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Child and Adolescent Well-Being: Perspectives from Research and Clinical Practice

A special issue of International Journal of Environmental Research and Public Health (ISSN 1660-4601). This special issue belongs to the section "Mental Health".

Deadline for manuscript submissions: closed (15 January 2022) | Viewed by 53374

Special Issue Editor

Department of Philosophy, Social Sciences and Education, University of Perugia, Piazza Ermini 1, 06123 Perugia, Italy
Interests: anxiety disorders; depression; attachment; cultural issues; pretend play; developmental psychopathology; psychological assessment
Special Issues, Collections and Topics in MDPI journals

Special Issue Information

Dear Colleagues,

Achieving one’s full developmental potential is a human right. In recent decades, there has been an increased interest in issues that affect children and adolescents and in efforts to improve their health and well-being. For this purpose, appropriate, up-to-date, and sensitive assessment tools and interventions to promote children and adolescents’ positive psychosocial adjustment are crucial. Researchers and health professionals have a core role in this process.

The aim of the current Special Issue is to publish relevant papers dealing with well-being assessment, care, and interventions during infancy, childhood, and adolescence. We are looking forward to receiving contributions from both research and clinical practice. Multidisciplinary papers based on both quantitative and qualitative approaches are of interest. Studies involving self- and/or other informant reports are welcome, as are those dealing with a multimethod approach. Manuscripts discussing issues across different settings and cultures are appreciated. We welcome submissions of original research papers, case studies, reviews, notes, comments, etc.

We hope that this Special Issue will provide readers with new insights and practical information on how to assess, promote, and improve psychological well-being during childhood and adolescence.

We encourage authors to send an abstract and a tentative title in advance.

Prof. Elisa Delvecchio
Guest Editor

Manuscript Submission Information

Manuscripts should be submitted online at www.mdpi.com by registering and logging in to this website. Once you are registered, click here to go to the submission form. Manuscripts can be submitted until the deadline. All submissions that pass pre-check are peer-reviewed. Accepted papers will be published continuously in the journal (as soon as accepted) and will be listed together on the special issue website. Research articles, review articles as well as short communications are invited. For planned papers, a title and short abstract (about 100 words) can be sent to the Editorial Office for announcement on this website.

Submitted manuscripts should not have been published previously, nor be under consideration for publication elsewhere (except conference proceedings papers). All manuscripts are thoroughly refereed through a single-blind peer-review process. A guide for authors and other relevant information for submission of manuscripts is available on the Instructions for Authors page. International Journal of Environmental Research and Public Health is an international peer-reviewed open access monthly journal published by MDPI.

Please visit the Instructions for Authors page before submitting a manuscript. The Article Processing Charge (APC) for publication in this open access journal is 2500 CHF (Swiss Francs). Submitted papers should be well formatted and use good English. Authors may use MDPI's English editing service prior to publication or during author revisions.

Keywords

  • Children
  • Adolescents
  • Well-being
  • Psychological assessment
  • Clinical intervention
  • Health-care settings
  • Internalizing-externalizing disorders
  • Cultural issues
  • Parenting
  • COVID-19

Related Special Issue

Published Papers (11 papers)

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Research

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13 pages, 365 KiB  
Article
The Predictors of Psychological Well-Being in Lithuanian Adolescents after the Second Prolonged Lockdown Due to COVID-19 Pandemic
by Roma Jusienė, Rima Breidokienė, Stanislav Sabaliauskas, Brigita Mieziene and Arunas Emeljanovas
Int. J. Environ. Res. Public Health 2022, 19(6), 3360; https://0-doi-org.brum.beds.ac.uk/10.3390/ijerph19063360 - 12 Mar 2022
Cited by 15 | Viewed by 3439
Abstract
Recent research highlights the impact of prolonged pandemics and lockdown on the mental health of youngsters. The second wave of COVID-19 brought an increase in mental health problems among young people. Therefore, this study aims to analyze the main factors arising from intra-individual, [...] Read more.
Recent research highlights the impact of prolonged pandemics and lockdown on the mental health of youngsters. The second wave of COVID-19 brought an increase in mental health problems among young people. Therefore, this study aims to analyze the main factors arising from intra-individual, inter-individual, and environmental contexts that predict good psychological well-being in a group of adolescents after a second prolonged period of social restrictions and distance education. The study included 1483 school students from 11 to 19 years old. The survey assessed self-reported students’ psychological well-being (WHO-5 index), physical activity, sedentary behavior, school social capital, communication with peers and relationships with parents, existing emotional and behavioral problems. The results indicated that 58% of adolescents were of good psychological well-being in spring 2021, after half a year in lockdown. Almost 19% of adolescents had depression risk. The study revealed that during a period of prolonged isolation, male gender, better relationships between young people and their parents, the absence of serious emotional and behavioral problems, less sedentary behavior, and higher school social capital were found to be significant factors predicting adolescents’ psychological well-being. Lower physical activity is an important contributor to students’ poor well-being. Finally, the lack of face-to-face communication with peers was revealed as a specific factor in predicting adolescents with depression risk. Full article
14 pages, 4559 KiB  
Article
Robust Estimation of the Chronological Age of Children and Adolescents Using Tooth Geometry Indicators and POD-GP
by Katarzyna Zaborowicz, Tomasz Garbowski, Barbara Biedziak and Maciej Zaborowicz
Int. J. Environ. Res. Public Health 2022, 19(5), 2952; https://0-doi-org.brum.beds.ac.uk/10.3390/ijerph19052952 - 03 Mar 2022
Cited by 3 | Viewed by 1486
Abstract
Determining the chronological age of children or adolescents is becoming an extremely necessary and important issue. Correct age-assessment methods are especially important in the process of international adoption and in the case of immigrants without valid documents confirming their identity. It is well [...] Read more.
Determining the chronological age of children or adolescents is becoming an extremely necessary and important issue. Correct age-assessment methods are especially important in the process of international adoption and in the case of immigrants without valid documents confirming their identity. It is well known that traditional, analog methods widely used in clinical evaluation are burdened with a high error rate and are characterized by low accuracy. On the other hand, new digital approaches appear in medicine more and more often, which allow the increase of the accuracy of these estimates, and thus equip doctors with a tool for reliable estimation of the chronological age of children and adolescents. In this study, the work on a fast and effective metamodel is continued. Metamodels have one great advantage over all other analog and quasidigital methods—if they are well trained, a priori, on a representative set of samples, then in the age-assessment phase, results are obtained in a fraction of a second and with little error (reduced to ±7.5 months). In the here-proposed method, the standard deviation for each estimate is additionally obtained, which allows the assessment of the certainty of each result. In this study, 619 pantomographic photos of 619 patients (296 girls and 323 boys) of different ages were used. In the numerical procedure, on the other hand, a metamodel based on the Proper Orthogonal Decomposition (POD) and Gaussian processes (GP) were utilized. The accuracy of the trained model was up to 95%. Full article
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15 pages, 350 KiB  
Article
Duration of Mentoring Relationship Predicts Child Well-Being: Evidence from a Danish Community-Based Mentoring Program
by Anna Piil Damm, Emma von Essen, Astrid Jæger Jensen, Freja Kerrn-Jespersen and Sarah van Mastrigt
Int. J. Environ. Res. Public Health 2022, 19(5), 2906; https://0-doi-org.brum.beds.ac.uk/10.3390/ijerph19052906 - 02 Mar 2022
Cited by 2 | Viewed by 2223
Abstract
While a substantial body of literature suggests that lasting community mentoring relationships can have a range of positive effects on youths, little is known about these effects in the Nordic welfare context, where community mentees may have lower risk profiles compared to many [...] Read more.
While a substantial body of literature suggests that lasting community mentoring relationships can have a range of positive effects on youths, little is known about these effects in the Nordic welfare context, where community mentees may have lower risk profiles compared to many previous samples. This study explores how the duration (length) of child mentoring relationships predicts parental perceptions of child well-being among 197 children served by Denmark’s most extensive community-based youth mentoring program. We find that children who have had a mentor for at least one year are perceived to have significantly higher well-being. In contrast, we find no significant differences in well-being between children who had mentors for less than one year and children on a waiting list. Previous research, conducted in primarily North American contexts, finds that longer mentoring relationships substantially improve school behavior and reduce risk taking. Our results add to the literature by indicating that a minimum mentoring relationship duration of one year appears to be similarly important in promoting well-being for youths involved in community-based mentoring programs in a Nordic welfare context. Full article
14 pages, 12666 KiB  
Communication
Adolescer in Time of COVID-19′s Pandemic: Rationale and Construction Process of a Digital Intervention to Promote Adolescents’ Positive Development
by Teresa Freire, Gabriela Santana, Alexandra Vieira and Bruna Barbosa
Int. J. Environ. Res. Public Health 2022, 19(5), 2536; https://0-doi-org.brum.beds.ac.uk/10.3390/ijerph19052536 - 22 Feb 2022
Cited by 1 | Viewed by 1744
Abstract
The coronavirus pandemic has severely impacted children’s and adolescents’ lives due to policies and regulations implemented to slow the virus from spreading, which led to a loss of routine, structure, academic support, and social contacts. Literature also reports a lack of outdoor activity, [...] Read more.
The coronavirus pandemic has severely impacted children’s and adolescents’ lives due to policies and regulations implemented to slow the virus from spreading, which led to a loss of routine, structure, academic support, and social contacts. Literature also reports a lack of outdoor activity, inappropriate diet, and disruption of sleeping habits as affecting children’s and adolescents’ lifestyles and well-being. Remarkably, these consequent psychological, behavioral, and emotional changes can compromise their self-esteem, sense of self-efficacy, and self-concept, affecting their immune systems. These maladaptive coping strategies and associated effects may emerge as a failure to access some of the sources of support that might help them cope. Facing this crisis, we aimed at promoting well-being, growth, and the positive development of Portuguese adolescents through an intervention focused on positive coping strategies. We developed “Adolescer in time of COVID-19—A good practices Guide for adolescents in social distancing” as a digital document to be quickly disseminated online, answering the emergent needs of Portuguese youth between 13 and 18 years old during the COVID-19 pandemic. In this article, we present the rationale and process of construction of this intervention while living within a quarantine period, considering the restrictive measures adopted at the time. Full article
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13 pages, 365 KiB  
Article
Mentalizing Emotions and Social Cognition in Bullies and Victims
by Maria Luisa Pedditzi, Roberta Fadda, Tricia Striano Skoler and Loredana Lucarelli
Int. J. Environ. Res. Public Health 2022, 19(4), 2410; https://0-doi-org.brum.beds.ac.uk/10.3390/ijerph19042410 - 19 Feb 2022
Cited by 2 | Viewed by 2468
Abstract
Mentalizing is the ability to represent mental states to navigate the social world. A reduced mentalizing ability is a risk factor for a variety of psychological issues. Several studies indicated deficits in social cognition in bullies and victims, specifically in mentalizing anger. However, [...] Read more.
Mentalizing is the ability to represent mental states to navigate the social world. A reduced mentalizing ability is a risk factor for a variety of psychological issues. Several studies indicated deficits in social cognition in bullies and victims, specifically in mentalizing anger. However, only a few studies investigated mentalizing abilities related to both anger and happiness in pre-adolescence. Our study investigated possible differences in the ability to mentalize anger and happiness in preadolescent bullies and victims, compared to a control group. We interviewed 104 preadolescents (44% males; 56% females; M = 13.2 years; SD = 0.82) and administered the Olweus Questionnaire to identify bullies and victims. We applied a narrative approach to investigate the mental state language referred to anger and happiness. The results indicated a reduced ability to mentalize anger in bullies and victims compared to controls. Both bullies and victims tended to consider anger and happiness predominantly as behavioral conditions rather than a state of mind. These results highlight the need to promote effective intervention programs to prevent bullying by enhancing appropriate mentalization of emotions in pre-adolescents. Full article
23 pages, 1128 KiB  
Article
Students’ Wellbeing during Transition from Onsite to Online Education: Are There Risks Arising from Social Isolation?
by Gina Ionela Butnaru, Alina-Petronela Haller, Larisa-Loredana Dragolea, Alexandru Anichiti and Georgia-Daniela Tacu Hârșan
Int. J. Environ. Res. Public Health 2021, 18(18), 9665; https://0-doi-org.brum.beds.ac.uk/10.3390/ijerph18189665 - 14 Sep 2021
Cited by 18 | Viewed by 6947
Abstract
The COVID-19 pandemic has caused disruption to activities in many fields, including education and lifestyle. Major changes have taken place in the education system, where specific activities migrated suddenly from onsite to online. As a result, this period has witnessed an increased interest [...] Read more.
The COVID-19 pandemic has caused disruption to activities in many fields, including education and lifestyle. Major changes have taken place in the education system, where specific activities migrated suddenly from onsite to online. As a result, this period has witnessed an increased interest in impact studies that analyse the perceptions of the actors involved in the educational process. Based on the survey data (N = 665), the perceptions of the students in Romanian universities with regard to the effects of online education during the pandemic on their wellbeing were analysed. The empirical apparatus—SEM analysis—reached the following conclusions: the students’ wellbeing was increased under the traditional education system; the economic crisis has caused concern, and a decrease in their wellbeing; their contamination fear is moderate to low, and does not influence their wellbeing; they have been discouraged in terms of their personal development during the pandemic, and their wellbeing has suffered as a result; the role of institutions is extremely important, given that the students’ ability to study online depends on the universities’ efficiency in implementing the online system. Full article
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17 pages, 1280 KiB  
Article
The Impact of Parental Stress on Italian Adolescents’ Internalizing Symptoms during the COVID-19 Pandemic: A Longitudinal Study
by Ziqin Liang, Claudia Mazzeschi and Elisa Delvecchio
Int. J. Environ. Res. Public Health 2021, 18(15), 8074; https://0-doi-org.brum.beds.ac.uk/10.3390/ijerph18158074 - 30 Jul 2021
Cited by 21 | Viewed by 3402
Abstract
The challenges and consequences of COVID-19 imposed massive changes in adolescents’ daily routines (e.g., school closures, home confinement, and social distancing rules), which impacted their mental health. This longitudinal study aimed to better understand the changes in adolescents’ internalizing symptoms and the underlying [...] Read more.
The challenges and consequences of COVID-19 imposed massive changes in adolescents’ daily routines (e.g., school closures, home confinement, and social distancing rules), which impacted their mental health. This longitudinal study aimed to better understand the changes in adolescents’ internalizing symptoms and the underlying mechanisms of parental stress due to COVID-19. We asked 1053 parents of adolescents to complete an online survey during the second and fifth weeks and at the end of home confinement (i.e., four weeks later). Results showed that parents reported their adolescents’ anxiety and depression symptoms were more severe at Time 2 than at the first administration. Anxiety symptoms slightly decreased at Time 3, while there was no significant change in depression symptoms. Moreover, parents’ expressive suppression mediated the association between parental stress and adolescents’ anxiety and depression symptoms, respectively. The findings suggest that as restriction increased, adolescents’ anxiety and depression became more severe. Moreover, due to the link between parental stress and adolescents’ internalizing disorders helping families to cope with the distress due to the pandemic may have a positive impact on parents, the child, and the family as a whole (i.e., the family climate). Full article
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10 pages, 463 KiB  
Article
The Role of a Mentorship Program on the Relationship between Neglect and Depression among Adolescents in Low-Income Families
by Jaewon Lee, Jennifer Allen, Hyejung Lim, Gyuhyun Choi and Jiyu Jung
Int. J. Environ. Res. Public Health 2021, 18(13), 7010; https://0-doi-org.brum.beds.ac.uk/10.3390/ijerph18137010 - 30 Jun 2021
Cited by 4 | Viewed by 2896
Abstract
This study examines the moderating effect of a mentorship program on the relationship between parental neglect and depression among adolescents from low-income households since COVID-19. A total of 264 participants from all provinces in South Korea were registered for a mentorship program provided [...] Read more.
This study examines the moderating effect of a mentorship program on the relationship between parental neglect and depression among adolescents from low-income households since COVID-19. A total of 264 participants from all provinces in South Korea were registered for a mentorship program provided by the Korea Development Bank [KDB] Foundation, which is a charitable and non-profit organization. Two-hundred fifty-five middle and high school students from low-income families were included in the final sample. The mentorship program was provided to students based on mentors’ advice and feedback. A bootstrap method using the PROCESS macro 3.4 for SPSS was utilized to examine the moderating effect of satisfaction with the mentorship program. Neglect was positively related to depression among low-income students. Satisfaction with the mentorship program moderated the relationship between low-income students’ neglect and depression. Visits from social workers or other advocates or volunteers to low-income families with children may be helpful to address depression among low-income students. High quality mentorship programs should be provided to more low-income students for their mental health, funded particularly in the context of corporate social responsibility. Particularly since the COVID-19 pandemic, financial contributions by corporations would be valuable to reconstruct the damage to quality of life and psychological well-being among low-income adolescents. Full article
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19 pages, 543 KiB  
Article
Personal Profiles, Family Environment, Patterns of Smartphone Use, Nomophobia, and Smartphone Addiction across Low, Average, and High Perceived Academic Performance Levels among High School Students in the Philippines
by Danilo B. Buctot, Nami Kim and Sun-Hee Kim
Int. J. Environ. Res. Public Health 2021, 18(10), 5219; https://0-doi-org.brum.beds.ac.uk/10.3390/ijerph18105219 - 14 May 2021
Cited by 14 | Viewed by 21665
Abstract
(1) Background: Problematic smartphone use in adolescents has become a major concern among parents and educators. This study aimed to determine the factors associated with, and the predictors of, low, average, and high perceived academic performance (PAP). (2) Methods: Descriptive and comparative analyses [...] Read more.
(1) Background: Problematic smartphone use in adolescents has become a major concern among parents and educators. This study aimed to determine the factors associated with, and the predictors of, low, average, and high perceived academic performance (PAP). (2) Methods: Descriptive and comparative analyses were employed in this cross-sectional study among 3374 Filipino high school students through an online Google forms survey. (3) Results: We found that age, grade level, father’s education, time spent daily on weekends, frequency of use on weekdays, purpose of use, nomophobia (NMP), and smartphone addiction (SA) were significantly associated with low PAP, while frequency of use on weekends and type of internet access had a significant association with high PAP. Gender was a significant predictor of low, average, and high PAP. Father’s education and SA were also significant predictors for both low and average PAP. (4) Conclusions: This study shows the significant association between personal profiles, family environment, patterns of smartphone use, NMP, and SA contributing to a significant impact on Filipino high school students’ PAP. This suggests that proper guidelines for smartphone use should be provided at home and in school settings to raise awareness of the adverse effects of SA on students’ academic performance. Full article
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8 pages, 1094 KiB  
Commentary
Do the Benefits of School Closure Outweigh Its Costs?
by Elena Raffetti and Giuliano Di Baldassarre
Int. J. Environ. Res. Public Health 2022, 19(5), 2500; https://0-doi-org.brum.beds.ac.uk/10.3390/ijerph19052500 - 22 Feb 2022
Cited by 9 | Viewed by 2473
Abstract
School closure has been a common response to COVID-19. Yet, its implementation has hardly ever been based on rigorous analysis of its costs and benefits. We aim to first illustrate the unintended consequences and side effects of school closure, and then discuss the [...] Read more.
School closure has been a common response to COVID-19. Yet, its implementation has hardly ever been based on rigorous analysis of its costs and benefits. We aim to first illustrate the unintended consequences and side effects of school closure, and then discuss the policy and research implications. This commentary frames evidence from the most recent papers on the topic from a public-health epidemiology and disaster risk reduction perspective. In particular, we argue that the benefits of school closure in terms of reduced infection rates should be better compared with its costs in terms of both short- and long-term damage on the physical, mental, and social well-being of children and society at large. Full article
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19 pages, 607 KiB  
Systematic Review
Gender Perspective in Research on Interventions in Children with Experiences of Parental Gender-Based Violence: Application of GPIHR Criteria
by Benjamín Pereira-Román, Concepción López-Soler and María Vicenta Alcántara López
Int. J. Environ. Res. Public Health 2021, 18(21), 11047; https://0-doi-org.brum.beds.ac.uk/10.3390/ijerph182111047 - 21 Oct 2021
Viewed by 2807
Abstract
The aim of this study was to analyse the inclusion of a gender perspective (GP) in scientific production on interventions for a reduction in psychological distress in children who have experienced parental gender-based violence (CEXPGBV). To achieve this, a review of publications was [...] Read more.
The aim of this study was to analyse the inclusion of a gender perspective (GP) in scientific production on interventions for a reduction in psychological distress in children who have experienced parental gender-based violence (CEXPGBV). To achieve this, a review of publications was carried out in the Web of Science, EBSCOhost, ProQuest and Cochrane Library databases. A total of 3418 records were found, and 44 items of research selected. For GP analysis, the questionnaire “Gender perspective in health research” (GPIHR) was applied and relationships with the terminology of violence were analysed, as well as the definition of term used, references to violence by men or received by women and the instruments used to assess these. Generally, the assessed studies do not contain a GP, since 70% of the GPIHR items were answered negatively. Likewise, 89% of research used general terms to refer to violence without referring to gender. These results show the importance of considering instruments such as GPIHR in both the planning and development of future research in order to avoid possible gender bias. Full article
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