Adolescent and Youth Mental Health: Toxic and Friendly Environments

Submission Deadline: 31 December 2025 View: 907 Submit to Special Issue

Guest Editors

Prof. Diego Gomez-Baya

Email: diego.gomez@dpee.uhu.es

Affiliation: Department of Social, Developmental and Educational Psychology, Universidad de Huelva, Huelva, 21007, Spain

Homepage:

Research Interests: positive youth development; mental health; youth; gender

Prof. Margarida Gaspar de Matos

Email: mmmatos@ucp.pt

Affiliation: School of Human Sciences, Portuguese Catholic University, Lisbon, 1649-023, Portugal

Homepage:

Research Interests: mental health; adolescence; lifestyles; public health

Summary

We are proposing a Special Issue on adolescent and youth mental health. Adolescence and emerging adulthood are key stages of development in which many coping responses and lifestyles are initiated and established and where the promotion of adaptive social and emotional skills may influence psychological well-being across the lifespan.

After the recent pandemic, mental health was severely affected in all age groups, but more research is required focusing on young people given that they are in a complex period of development in the transition to adulthood. The analysis of the key risk and protective factors for mental health and the role of developmental contexts could give us clues for the design of programs that promote a more resilient transition.

For this Special Issue, empirical works that collect research results or intervention programs related to mental health and the risk/protective factors in adolescents and youth are welcome for submission. Regarding mental health, we consider both positive indicators of psychological well-being and thriving, as well as psychological symptoms or mental health problems.

We also have a special interest in the role of youth social engagement and pro-environmental behaviors, lifestyles (such as sport and physical activity, sleep quality, internet use, etc.), social and emotional skills, and the importance of developmental contexts (i.e., family, peer, neighborhood and academic environment). Systematic literature reviews and metanalysis may be considered for publication as well.

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Published Papers