Showing papers in "Child Indicators Research in 2018"
TL;DR: Relationships with family and school staff may be important in protecting young people against substance use, and improving wellbeing and mental health, and interventions focused on student-staff relationships may beimportant for young people with less family support.
Abstract: Positive relationships with family, friends and school staff are consistently linked with health and wellbeing during adolescence, though fewer studies explore how these micro-systems interact to influence adolescent health. This study tests the independent and interacting roles of family, peer and school relationships in predicting substance use, subjective wellbeing and mental health symptoms among 11–16 year olds in Wales. It presents cross-sectional analyses of the 2013 Health Behaviour in School-aged Children survey, completed by 9055 young people aged 11–16 years. Multilevel logistic regression analyses are used to test associations of family communication, family support, relationships with school staff, school peer connectedness, and support from friends, with tobacco use, cannabis use, alcohol use, subjective wellbeing and mental health symptoms. Positive relationships with family and school staff were consistently associated with better outcomes. Support from friends was associated with higher use of all substances, while higher school peer connectedness was associated with better subjective wellbeing and mental health. Better relationships with school staff were most strongly associated with positive subjective wellbeing, and fewer mental health symptoms where pupils reported less family support. Support from friends was associated with higher cannabis use and worse mental health among pupils with lower family support. Relationships with family and school staff may be important in protecting young people against substance use, and improving wellbeing and mental health. Interventions focused on student-staff relationships may be important for young people with less family support. Interventions based on peer support should be mindful of potential harmful effects for pupils with less support from family.
127 citations
TL;DR: In this article, the authors examined a sample of 802 seventh graders, with an average age of 12.6 years, from three different cities in Chile and found evidence for a negative association between school climate and involvement with school violence, as expected.
Abstract: Researchers have found an association between school violence, as a victim or as a perpetrator, and levels of life satisfaction among youth. In particular, adolescents that engage in school violence report lower levels of life satisfaction, compared to those not involved. Moreover, school climate and school satisfaction can contribute to explaining school violence and life satisfaction. Yet, few researchers have examined underlying mechanisms between school violence and life satisfaction, by considering school satisfaction as a mediating factor. Thus, we examined a sample of 802 seventh graders, with an average age of 12.6 years, from three different cities in Chile. Structural equation modeling results provide evidence for a negative association between school climate and involvement with school violence, as expected. Being a victim of school violence has an indirect effect on life satisfaction through school satisfaction. Being a perpetrator, however, has no indirect effect on life satisfaction. The results highlight the importance of school satisfaction and school climate to understand their relationships with school violence and life satisfaction. The results suggest that prevention initiatives that consider school context may be a useful strategy for ameliorating negative consequences of school violence among youth.
59 citations
TL;DR: A new measure of child material and social deprivation in the European Union which includes age appropriate child-specific information available from the thematic deprivation modules included in the 2009 and 2014 waves of the “EU Statistics on Income and Living Conditions” (EU-SILC).
Abstract: This paper proposes a new measure of child material and social deprivation (MSD) in the European Union (EU) which includes age appropriate child-specific information available from the thematic deprivation modules included in the 2009 and 2014 waves of the “EU Statistics on Income and Living Conditions” (EU‑SILC). It summarises the main results of the in-depth analysis of these two datasets, identifies an optimal set of robust children MSD items and recommends a child‑specific MSD indicator for use by EU countries and the European Commission in their regular social monitoring. In doing this, the paper replicates and expands on the methodological framework outlined in Guio, Gordon and Marlier (2012), particularly by including additional advanced reliability tests.
46 citations
TL;DR: In this paper, the authors explored variations in children's overall life satisfaction by their socio-demographic characteristics and social relationships in Hong Kong and found that children's perceived positive relationships with family and teachers, perceived strong social support from family, and experience of being bullied were associated with their life satisfaction.
Abstract: There has been growing research interest into child poverty and child well-being in Asia. However the development of qualitative and quantitative data in the field predominately adopts ‘expert-led’ or adult-derived measures of child poverty. This article aims to explore variations in children’s overall life satisfaction by their socio-demographic characteristics and social relationships in Hong Kong. Data used in this article is drawn from the first wave of the Strategic Public Policy Research (SPPR) project– ‘Trends and Implications of Poverty and Social Disadvantages in Hong Kong: A Multi-disciplinary and Longitudinal Study’. This article reports, for the first time evidence based on a child-derived material deprivation index - thereby addressing the limitations in traditional adult-derived child poverty measures. The study found that child deprivation explained more of the variation in children’s overall life satisfaction than traditional adult-reported income poverty. Further analyses showed that children’s perceived positive relationships with family and teachers, perceived strong social support from family, and experience of being bullied were associated with their life satisfaction.
46 citations
TL;DR: In this article, the authors investigated whether social support mediated and moderated the relation between social exclusion and psychological wellbeing at school and found that social support had also a moderator role on this association.
Abstract: Social exclusion experiences thwart fundamental human needs, and threaten youths’ mental health and wellbeing. Given the literature supporting the protective effect of social support, the present study investigated whether social support mediated and moderated the relation between social exclusion and psychological wellbeing at school. Sample consisted of 407 adolescents (49.9% of female) with ranging in age between 11 and 18 years (M = 13.94, SD = 1.64). Findings of the structural equation modeling analyses indicated that social support sources–family, peer and school– had mediating effect on the relationship of social exclusion and youths’ psychological wellbeing. Additionally, regression analyses showed that social support had also a moderator role on this association. However, the role of these resources (family, school and peer support) varied with regard to gender, and herein the effect of social support was greater in female students. Moreover, school support moderated the association of social exclusion and female students’ psychological wellbeing, while peer support had a moderator role on this relation for male students. In sum, the study results support that youths who perceive themselves as being socially excluded at school have lower social support and psychological wellbeing, and the importance of social support resources on youths’ psychological wellbeing in adolescents. Implications for future research and practice are discussed, and several suggestions are presented.
43 citations
TL;DR: Results from a series of linear probability models showed that most outcomes were similar for children with shared residence and those living with two custodial parents in the same household, while several outcomes were worse for children living with one parent.
Abstract: Among children with separated parents, shared residence - i.e., joint physical custody where the child is sharing his or her time equally between two custodial parents' homes - is increasing in many Western countries and is particularly common in Sweden. The overall level of living among children in Sweden is high; however, the potential structural differences between children in various post-separation family arrangements have not been sufficiently studied. Potential risks for children with shared residence relate to the daily hassles and stress when having two homes. This study aims at investigating the living conditions of children with shared residence compared with children living with two custodial parents in the same household and those living with one custodial parent, respectively. Swedish national survey data collected from children aged 10-18 years (n ≈ 5000) and their parents were used. The outcomes were grouped into: Economic and material conditions, Social relations with parents and peers, Health and health behaviors, Working conditions and safety in school and in the neighborhood, and Culture and leisure time activities. Results from a series of linear probability models showed that most outcomes were similar for children with shared residence and those living with two custodial parents in the same household, while several outcomes were worse for children living with one parent. However, few differences due to living arrangements were found regarding school conditions. This study highlights the inequalities in the living conditions of Swedish children, with those living with one parent having fewer resources compared with other children.
43 citations
TL;DR: A cross-cultural adaptation of an HIV stigma scale, previously used with US ALHIV, is conducted and validated, which will be valuable for evaluating rates and types of stigma, as well as effectiveness of stigma-reduction interventions among AlHIV in Southern Africa.
Abstract: Sub-Saharan Africa is home to 90 % of the world’s adolescents living with HIV (ALHIV). HIV-stigma and the resultant fear of being identified as HIV-positive can compromise the survival of these youth by undermining anti-retroviral treatment initiation and adherence. To date, no HIV-stigma measures have been validated for use with ALHIV in Sub-Saharan Africa. This paper reports on a two-stage study in the Eastern Cape, South Africa. Firstly, we conducted a cross-cultural adaptation of an HIV stigma scale, previously used with US ALHIV. One-on-one semi-structured cognitive interviews were conducted with 9 urban and rural ALHIV. Three main themes emerged: 1) participants spoke about experiences of HIV stigma specific to a Southern African context, such as anticipating stigma from community members due to ‘punishment from God or ancestors’; 2) participants’ responses uncovered discrepancies between what the items intended to capture and how they understood them and 3) participants’ interpretation of wording uncovered redundant items. Items were revised or removed in consultation with participants. Secondly, we psychometrically assessed and validated this adapted ALHIV stigma scale (ALHIV-SS). We used total population sampling in 53 public healthcare facilities with community tracing. 721 ALHIV who were fully aware of their status were identified and interviewed for the psychometric assessment. Confirmatory factor analysis confirmed a 3-factor structure of enacted, anticipated and internalized stigma. The removal of 3 items resulted in a significant improvement in model fit (Chi
2
(df) = 189.83 (33), p < .001) and the restricted model fitted the data well (RMSEA = .017; CFI/TLI = .985/.980; SRMR = .032). Standardized factor loadings of indicators onto the latent variable were acceptable for all three measures (.41–.96). Concurrent criterion validity confirmed hypothesized relationships. Enacted stigma was associated with higher AIDS symptomatology (r = .146, p < .01) and depression (r = .092, p < .01). Internalized stigma was correlated with higher depression (r = .340, p < .01), higher AIDS symptomatology (r = .228, p < .01) and low social support (r = −.265, p < .01). Anticipated stigma was associated with higher depression (r = .203, p < .01) and lower social support (r = −.142, p < .01). The resulting ALHIV-SS has 10 items capturing all three HIV stigma mechanisms experienced by ALHIV. ALHIV-SS will be valuable for evaluating rates and types of stigma, as well as effectiveness of stigma-reduction interventions among ALHIV in Southern Africa.
39 citations
TL;DR: The findings support the thesis that poor personal well-being in adolescents is the consequence rather than the cause of Internet addictive behaviors and strategies that help reduce addictive behaviors related to the Internet should be considered.
Abstract: Using a panel design, this study examined the prospective relationships between Internet addiction and life satisfaction as well as hopelessness in a representative sample of Hong Kong adolescents. Starting from 2009/10 academic year, 3328 Secondary 1 students in 28 secondary schools in Hong Kong participated in this longitudinal study (Mean age = 12.59 years; SD = 0.74 years). All participants responded to a questionnaire that includes the Internet Addiction Test, Life Satisfaction Scale, and Hopelessness Scale on a yearly basis. Cross-lagged analyses based on three waves of data collected during three junior adolescent years showed that Internet addiction measured at Time 1 predicted poor life satisfaction and hopelessness at Time 2, but not vice versa. Similarly, Internet addiction at Time 2 predicted low life satisfaction at Time 3, and the cross-lagged effects of life satisfaction and hopelessness on Internet addiction from Time 2 to Time 3 remained non-significant. The findings support the thesis that poor personal well-being in adolescents is the consequence rather than the cause of Internet addictive behaviors. To improve quality of life and prevent suicidality in adolescents, strategies that help reduce addictive behaviors related to the Internet should be considered.
34 citations
TL;DR: The Self-Compassion Scale for Children (SCSCS-C) as discussed by the authors was used to explore the reliability and validity of the self-compassion scale for children, and a sample of 406 children, ages 8 to 12, completed the SCS-C and measures of mindfulness, self-concept, well-being and psychological adjustment, empathic-related responding, and prosocial goals.
Abstract: Research on self-compassion in adults and adolescents has consistently shown positive associations of self-compassion to mindfulness, psychological and physical well-being, self-esteem, and compassion towards others. Yet, self-compassion in children has not been examined. The present study was conducted to explore the reliability and validity of the Self-Compassion Scale for Children (SCS-C). A sample of 406 children, ages 8 to 12, completed the SCS-C and measures of mindfulness, self-concept, well-being and psychological adjustment, empathic-related responding, and prosocial goals. Results indicated a two-factor structure for the SCS-C with negatively-worded items and positively-worded items forming two discrete subscales, each with acceptable internal consistency (Cronbach’s alpha = .81–.83). Children’s scores on the positive and negative self-compassion subscales were significantly related to most of the self-reported measures in the expected directions. These findings provide insight into the factor structure of the SCS-C and are consistent with previous research on the Self-Compassion Scale with adult and adolescent populations. Limitations and future directions are discussed with regard to the two-factor structure of the SCS-C and its relevance for research and applications.
31 citations
TL;DR: The study finds that 67% or 247 million children are multidimensionally poor in the thirty sub-Saharan African countries included in the analysis using the Multiple Overlapping Deprivation Analysis (MODA) methodology.
Abstract: This study provides with a first indication on the number of multidimensionally poor children in sub-Saharan Africa. It presents a methodology measuring multidimensional child deprivation within and across countries, and it is in line with the Sustainable Development Goal 1 focusing on multidimensional poverty by age and gender. Using the Multiple Overlapping Deprivation Analysis (MODA) methodology, the study finds that 67% or 247 million children are multidimensionally poor in the thirty sub-Saharan African countries included in the analysis. Multidimensional poverty is defined as missing two to five aspects of basic child well-being captured by dimensions anchored in the Convention on the Rights of the Child, namely nutrition, health, education, information, water, sanitation, and housing. The analysis also predicts the multidimensional child poverty rates for the whole sub-Saharan African region estimating 64% or 291 million children to be multidimensionally poor. In comparison, monetary poverty rates measured as less than USD 1.25 PPP per capita spending a day and weighted by the child population size finds 48% poor children. The results of this study highlight the extent of multidimensional poverty among children in sub-Saharan Africa and the need for children to have a specific poverty measure in their own right.
31 citations
TL;DR: In this paper, the authors explored the evolution and age and gender differences in children, adolescents and young adults and assessed on the short-term positive affects in the French school system and concluded that positive emotions decline and negative emotions increase and that women experience on average more negative emotions and less positive emotions than men.
Abstract: Emotional well-being is particularly impo rtant in teenagers and youngadults. Childhood and adolescence provide opportunities to develop the foundationsfor mental health and the school is an important mean that can enable it. It seemsimportant to examine the evolution and differences in positive and negative emotionsand experiences in adolescents and young adults in educational settings, which havereceived less interest in the literature. The main goal of this article (studies 2 and 3), is to explore the evolution and age and gender differences in children, adolescents andyoung adults and to assess on the short-term positive affects in the French schoolsystem. A second goal of this article is to assess the validity and reliability of the Scaleof Positive and Negative Experience (SPANE, Diener et al. 2010) in French in order toreach our main goal. The SPANE was translated and then evaluated in a sample of 1999students. Results show adequate psychometric properties of the French version. Theresults of the second and third studies show that positive emotions decline and negativeemotions increase and that women experience on average more negative emotions andless positive emotions than men. The overall results highlight the importance ofpromoting well-being during adolescence.
TL;DR: In this article, a detailed study of change in children's daily time in screen-based activities (TV, videogames, and computers), together with the latest data on their time using computers and mobile devices throughout the day was presented.
Abstract: Much has changed over recent years in the technology that children use in their daily lives. The impact of these changes on children's time in screen-based activities has been the source of much debate and concern. Yet we know very little about change in children's daily time in screen-based activities, including their time using devices such as smartphones and tablets. Using data from two nationally representative UK Time Use Surveys 2000–01 and 2014–15, this paper presents a detailed study of change in children's (8–18 years) daily time in screen-based activities (TV, videogames, and computers), together with the latest data on their time using computers and mobile devices throughout the day. We find that children's screen-based activities increased by around half an hour between 2000 and 2015, but that this was concentrated among boys who increased their time playing videogames. Dwarfing this, however, was the additional time children spent using computers and mobile devices when engaging in other activities throughout the day, especially for girls. Multivariate analysis of factors associated with children's screen-based activities revealed that gender differences in children's time playing videogames widened significantly over this period, while socio-economic differences in children's screen-based activities remained fixed. This study highlights how children are combining old and new technologies in their daily lives, and points to issues for future developments in the measurement of children's engagement in screen-based activities to aid in assessing the impact of technology on children's well-being.
TL;DR: In this article, the authors investigated the effect of social exclusion on adolescents' mental health and wellbeing at school, and found that academic self-regulation mediated and moderated the effect.
Abstract: The desire to build and maintain positive relations is a fundamental and universal need of humans. Therefore, individuals’ perception of social exclusion has been investigated as a potentially important factor for mental health and wellbeing. In order to enhance adolescents’ wellbeing and promote mental health at school, the purpose of the present study was to investigate whether academic self-regulation mediated and moderated the effect of social exclusion on youths’ mental health (internalizing and externalizing problems) and affective wellbeing at school. Participants comprised 313 adolescents (55.3% girls), ranging in age between 11 and 19 years (M = 15.678, SD = 1.739). Findings from structural equation analyses indicated a partial mediating effect of academic self-regulation on adolescents’ mental health problems and affective wellbeing, and that it promoted their mental health and wellbeing in the face of social exclusion. In addition, moderation analyses supported these results, demonstrating a significant moderating role of academic self-regulation on youths’ wellbeing and mental health. Taken together, these results support the importance of academic self-regulation on youths’ mental health and wellbeing in the face of social exclusion, and contribute to the design of school-based services in order to protect their mental health and wellbeing. Implications for future research and practice are discussed.
TL;DR: In this article, the authors identify factors which can predict the likelihood of children having low subjective well-being, such as material deprivation, family financial strain, parental wellbeing and children's experience of being bullied.
Abstract: If we cannot explain the factors that affect the subjective well-being of children we cannot know what to do to improve it. Comparative studies have found that children in some countries have higher mean levels of subjective well-being than children in other countries. But studies of variations in subjective well-being of children within countries, based on school based surveys of children, have failed to explain much of the variation in subjective well-being observed. This may be because such surveys can only collect limited data on their household and school from the child. Wave 5 of the UK Millennium Cohort Survey (11-year-olds) presents a new opportunity to understand the factors affecting children’s subjective well-being making use of information gathered from parents as well as children. This article aims to identify factors which can predict the likelihood of children having low subjective well-being. The key findings from the analysis are that (a) a wide range of parent-reported variables have some power in predicting low child subjective well-being; (b) in comparison a small selection of child-reported variables have more explanatory power. Factors such as material deprivation, family financial strain, parental well-being and children’s experience of being bullied emerge as important in the analysis. The implications for future research on child subjective well-being are discussed.
TL;DR: In this paper, the authors investigated the predictive validity of two competing measurement models underlying the Student Subjective Wellbeing Questionnaire (SSWQ) relative to several specific classes of adolescent problem behaviors: antisocial behavior, alcohol use, tobacco use, suicidal tendencies, nutrition habits, and school dropout.
Abstract: The present study investigated the predictive validity of two competing measurement models underlying the Student Subjective Wellbeing Questionnaire (SSWQ)—first-order and second-order—relative to several specific classes of adolescent problem behaviors: antisocial behavior, alcohol use, tobacco use, suicidal tendencies, nutrition habits, and school dropout. Analyses conducted with a sample or urban high-school students in Turkey (Grades 9–12, N = 374) demonstrated that the SSWQ’s first-order measurement model, which consisted of four fully-correlated factors (i.e., joy of learning, school connectedness, academic efficacy, and educational purpose), and second-order measurement model, which structured these four first-order factors as indicators of one second-order factor (i.e., student covitality), both indicated good data–model fit and strong internal reliability with the present sample. Additionally, results showed that both measurement models had substantive and relatively similar predictive power, characterized by moderate to large effect sizes, for accounting for the variance in all of the problem behaviors of interest. Findings regarding the predictive validity of the first-order measurement model further indicated that the predictive power of this model was primarily limited to two of the four students subjective wellbeing factors: academic efficacy and educational purpose. Implications for theory, practice, and future research are discussed.
TL;DR: How the methodology was adapted in the different contexts is described, discussing critical issues that arose during the study process, and the results of the three studies are compared.
Abstract: This paper describes and reviews the process of constructing a Multidimensional Child Poverty Measure in three sub-Saharan Africa countries: Mali, Malawi, and Tanzania. These countries recently (in 2015 and 2014) constructed a measure of multidimensional child poverty using UNICEF’s Multiple Overlapping Deprivation Analysis (MODA) methodology and conducted a comprehensive child poverty study including both deprivation and monetary poverty. This work describes how the methodology was adapted in the different contexts, discussing critical issues that arose during the study process, and compares the results of the three studies. The goal is to offer an overview of the different national processes and determine how similar or different factors influence the results.
TL;DR: In this paper, a system of indicators for children's well-being is proposed, based on capability theory and the Life Sustainability (LS) proposition, with the aim of making some progress in this direction and supporting what is first analyzed from a conceptual point of view.
Abstract: In the last two decades, studies dealing with the measurement of children’s well-being have proliferated. These studies develop mainly from the need to address the topic from a multidimensional perspective, capable of integrating approaches into a more comprehensive view of reality. In this regard, key issues have been tackled and discussions are still open, such as those on the inclusion of boys and girls as active agents in the definition of their needs, or on the consideration of aspects that affect both present and future needs as part of well-being. The capability theory sets a very interesting theoretical framework within this context. This work will, first of all, try to approach the topic of children’s well-being from such perspective in conjunction with the Life Sustainability proposition. There is, however, no translation of these theoretical contributions to the development of indicators, even though the actual need for them is well acknowledged, given the political and social-action implications of bringing this progress to the realm of the tangible. There are two main reasons for this. First, the scarcity of data about children that could allow the empirical development of valid and reliable measurements in this field. Second, the methodological difficulty of appropriately defining this kind of factors, which are very often linked to subjective and/or intangible aspects, for quantification purposes. Keeping all this in mind, the second part of this work aims at making some progress in this direction and proposes a system of indicators to support what is first analyzed from a conceptual point of view.
TL;DR: In this paper, the authors evaluated the psychometric properties of the Children's Social Desirability Short (CSD-S) scale, and examined if and, if so, how SD systematically biases child-report family and peer relationships as indicators of social well-being.
Abstract: Research on child well-being largely relies on children’s self-report data, potentially biased by social desirability (SD). In this study, we aim to (1) evaluate the psychometric properties of the Children’s Social Desirability Short (CSD-S) scale, and (2) examine if and, if so, how SD systematically biases child-report family and peer relationships as indicators of social well-being. In spring 2015, 843 elementary school children (aged 10) and their parents were surveyed on well-being indicators and SD measured with the 14-items Children’s Social Desirability Short (CSD-S) scale. The CSD-S was evaluated using nonparametric Item Response Theory (NIRT). Linear mixed-effects regression models based on multiple imputations of multilevel missing data were run to examine the role of SD in self-report social well-being in addition to socio-demographic characteristics, accounting for the nested structure of the data (students were sampled at class level). Applying NIRT, we identified a 13-items subset of the CSD-S with double monotonicity. Cronbach’s alpha was .82. When controlling for children’s socio-demographic characteristics, SD significantly positively predicted subjective evaluations of family relationships (B = 0.04, t(49272) = 7.45, p < .001), whereas it significantly negatively predicted self-report deviant behavior performed towards peers (B = −0.03, t(39927) = −14.40, p < .001) and experienced from peers (B= −.0.01, t(39028) = −2.86, p = .002). SD bias explained additional 22 percent of variance in self-report deviant behavior performed towards peers. Since SD impacts the validity of self-report well-being, child indicators research should include age-specific SD scales, e.g., the CSD-S, and control for the bias in statistical analyses.
TL;DR: The Delaware Social-Emotional Competency Scale (DSECS-S) as mentioned in this paper was developed to provide schools with a brief, inexpensive, and psychometrically sound self-report scale to assess students' social-emotional competencies Confirmatory factor analyses, conducted on a sample of 32,414 students from 126 public elementary, middle, and high schools in Delaware, showed that a second-order model consisting of four specific factors and one general factor best represented the data.
Abstract: The Delaware Social-Emotional Competency Scale (DSECS-S) was developed to provide schools with a brief, inexpensive, and psychometrically sound self-report scale to assess students’ social-emotional competencies Confirmatory factor analyses, conducted on a sample of 32,414 students from 126 public elementary, middle, and high schools in Delaware, showed that a second-order model consisting of four specific factors and one general factor (social-emotional competence) best represented the data Those four factors are represented in the four subscales of the DSECS-S: Responsible Decision Making, Relationship Skills, Self-Management, and Social Awareness The scale’s factor structure was shown to be consistent across grade levels (ie, elementary, middle, and high school), racial–ethnic groups (ie, White, Black, Hispanic/Latino, Asian, and Multi-racial), and gender As evidence of the scale’s criterion-related validity, the total social-emotional competency score correlated significantly and positively with students’ self-reported cognitive, behavioral, emotional, and total engagement At the school level, social-emotional competence correlated positively with school-level academic achievement and negatively with suspensions/expulsions
TL;DR: In this article, the authors explore the theoretical and demographic correlates of multiple types of cyber deviance, including media piracy, computer hacking, and online harassment, and find that low self-control and deviant peer association are related to specific forms of cyberdeviance.
Abstract: With the increasing access to and ownership of computer-mediated devices among children and youth nowadays, it is important to understand the determinants associated with their participation in deviant activities online. The current study extends prior research by utilizing a South Korean adolescent sample and multivariate analyses in order to explore the theoretical and demographic correlates of multiple types of cyber deviance – media and software piracy, computer hacking, and online harassment. Findings reveal that low self-control and deviant peer association are related to specific forms of cyber deviance. Additionally, this study illustrates that while time spent online engaging activities is associated with youth participation in deviant behaviors online, smartphone ownership did not have an effect on their deviance. Implications for research and policy are discussed.
TL;DR: Wang et al. as mentioned in this paper found that adolescents' online real-self presentation could predict decreased depression via increasing social support, and the mediation effect was moderated by dispositional optimism.
Abstract: The present study aimed to test the relation between adolescents’ online real-self presentation and depression, as well as the mediating role of social support and moderating role of dispositional optimism. A sample of 1742 Chinese adolescents (girl = 961, mean age = 14.35 ± 1.52 years) completed questionnaires of depression, online real-self presentation, social support, and dispositional optimism. Results of correlation and regression analyses showed that adolescents’ online real-self presentation could predict decreased depression via increasing social support. What’s more, the mediation effect was moderated by dispositional optimism, in which the mediation effect was stronger among adolescents with low dispositional optimism than those with high dispositional optimism. This study explained how and when online real-self presentation affected adolescents’ depressive symptoms, and provided a deeper understanding of the relation between online self-presentation and adolescents’ mental health. The implications and limitations were discussed.
TL;DR: In this paper, the authors examined the role of family relationships and friendships as mediators or moderators between poverty and subjective wellbeing of children and found that the effect of children's material deprivation on their subjective wellbeing is mediated by their family relationships.
Abstract: There is disagreement among studies about whether there is an association between poverty and the subjective wellbeing of children. One possible reason for this disagreement is that household income, an often-employed measure of child poverty, may not stably and accurately represent the real life experience of children; some studies have suggested, however, that material deprivation could be a better measure of child poverty. Also, the association between poverty and subjective wellbeing may not be that straightforward, as there could be underlying mechanisms (such as mediation and moderation) affecting its direction or strength. As suggested by empirical findings, family relationships and friendships could be potential mediators or moderators of the association between poverty and subjective wellbeing: poverty may affect relationships; relationships are an important factor in children’s subjective wellbeing; and economic status affects child outcomes, though not necessarily subjective wellbeing, via relationships. As the potential links have not been extensively explored, this study examines the possible role of family relationships and friendships as mediators or moderators between poverty—using child deprivation as its measure—and the subjective wellbeing of children. Results show that the effect of children’s material deprivation on their subjective wellbeing is mediated by their family relationships and friendships. Also, family relationships are a significant moderator. While the negative impact of child deprivation on subjective wellbeing could be exacerbated when family relationships are not well, good family relationships may prevent the further deterioration in subjective wellbeing. Implications of the findings are discussed.
TL;DR: A dynamic life cycle model that explains the reproduction of wealth and health over generations is introduced by introducing knowledge from cognitive neuroscience into the existing knowledge from the socioeconomic literature to break the intergenerational reproduction of poverty and deprivation.
Abstract: The goal of the present paper is to introduce a dynamic life cycle model that explains the reproduction of wealth and health over generations by introducing knowledge from cognitive neuroscience into the existing knowledge from the socioeconomic literature. The socioeconomic literature successfully identified the major role of socioeconomic status of parents, both as a direct and indirect effect, in the shaping and intergenerational reproduction of wealth and health. Furthermore, the importance of cognitive abilities as actor in this process has been widely studied in socioeconomic literature. A third factor that has been identified by the socioeconomic discipline is the so-called non-cognitive capabilities. This category, however, lacks a clear definition and seems to be a catchall for a collection of factors. Within the repository of these non-cognitive capabilities the construct of executive functions is an interesting and important contribution from cognitive neuroscience. The multidimensional construct of executive functioning or cognitive control (i.e. planning and formulation of objectives) and monitoring processes (i.e. influences the execution of these goals) is a valuable addition to a framework on reproduction of wealth and health over generations, because executive functions are sensitive to training. Merging insights of the socioeconomic literature and cognitive neuroscience in a life cycle model opens the opportunity of educational initiatives with regard to executive functions to break the intergenerational reproduction of poverty and deprivation.
TL;DR: In this paper, the authors applied UNICEF's Multiple Overlapping Deprivation Analysis (MODA) framework to adolescents (aged 11, 13 and 15) in 37 European countries and Canada using data from the 2013/14 Health Behaviour in School-aged Children survey.
Abstract: This study applied UNICEF’s Multiple Overlapping Deprivation Analysis (MODA) framework to adolescents (aged 11, 13 and 15) in 37 European countries and Canada using data from the 2013/14 Health Behaviour in School-aged Children survey. It is one of the first applications of MODA based entirely on data collected from adolescents themselves rather than from household reference persons on their behalf. Unlike most other multidimensional child poverty studies, the present analysis focuses on non-material, relational aspects of child poverty. Substantial cross-country variation was found in the prevalence of adolescent deprivations in nutrition, perceived health, school environment, protection from peer violence, family environment and information access. These single dimensions of poverty did not closely relate to national wealth and income inequality. However, when we looked at deprivation in three or more dimensions (i.e., multidimensional poverty), we found association with income inequality. In most countries, girls were at a higher risk of multidimensional poverty than boys. In addition, adolescents who lived with both parents in the household or reported higher family wealth were consistently less poor than other adolescents, in both single and multiple dimensions. The results of this study show the interconnectedness of social (family, school support) and psychological (health and violence) dimensions of poverty for adolescents in higher income countries. Children poor in the domains of family and school environment are also likely to be poor in terms of perceived health and protection from peer violence.
TL;DR: This article examined the associations between family and socio-economic factors from the age of nine months to 11 years old and children's subjective well-being at age of 11 and found that the same factors can explain much more of the variation in children's emotional and behaviour difficulties.
Abstract: Studies using cross-sectional data have found that factors such as family socio-economic status, family structure and parental well-being have relatively weak associations with children’s subjective well-being. However there is a lack of longitudinal research exploring whether early childhood circumstances, and the cumulative effect of these kinds of factors over time, exert a stronger influence. This article uses data from a longitudinal representative sample of over 13,000 children in the UK to examine the associations between family and socio-economic factors from the age of nine months to 11 years old and children’s subjective well-being at the age of 11. The analysis finds that family and socio-economic factors in early and middle childhood only explain small amounts of the variation in children’s subjective well-being. A parallel analysis finds that the same factors can explain much more of the variation in children’s emotional and behaviour difficulties. These findings strengthen existing cross-sectional evidence on the lack of substantial socio-economic variation in children’s subjective well-being and provide further the support for the distinction between correlates of positive and negative indicators of child well-being.
TL;DR: In this article, a latent variable approach was used to measure adverse childhood experiences (ACEs) in the context of the Panel Study of Income Dynamics (PSI) data set.
Abstract: A majority of children in the USA experience adversity in childhood that can negatively impact behavioral and health outcomes in adulthood and adolescence. The Adverse Childhood Experiences (ACEs) framework is a conceptualization of adversity commonly used in health and social sciences research to measure adversity. ACEs researchers frequently employ cumulative risk measurement models, wherein risk factors are dichotomized and summed, yielding a value suitable for further regression analysis. This study describes the construction of an ACEs measurement utilizing a latent variable approach that allows for differential relationships between the indicators and the ACEs measurement, retention of variance within the indicators, and categorization of ACEs indicators along theoretical lines. The resulting two-factor model demonstrates an excellent fit for the data. Comparative tests indicate a significant increase in misfit when data is modeled as a single construct and when all indicators are constrained to being equally related to the measurement. Results from this study indicate the suitability of a latent factor approach to ACEs measurement to bypass difficulties presented by commonly used cumulative risk approaches to ACEs measurement. Additionally, tests of group invariance indicate the suitability of this two-factor model across gendered groups. This study adds to the emerging body of research using latent factor approaches to ACEs measurement. The ACEs measurement model in this study can be used in further research investigating the effects of ACEs utilizing the nationally representative Panel Study of Income Dynamics data set.
TL;DR: In this paper, the authors explored the levels and psychosocial consequences of social anxiety in adolescents to determine the predictive value of anxiety in these effects, with higher levels of anxiety showing the most negative effects.
Abstract: This study explores the levels and psychosocial consequences of social anxiety in adolescents to determine the predictive value of social anxiety in these effects. A total of 2.060 secondary school students (47.9% girls; mean age: 14.34) completed five scales to measure social anxiety, self-esteem, emotion regulation, and peer victimization (off and online). Three groups of youth with social anxiety along a continuum ranging from very low to higher degrees of the disorder were stablished. Differences were found among the groups regarding self-esteem, use of the cognitive reappraisal strategy, and peer and online victimization, with students suffering from higher levels of social anxiety showing the most negative effects. The predictive value of anxiety on these effects ranged from 9% to 33.5%. The results are discussed regarding the impact of social anxiety on well-being versus social discomfort and the need for interventions depending on the degree of this condition.
TL;DR: While in Moldova migration does not appear to correspond to any positive or negative well-being outcomes, in Georgia migration was linked to higher probabilities of children attainingWell-being in the domains of communication access, housing, and combined well- being index.
Abstract: Using household survey data collected between September 2011 and December 2012 from Moldova and Georgia, this paper measures and compares the multidimensional well-being of children with and without parents abroad. While a growing body of literature has addressed the effects of migration for children ‘left behind’, relatively few studies have empirically analysed if and to what extent migration implies different well-being outcomes for children, and fewer still have conducted comparisons across countries. To compare the outcomes of children in current- and non-migrant households, this paper defines a multidimensional well-being index comprised of six dimensions of wellness: education, physical health, housing conditions, protection, communication access, and emotional health. This paper challenges conventional wisdom that parental migration is harmful for child well-being: while in Moldova migration does not appear to correspond to any positive or negative well-being outcomes, in Georgia migration was linked to higher probabilities of children attaining well-being in the domains of communication access, housing, and combined well-being index. The different relationship between migration and child well-being in Moldova and Georgia likely reflects different migration trajectories, mobility patterns, and levels of maturity of each migration stream.
TL;DR: In this paper, the psychometric properties of the Chinese version of Prosocial Tendencies Measure (PTM-C) with Chinese adolescents in Hong Kong were examined, and two measurement invariance tests were used to test the construct stability across gender and educational levels.
Abstract: The current study examined the psychometric properties of the Chinese version of Prosocial Tendencies Measure (PTM-C) with Chinese adolescents in Hong Kong. Data were derived from 1976 students (Mean age = 14.6 years; 50.1% female) from 17 secondary schools. An exploratory factor analysis was applied first to find out the factor patterns, and then a confirmatory factor analysis was conducted to verify model structures obtained from the exploratory factor analysis. After that, two measurement invariance tests were used to test the construct stability across gender and educational levels. Internal consistency was examined by performing Cronbach’s alpha test. Associations between volunteering and prosocial behaviors and gender differences were also analyzed for concurrent validity examination. Results yielded partial support for the reliability and validity of PTM-C to use with Chinese adolescents in Hong Kong. Differences in findings and suggestions for further revision of PTM-C were discussed.