Long-Term Self-Regulation Moderates the Role of Internal Resources for Resilience in Positive Youth Development in Portugal

Abstract

Positive Youth Development (PYD) presents a strength-based conception of transition to adulthood that has been well-supported by literature to date. However, research is needed to integrate the pathways to PYD and the possible moderators. This study aimed to analyze the relationships between internal resources for resilience and PYD and to examine the moderating role of short-term and long-term self-regulation by gender. To reach this overall aim, a cross-sectional study was performed with a national sample of 2700 youths (73.3% girls; M_age = 21.3, SD?=?2.79) from Portugal, who completed self-report measures. Regression-based moderation models were developed. Results indicated that greater presence of internal resources for resilience was related to higher PYD. Long-term self-regulation and gender moderated this relationship, such that a greater effect was observed in men with high levels of long-term self-regulation. These results highlight the need to integrate prevention and promotion paradigms to foster healthy development in youth, as well as the importance of taking self-regulation skills and gender into account in program design.     

“Ethical considerations in providing psychological services to unaccompanied immigrant children”

Over 50,000 youth, mostly between the ages of 13 and 17 years, migrated to the United States (US) without familial accompaniment in the fiscal year 2018. The tripartite process of pre-flight, flight, and resettlement exposes these unaccompanied immigrant children (UIC) to multiple, and often ongoing, traumatic events that can significantly and adversely impact their mental health into adulthood. However, the ethical considerations for psychologists working with this growing population, with limited exceptions, remain largely unaddressed. As more and more UIC flee their home countries due to violence, abuse, and economic instability only to experience further stressors during the processes of detainment, custodial placement, and acculturative adjustment in the US, there is an increasing need for psychological services; thus, the importance of preparation of mental health providers is increasingly significant. Psychologists must have the requisite skills and knowledge of the complex experiences of UIC, and of how these intersect with salient cultural, developmental, and systemic factors, as a means of providing competent and ethical mental health treatment. The present article highlights several ethical issues that arise when providing psychological services to UIC, with particular consideration paid to the embeddedness of UIC in various organizational entities with which psychologists will likely need to interface when working with this population. Implications and recommendations for practicing psychologists and training programs are discussed.     

A nuanced look into youth journeys of gender transition and detransition

Some media have suggested that many youths who have previously completed a gender transition are “detransitioning”. Their experience is often framed around the idea of regrets but rare are the articles that provide a nuanced examination of their journey. This article presents the perspectives of youths who have detransitioned or discontinued a transition regarding their experiences and feelings on their journey from transition to detransition. Semi-structured interviews were conducted with 20 youths between the age of 16 and 25 years who were recruited on social media and who transitioned and detransitioned or discontinued their transition. Data were analysed according to thematic analysis. Regrets and feelings of satisfaction can both coexist. The processes of transition and discontinuation or detransition appear to be non-linear and participants do not necessarily return to a cisgender identity. Ambiguous loss theory is applied to frame youth experiences and feelings and to suggest way forward for intervention.

Highlights

• This paper examines the experiences and feelings of youth on their journey from transition to detransition.
• Their journey is experienced as non-linear, and often comprised mixed feelings and experiences about transition and detransition steps.
• Ambiguous loss theory allows a nuanced understanding of feelings and experiences of their journey from transition to detransition.