for the young adult offspring of intervention recipients over 20 years later. The Raising Healthy Children (RHC) intervention, trialed in 18 public schools in Seattle, Washington, from 1980-1986 (grades 1-6), sought to build strong bonds to family and school to promote school success and avoidance of substance use and illegal behavior. Four intervention groups were constituted: full, late, parent training only, and control. Participants were followed through 2014 (age 39 years). Those who became parents were enrolled in an intergenerational study along with their oldest offspring (10 assessments between 2002 and 2018). This study includes young adult offspring (ages 18-25 years; n = 169; 52% female; 4% Asian, 25% Black, 40% multiracial, 4% Native American, 2% Native Hawaiian/Pacific Islander, 25% White, and 14% Hispanic/Latinx) of participants in the original RHC trial. Offspring outcome measures included high school noncompletion, financial functioning, alcohol misuse, cannabis misuse, cigarette use, criminal behavior, internalizing behavior, social skills, and social bonding. A global test across all young adult outcome measures showed that offspring of parents who received the full RHC intervention reported better overall functioning compared to offspring of control group parents. Analyses of individual outcomes showed that offspring of full intervention group parents reported better financial functioning than offspring of control group parents. Findings show the potential of universal preventive interventions to provide long-term benefits that reach into the next generation. ClinicalTrials.gov Identifier: NCT04075019; retrospectively registered in 2019.

Internal Consent, Affirmative External Consent, and Sexual Satisfaction Among Young Adults

Sexual satisfaction is an important part of sexual health. Recently, efforts have been underway to better understand what factors contribute to positive sexual experiences among young adults. One factor may be sexual consent. This study aimed to explore individual and interactive effects of two distinct, but related dimensions of sexual consent - internal consent and affirmative external consent - on young adults' feelings of sexual satisfaction following their most recent sexual intercourse experience. Participants were 294 young adults (ages 18-25, Mage = 23.7; 59% women) recruited from Amazon's MTurk. Results showed that each dimension of consent had a significant, unique relationship with satisfaction, and that the two dimensions of consent alone accounted for half of the variance in satisfaction. Additional analyses showed that there are specific components of both internal and affirmative external consent (e.g., safety/comfort; arousal; consent/want; communicator/initiator cues) that may be most influential in driving this relationship. As both consent dimensions greatly contribute to positive sexual experiences, researchers attempting to promote sexual wellbeing may be wise to attend to both internal and external consent.

A 2-year follow-up of the effects of combined binge drinking and cannabis consumption on academic performance and adjustment in Spanish third-year university students

Introduction

The study was based on 2-year follow-up of the effects of binge drinking and cannabis co-consumption on academic performance and adjustment in Spanish Third-Year University Students and to further explore the impact of academic adjustment on this relationship.

Methods

A total of 144 students (aged 19-20 years) enrolled in the third year of university completed the study. The students were recruited during in first academic year (T1) via a survey that included items regarding the use of alcohol (AUDIT-C), cannabis and other drugs and demographic variables. Then, participants meeting the study criteria were then selected and invited by e-mail to a clinical (face-to face) structured interview. The participants completed a calendar of alcohol consumption during the 6 months prior to the interview (Alcohol Timeline Follow back), and recorded cannabis consumption in 3 months prior to the interview. To examine the effects of alcohol and cannabis co-consumption on the outcome variables, we categorized participants into three consumption groups (i.e., control, BD, and BDCA) based on the number of BD days and cannabis unit scores.

Results

Binge drinking and cannabis co-consumption in first-year students was significantly associated with poor academic performance and adjustment after 2 years of undergraduate study. Relative to controls, co-consumers (BDCA) reported significantly lower academic and personal-emotional adjustment to university as well as poorer performance. Mediation analysis showed that academic adjustment explains the mechanism by which BDCAs perform less well, mediating the relationship between co-consumption and academic performance, with an indirect effect representing 64.61% of the total effect. Furthermore, the mediating effect of academic adjustment was maintained after controlling for academic adjustment and baseline grade point average (T1).

Conclusion

This prospective follow-up study helps to further our knowledge of how combined binge drinking and cannabis consumption may affect university adjustment and academic success in Spanish university students Overall, the study results should encourage health professionals, educational psychologists and academic institutions to take ownership of the need for support and involvement in prevention, as well as for provision of guidelines for implementing appropriate intervention strategies.

Birth Family Contact from Childhood to Adulthood: Adjustment and Adoption Outcomes in Adopted Young Adults

Experiences of contact between adopted persons and birth family members have implications for psychological adjustment of adopted persons. The current study utilizes four contact trajectory groups, spanning from middle childhood to young adulthood and encompassing three aspects of birth family contact, in predicting psychological adjustment and adoption-related outcomes in adopted young adults. Data come from a longitudinal study of adoptive families in which adopted persons were domestically adopted in infancy by same-race parents in the United States. Adopted young adults in the group characterized by sustained high levels of contact and satisfaction with contact over time ('Extended Contact') displayed lower levels of psychological distress and higher levels of psychological well-being than adopted persons in the group characterized by contact that increased over time but remained limited ('Limited Contact'). Generally, adopted persons within the group characterized by consistent lack of contact ('No Contact') and the group characterized by contact that was initially present but ended ('Stopped Contact') did not differ in distress and well-being from those in the 'Extended Contact' group. No group differences were found on adoption dynamics and identity, however young adults in the 'Extended Contact' group generally reported more positive relationships with their birth mothers than those in the other groups. Findings are discussed in the context of heterogeneity in contact experiences and implications for policy and practice.

A shared love: reciprocity and hopefulness in romantic relationships of young adults with chronic pain

Introduction

Chronic pain (≥3 months) creates pain-related challenges that may negatively affect how young adults perceive themselves, and, indeed, they often report feeling different compared to peers and prospective romantic partners. Most studies of romantic relationships in young adults living with a long-term condition (including pain), do not consider the perspective of their partner. We present the findings of a qualitative, exploratory interview study (Phase 2 of a mixed methods study). This qualitative phase aimed to explore how young adults with chronic pain and their partners navigate romantic relationships. We focused on how young adults perceive and experience their romantic relationships and the impact, challenges, and benefits associated with living with chronic pain.

Methods

This study used remote (videoconferencing) photo-elicitation interviews with a convenience sample of young adults with chronic pain (aged 18-25 years, UK and Canada) and their partners. Recruitment occurred via social media, pain-related websites and organizations, and professional networks. Five young adults with chronic pain from the UK and Canada formed the e-Advisory Group and provided detailed advice throughout the study. Data analysis used the principles of inductive reflexive thematic analysis to explore the dimensions and meaning of romantic relationships from the views of young adults with chronic pain and their romantic partners.

Findings

Sixteen young adults participated (seven couples plus two young adults with pain who were interviewed without their partner). The young adults with chronic pain were ages 18-24 years (mean 21.88 years, SD 2.23). Four major interpretive themes were generated: Kindred spirits-we just sort of work; Loving in everyday acts-it's not above and beyond, it's concerned supportiveness; It's OK to be vulnerable with each other-we can talk it through; and You can't see over the horizon-hopes and fears for the future.

Discussion

Hopefulness and reciprocity were key to the stories shared by the young adults in the current study. Despite the challenges and limitations imposed by chronic pain, their relationships were characterized by partnership and reciprocity, and they were able to be vulnerable with each other and offer each other support.

Pathways to Adulthood in Rural America: A Latent Profile and Latent Transition Analysis of Adult Social Roles

The transition to adulthood is characterized by the assumption of adult social roles, which are well documented in the literature; however, rural young adults remain understudied, especially using nationally representative samples. Therefore, this study analyzed a rural subsample of young adults from Add Health (N = 2562, 63.8% white, 34.2% Black, 50% female) using latent profile and latent transition analyses. Latent profiles at the average ages of 21-22 and 28-29 were identified highlighting transitions in education, work, and family formation. Two profiles previously unidentified in the literature emerged, high school graduates living with parents and prolonged transitioners, characterized by living with parents and limited transitions in romantic relationships and parenthood. Rural young people most likely to be in these profiles were male, Black, and from disadvantaged backgrounds. High school graduates living with parents and prolonged transitioners also had high probabilities of living in a rural area late in the transition to adulthood. Female and Black rural young adults had the highest probabilities of transitioning from the high school graduates living with parents profile to the prolonged transitioners profile. These empirically established role transitions and pathways to adulthood in rural communities can help inform investments, policies, and future research to support rural young adults following varying pathways during the transition to adulthood.

Depression, anxiety, and suicidal ideation in a population-based cohort of young adults before and during the first 12 months of the COVID-19 pandemic in Canada

OBJECTIVES

Findings from a birth cohort study indicated that the mental health of young adults had not worsened during the first wave of the COVID-19 pandemic, compared to 2018. This study examined longitudinal changes in mental health between March 2018 and June 2021 in the context of protracted public health mitigation measures about 12 months after the onset of the pandemic.

METHODS

Participants from the Quebec Longitudinal Study of Child Development (n = 2120 at inception; n = 1461 during the COVID-19 pandemic), a population-based cohort of individuals born in 1997/1998, reported on their depressive and anxiety symptoms as well as suicidal ideation prior to the pandemic in 2018 (age 20), and during the pandemic in the summer of 2020 (age 22) and spring of 2021 (age 23).

RESULTS

Depressive (Cohen's d = 0.15 [95% CI: 0.09 to 0.20]) and anxiety (Cohen's d = 0.33 [95% CI: 0.27 to 0.39]) symptoms increased between 2018 and 2021 for both males and females, but suicidal ideation did not change. There was also a significant increase in moderate to severe depressive (31.7% to 36.3%) and anxiety (14.7% to 24.8%) symptoms from 2018 to 2021. Youth who were students, those who were experiencing financial stress, food insecurity, and loneliness, and those without pre-existing poor mental health experienced the largest increase in depressive and anxiety symptoms over time.

CONCLUSION

These findings highlight the mental health burden experienced by young adults during the COVID-19 pandemic, highlighting the need for preventive services and continued longitudinal follow-ups of these youths.

Victim Blaming and Non-Consensual Forwarding of Sexts Among Late Adolescents and Young Adults

This study explored late adolescents' and young adults' willingness to engage in non-consensual forwarding of sexts (NCFS) and its relation to victim blaming beliefs toward female and male victims. The study further examined important determinants in the development of victim blaming beliefs (e.g., perceived victim blaming of peers). An online survey was conducted among 1343 Belgian respondents of which 78.4% were female (M_age = 21.62 years, SD = 3.57 years). Structural equation modeling showed that victim blaming beliefs (i.e., responsibility-based and characteristic-based) were related to willingness to engage in NCFS, which was related to NCFS, regardless of the victim's sex. Further, victim blaming beliefs in the context of NCFS were shaped by parents' and peers' perceived victim blaming, and respondents' high levels of narcissism and low levels of empathy. Surprisingly, pornography use was negatively correlated with characteristic-based victim blaming beliefs. Additionally, males and late adolescents appeared to hold more victim blaming beliefs toward female and male victims in comparison with females and young adults. Lastly, the willingness to engage in NCFS was more strongly related to responsibility-based victim blaming (not characteristic-based victim blaming) if the victim was male. The findings demonstrate how victim blaming encourages NCFS and emphasize that educational programs should avoid victim-focused strategies.

A Proof-of-Concept Evaluation of the 1616 Story-Based Positive Youth Development Program

The 1616 Program is a newly developed and evidence-informed story-based positive youth development (PYD) program for young ice hockey players (10-12 years of age) in North America. The program uses elite ice hockey players as role models-through story-telling-to serve as inspirational figures to engage youth athletes and important social agents (i.e., parents, coaches) with evidence-informed PYD concepts. The objective of this study was to use a Proof-of-Concept evaluation to assess whether the 1616 Program 'worked' in enhancing PYD outcomes and to determine if the concepts were engaging and enjoyable for youth, their parents, and coaches. The 5 week Proof-of-Concept evaluation was conducted with 11 ice hockey teams (n = 160 youths, 93 parents, and 11 coaches), encompassing both qualitative (e.g., focus groups) and quantitative (e.g., retrospective pretest-posttest questionnaires) processes and outcome assessments. Results showed that the program was well received by participants and positively impacted the intended outcomes. Overall, the data presented in this Proof-of-Concept evaluation was deemed to support the development and implementation of the full-scale 1616 Program for a more comprehensive evaluation.

Adolescent personality development as a longitudinal marker for burnout and happiness in emerging adulthood

This study examined whether individual differences in personality (development) from adolescence to emerging adulthood were associated with burnout and happiness in emerging adulthood. At Time 1 (2009; Mage = 15.7 years), Time 2 (2012), and Time 3 (2015), Belgian participants ( N = 329; 43.1% boys) reported on the personality dimensions of extraversion, agreeableness/benevolence, conscientiousness, emotional stability, and openness/imagination. Burnout (exhaustion, disengagement) and happiness (life satisfaction, overall affect) were measured through self-reports at Time 4 (2018). For each personality dimension, except benevolence, higher levels were associated with fewer burnout symptoms. Initial levels of all personality dimensions were related to more happiness. Shallower decreases in extraversion, emotional stability, and stronger increases in imagination were related to fewer burnout symptoms and more happiness. Results indicate the importance of studying personality development as a determinant of later well-being, above and beyond effects of initial levels. Findings offer new insights into the field of personality, occupational, and positive psychology.

The Impact of Social Network Site Use on Young Adult Development: Extending the Research Beyond Time Use and Considering the Role of Self-Disclosure Motivations

Young adults spend a good deal of time using social network sites (SNSs), and the consequences of this activity have come under considerable scrutiny in research. There is some evidence that SNSs offer a context for young adults to engage in self-disclosure, and that such behavior may contribute to their development. In the current study, self-disclosure motivations were explored as a moderator of the relationship between SNS time use and indicators of adjustment. It was hypothesized that the relationships between SNS time use and three indicators of young adult adjustment (belonging, self-concept clarity, and flourishing) would be moderated by self-disclosure motivations. Data were collected using a cross-sectional survey of 524 young adults aged 17-25 years (Mean age = 19.75; SD = 2.16) who used at least one social network site daily (Mean hours of daily use = 3.25; SD = 1.67). The relationships between SNS time use and both belonging and flourishing were moderated by self-disclosure motivations. Specifically, when participants were low or moderately motivated to self-disclose (for relationship maintenance or self-presentation purposes) SNS time use was negatively related to belonging and flourishing. Whereas when participants were highly motivated to self-disclose there was no significant relationship between SNS time use and belonging and SNS time use and flourishing. Additionally, there was no significant moderation of the relationship between SNS time use and self-concept clarity. Based on these findings, we recommend that in order for young adults to reap potential benefits of spending time online they should endeavor to use SNSs for purposes that promote positive self and relational development.

Self-worth and developmental outcomes in young adults after pediatric bariatric surgery

OBJECTIVES

Bariatric surgery has emerged as a safe/effective treatment for adolescents with severe obesity; therefore, understanding its impact over the life course is imperative. This study examined self-worth and developmental outcomes during the transition to adulthood (19-24 years old) for youth who underwent surgery as adolescents (13-18 years old) and a nonsurgical group with severe obesity.

METHOD

As part of a prospective and multisite observational study series, adolescents (139 surgical, 83 nonsurgical) were followed for 6 years postsurgery/baseline when they completed height/weight measurements and measures of global self-worth, maturity, and occupational, educational, and social functioning as young adults. Growth curve analysis examined global self-worth change, while regressions were used to compare groups and examine adolescent-reported familial predictors and weight-related correlates for outcomes.

RESULTS

Relative to the nonsurgical group, the surgical group experienced a significant quadratic improvement in self-worth and higher year 6 romantic self-perceptions. For the surgical group only, greater family dysfunction predicted lower young adult self-worth and perceptions of maturity, while higher family connectedness predicted higher self-worth and perceptions of maturity. Greater percent weight loss was associated with higher perceptions of maturity for the surgical group.

CONCLUSIONS

Group difference findings suggest that the impact of surgery was on self-worth and romantic self-perceptions, outcomes linked in the developmental literature to body image. For both groups, functioning appeared similar to population-based findings, suggesting they are meeting "expected" age-salient developmental outcomes. The impact of earlier positive family functioning on self-worth and self-perceptions of maturity may place adolescents on pathways to success. (PsycInfo Database Record (c) 2023 APA, all rights reserved).

Health of Young Adults Experiencing Social Marginalization and Vulnerability: A Cross-National Longitudinal Study

People who experience social marginalization and vulnerability have uniquely complex health needs and are at risk of poor health outcomes. Regression analyses using longitudinal data from a cross-national, population-based sample of young adults participating in the International Youth Development Study, tested associations between social marginalization and vulnerabilities and physical health, mental health, and substance use outcomes. Participants from Victoria, Australia, and Washington State in the US were surveyed at ages 25 (2014) and 29 years (2018; N = 1944; 46.7% male). A history of adverse childhood experiences (ACEs), LGBT identity, financial insecurity, and justice system involvement at age 25 predicted poor health outcomes at age 28, including lower perceived health status, risk for chronic illness, depression and anxiety symptoms, and diagnosed mental health/substance use disorders. Tests of model equivalence across states showed that a history of ACEs was more strongly related to health status and serious injury at age 28 and justice system involvement at age 25 was more strongly related to age 28 serious injury in Victoria than in Washington State. Findings strengthen the case for future population-based research identifying life-course interventions and state policies for reducing poor health and improving health equity among members of socially marginalized groups.

Profiles of Adoptee Adjustment in Young Adulthood

The developmental stage of young adulthood, the period from one's late twenties through thirties, has grown in attention and research focus among general populations. However, little is known about the adjustment of adopted individuals during this phase. The present study sought to expand our understanding of the various patterns of adoptee adjustment in young adulthood. Latent profile analysis was used to identify profiles across eight domains of functioning spanning physical and mental health to relationships, achievement, and engagement. Three profiles were identified, demonstrating varying levels of adult functioning. Adoption related and non-adoption related variables were explored using a series of multinomial logistic regressions to determine which factors differentiated between profiles. It appears that, although some adoption related variables remain significant in young adulthood, non-adoption related variables are more strongly linked to adoptee adjustment at this developmental stage. Implications and future directions for clinical care and research are discussed.

Adjustment and maladjustment to later life: Evidence about early experiences in the family

Introduction

Previous parenting studies with European-American families have identified optimal parenting as being based on warmth combined with strictness (i.e., authoritative parenting). The present study analyzes, in adolescents and adults, their adjustment and maladjustment related to age and their early experiences in the family.

Methods

The sample consisted of 2,158 Spanish people (58.29% women): 624 adolescents, 630 young adults, 504 middle-aged adults, and 400 older adults. The families were classified into one of the four parental typologies (authoritative, indulgent, authoritarian, and neglectful) based on their scores in the two main dimensions (warmth and strictness). Child functioning was measured as components of adjustment (self-esteem, emotional self-concept, and empathy) and maladjustment (aggression and hostile sexism).

Results

Overall, only adolescents and adult children raised in indulgent families reported the highest self-esteem, emotional self-concept, and empathy, and the lowest aggression and hostile sexism. Authoritative parenting (warmth with strictness) was related to a lower emotional self-concept and greater aggression and hostile sexism than indulgent parenting (warmth without strictness). The worst scores corresponded to authoritarian and neglectful parenting.

Discussion

The present findings provide new evidence about early experiences in the family, even after parental socialization has ended. Interestingly, contrary to the main findings from classic studies with European-American families, only high parental warmth combined with low parental strictness (i.e., indulgent parenting) is always positive for greater adjustment and less maladjustment in all age groups.

End User Participation in the Development of an Ecological Momentary Intervention to Improve Coping With Cannabis Cravings: Formative Study

BACKGROUND

Cannabis misuse in young adults is a major public health concern. An important predictor of continued use is cannabis craving. Due to the time-varying nature of cravings, brief momentary interventions delivered while cravings are elevated may improve the use of strategies to cope with cravings and reduce cannabis use.

OBJECTIVE

The goal of this manuscript is to describe a formative study to develop coping strategy messages for use in a subsequent intervention.

METHODS

Young adults (aged 19-25 years; n=20) who reported using cannabis >10 of the past 30 days recruited via social media participated in this formative study. Participants rated an initial set of 15 mindfulness and 15 distraction coping strategies on a scale from 1 to 4 (very low degree to very high degree) for clarity, usefulness, and tone. They also provided comments about the content.

RESULTS

Participants found the initial distraction messages slightly clearer than mindfulness (mean 3.5, SD 0.4 and mean 3.4, SD 0.4, respectively), both were comparable in tone (mean 3.2, SD 0.5 and mean 3.2, SD 0.4, respectively), and mindfulness messages were more useful than distraction (mean 3.0, SD 0.5 and mean 2.8, SD 0.6, respectively). Of the 30 messages, 29 received a rating of very low or low (<2) on any domain by >3 participants or received a comment suggesting a change. We revised all these messages based on this feedback, and the participants rated the revised messages approximately 2 weeks later. Participants earned US $10 for completing the first and US $20 for the second survey. The ratings improved on usefulness (especially the distraction items) with very little change in clarity and tone. The top 10 messages of each coping type (mindfulness and distraction) were identified by overall average rating (collapsed across all 3 dimensions: all rated >3.0). The final items were comparable in clarity (distraction mean 3.6, SD 0.4; mindfulness mean 3.6, SD 0.4), tone (distraction mean 3.4, SD 0.4; mindfulness mean 3.4, SD 0.4), and usefulness (distraction mean 3.1, SD 0.5; mindfulness mean 3.2, SD 0.5).

CONCLUSIONS

The inclusion of end users in the formative process of developing these messages was valuable and resulted in improvements to the content of the messages. The majority of the messages were changed in some way including the removal of potentially triggering language. These messages were subsequently used in an ecological momentary intervention.

Interpersonal Behaviors Questionnaire (IBQ) applied to parenting of emerging adults: dimensional structure and criterion validity

BACKGROUND

The prolonged transitions to adulthood strengthen interest in parenting characteristics that can shape emerging adults' development and progression to full-fledged adulthood. It also strengthens interest in instruments suitable for measuring such parenting characteristics. The current study contributes to this area of research by applying the Interpersonal Behavior Questionnaire (IBQ), to assess parenting behaviors that are pertinent for emerging adults' development and wellbeing, and seeks evidence of its dimensional structure and criterion validity.

METHOD

The sample of the study consisted of 600 emerging adults (M_age = 24.94, SD_age = 3.03, range 19-29 years; 52.3% women). The dimensionality of IBQ was assessed by testing a sequence of theoretically plausible models representing alternative factor score structures. Criterion validity was investigated by exploring the associations between the IBQ dimensions and basic psychological need satisfaction and frustration, negative affectivity, and thriving.

RESULTS

The findings provide evidence of a hypothesized six-factor structure, but advocate for the use of exploratory structural equation as it may more accurately reflect associations between the six dimensions. Findings also provide evidence of criterion validity.

CONCLUSIONS

The findings indicate that IBQ applied to parenting targets dimensions highly relevant for EAs' flourishing or impoverished functioning. Findings also offer evidence of structure and criterion validity for the IBQ applied to emerging adults' parent behaviors. As such, researchers may find IBQ attractive, as it is relatively concise yet also a holistic measure that captures the behaviors that both support and thwart an emerging adult's need for autonomy, competence, and relatedness. Findings also shed light on the process of becoming an adult, the shift in parent-child relationships during this process, and emerging adults' wellbeing.

A population-based study of homelessness, antisocial behaviour and violence victimisation among young adults in Victoria, Australia

Homeless young adults are at increased risk for contact with the police and are overrepresented in the justice system. This study explored associations between homelessness, antisocial behaviour and violence victimisation using longitudinal panel data gathered through young adulthood. Data were drawn from a state representative population-based sample of young adults from Victoria, Australia participating in the International Youth Development Study (IYDS; n = 2884, 54% female). Participants were surveyed at age 21 years, with follow-up at ages 23 and 25 years. We examined changes in the prevalence of homelessness and tested hypothesised directional relationships between young adult homelessness, antisocial behaviour and violence victimisation using longitudinal cross-lagged panel models. Multiple-group modelling was used to test whether these relationships were moderated by gender. The prevalence of young adult homelessness was highest at age 21 (6.5%), declining at ages 23 (3.9%) and 25 years (2.5%). Results showed that young adult homelessness, antisocial behaviour and victimisation were related cross-sectionally, but not longitudinally. Gender did not significantly moderate these associations. Findings suggest that the state of homelessness is associated with temporary vulnerability to potentially harmful and problematic situations involving antisocial behaviour and victimisation. These situations are likely to heighten risk for contact with the police and direct physical and psychological harm.

Self-esteem development during the transition to work: A 14-year longitudinal study from adolescence to young adulthood

INTRODUCTION

Previous studies examined the trajectory of self-esteem during critical developmental periods and over the life-span. However, little is known about how self-esteem changes during the school-to-work transition.

METHOD

We examined the effect of beginning a job for the first time on self-esteem development, using data from 368 adolescents assessed up to six times across a 14-year time span. Specifically, we analyzed the pattern of self-esteem change during the transition to work and whether the self-esteem trajectory varied as a function of several school- and job-related variables, while controlling for important covariates.

RESULTS

Results revealed linear increases in self-esteem across the 14-year study period, with partial support that the rate of increase slowed slightly after the school-to-work transition. We found significantly greater variability in the slopes after the transition, supporting the idea that people differ in the way they cope with the developmental tasks associated with important life transitions. We also found evidence for an interaction between college graduation and educational expectations, such that the positive effect of college graduation on self-esteem change was stronger for those who graduated with low (vs. high) educational expectations.

CONCLUSION

School-to-work transition has an effect on self-esteem development. Developmental processes of findings were discussed.

Parental Socialization, Delinquency during Adolescence and Adjustment in Adolescents and Adult Children

Although parental socialization has an influence on child development, current research is questioning which combination of parental strictness and warmth acts as protective or risk factors, especially during adolescence when the child is more vulnerable. The sample was 2125 participants, 58.7% female, divided into four age groups: adolescents (28.57%), young adults (28.38%), middle-aged adults (23.95%), and older adults (19.11%). The families were classified into four parenting styles: neglectful, indulgent, authoritative, and authoritarian according to their warmth and strictness scores. The psychosocial adjustment was measured by children’s scores on academic/professional self-concept, self-esteem, delinquency during adolescence, and benevolence values. A MANOVA 4 × 2 × 4 was applied with parenting styles, sex, and age group as independent variables. The results showed that, for adolescents and adult children, only parenting styles characterized by warmth (i.e., indulgent, and authoritative) were found to factor against delinquency during adolescence and benefit greater academic/professional self-concept, self-esteem, and benevolence values, while parenting without warmth (i.e., authoritarian, and neglectful) were identified as risk factors. Contrary to classical research, the present findings seriously question the universal benefits of strict parenting as the only optimal strategy to protect not only against delinquency, but also to foster an adequate self and the internalization of social values.

Perceived significant others' values: Are they important in the relationship between personal values and self-reported prosociality?

BACKGROUND

Personal values have been extensively found to be relevant variables linked to prosociality; they are desirable and trans-situational goals that serve as guiding principles in people's lives to select modes, means and actions, these reflecting what people consider relevant and worthy. Research has investigated how cultural background influences people's personal values and prosociality, but little is known about the influence of the perception of the values endorsed by significant others, namely the people belonging to the micro-relational context with whom daily interactions and exchanges are possible. Based on Schwartz's theory of basic human values, we analyzed the moderating role of the perceptions of significant others' values in the relationship between personal values and self-reported prosociality.

PARTICIPANTS AND PROCEDURE

Two hundred and forty-five Italian young adults (66.9% women) aged between 18 and 30 years (M = 22.58, SD = 2.53) completed a self-report questionnaire.

RESULTS

Specifically, openness to change values were a significant positive predictor of self-reported prosociality when respondents perceived low importance assigned both to openness to change and self-transcendence by significant others, whereas conservation values were a significant positive predictor of self-reported prosociality when respondents perceived low importance assigned to self-enhancement by significant others.

CONCLUSIONS

Our findings show a complex interplay between personal values and perceived significant others' values in shaping young adults' self-reported prosociality.

The role of personality traits and leisure activities in predicting wellbeing in young people

BACKGROUND

The relationship between wellbeing and personality has been studied extensively, but few studies have examined these in the period of adolescence and emerging adulthood. Moreover, the influence of contextual factors such as engagement in leisure activities are rarely considered.

METHODS

The present study employs a combination of frequentist and Bayesian analyses to evaluate the concurrent impact of personality traits and leisure activities on five conceptions of wellbeing (life satisfaction; positive affect; negative affect; mental health; flourishing) in three cohorts of young people (aged 14-15; 16-17; 18-20 years).

RESULTS

Personality traits were the only significant predictors of life satisfaction and negative affect, but leisure activities in the form of socialising or physical activity, in addition to personality traits, predicted positive affect, mental health and flourishing. Neuroticism was the largest predictor of wellbeing overall, whereas conscientiousness was the most consistent. Lower levels of wellbeing were also associated with higher levels of creative potential.

CONCLUSIONS

The study not only confirms the importance of personality traits as predictors of wellbeing in adolescents and young adults, but also indicates the necessity to consider the impact of leisure activities in different conceptions of wellbeing. The negative relationship between creative potential and wellbeing is in line with the literature which shows a link between mental illness, particularly at subclinical levels, and creativity.

Beyond "Disconnected Youth": Characterizing Developmental Heterogeneity in School or Work Connections During Emerging Adulthood

Prior research on disconnected youth has defined connectedness to school or work during emerging adulthood as an either/or outcome, conflicting with research on emerging adulthood, which suggests varied, individualized pathways. This study used a growth mixture model method with data from the Panel Study of Income Dynamics Transition into Adulthood Supplement to elucidate developmental heterogeneity in connectedness to school or work during emerging adulthood (n = 1,977). Results indicated distinct subgroups of connectedness to school or work with additional variation within groups. Racialized group and parenting status differentiated between being fully connected or not but did not explain differences among those with less consistent connectedness. Policy implications include that the timing and duration of policies targeting disconnected youth may be missing a substantial minority of young people. Re-thinking supports for disconnected youth can be further informed by future research focused on examining factors related to individual differences in the timing and nature of connectedness to school or work.

Managing Dermatologic Effects of Gender-Affirming Therapy in Transgender Adolescents

Transgender adolescents seek gender-affirming medical care to address gender identity and incongruence. Improved understanding of the dermatologic impact of gender-affirming medical care such as pubertal suppression, hormone therapy, and surgeries can enhance patient outcome. Pubertal suppression treats dysphoria associated with development of secondary sex characteristics, including androgen-driven acne. Gender-affirming hormone therapy influences acne and hair development in transgender adolescents. Dermatologists can help manage skin effects associated with chest binding and gender-affirming hormone therapy and surgery. Provision of patient-centered gender-affirming care in dermatologic and multidisciplinary settings is essential to improve skin and overall outcomes of gender-affirming therapy.

The civic engagement community participation thriving model: A multi-faceted thriving model to promote socially excluded young adult women

Social policies to promote socially excluded young adult women generally concentrate on education, employment, and residence but tend to neglect thriving. The current article puts forward a Civic Engagement Community Participation Thriving Model (CECP-TM) that views thriving as a social policy goal in and of itself. It posits that civic engagement, beyond its contribution to social justice, serves as a vehicle for thriving through self-exploration and identity formation. Both are considered key components of successful maturation and thriving. Nonetheless, civic engagement and self-exploration tend not to be nurtured in socially excluded young adult women, a unique group experiencing intersecting discrimination. The model shows how active civic engagement in the context of a community of peers contributes to developing a sense of belonging and connectedness and promotes new self-reflection, identity formation, and agency capabilities. When situated within the context of intersectionality, these encourage the development of critical consciousness and new understandings of “who I am and how I fit into the social world in which we live.” These can provide a sense of meaning, contribute to identity formation, and promote the thriving of the self and the community. Several examples illustrate the model.

Returning to the nest: Emerging adults living with parents during the COVID-19 pandemic

Changes in the working, study and social lives of emerging adults due to the COVID-19 pandemic have led to greater need for external supports. Many who lived independently may have sought that support by returning to live with parents. This study identifies factors associated with returns made between 2019 and 2020. It describes supports needed and obtained, relationships between parents and their resident emerging adults and identifies correlates of poor coping and high psychological distress. Data from the Longitudinal Surveys of Australian Youth and the Longitudinal Study of Australian Children were used and showed half of the emerging adults who moved did so due to COVID-19 restrictions. Loss of work and increased need for emotional and financial support were key drivers of moves. Nineteen per cent who returned found spending more time with family difficult and over half did not have their support needs fully met, increasing their odds of poor coping at that time (OR = 2.9, 4.3, respectively) and subsequent psychological distress (OR = 6.0). Families were an important source of support but could not necessarily mitigate all challenges; for some emerging adults, returning to live with parents gave rise to additional difficulties which negatively affected mental health.

Measuring goal progress using the goal-based outcome measure in Jigsaw - A primary care youth mental health service

BACKGROUND

Jigsaw is a primary care youth mental health service designed to increase access to and utilisation of mental health supports for 12- to 25-year-olds. Effectiveness in community youth mental health services is typically assessed using standardised instruments. The aim of this study was to examine the effectiveness of Jigsaw's brief intervention model of support using an idiographic tool, the goal-based outcome (GBO) measure. The study also aimed to explore the type of goals set by young people engaging with this service.

METHOD

The study sample consisted of a secondary dataset of 4839 young people aged 12-25 years (63.5% female, 36.5% male) who engaged with one of Jigsaw's 13 brief intervention services. Overall, 7366 goals set using the GBO were examined. Inductive thematic analysis was conducted to examine the type of goals set by young people, and inferential analyses were used to examine statistical and reliable changes in goal progress.

RESULTS

The goals young people set focused on developing coping mechanisms and personal growth and managing interpersonal difficulties. Mean scores for progress towards goals improved significantly from pre- to postintervention. The reliable change index (RCI) indicated that change greater than 2.82 points represents reliable change on the GBO, with 78.6% of young people showing reliable improvement. Demographic characteristics did not impact goal progress.

CONCLUSION

These findings suggest Jigsaw's brief intervention model of support is effective in assisting young people reach their goals and that the GBO is a suitable measure for young people attending a community-based youth mental health service.

Intention to seek professional and non-professional emotional help among Jewish young adults in Israel

Young adulthood is a major and significant stage in life encompassing various life transitions which may increase the risk of developing emotional crises. Receiving mental health treatment and turning to nonprofessional resources for support can ease such emotional burdens. However, many of those in need of such help do not turn to professional services and, rather, tend to rely on themselves. The aim of this study was to examine the contribution of attitudes towards seeking professional emotional help, self-stigma, anticipated risk, anticipated utility, and social support to the intention to seek professional and nonprofessional emotional help among Jewish young adults in Israel. Participants included 282 Jewish Israeli young adults aged 18-30, recruited in person or online. They filled out a self-report questionnaire, between March and June 2017, regarding intention to seek professional and non-professional emotional help, attitudes towards seeking professional emotional help, self-stigma towards seeking professional emotional help, anticipated risk and anticipated utility of self-disclosure when seeking professional help, perceived social support and sociodemographic questions. A path analysis model was used to analyse the data. Intention to seek professional help was positively associated with positive attitudes towards seeking professional emotional help and anticipated utility and negatively with self-stigma and social support. Intention to seek nonprofessional help was positively associated with anticipated utility and social support and negatively with anticipated risk. In addition, indirect effects were found between religious affiliation and previous mental health treatment, and intention to seek professional help, through the mediating effects of attitudes and anticipated utility. Interventions for increasing intention to seek professional and nonprofessional support are important and should include reference to attitudes, anticipated utility, anticipated risk and self-stigma, and should promote mutual support and highlight the importance of support from close ones. In addition, a model for predicting intention to seek non-professional help should be developed.

Development and Feasibility of an Online Brief Emotion Regulation Training (BERT) Program for Emerging Adults

Mental wellness is a critical component of healthy development in emerging adulthood and serves to protect against stress and promote resilience against psychopathology. Emotion regulation is a key mechanism for effective prevention because of its role in socio-emotional competence and its transdiagnostic significance for psychopathology. In this feasibility study, a brief, time and cost-effective emotion regulation training program for emerging adults (BERT) was developed and tested using the RE-AIM framework. Importantly, building interventions within the context of an implementation framework, such as the RE-AIM framework, enhances the chances that an intervention will be able to scale out and scale up. First, the brainwriting premortem method was utilized to refine program content, conducting focus groups a priori to identify potential program failures prior to program implementation. Undergraduate students (n = 12) attended four focus groups presenting initial program content. Four clinicians were also interviewed to determine program barriers. Qualitative analyses aggregated participant feedback to identify compliments, changes, and concerns about BERT and critical feedback was immediately implemented prior to initial testing. BERT was rooted in cognitive-behavioral practices and informed by the Gross model of emotion regulation. The 5-week program was then examined in a college sample (N = 42) to evaluate implementation (low attrition, high content engagement, favorable attitudes, low incidence of technical errors, costs), reach (enrollment and completion demographics comparable to the population in which recruitment took place), and efficacy (positive change in emotion regulation pre- to post-program). Of the recruited participants, 36 remained in the study where 27 completed at least 80% of program content. Repeated-measures ANOVAs exhibited significant improvements in emotion regulation, psychological distress, and negative affectivity, suggesting promising initial efficacy. Initial data provide support for feasibility and a future randomized control trial. BERT has potential significance for promoting healthy development as its brief electronic format reduced barriers and the program development process incorporated stakeholder feedback at multiple levels to inform better implementation and dissemination.

Substance use and individual assets in urban adolescents: Subgroups and correlates in emerging adulthood

INTRODUCTION

To investigate patterns of divergence in adolescent adjustment, this study examined the co-occurring patterns of adolescents' individual assets (e.g., school engagement, values) and substance use, and whether the co-occurring patterns were associated with later functioning in emerging adulthood.

METHODS

Participants were 358 (54% females), predominantly African American, urban adolescents, recruited at birth for a prospective study on the effects of prenatal substance exposure in the Midwest United States. Individual assets, using the Developmental Assets Profile, substance use (alcohol, tobacco, marijuana), via biologic assays and self-report, and substance use-related problems were assessed at age 15 years. High-school completion, substance use disorder, mental health symptoms, and legal problems were assessed at age 21 years.

RESULTS

Latent class analysis identified five classes as follows: high assets with low substance use (C1, 10.2%); moderate assets with low substance use (C2, 28.7%); low assets with low substance use (C3, 32%); moderate assets with high substance use (C4, 9.4%); and low assets with high substance use (C5, 19.2%). Despite similar levels of assets, adolescents in C5 reported more life adversities (suboptimal caregiving environment, daily hassles, non-birth parents' care) than those in C3. C4 and C5 reported more substance use disorder at age 21 years than the three low substance use classes; adolescents in C5 were less likely to complete high school than those in C2. More females in C5 reported greater mental health symptoms than those in C1 and C3, and criminal justice involvement than those in C1.

CONCLUSIONS

The current findings underscore the significance of substance use in adolescence in disrupting healthy transition to adulthood, especially among females in the context of low individual assets.

Academic Stress and Mental Well-Being in College Students: Correlations, Affected Groups, and COVID-19

Academic stress may be the single most dominant stress factor that affects the mental well-being of college students. Some groups of students may experience more stress than others, and the coronavirus disease 19 (COVID-19) pandemic could further complicate the stress response. We surveyed 843 college students and evaluated whether academic stress levels affected their mental health, and if so, whether there were specific vulnerable groups by gender, race/ethnicity, year of study, and reaction to the pandemic. Using a combination of scores from the Perception of Academic Stress Scale (PAS) and the Short Warwick-Edinburgh Mental Well-Being Scale (SWEMWBS), we found a significant correlation between worse academic stress and poor mental well-being in all the students, who also reported an exacerbation of stress in response to the pandemic. In addition, SWEMWBS scores revealed the lowest mental health and highest academic stress in non-binary individuals, and the opposite trend was observed for both the measures in men. Furthermore, women and non-binary students reported higher academic stress than men, as indicated by PAS scores. The same pattern held as a reaction to COVID-19-related stress. PAS scores and responses to the pandemic varied by the year of study, but no obvious patterns emerged. These results indicate that academic stress in college is significantly correlated to psychological well-being in the students who responded to this survey. In addition, some groups of college students are more affected by stress than others, and additional resources and support should be provided to them.

Higher exposure to childhood adversity associates with lower adult flourishing

Background

Adverse childhood experiences (ACEs) are prevalent and associated with negative health and social outcomes. However, our understanding of how patterns of ACEs exposure relate to positive outcomes in adulthood remains limited. This study aims to identify patterns of ACEs and examine associations with flourishing in a sample of Chinese young adults.

Methods

This cross-sectional study was conducted from August to November 2020. Young adults, ages 18–35, enrolled in undergraduate or graduate programs at universities in Mainland China were recruited through convenience and snowball sampling to participate in a survey. The exposure to ACEs was measured by the twelve-item Chinese version of the ACE-International Questionnaire. Additional measures included six domains of flourishing assessed using the Chinese version of the Flourishing Measure, and demographic covariates (i.e., gender, age, year in university, marital status). Descriptive statistical analysis and latent class analysis (LCA) were performed using SPSS 27 and Mplus 8.5.

Results

Participants included 9468 young adults (mean age = 20.1 years). Majority of participants were female (75.3%), undergraduate students (96.4%), and single (79.8%). Approximately 56% of participants reported at least one ACE; 7.0% reported four or more ACEs. Emotional neglect (33.2%), household violence (20.6%), and parental separation/divorce (13.9%) were the most frequently reported ACEs. LCA identified three ACEs classes: multiple maltreatment and household violence (4.7%), emotional neglect and household violence (16.2%), and low ACEs (79.1%). Individuals in the low ACEs class had the highest level of flourishing whereas individuals in multiple maltreatment and household violence had the lowest level of flourishing in all six domains. There were no significant differences in flourishing between the multiple maltreatment and household violence and the emotional neglect and household violence classes except in the physical and mental health (means = 6.17 vs 6.51, p = 0.02) and the financial and material stability domains (means = 5.25 vs 5.66, p = 0.04).

Conclusions

Patterns of multiple ACEs exposures were associated with lower levels of flourishing. Our findings have implications for efforts to prevent ACEs exposure through monitoring and promoting family well-being and routine screening to identify those with ACEs exposure to prevent negative social and health sequelae.

Supplementary Information

The online version contains supplementary material available at 10.1186/s12889-022-13063-6.

Associations between Adolescent Psychosocial Factors and Disengagement from Education and Employment in Young Adulthood among Individuals with Common Mental Health Problems

Transition to adulthood can be a challenging developmental task for adolescents with common mental health problems and is linked to adverse outcomes such as ‘not in education, employment or training’ (NEET). This study investigated longitudinal associations between adolescent psychosocial factors (e.g., self-esteem, aspirations, bullying, physical activity) and later NEET status among individuals with common mental health problems (i.e., depression and anxiety). A secondary data analysis of the Next Steps cohort study was completed using waves 2 and 8. Psychosocial factors, mental health, and background characteristics were captured when participants were aged 15–16 years (wave 2) while still in compulsory education. The 12-item General Health Questionnaire was used to identify adolescents with common mental health problems. The study population consisted of 2224 participants (females 66.8%) of which 1473 (66.2%) were aged 15 years and 751 (33.8%) were aged 16 years in wave 2. The outcome was NEET status at ages 25–26 years (wave 8). The results showed that after adjusting for background characteristics, adolescent self-esteem, locus of control, bullying, physical activity, job aspirations, and attitudes to school predicted NEET status. Educational aspirations, substance use, and behavioural problems were not significantly associated with NEET status. These findings provide new insights into the role of adolescent psychosocial factors in the context of education and employment outcomes for youth at risk and highlight the necessity of targeted mental health support to improve life chances.

Coping Strategies and Life Satisfaction among Romanian Emerging Adults during the COVID-19 Pandemic

The aim of the present study was to understand coping mechanisms among Romanian youth in their response to institutional COVID-19 pandemic restrictions. Data were collected from emerging adults (N = 214), aged 18–29, enrolled in various fields of study throughout a public university in Romania. Adopted versions of the Coping Orientation for Problem Experiences Scale (Brief-COPE, Carver, 1997) and Satisfaction with Life Scales (SLWS, Diener et al., 1985) were administered to explore the impact of the specific social distancing and isolation enforced pandemic restrictions. Findings elucidate the response styles, impact of coping skills, and strategies employed by students toward their well-being during stay-at-home courses. Results indicated that Romanian emerging-adults tend to use diverse strategies, but they use more disengagement, problem-focused coping, humor, socially supportive coping or religion, rather than denial, avoidant-focused coping or substance use, when faced with unprecedented situations during the COVID-19 pandemic. We discuss these findings framed in resilience as it relates to the positive youth psychology framework.

Economic and Social Consequences of COVID-19 and Mental Health Burden Among Latinx Young Adults During the 2020 Pandemic

Latinx young adults 18-25 years old face unique challenges that disproportionately put them at high risk of experiencing health as well as economic and social burden due to the Coronavirus disease (COVID-19) pandemic. The present study examined how economic and psychosocial consequences as a result of the pandemic were associated with mental health issues among a community sample of Latinx young adults (N = 83) from Central Texas. Participants completed an online survey of COVID-related experiences and mental health needs. The survey asked about personal and family experiences of COVID-19 in two significant areas: (a) economic strain (e.g., economic hardship, food insecurity) and (b) psychosocial burden (e.g., losing relationships, substance use). Regression analyses examined the association of COVID-19 consequences on level of mental health symptoms and clinically significant outcomes. Relative to economic consequences, psychosocial consequences due to the COVID-19 pandemic were associated with higher levels of mental health symptoms. In contrast, in few cases, economic strain resultant from the pandemic was correlated with clinically significant outcomes among this sample. Collectively, findings suggest that the costs of the pandemic do not only pertain to mortality from illness but also to morbidity as it relates to deteriorating social circumstances and mental health. Findings from this study call for immediate attention to implement policies and programs to help mitigate the economic and social-emotional consequences of COVID-19 such as easy access to low-cost virtual mental health resources to Latinx young adults.