Early maturation among girls is a major stressful event that might affect their development and wellbeing during the adolescent years. However, the research literature is inconsistent as to whether the impact of early maturation among girls continues into their adult life. Taking a narrative approach, 45 adult women were interviewed and asked to…

Background: Mid-adolescence is an important phase of self-development in various domains including academics as well as for changes in the neural mechanisms underlying the self-concept. Students' academic self-concept (ASC) is affected by educational achievements and social others (such as teachers and peers). To what extent these external…

This study examined the narrative identities of 10 male, center-based, Filipino children in conflict with the law (CICL) from their stories of their experiences before entering the youth rehabilitation center, during their commitment at the center, and their perception of the future after they leave the center. Participants were minors when they…

The mysterious and unspoken secrets of life can be a source of fascination for young people. The bildungsroman quest for identity is often coupled with a protagonist's attempts to decode a range of secrets. Jamaica Kincaid's work of fiction, "Annie John" (1985), illustrates this journey. In this novel, the female protagonist's maturity…

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…

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…

Subjective social status in school (or school social status) refers to youths' perception of their position relative to peers in school. School social status has been associated with various socio-emotional outcomes in adolescents, such as internalizing symptoms (e.g., social anxiety and depression). Another closely related construct that…

Identity development is theorized to be a cornerstone of adolescence. An abundance of evidence has documented the significance of specific social identities (e.g., ethnic-racial or sexual identity) in the adjustment of adolescents. Research has found that youth who have explored their social identities and have more positive views of their social…

This study explored how mentoring begins and the benefits provided for African American sexual and/or gender minority (SGM) youth. Participants were mentors and mentees living in three Mid-Atlantic cities. Mentees (ages 15-21, n = 14) identified as African American; cisgender male, transgender female, or non-binary assigned male; and had sexual…

These days, children are exposed to a variety of information sources and channels, which create more complex interactions than ever before. It is important, therefore, to develop and reinforce children's self-leadership. The present work is a narrative qualitative study focusing on the story of Lile, a 14-year-old Israeli girl who was assessed as…

Digital flourishing refers to the positive perceptions of digital communication use in five dimensions: connectedness, positive social comparison, authentic self-presentation, civil participation, and self-control. This three-wave panel study among 1081 Slovenian adolescents (M[subscript age] = 15.34 years, 53.8% boys, 80.7% ethnic majority)…

Educational identity has been studied increasingly in the past decades since school is a structured context that shapes adolescent identity formation. Across the academic years, adolescents learn to position themselves in terms of their education and schooling, perceiving these entities as more or less relevant for their self-formation. In this…

Adolescence is a critical period for social emotional development. The need to focus on social emotional competencies is exacerbated by the COVID 19 pandemic. This systematic review paper provides a collective account of mindfulness interventions conducted exclusively with adolescent students in an educational setting (mean age 11 to 18) with the…

Music learning can invoke moments of vulnerability. Vulnerability is a key component of coherent self-concept development in adolescence, which is crucial not only for learning, but also for positive, long-term mental health outcomes in adulthood. Utilizing a lens of psychological development, we consider the relationship between the vulnerability…