Mexican American Adolescents' Emotional Support to the Family in Response to Parental Stress

In this two‐wave longitudinal, daily diary study that followed up with 421 Mexican American parent–adolescent dyads (adolescents: M_age = 15 years, 50% males) after 1 year, we investigated the contingency between parental stressors and adolescents' emotional support to family members. Adolescents provided support to their parents and other family members at similar rates, but adolescents were more likely to provide support to other family members than to their parents on days when parents experienced a family stressor. This pattern was especially pronounced in families with parents who reported physical symptoms and adolescents with a strong sense of family obligation. Adolescents' provision of emotional support was associated with same‐day feelings of role fulfillment, but not to their concurrent or long‐term psychological distress.     

Does the Risk Outweigh the Benefits? Adolescent Responses to Completing Health Surveys

The aim of this study is to describe the self‐reported experiences of adolescents in population‐based samples when completing health‐related surveys on topics with varying potential for evoking distress. Survey data were collected in three school‐based studies of bullying behaviors (N = 1,771, 12–14 years), alcohol use (N = 823, 12, 15, and 17 years), and electronic image sharing (N = 274, 13 years). Between 5% and 15% of respondents reported being upset at survey completion, but at most 1.4% were entirely negative in their evaluation. Age was not associated with being upset, but younger adolescents were more likely to see benefit in participation. Although concurrent mental health symptoms increased the risk of being upset, this was mostly mitigated by perceived benefits from participation.     

Letting Oneself Go Isn't Enough: Cognitively Oriented Expressive Writing Reduces Preadolescent Peer Problems

Peer problems are a stressor for many early adolescents, and simple cost‐effective tools for managing peer stress are needed. Expressive writing (EW) may be one such tool. With a sample of middle school children aged 12–14 years (n = 119; 53% males), this research evaluates whether cognitively oriented expressive writing (CEW), which focuses more on psychological self‐distancing, improves personal well‐being better than traditional EW, which focuses more on emotional disclosure. CEW—compared with EW—slightly enhanced long‐term social adjustment for the entire sample, and increased positive affect for those early adolescents that reported more peer problems at baseline. These findings suggest that structured writing instructions with early adolescents may be key to improvements.     

Self‐Perceived Competence in Mainland China: A Multiwave Longitudinal Examination of Internalizing Symptoms in Chinese Adolescents

The present 9‐wave, 2‐year study examined whether Cole's (1991) theory of self‐perceived competence could help explain vulnerability to depressive and anxiety symptoms in a sample of adolescents from mainland China. Participants included 624 adolescents (319 females and 305 males) from an urban school in Changsha (n = 308) and from a rural school in Liuyang (n = 316). Findings showed that self‐perceived academic competence was negatively associated with prospective depressive and anxiety symptoms. Meanwhile, adolescents with low levels of self‐perceived social competence were at heightened risk for depressive symptoms during times of increased stressors (supporting a vulnerability‐stress model). These findings advance past research by highlighting new developmental pathways for depressive and anxiety symptoms in Chinese adolescents.     

A Longitudinal Analysis of Cumulative Risks,Cumulative Promotive Factors,and Adolescent Violent Behavior

This study examined the effects of cumulative risk and promotive factors on violent behavior across the high school years of adolescence in a sample of predominately African American urban adolescents (N = 750). Cumulative risk and promotive factor indices represented individual characteristics, and peer, parental, and familial influences. Using growth curve modeling, we describe trajectories of cumulative risk and promotive factors and test the associations between the time‐varying cumulative risk and promotive factor indices and violent behavior. Higher risk was associated with higher levels of violent behavior. Higher levels of promotive factors were associated with less violent behavior and moderated the association between risk and violent behaviors. The results support the risk‐protective model of resiliency. Implications for prevention are discussed.     

Patterns of Adolescent Regulatory Responses During Family Conflict and Mental Health Trajectories

Four distinct patterns of adolescents' behavioral, emotional, and physiological responses to family conflict were identified during mother–father–adolescent (M = 13.08 years) interactions. Most youth displayed adaptively regulated patterns comprised of low overt and subjective distress. Under‐controlled adolescents exhibited elevated observable and subjective anger. Over‐controlled adolescents were withdrawn and reported heightened subjective distress. Physiologically reactive adolescents had elevated cortisol coupled with low overt and subjective distress. Regulation patterns were associated with unique mental health trajectories. Under‐controlled adolescents had elevated conduct and peer problems whereas over‐controlled adolescents had higher anxiety and depressive symptoms. Physiologically reactive adolescents had low concurrent, but increasing levels of depressive, anxiety, and peer problem symptoms. Findings underscore the importance of examining organizations of regulatory strategies in contributing to adolescent mental health.     

The Moderating Effects of Risk, Protection and Desistance on Violence in Female Adolescents

The major focus of this study was to test the theory driven conceptual model derived from the literature regarding risk, protective and desistance factors in relation to violent behavior of female adolescents. This study utilized The National Longitudinal Adolescent Health Study (Add Health) dataset and included 2,031 female participants. The conceptual model developed was based on life course perspective as it relates to violent behavior in adolescents. The tested SEM model suggested: (1) that each of the latent variables of risk (β = .06, t = .02, p < .001) and protective factors (β = −.07, t = .01, p < .001) were significantly directly associated with violent behavior, (2) the latent variable, desistance factors (β = .01, t = .06, p > .05), was not significantly directly associated with violent behavior, (3) there were mediating effects between risk factors, protective factors and violent behavior (β = −.12, t = .04, p < .05) and (4) there were no mediating effects between risk factors, desistance factors and violent behavior (β = −1.28, t = 2.99, p > .05).     

Differences in Adolescent Experiences of Polyvictimization and Suicide Risk by Sexual Minority Status

Sexual minority adolescents (SMA) report more suicide risk behaviors than heterosexual adolescents. Polyvictimization (co‐occurrence of multiple types of victimization) may be an important, underresearched correlate of this disparity. With the 2017 national Youth Risk Behavior Survey (N = 13,179), national estimates of polyvictimization and suicide risk were assessed among high school students by sexual minority status (SM vs. heterosexual), and multivariate relationships between sexual minority status, polyvictimization, and suicide risk were tested. Additionally, risk profiles of those who experienced polyvictimization (2 + types of victimization; n = 1,932) were compared across sexual minority status. Results confirm that SMA are more likely to experience polyvictimization than heterosexual adolescents (31.8% v. 12.9%, respectively); however, also indicate that polyvictimization does not fully explain elevated suicide risk among SMA.     

Patterns and stratification of stressor exposure among Canadian workers

This research note identifies patterns of stressor exposure among Canadian workers, their stratification by occupational and socio‐demographic factors, and their relationship to high self‐reported work stress. Using latent class analysis and data from the Canadian Community Health Survey we examine the intersection of six stressors, identifying five distinct patterns (Few stressors, Multiple stressors, Physical, Monotonous, and Chaotic patterns of stressor exposure). Results show that the patterns of stressor exposure are stratified by gender, education, income, age group, and occupation; as well as give insight on how particular patterns of stressor exposure relate to individual perceptions of high self‐reported work stress. The project also provides a research example of using quantitative data to examine qualitative differences in patterns of experience that provide more nuanced insight into complex social phenomena.     

Bullying Victimization Trajectories for Sexual Minority Adolescents: Stable Victims,Desisters, and Late‐Onset Victims

Sexual minority adolescents are bullied more frequently than heterosexual peers. Research is lacking on their rates of general and sexual orientation bullying victimization. The present study identified (1) the rate, onset, and desistance of general and sexual orientation bullying victimization, (2) the rate of bullying victimization trajectories, and (3) risk and protective factors across trajectories. A life history calendar method and thematic analysis were employed with a sexual minority adolescent sample (N = 52, 14–20 y/o). General bullying began at age 5 and declined after age 12, with sexual orientation bullying increasing throughout adolescence. Late‐onset victim (34.6%) was the most common trajectory, followed by stable victim (28.9%), desister (23.1%), and nonvictim (13.5%). Differences in risk and protective factors were found across trajectories.     

Linking Magazine Exposure to Social Appearance Anxiety: The Role of Appearance Norms in Early Adolescence

Early adolescents (N = 1,591; M_age = 11.698; SD = 0.892) participated in a two‐wave panel study (6‐month interval) to examine the longitudinal association between appearance‐focused magazine exposure and social appearance anxiety. We revealed that magazine exposure positively correlated with the internalization of appearance ideals and the attribution of social rewards to attractiveness which, in turn, related to social appearance anxiety. Internalization and attribution of social rewards formed a reinforcing spiral; once internalized, early adolescents associate positive things with appearance ideals (e.g., peer acceptance) and the perception of rewards increases early adolescents' inclination to internalize ideals. Given the adverse consequences of social appearance anxiety, the findings warrant research on the role of media in the occurrence of social appearance anxiety.     

Associations of Marital Conflict With Emotional and Physiological Stress: Evidence for Different Patterns of Dysregulation

The goal of this study was to explore theoretically suggested but untested links between interparental conflict and stress physiology in late adolescence. A multi‐method study was conducted involving families (n = 42) who previously participated in the University California, Irvine site of the NICHD Study of Early Child Care and Youth Development; adolescents were 17½ years of age on average. Parent report and observer ratings of conflict, adolescent participation in a robust social‐evaluative stressor, and assessment of cortisol, cardiovascular, and emotional functioning were included. Marital conflict was associated with dampened physiological stress responses in adolescence but sensitized emotional responses, suggesting that conflict may be associated with problems integrating and coordinating emotional and physiological responses to stress.     

Disparities in Persistent Victimization and Associated Internalizing Symptoms for Heterosexual Versus Sexual Minority Youth

This study investigated whether lesbian, gay, and bisexual (LGB) adolescents were at higher risk for persistent victimization of bullying compared to heterosexual adolescents, and how victimization trajectories were associated with internalizing symptom development across LGB and heterosexual adolescents. Data came from a five‐wave study (M_ageT1 = 11.1 to M_ageT5 = 22.3; n = 151 LGB; n = 1,275 heterosexual) and informants were adolescents and their parents. Adolescents were classified in three victimization trajectories: persistent (5.6%), decreasing (28.1%) or low (66.3%) victimization. LGB adolescents reported more persistent victimization, relative to no (OR = 6.79, 95% CI [3.52, 13.13]) or decreasing victimization (OR = 3.09, 95% CI [1.53, 6.24]), compared to heterosexual peers. Further, persistent victimization was more strongly associated with anxiety among LGB than among heterosexual adolescents.     

Concurrent alcohol and cigarette use among school-going adolescents in Korea

BackgroundConrurrent alcohol and tobacco use may increase the risk for substance abuse in adolescents. The aim of this study was to investigate concurrent alcohol and cigarette use and the co-occurrence risks of each substance in school-going adolescents in Korea.MethodsIn a cross-sectional nationally representative survey in 2016, 65,528 students (Mean age = 15.1 years, SE = 0.02) responded to a questionnaire that included measures of substance use and substance use exposure.ResultsIn all, 13.3% of the students were concurrent lifetime smokers and drinkers (19.3% among boys and 6.7% among girls), 25.5% lifetime alcohol users only (24.2% among boys and 26.9% among girls), 3.0% lifetime smokers only (4.7% among boys and 1.1% among girls) and 58.3% never smoked and never used alcohol (52.2% among boys and 47.8% among girls). All measures of more intensive smoking pattern and smoking exposure and more intensive drinking pattern and drinking exposures, respectively, were associated with consistently increased risk of lifetime alcohol use and lifetime smoking, respectively, compared to lifetime never smokers and abstainers. In multinomial logistic regression, compared to students who neither had used alcohol nor tobacco, concurrent lifetime smokers and drinkers were more likely to be male, mixed or boys school, higher school grade, lower paternal and maternal educational level, perceived lower socio-economic status, ever drug user, perceived stress above average, depressive mood, experience of violence victimization, and living in a rural area or medium sized city.ConclusionPrevention and treatment strategies should better incorporate the comorbidity of cigarette smoking and alcohol use in their intervention programmes.     

Barriers to Prevention: Ethnic and Gender Differences in Latino Adolescent Motivations for Engaging in Risky Behaviors

Using a sample from the Longitudinal Study of Adolescent health (Add health), we tested whether psychosocial motivation or health factors were the best predictors of sexual engagement by Latinos. The Latino sample (3,460) included sub samples of Mexican (n = 1587) Chicano (n = 137), Cuban (n = 501), Puerto Rican (n = 586), Central/South American (n = 367) adolescents and individuals self-identified as Hispanic other (n = 282). Our findings showed that most Latino adolescents understood that if they had unprotected sex they were at risk for HIV/AIDS and STI’s. Additionally, as we hypothesized, the motivation items were better predictors of sexual engagement than the health risk items. However, the motivation items were only significant for the females with one exception, the Mexican males. There were other subgroup differences as well. Our findings have important implications for prevention strategies.     

Hanging Out With the Right Crowd: Peer Influence on Risk‐Taking Behavior in Adolescence

Peer influence plays a key role in the increase of risk‐taking behavior during adolescence. However, its underlying processes are not fully understood. This study examined the effects of social norms, conveyed through peer advice, on risk‐taking behavior in 15‐ to 17‐year‐old adolescents (N = 76). Participants played a card‐guessing task alone and with online peer advice. Results showed that risk‐taking increased in the presence of peers. The results further showed that adolescents took into account the uncertainty associated with gambles, as well as the social norms conveyed by peers. Our findings suggest that peers are most influential in uncertain situations and demonstrate the value of a social norms approach in examining the processes underlying peer effects.     

Adolescent Psychological Functioning and Membership in Latent Adolescent–Parent Communication Dual Trajectory Classes

The primary goal of this study was to examine the relationship between adolescents’ psychological functioning (as indicated by depressive symptoms) and substance use (alcohol and drug use) and membership in adolescent–parent communication trajectory subgroups in a large, diverse community sample of adolescents from the United States (n = 1,057; 53% female; 51% Caucasian; Age: M = 16.15, SD = .75). Adolescents completed questionnaires at three annual assessments. Fit indices from parallel process growth mixture models suggested three dual trajectory classes: (1) Average communication with both parents (Average‐Both); (2) Good adolescent–mother and poor adolescent–father communication (Good‐Mom/Poor‐Dad); and (3) Poor adolescent–mother and good adolescent–father communication (Poor‐Mom/Good‐Dad). The trajectory classes differed by gender. In addition, psychological functioning and substance use were differentially related to the trajectory classes.     

Developmental Trajectories of Nonsuicidal Self‐Injury in Adolescence and Intrapersonal/Interpersonal Risk Factors

This 3‐wave study investigated the developmental trajectories of nonsuicidal self‐injury (NSSI) and intrapersonal/interpersonal risk factors among 3,381 Chinese adolescents (56.2% females) aged from 13 to 17 years during a 1‐year period. Using an accelerated longitudinal design and latent class growth analysis, we identified four subgroups of NSSI trajectories: negligible (74.6%), experimental (12.8%), moderate decreasing (10.8%), and high fluctuating (1.9%). Adolescents reporting both intrapersonal (i.e., impulsive behaviors and depression) and interpersonal (i.e., unstable relationships and parental criticism) risk factors were significantly more likely to follow the latter three trajectories. The findings of this study suggest there is heterogeneity in NSSI development among adolescents and highlight the contributions of both intrapersonal and interpersonal risk factors in the engagement in NSSI.     

Socioeconomic Risk for Adolescent Cognitive Control and Emerging Risk‐Taking Behaviors

This study examined whether cognitive control mediated the association between socioeconomic status (SES; composite of income‐to‐needs ratio and parent education) and changes in risk‐taking behaviors. The sample included 167 dyads of adolescents (53% male; M_age = 14.07 years at Time 1) and their parents, assessed annually across 4 years. Parents reported socioeconomic variables at Time 1. Adolescents reported risk‐taking behaviors at Times 1 and 4, and completed a functional magnetic resonance imaging cognitive control task at Times 2 and 3. Lower SES was associated with lower behavioral (but not neural) cognitive control, which was associated with increases in risk‐taking behaviors. The findings suggest that elevated socioeconomic risk may compromise cognitive control which can cascade into maladaptive behaviors in adolescence.     

Cultural Contributors to Ego‐Resiliency and Associations with Depressive Problems in Midwestern Latino Youth

Ego‐resiliency is an enduring psychological construct reflecting how individuals‐adapt to environmental stressors, conflict, and change which is linked to positive adjustment. Ego‐resiliency has not been examined in Latino youth, despite their high risk for mental health problems; nor have cultural precursors to ego‐resiliency been examined. Given these gaps, we examined whether familism values (supportive, obligation, and referent) were associated with ego‐resiliency and, in turn, depressive problems in Latino adolescents across two time points (N = 123, mean age = 11.53). Results indicated that supportive familism was associated positively with ego‐resiliency and negatively with depressive problems. Ego‐resiliency negatively predicted depressive problems across time, controlling for prior levels, suggesting that ego‐resiliency may have long‐term effects on depressive problems in Latino youth.