Hanna Ahrnberg^1,*, Kaija Appelqvist-Schmidlechner², Pekka Mustonen¹, Sari Fröjd³, Katja Aktan-Collan¹

International Journal of Mental Health Promotion, Vol.28, No.4, 2026, DOI:10.32604/ijmhp.2026.077244 - 28 April 2026

Abstract Objectives: Positive Youth Development is an evidence-based, holistic approach that underlines adolescents’ strengths, competence, and interests instead of deficits, thus promoting psychosocial well-being in adolescents. This study aims to explore adolescents’ perceived impacts of the Finnish service-learning program “Gutsy Go”, which is based on a Positive Youth Development approach. Methods: The program educates 8th-grade comprehensive school students to perform good deeds in their communities and enhances adolescents’ psychosocial well-being. Focus group interviews were conducted two to three weeks after the program week with 61 program participants. The data was analyzed using qualitative content analysis. Results: Four broad More >

Juyan Fang¹, Xin Deng¹, Mengting Pan², Guoqiang Chen¹, Yang Liu^1,*

International Journal of Mental Health Promotion, Vol.28, No.4, 2026, DOI:10.32604/ijmhp.2026.073013 - 28 April 2026

Abstract Objectives: Social Media Dependence (SMD) has emerged as a growing public health concern among adolescents. Psychological Maltreatment (PM), characterized by denigration, intimidation, and emotional neglect, is considered an important familial risk factor for adolescents’ emotional and behavioral problems. However, the psychological mechanisms linking PM to adolescent SMD remain insufficiently understood. This study aimed to examine the relationship between PM and SMD and to explore the mediating roles of Difficulty Describing Feelings (DDF), Depression (DP), and Anxiety (AN). Methods: A cross-sectional survey was conducted among 2243 Chinese adolescents. Descriptive statistics, correlation analyses, and mediation analyses were performed… More >

Kai Jing^1,2,#, Jingqun Wang^3,#, Baojuan Ye^3,4,*, Qi Dai⁴, Xian Gong⁵, Guorong Wang²

International Journal of Mental Health Promotion, Vol.28, No.4, 2026, DOI:10.32604/ijmhp.2025.071120 - 28 April 2026

Abstract Objectives: Early adolescence is a key period of ecological and physiological change, during which exposure to accumulating risks from various environmental systems can negatively impact mental health. This study aimed to investigate the potential longitudinal relationships among cumulative risk, depression, and psychache in adolescents. Methods: A three-wave longitudinal study spanning one year was conducted with 675 (47.5% girls; Mean age = 14.13, standard deviation [SD] = 0.45) middle school students. The Random Intercept Cross-Lagged Panel Model (RI-CLPM) was used to explore the dynamic reciprocal relationships among these variables. Results: At the within-individual level, cumulative risk, depression, and… More >

Jingli Wu^*

Journal of Psychology in Africa, Vol.36, No.2, pp. 285-291, 2026, DOI:10.32604/jpa.2026.074079 - 29 April 2026

Abstract This study explored the relationship between parental psychological control (PPC) and adolescents’ problematic gaming (PG) focusing on the mediating roles of self-control (SC) and deviant peer affiliation (DPA). A total of 2028 adolescents from high schools completed self-report measures on PPC, SC, DPA, and PG. The results revealed that PPC positively predicted PG. SC mediated the relationship between PPC and PG, and also revealed that DPA also played a mediating role in this association. Additionally, SC and DPA operated in a chain mediation, where PPC reduced SC, which in turn increased the likelihood of DPA, More >

Chae-Young Lee¹, Yun-Jung Choi^2,*

International Journal of Mental Health Promotion, Vol.28, No.3, 2026, DOI:10.32604/ijmhp.2026.077116 - 31 March 2026

Abstract Background: Adolescent suicide remains a pressing public health concern in South Korea and worldwide, ranking as one of the leading causes of death among youth. Identifying modifiable risk and protective factors is critical for prevention strategies. Physical activity has been suggested as one such factor due to its potential mental health benefits. This study aimed to examine whether associations between physical activity and suicidality differ by activity type and by stage of suicidal behavior, distinguishing suicidal ideation, planning, and attempts among Korean adolescents. Methods: This cross-sectional secondary analysis used data from the 20th Korea Youth Risk… More >

Laura Lacomba-Trejo^1,*, Francisco González-Sala¹, Sandra Simó², Florencia Talmón-Knuser³

International Journal of Mental Health Promotion, Vol.28, No.3, 2026, DOI:10.32604/ijmhp.2026.077053 - 31 March 2026

Abstract Backgrounds: Somatization and eating-related problems in adolescents living in residential care may be shaped by the interplay of risk and protective factors, including gender, relational trauma, attachment patterns, emotional intelligence, and perceived social support. This study examined how gender, relational trauma, attachment dimensions, resilience, and emotional intelligence contribute to the presence of somatic and eating difficulties in this population. Methods: The sample included 46 adolescents (63% female; ages 12–17, Mean = 14.85, Standard Deviation (SD) = 1.49) residing in child protection institutions in Uruguay. Participants completed self-report measures assessing childhood relational trauma (CaMir), attachment dimensions (anxiety… More > Graphic Abstract

Xu Wang^1,2, Cui-Hong Cao^2,3, Xiao-Ling Liao⁴, Xing-Yong Jiang⁵, Mark D. Griffiths⁶, I-Hua Chen^7,*, Chung-Ying Lin^8,9,*

International Journal of Mental Health Promotion, Vol.28, No.3, 2026, DOI:10.32604/ijmhp.2026.075149 - 31 March 2026

Abstract Background: The recently developed Depression, Anxiety, and Stress Scales–Youth Version (DASS-Y) shows promise as a tool for assessing youth mental health, but its consistency across timepoints and diverse ages remains underexplored. The present study evaluated whether the DASS-Y reliably measured depression, anxiety, and stress among school-aged youth (aged 9–18 years) across distinct time periods and educational stages. Methods: Two studies were conducted. Study 1 examined consistency over three months using data from 736 Central Chinese high school students who completed surveys at both timepoints. Study 2 tested consistency across educational levels among 2321 primary and 1676… More >

Xiaojiao Sun^1,*, Shuge Zhang^2,3,*

International Journal of Mental Health Promotion, Vol.28, No.3, 2026, DOI:10.32604/ijmhp.2026.073845 - 31 March 2026

Abstract Background: Depression is a growing public health concern among Chinese children and adolescents, with substantial healthcare costs. Physical activity (PA) and organized sport are modifiable behaviours protective against depression. This study, therefore, estimated the healthcare costs of depression attributable to insufficient PA and organized sport participation. Methods: A cost-of-illness approach with population attributable fraction (PAF) was applied. Relative risks were derived from longitudinal evidence, prevalence estimates from national Chinese surveys, and depression case numbers from the Global Burden of Disease 2021. Direct healthcare costs were extrapolated from European Union estimates, adjusted to 2024 US dollars (USD),… More >

Xiaoyin Li^1,#, Ruixiang Gao^1,2,3,4,#, Jiaxian Luo¹, Yongxing Guo⁵, Pinchao Luo^1,2,3,4,*

International Journal of Mental Health Promotion, Vol.28, No.2, 2026, DOI:10.32604/ijmhp.2026.074111 - 27 February 2026

Abstract Background: Exposure to environmental vulnerability poses significant threats to adolescent suicidal ideation, while individual resilience can mitigate these adverse effects with notable gender commonalities and differences. However, research examining how these factors co-configure at the individual level remains limited, particularly from a gender-specific perspective. Thus, the present study aims to adopt a person-centered analytic approach to identify gender-specific configurations of environmental vulnerability and individual resilience associated with suicidal ideation among Chinese adolescents. Methods: Data were collected from 2616 Chinese primary and secondary school students (aged 10–17; 1223 girls). Participants completed validated scales measuring environmental vulnerability, individual… More >

Wanqing Lin^1,2,*, Mohd Azrin Mohd Nasir¹, Suzila Binti Ismail¹

Journal of Psychology in Africa, Vol.36, No.1, pp. 143-152, 2026, DOI:10.32604/jpa.2026.073231 - 26 February 2026

Abstract This systematic review synthesizes empirical research on external risk factors for adolescent smartphone addiction. Scopus and Web of Science were searched for English peer-reviewed empirical articles from 2008 onward; 28 met inclusion criteria (excluding non-adolescents, generic internet addiction, non-empirical work, or non-English). Thematic synthesis organized findings into three external risk domains—family, school, and peers—considering cultural/contextual mechanisms. Family dynamics (parental phubbing, harsh parenting, dysfunction), school stressors, and adverse peer relationships were identified as accumulating, direct and indirect contributors to smartphone addiction. These operate within a techno-ecological framework, where digital technologies amplify vulnerabilities and create new pathways More >