Youth & Society

Webster, Deborah; Dunne, Laura; Hunter, Ruth

doi: 10.1177/0044118X20919589pmid: N/A

Social networks are ubiquitous in the lives of adolescents. This work systematically reviewed all studies which investigated the relationship between subjective well-being and the social networks of adolescents. Twenty-nine articles (out of 1,204 hits) were included within the review. Offline social networks have a positive association between the mood, self-esteem, and loneliness of adolescents but not body image. Nine of the studies investigating online social networks found a positive association on mood, life satisfaction, and loneliness through support seeking and receiving positive feedback. Fifteen of the studies found a negative association between online social networks and mood, self-esteem, life satisfaction, body image, and overall subjective well-being through high investment, passive use, receiving negative feedback, and social media ostracism. There is a need for intervention programs and education for young people, educators, and parents to address the risks to subjective well-being brought about by online social networks.

Baams, Laura; Russell, Stephen T.

doi: 10.1177/0044118X20951045pmid: N/A

Utilizing a school-based sample of 895,218 students aged 10–18 years old, we examine differences in students’ school functioning, substance use, and mental health in schools with and without Gay-Straight Alliances (GSAs). In addition, we examine whether GSA presence is associated with these outcomes for students of color and LGBTQ students. Overall, students in schools with GSAs were found to report better school functioning, lower substance use, and better mental health. For students of color, the association between the presence of a GSA and mental health and substance use was not as strong as it was for non-Hispanic white students. Further, for LGBTQ students, the association between the presence of a GSA and school functioning was not as strong as it was for non-LGBTQ students. Future research is necessary to ascertain the function of GSAs, especially for marginalized youth.

Jaggers, Jeremiah W.; Sonsteng-Person, Melanie; Griffiths, Austin; Gabbard, W. Jay; Turner, Marion M.

doi: 10.1177/0044118X20922114pmid: N/A

The onset of behavioral problems in early childhood is associated with an increased frequency of delinquent behavior. A significant amount of youth in the juvenile justice system have histories of mental illness and psychological distress. However, little is known about what factors mediate the relationship between early onset behavioral problems and psychological distress. The present study tested the mediating effect of parental monitoring, antisocial peers, exposure to violence, and gender on the relationship between behavioral problems and psychological distress. A secondary analysis of data from the Pathways to Desistence Study was examined using the serial mediation process proposed by Preacher and Hayes, a significant mediation of the behavior problems–psychological distress relationship was found. The results supported the mediational model in which parental monitoring impacted interaction with antisocial peers which in turn increased the level of violence exposure youth experienced ultimately leading to an increase in psychological distress.

Germani, Alessandro; Delvecchio, Elisa; Li, Jian-Bin; Lis, Adriana; Mazzeschi, Claudia

doi: 10.1177/0044118X20921637pmid: N/A

Establishing a coherent meaning in life has long been considered to be a protective factor of well-being, but this construct has been understudied in early adolescent development. The current study investigated the relationships between family allocentrism and depressive symptoms as well as the mediation effect of meaning in life in 214 Chinese and 201 Italian early adolescents. Although family allocentrism was higher in Chinese than Italian participants, it was significantly associated to lower depressive symptoms in both countries. Moderated mediational analyses showed that in both countries: (a) family allocentrism was positively related with presence of meaning; (b) family allocentrism and presence of meaning were negatively related to depressive symptoms; and (c) presence of meaning mediated the relationship between family allocentrism and depressive symptoms. In conclusion, family allocentrism and presence of meaning in life are important preventive factors of early adolescents’ depressive symptoms in both collectivistic and in individualistic countries.

Norrington, Janette

doi: 10.1177/0044118X20910938pmid: N/A

Prior studies have demonstrated that peer victimization is a common problem affecting youth and has short-term mental health consequences. There is less known about the long-term consequences of peer victimization during the transition to adulthood, or the processes whereby bully victimization may lead to poor mental health. This study utilized prospective longitudinal data from the Panel Study of Income Dynamics (N = 1,413) to examine adolescent self-concept as a mediator in the relationship between adolescent peer victimization and psychological distress in emerging adulthood. Results indicated that adolescent self-concept partially mediates the relationship between adolescent peer victimization and emerging adult psychological distress. However, the relationship between peer victimization and psychological distress varies by bully victimization subtypes. Findings suggest the consequences of adolescent peer victimization can linger and impact mental health in emerging adulthood. Implications of these findings and suggestions for further research on peer victimization are also discussed.

Murphy, Bridget; Franklin, Marilyn; Tsang, Yi Tak; Sala-Hamrick, Kelsey; Atalla, Mareena; Barnett, Douglas

doi: 10.1177/0044118X20947583pmid: N/A

Youth, particularly urban minority youth, are exposed to high levels of stressful and potentially traumatic life events that have been linked to a wide array of negative outcomes including internalizing and externalizing problems. Youth perceptions of their interpersonal relationship quality with caregivers and friends were examined as potential promotive and protective factors counteracting the link between exposure to stressful and traumatic events and behavior problems. Participants were 85 urban, predominantly African American of age 13–17 years (60% girls). Results supported the hypothesis that youth report of parent trust and communication would serve as a promotive and protective factor, moderating the association between stressful life events and behavior problems. In contrast, peer trust and communication did not appear to counteract the association between stress and behavior problems. Instead, reports of trust and communication with friends appeared to increase the association between stress exposure and internalizing problems.

Pollitt, Amanda M.; Ioverno, Salvatore; Russell, Stephen T.; Li, Gu; Grossman, Arnold H.

doi: 10.1177/0044118X19855898pmid: 33223575

Chosen name use among transgender youth (youth whose gender identities are different from their sex assigned at birth) can be part of the complex process of aligning gender presentation with gender identity and can promote mental health. However, little is known about the factors that predict whether or not transgender youth have a chosen name and outcomes of chosen name use, especially in specific social contexts. We examined, among a sample of 129 transgender youth from three cities in the United States, differences in sociodemographic characteristics and mental health outcomes between transgender youth with and without a chosen name and, among those with a chosen name, predictors and mental health benefits of being able to use a chosen name at home, school, and work. There were few differences between transgender youth with and without a chosen name. Among transgender youth with a chosen name, disclosure of gender identity to supportive family and teachers predicted chosen name use at home and school, respectively. Chosen name use was associated with large reductions in negative health outcomes and relatively smaller improvements in positive mental health outcomes. Our results show that chosen name use is part of the gender affirmation process for some, but not all, transgender youth and is associated with better mental health among transgender youth who adopt a chosen name.

Hale, Katie E.; Kuperminc, Gabriel

doi: 10.1177/0044118X19898698pmid: N/A

Acculturation includes cognitive, affective, and behavioral dimensions, but few studies have included all three, and little is known about the ways in which these dimensions interact with contextual factors to predict psychological distress among Latinx adolescents. The current study explored the strength of the associations between the three dimensions of acculturation and psychological distress among Latinx adolescents from immigrant families (N = 129). The study also investigated whether acculturative stress and time in the United States moderated these associations. Results indicated that higher levels of acculturative stress and lower levels of familism (an indicator of the cognitive dimension of acculturation) predicted higher psychological distress. Age of arrival moderated the association between language preference (behavioral dimension) and psychological distress for English-dominant participants such that later arrival (during adolescence) was associated with less distress compared with arrival in early childhood.