Emotion is essential for learning, but brain evidence shows how not all emotional engagement is equivalent. New research by Mary Helen Immordino-Yang and the research team at the USC Center for Affective Neuroscience, Development, Learning, and Education finds that adolescents' dispositions toward emotionally engaged "transcendent…

Introduction: This mixed-method longitudinal study examined American adolescents' meaning making of salient COVID-19 pandemic events. Method: Within phone interviews, adolescents (N = 124, M[subscript age] = 15.76 years; 46% Latine) narrated their most emotionally impactful pandemic experience at two time points ~30 days apart between July 2020…

This vital two-volume handbook summarizes current and emerging research and clinical evidence to provide a working knowledge of the contributions of pediatric psychology, developmental-behavioral pediatrics, and developmental science, and promote the integration of these disciplines to improve child and adolescent health and well-being. In a…

Adolescence is a vital stage of human development, characterized by significant physical, emotional, and cognitive changes. During this period, adolescents face numerous challenges, including academic stress, mental health issues, social pressures, and identity formation. Teachers play a significant role in shaping students' academic and personal…

Introduction: Family and school environments are pivotal in adolescent development. However, the simultaneous examination of adversities in both domains remains understudied. Based on bioecological and spillover theories, this study aimed to bridge this research gap by using latent profile analysis to identify distinct patterns of family adversity…

Good religious education needs to be rooted in a robust theological anthropology. The Roman Catholic Church's gender complementarity approach is inadequate for accompanying adolescents in Catholic schools as they engage in questions of gender and sexuality; instead, educators need a theological anthropology oriented towards adolescent flourishing.…

Social gaming--online gameplay involving digital interactions with others--is a common form of social media use among adolescents. Research on this topic has neglected the social aspect of gaming and the potential role of social gaming in adolescent development. In this article, we define social gaming, drawing on interdisciplinary theories to…

Introduction: Societal stressors place a tremendous burden on individuals who identify with a sexual minority identity. While minority stress experienced by racial/ethnic minority groups has been linked to accelerated aging, this link has yet to be examined among sexual minority youth. This study explores whether sexual minority youth who indicate…

Youths' perspectives, unique from adults, are shaped by their developmental experiences. This study contextualizes the meaning of mental health and being mentally healthy from adolescent perspectives. Four focus groups of students in grades 9 to 12 (N = 27) were recruited from a school in an urban city. Participants were mainly female (n = 22) and…

Introduction: The Moral Foundations Theory (MFT) identifies innate moral foundations that drive moral judgment, and are assumed to mature at different phases throughout development. However, core developmental aspects of moral foundations, such as normative age and gender differences from an MFT perspective, remain relatively unexplored,…

For over a century, schools have been hoping that instilling knowledge of the US civic system--how a bill becomes a law, the three branches of government, the history of constitutional amendments--would lead young people to embrace the concept of democracy and commit to engaging in it. Yet today, young people's trust in democratic institutions has…

This study explores the associations among narcissistic traits, emotion regulation strategies, and peer problems among adolescents. Specifically, it examines whether cognitive reappraisal and expressive suppression moderate the relationship between narcissistic traits and peer problems. In total 2207 individuals (1165, 52.8% females), aged between…

We explore care workers' descriptions of friluftsliv (outdoor life) in Norwegian residential care homes in the context of child and youth care. Tracing a brief history of friluftsliv in Norway, we describe how it is appreciated for its health benefits and character-forming qualities. We also touch upon barriers to friluftsliv, which largely follow…

Adolescence is a remarkable developmental period where figuring out who you are can feel essential. Relationships and sense of self are at the forefront during this period, as establishing a sense of connection can lead to positive social experiences that contribute to a myriad of benefits, ultimately facilitating positive life outcomes. School is…

This mixed methods study examines life purposes of Finnish adolescents (N = 843) at the end of their basic education. Purpose is understood as a long-term intention to accomplish something of meaning to the self, which also contributes to society. The research showed that, despite problem talk about adolescents' mental health, Finnish adolescents…