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Youth
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Promoting Resilience, Wellbeing, and Mental Health of Young People
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Promoting Resilience, Wellbeing, and Mental Health of Young People

A special issue of Youth (ISSN 2673-995X).

Deadline for manuscript submissions: closed (31 May 2024) | Viewed by 6415

Special Issue Editors

Dr. Ernesta Sofija

E-Mail Website
Guest Editor
School of Medicine and Dentistry–Public Health, Griffith University, Gold Coast, Brisbane, Qld, Australia
Interests: young people; mental health and wellbeing; lifestyles; innovative approaches for health promotion; evaluation research; public health
Prof. Dr. Andy Bennett

E-Mail Website
Guest Editor
School of Humanities, Languages and Social Science, Griffith University, Gold Coast, Brisbane, Qld, Australia
Interests: youth cultures; youth transitions; youth and ageing; popular music; sociological theory; ethnographic research

Special Issue Information

Dear Colleagues,

We are pleased to invite submissions for this Special Issue of Youth. In recent decades of intensifying crises, from unprecedented pandemics and economic upheaval to more frequent and severe environmental disasters, the health and wellbeing of young people have been significantly challenged. Promoting the resilience of youth has never been as critical as it is now. Finding ways to proactively support young people necessitates an in-depth investigation of the pressure points and facilitators determining a good life.

This Special Issue aims to publish a series of articles that collectively highlight innovative ways to promote resilience, wellbeing and mental health among young people in the global context.

The issue invites contributions from researchers and practitioners around the globe in fields including, but not limited to, sociology, public health, health promotion, youth studies, psychology and leisure studies. We welcome original research with various designs and methodologies as well as review articles (e.g., systematic style reviews). This Special Issue welcomes submissions of intervention/evaluation research articles. It seeks to capture perspectives and insights from diverse contexts and disciplines, and thus, particularly encourages interdisciplinary studies and those conducted in less industrialized settings.

Dr. Ernesta Sofija
Prof. Dr. Andy Bennett
Guest Editors

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. Youth is an international peer-reviewed open access quarterly 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 1000 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

  • young people
  • wellbeing
  • approaches
  • interventions
  • youth-centered
  • leisure and lifestyle

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Further information on MDPI's Special Issue polices can be found here.

Published Papers (5 papers)

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Research

18 pages, 646 KiB  
Article
A Mixed Methods Synthesis Investigating the Personal and Ecological Resources Promoting Mental Health and Resilience in Youth Exposed to Intimate Partner Violence
by Margherita Cameranesi and Caroline C. Piotrowski
Youth 2024, 4(4), 1610-1627; https://doi.org/10.3390/youth4040103 - 15 Nov 2024
Viewed by 376
Abstract
Resilience research is concerned with studying the complex interplay of personal and ecological resources that promote positive adaptation following adversity in different populations. Although much research has investigated adjustment in young persons exposed to intimate partner violence (IPV), most of this research has [...] Read more.
Resilience research is concerned with studying the complex interplay of personal and ecological resources that promote positive adaptation following adversity in different populations. Although much research has investigated adjustment in young persons exposed to intimate partner violence (IPV), most of this research has taken a deficit approach by focusing on the negative cascades of effects that exposure to IPV has on the functioning of this group. In this paper, we discuss a mixed methods integration of two independent strength-based or resilience-focused studies involving Canadian youth exposed to IPV. Study 1 is a qualitative constructive grounded theory study that aimed to identify the coping strategies that youth exposed to IPV use to effectively cope with the traumatic experience of growing up in an IPV-affected family. This study included 13 youths with a history of IPV exposure who completed individual in-depth interviews, the drawing of ecomaps, and photovoice projects. Study 2 is a quantitative population-based study that aimed to identify profiles of adjustment in a cohort of 3886 youth who had previously experienced IPV exposure, as well as the specific risk and promotive factors that significantly predicted membership in the identified adjustment profiles. Both studies independently identified personal and ecological resources that were instrumental in supporting the resilience of study participants. By comparing and contrasting the two sets of findings, the present mixed methods integration provides further evidence on the complex interactions of mechanisms that promote positive adaptation in youth exposed to IPV, which aligns with a multisystemic understanding of resilience in this population. We provided recommendations for practice and policy based on the integrated findings. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Promoting Resilience, Wellbeing, and Mental Health of Young People)
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15 pages, 2984 KiB  
Article
How Live Music Can Be Delivered to Children and Young People to Support Their Mental Health and Wellbeing: Co-Produced Solutions and Key Findings from a Series of Intergenerational Multi-Disciplinary Workshops
by Lynne Gilmour, Louise Honeybul, David Mackay, Jenny Jamison and Amy Woodhouse
Youth 2024, 4(4), 1567-1581; https://doi.org/10.3390/youth4040100 - 4 Nov 2024
Viewed by 388
Abstract
Background: Children and young people’s (CYP) mental health is a policy priority, with rates of poor mental health reported to be as much as one in five across the UK. Traditional mental health support services cannot meet demand, and new approaches are needed. [...] Read more.
Background: Children and young people’s (CYP) mental health is a policy priority, with rates of poor mental health reported to be as much as one in five across the UK. Traditional mental health support services cannot meet demand, and new approaches are needed. The creative arts can be an effective tool in supporting mental health. However, little is known about how live music can be used to support CYP mental health and wellbeing. We facilitated three, two-day intergenerational and multi-disciplinary workshops to co-produce ideas about how live music could be delivered to this end. Results: Workshops were held in three locations in Scotland, attended by a mixture of CYP, youth workers, mental health practitioners, teachers, and musicians (n = 91). A range of co-created solutions were generated including a live music festival designed for and with CYP and free gig tickets. Barriers and facilitators for CYP accessing live music were also identified. Furthermore, these workshops were found to increase confidence for musicians in delivering live music events to CYP, and CYP felt their voices were heard in their design of the delivery. Conclusions: This study presents novel co-created solutions about how live music can be delivered to CYP that need to be tried and tested in future research. It also provides key insights for musicians, live music providers, and people supporting CYP about the best approach to delivering live music for CYP. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Promoting Resilience, Wellbeing, and Mental Health of Young People)
13 pages, 1178 KiB  
Article
Youth Mentoring as a Means of Supporting Mental Health for Minoritized Youth: A Reflection on Three Theoretical Frameworks 20 Years Later
by Grace Gowdy, Kristian Jones and Aisha N. Griffith
Youth 2024, 4(3), 1211-1223; https://doi.org/10.3390/youth4030076 - 17 Aug 2024
Cited by 1 | Viewed by 1016
Abstract
Youth mentoring as a field of study has grown immensely in recent years, with hundreds of peer-reviewed research articles on the subject. A key driver of this interest is the demonstrated ability of youth mentoring to support positive mental health for minoritized youth. [...] Read more.
Youth mentoring as a field of study has grown immensely in recent years, with hundreds of peer-reviewed research articles on the subject. A key driver of this interest is the demonstrated ability of youth mentoring to support positive mental health for minoritized youth. Three central theoretical models, published nearly twenty years ago, drive the majority of this body of research: the systemic model, the relational model, and the mechanisms of mentoring model. The present paper examines these theoretical models through conversation with their authors and presents their reflections and insights, the contexts in which these models were originally written, and the similarities and differences among them. By understanding the origins of these three influential theoretical models, what they center, and what they do not center, we can begin to consider the ways in which the body of work on youth mentoring is framed. Ultimately, these analyses and reflections outline future directions for the field and a forthcoming updated conceptual model of youth mentoring that centers issues of equity and social justice. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Promoting Resilience, Wellbeing, and Mental Health of Young People)
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15 pages, 229 KiB  
Article
In Their Own Words: LGBTQIA+ Stigma in Secondary School
by Erin Stevenson and Gregory Sandman
Youth 2024, 4(3), 968-982; https://doi.org/10.3390/youth4030061 - 24 Jun 2024
Viewed by 1866
Abstract
LGBTQIA+ youth often face stigma from society as they develop their personal identities. In the United States, legislation has recently been focusing on reducing protections in schools for queer youth and limiting access to resources like gender affirming healthcare. Youth have increasingly been [...] Read more.
LGBTQIA+ youth often face stigma from society as they develop their personal identities. In the United States, legislation has recently been focusing on reducing protections in schools for queer youth and limiting access to resources like gender affirming healthcare. Youth have increasingly been targeted for identifying as queer and have experienced verbal and physical violence for expressing their gender identities. Research links stigmatization with increased mental health and substance use problems. However, there is limited information on how stigma experienced during adolescence may continue to impact young adults over time. Using a qualitative retrospective framework, LGBTQIA+-identified undergraduates (N = 8) at a 4-year university participated in one-hour virtual focus groups. Data were recorded and anonymized using individual participant codes with names of people or places removed from transcripts. Students were asked to reflect on their experiences as queer youth in secondary school including access to resources; interactions with teachers, staff, and peers; recommendations for supporting LGBTQIA+ students; and personal coping skills. The researchers used a thematic analysis to examine key issues students raised. Results provide insight into the challenges LGBTQIA+ youth face and highlight the strengths of these college-age young adults. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Promoting Resilience, Wellbeing, and Mental Health of Young People)
14 pages, 273 KiB  
Article
Self-Regulation as a Protective Factor against Bullying during Early Adolescence
by Christopher Williams, Kenneth W. Griffin, Caroline M. Botvin, Sandra Sousa and Gilbert J. Botvin
Youth 2024, 4(2), 478-491; https://doi.org/10.3390/youth4020033 - 1 Apr 2024
Cited by 1 | Viewed by 1780
Abstract
Self-regulation has been shown to play a protective role against youth substance abuse, but less is known about its influence on bullying behavior. In the present study, we examined several forms of bullying (physical, social, cyber, and all forms combined) and roles (bullies, [...] Read more.
Self-regulation has been shown to play a protective role against youth substance abuse, but less is known about its influence on bullying behavior. In the present study, we examined several forms of bullying (physical, social, cyber, and all forms combined) and roles (bullies, victims, and bully-victims). Students (N = 1977, ages 11 to 13) from 27 middle schools throughout the United States (US) completed an online self-reported assessment of bullying and its hypothesized etiologic determinants. Across the outcomes, analyses revealed that social bullying was most prevalent, followed by physical bullying and cyberbullying. For bullying roles, almost two-thirds of students reported bullying victimization, nearly one-quarter reported bullying perpetration, and one in five students reported both. Of those reporting perpetration, 9 of 10 reported being victimized. Multivariate logistic regression models were used to examine the associations between self-regulation, bystander intervention skills, and bullying. For all forms of bullying combined, self-regulation was protective against bullying perpetration (OR 0.51, 95% CI: 0.42, 0.63) and perpetration/victimization (OR 0.55, 95% CI: 0.44, 0.68), while bystander intervention skills were not protective. Similar patterns emerged for physical, social, and cyberbullying. Collectively, these findings indicate that building self-regulation skills may be a critical component of interventions aimed at preventing bullying among school-aged youth. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Promoting Resilience, Wellbeing, and Mental Health of Young People)
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