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• Adolescents' attachment quality to significant others exerts an influence on their internalizing problems through the development of both positive and negative automatic thoughts. • Attachment to mother and father has both shared (conjugated) and unique (specific to each parent) effects on the levels of automatic thoughts and internalizing problems. • Attachment to peers exhibits distinct effects beyond the influence of parental attachment on automatic thoughts and internalizing problems. • Neither gender nor age served as significant moderators in any of the pathways examined. Previous studies found that the insecure attachment of adolescents towards their mother, father, and peers leads to more internalizing problems and maladaptive cognitive processes (for example, low self-esteem). However, the dynamic between the attachment of adolescents, negative and positive automatic thoughts, and internalizing problems of adolescents is not well understood. The present study proposed and tested a theoretical model in which positive and negative automatic thoughts mediate the relationship between the attachment of adolescents towards their parents and peers and the internalizing problems of adolescents. A clinical sample of adolescents (N=105; mean age = 16.60), diagnosed with internalizing disorders, have filled out the evaluations for this study. All analyses were conducted in RStudio, and the mediation models were tested using Partial Least Square Structural Equation Modeling. Our main results are that positive and negative automatic thoughts mediate the relationship between adolescents' parents- and peer-related attachment and internalizing problems. The biological sex and age of adolescents did not moderate any of the paths in the model. Parents and peer attachment, along with positive and negative automatic thoughts, explained 57 % of the variance in the internalizing problems of adolescents. The main findings of the paper are discussed, and the main caveats are underlined. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Objective: The aim of this paper is to examine the effects of an educational peer-group intervention on knowledge about dementia, perceived ability to talk about it, received support and self-perceived pressure from informal care among family caregivers with a Turkish or Moroccan immigrant background who cared for a person with dementia.Methods: This paper is based on a cluster randomised controlled trial with three measures, including participants who knew or cared for a person with dementia. For the purpose of this study, a selection was made of participants who cared for a person with dementia. Knowledge about dementia, perceived ability to talk about dementia, support received and self-perceived pressure from informal care were assessed inthe intervention and the control condition. Multi-level analyses were conducted to examine the effects.Results: Data for 386 participants was analysed. Improvement in knowledge about dementia over time was significantly greater in the intervention condition than in the control condition. In the intervention condition, there was also a significant increase over time in the support received from home-care staff, which was not found in the control condition. No effects were found on other types of support received, the ability to talk about dementia or the self-perceived pressure from informal care.Conclusion: Offering a culturally sensitive educational peer-group education intervention enhances knowledge about dementia and has a small but positive effect on the support received from home-care staff in these groups.Practice Implications: Offering peer-group-based education about dementia to family caregivers with Turkish or Moroccan immigrant backgrounds is important for multicultural dementia care. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The increasing usage of social media networks has raised concerns about the growing frequency of cyberbullying incidents. The definition of cyberbullying lacks universal consensus, yet according to several authors, cyberbullying is characterized by aggressive, repetitive, and intentional communication among peers. However, existing cyberbullying detection datasets often focus solely on classifying texts as aggressive or non-aggressive, neglecting the other cyberbullying aspects, thus hindering research progress. This paper proposes a framework for designing a new dataset incorporating all four aspects of cyberbullying to address this gap. The text messages are sourced from a real dataset, while the users' data is generated synthetically. The resulting dataset contains messages exchanged randomly among different pairs of users, thus inculcating repetition. Additionally, the degree of peerness, defined and calculated to measure the likelihood of two users being peers, is used. The intent of harm is quantified as a numeric value using the ratios of aggression and repetition. As a result, the proposed dataset encompasses all four aspects of cyberbullying by providing repeated aggressive messages among users along with quantitative values of the degree of peerness and intent to harm. The proposed dataset is adaptable, with adjustable threshold values for peerness, repetition, and intent to harm, offering flexibility for various applications. The paper concludes by presenting the results of some baseline machine-learning methods on the proposed dataset. • Generation of a semi-synthetic dataset for automatic cyberbullying detection. • The dataset includes all aspects of cyberbullying: aggression, repetition, intent to harm, and occurrence among peers. • Presentation of baseline results on the proposed dataset. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

• Analysis of a subset data of 533 young people in the Czech Republic (mean age 13.6 years). • Youth identified and described their natural mentors in qualitative descriptive questionnaires. • Results describe the characteristics, risks and perceived benefits of natural mentors in youth' perspectives. • Young people identified peers, family members, and formal and informal education teachers and leaders. • Natural mentors were described as 'a good person' with a caring, attentive, kind, and friendly nature. Natural mentoring is a type of youth-adult relationship distinguished with the supportive and caring qualities. The complex conceptual definition as well as the youth-centred knowledge on this type of relationship in youths' daily experiences are missing in the literature. This empirical article reports the analysis of data subset exploring the experiences of youths in natural mentoring relationships in the Czech context. Overall, 533 young people (aged 11–16, mean age 13.4) in eight secondary schools in the Czech Republic participated in the qualitative open-ended questionnaire, identifying, and describing natural mentors from their social networks. The paper reports results of thematic analysis of selected questionnaire items on young people's experiences and perceptions of their identified natural mentors. Young people identified natural mentors most often (n = 105) among their peers or older friends. Besides, youths mentioned and described grandparents, older siblings, family acquaintances, schoolteachers, youth-group and sport leaders, and one-to-one music teachers as natural mentors. Identified mentors were most often perceived as 'a good person' with a caring, attentive, empathetic, nice, kind, and friendly nature who, as a result, is perceived as helpful and supportive. Results are discussed with recommendations for further exploration of natural mentoring as a type of youth–adult relationship, naturally occurring in institutions, organisations, and various youth-work settings where youth-adult interactions are part of the service/institution. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Australia's prisons have a high chronic hepatitis C (HCV) prevalence (8 %). Antiviral therapies and prison-based hepatitis services are available, but only a minority of those eligible are being treated. Improving the HCV public health literacy of the prison sector via targeted education may overcome key barriers to scale-up treatment. This paper describes the: i) HCV public health literacy of the prison setting; ii) barriers and solutions for HCV education and service engagement; iii) HCV education program co-design and development processes; and iv) HepPEd resources. A national needs assessment was conducted to analyse the HCV public health literacy of the target audience groups in the prisons (healthcare providers; custodial officers; people in prison) to inform development of a prison-specific HCV education program (HepPEd). Structured interviews were conducted with key informants (n = 40). Three National Steering Committees, one for each target group, were convened to co-design and develop HepPEd. Only healthcare providers involved with hepatitis care were considered to have 'good' to 'very good' HCV health literacy (including knowledge, attitudes, and capabilities), with all other groups considered less favourably. Key barriers identified included being time poor (healthcare providers), poor motivation (custodial officers) and stigma (people in prison). Peer education delivery was considered a key facilitator for custodial officers and people in prison. A suite of multi-modal resources addressing the perceived gaps in HCV health literacy was developed, with a broad theme of 'Let's talk about hep C'. Delivery of HepPEd was designed to overcome key barriers and utilise facilitators for each group. Significant gaps in HCV health literacy were perceived amongst the target audience groups. The comprehensive co-design and development processes utilised in HepPEd suggest the program will be well-placed to improve the HCV public health literacy of the prison sector and thereby enhance HCV testing and treatment rates amongst people in prison. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Workplace cyberbullying is a significant problem in higher education institutions. This paper examines faculty self-reports based on victimization, coping, gender, and the Big 5 Personality traits. A cross-sectional survey was distributed via Qualtrics to obtain the perceptions of 179 faculty members. Prevalence results indicated that faculty victims experienced cyberbullying from colleagues/peers, administrators, staff, students, and external members. Results also demonstrate that university faculty are unaware of resources to address cyberbullying. The study found evidence of gender differences in cyberbullying victimization in higher education. Agreeableness and neuroticism were also related to experiencing workplace cyberbullying. The article concludes with a discussion of the study's implications and potential areas of future research. • Most faculty experienced cyberbullying from colleagues/peers, administrators, and students. • Cyberbullied faculty are not likely to report the incident, which make it difficult to be addressed in the future. • Females are more likely to experience cyberbullying across relationship types in comparison to male faculty members. • The personality traits of agreeableness and neuroticism related to workplace cyberbullying. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

• Beneficial help relationships go beyond formal professional practice. • Peers and friends are central to youths' beneficial help seeking trajectories. • Family gestures and home practices are embedded in beneficial help relationships. The literature on help engagement of commercially sexually exploited youth has tended to focus on the challenges of such relationships and has been mostly grounded in studies of professional help relations from professional perspectives. This study is part of a large-scale study on help seeking and help related experiences from the perspectives of commercially sexually exploited youth (CSEY). This paper focuses specifically on the beneficial characteristics of help as seen by CSEY. Fifty commercially sexually exploited youths, in the present or in the past. In-depth semi-structured interviews, conducted and analyzed in accordance with the principles of Constructivist Grounded Theory. The study identified four characteristics of beneficial help that were salient both to help relations with professionals and in relations with peers and friends: Continuity and long-term ties; Sharing similarities; brokering help by others; "doing family," and "performing home." The significance of the various help experiences appeared to be more a function of how the help was provided and the nature of the relationship, rather than whether it was provided by formal or informal helpers. Nonetheless, the study underscores the critical importance of care and support by peers and friends and calls for further examination of the ways these might be integrated into services and programs for youths who are subject to commercial sexual exploitation. It also cautions not to "professionalize" informal friendships. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

• Findings highlight the importance of peer support and the possibility of participatory research approaches in catalyzing peer connectivity and agency among foster scholars in higher education. • Actions and advocacy associated with Participatory Action Research have benefits for students with foster care experience and can contribute to critical consciousness raising among those within and outside of child welfare and university systems. • Integrating youth voice and perspective to our existing body of knowledge about youth with foster care experience in higher education adds a critical, often missing perspective. • Universities, child welfare system professionals, policymakers, child welfare scholars desiring to create policy and practice more affirming of young people with foster care experience should center the voices and recommendations of youth with foster care experience in their decision making. This paper presents findings from a focus group conducted as part of a larger Youth Participatory Action Research (YPAR) study with a cohort of university students with experience in foster care. Six foster scholars (ages 18–21) participated in a research collective offered as a collaboration between the School of Social Welfare and the Educational Opportunities Program (EOP) at a large Northeastern public research university. Over the course of several semesters, students received an overview of research methods, evaluated existing research regarding the educational outcomes of youth with foster care experience, then designed an interview guide for a focus group that they later participated in. Focus group data was transcribed and then analyzed in two ways, first through thematic content analysis using ATLAS TI qualitative software, and simultaneously through participatory narrative analysis using an adapted version of Carol Gilligan's Listening Guide. The cluster of findings presented in this paper highlights co-researchers' experiences of a YPAR approach to research. Three themes emerged: validation of experience and peer support , connection to available resources, and YPAR as a tool of collective action and empowerment. An overview of the significant actions and change efforts associated with the YPAR process is also provided. Findings highlight the importance of peer support and the possibility of participatory research approaches in catalyzing peer connectivity and agency among foster scholars in higher education. Integrating youth voice and perspective to the existing body of knowledge about youth with foster care experience in higher education adds an important perspective needed to more holistically understand what resources and supports are most critical in ensuring their success. Recommendations are made for both universities and child welfare scholars desiring to center the voices and experiences of youth with foster care experience. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The first Transplant Games took place in 1978 in Portsmouth, England. Since then, numerous Olympic-style sporting 'Games' have been established, each aiming to increase public awareness of organ donation, demonstrate the benefits of transplantation, and encourage patient fitness. Despite this, there is limited research exploring the psycho-social and health impacts of the Games. Drawing on qualitative research conducted at the 2022 British Transplant Games and the 2022 European Transplant and Dialysis Games, this paper explores the Games through a therapeutic landscapes framework, a concept that examines the ways in which environments contribute to health and wellbeing. Building upon work that acknowledges the relational and contingent nature of health-in-place, I argue that the Games are a therapeutic landscape of social relations for transplant recipients in three ways: providing a landscape of belonging , a landscape of hope , and a landscape of motivation. Through this therapeutic landscapes perspective, the Transplant Games are presented as a peer-to-peer clinic – a care space where individuals are more actively involved in their health on a reciprocal level than in the traditional hospital clinic. In turn, this paper emphasises the crucial role of affective peer support in producing health-promoting environments. This research seeks to make a practical contribution to the wider transplant community by promoting the Games as an environment which may positively contribute to both physical and mental wellbeing. • The Transplant Games function as a therapeutic landscape for organ recipients. • They provide a peer-to-peer clinic where participants are active in their health. • The Games provide a landscape of belonging, acceptance, understanding and family. • In showing you can still lead a healthy life, the Games become a landscape of hope. • As a landscape of motivation, the Games improve both physical and mental health. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The SPORTS Participation Framework can be used across health, sport, and education sectors to : • Enhance interdisciplinary communication for children with disability with sports-focused goals. • Identify and describe children's current stage of sports participation. • Plan time- and cost-effective management strategies to reach goal stage of sports participation. Sports participation for people with disabilities exists at the intersection of health, sport, and education sectors. However, no common framework and language exist to describe the stages of sports participation. To present the background to the SPORTS Participation Framework, and how it can be used to illuminate the path that people with disability may travel to enter into, participate in, and enjoy and excel at all levels of sport. The SPORTS Participation Framework includes six stages drawn from mainstream sports pathways and models used to classify barriers to sports participation for people with disabilities: (S) Screening, goal setting and individual preparation, (P) Practitioner led, peer-group sports interventions, (O) Organised junior entry-point sports programs, (R) Recreational sport (non-competitive), (T) Team competition (school/club representation), and (S) State, National, and International competition. For each stage, this paper describes the content of sports activities, the context in which they are performed, key stakeholders, barriers to participation, available evidence, and case studies. The SPORTS Participation Framework presents a structure to navigate the stages of introducing and promoting lifelong sports participation for people with disabilities. It scaffolds clear communication, governance, and policy across health, sport, and education sectors, and supports clinicians and researchers to address barriers to participation at each stage to improve individual and population-wide participation in sport for people with disabilities. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: While a link between parental depression and adolescent school victimization is frequently hypothesized, studies on this association have shown mixed results. In addition, adolescent depression has been considered a potential psychosocial mechanism underlying the link between parental depression and adolescent school victimization. However, studies to support this proposition are lacking. This paper examines the direct effect of parental depression on adolescent victimization by peers and teachers in school as well as indirect effect through adolescent depression in an Asian context (Taiwan) and further examines differences in the interrelationships of parental depression, adolescent depression, and school victimization by peers and teachers across gender and school age groups.Methods: Data were obtained from a random sample of 2,419 students (grades 7-12) and their parents in one of the largest metropolitan areas in Taiwan.Results: Parental depression did not have a significant direct association with either type of school victimization. However, parental depression showed a significant indirect association with both types of school victimization through adolescent depression. These findings applied to both males and females and both junior and senior high school students.Limitation: The study utilized cross-sectional data, and the findings cannot be used to build causal relationships.Conclusion: Our findings provide empirical support that parental depression has indirect associations with school victimization by peers and teachers through adolescent depression. The results support the importance of including family-based approaches for depression targeting parents and adolescents in future victim intervention/prevention school programs. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Abstract Bullying is a relationship problem that most often occurs in the presence of peers. Peers who witness bullying play a critical role in intervening. Peer intervention, or defending, is a complex behavior. Defending a victimized peer can occur offline and online, with many similarities between the two contexts. This paper, guided by the Social Ecological Model, systematically reviewed the correlates associated with defending at different levels including: individual, peer, family, and school. Inclusion criteria retrieved a final sample of 130 original, peer-reviewed research articles on offline defending, and 25 articles for online defending. Consistent results across both contexts reveal that individuals who defend tend to be girls, have high empathy and low moral disengagement, are popular and well-liked by their peers, and perceive supportive relationships with their parents, teachers, and schools. More research is needed to understand interactions that may occur between levels of the model, as defending is a complex behavior that cannot be characterized by isolated correlates. Highlights • Both offline and online defending are associated with individual, peer, family, and school correlates. • Empathy was the most researched individual correlate, with all significant findings (75%) positively related to defending. • For offline defending, sociometric status was the most researched correlate, and its association may be bidirectional. • The bystander model was the most studied correlate of online defending, with most research (84%) noting a positive link. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Abstract This paper provides evidence of different teenage-smoking dynamics between genders with social progression. In particular, we find that descending from more gender-equal societies makes girls relatively more prone to smoke than those from less gender-equal societies relative to their male counterparts. Using data from over 6,000 second-generation immigrant teenagers sharing culture and institutions from one host country (Spain) but coming from 45 different countries of ancestry, we find that the higher the degree of gender equality in the country of ancestry, the higher the likelihood that girls smoke relative to boys. Our result holds even after we control for parental, sibling, and peer smoking, as well as for country-of-ancestry indicators of economic development and the smoking gender gap, among others. Highlights • Gender social norms determine the gender smoking gap among teenagers. • Descending from less traditional societies raises females smoking relative to males. • Result are robust to including both individual and country-of-ancestry controls. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Dissonance-based eating disorder prevention leads to decreases in risk factors for these disorders. Although controlled trials have demonstrated that targeted, manualized programs reduce eating disorder risk, concerns regarding implementation and dissemination remain. A primary concern is the difficulty in adapting programs for a high school setting for populations at highest risk: adolescents. This paper describes the REbeL Peer Education model and assesses the initial pilot trials of the intervention. The program is novel in that it utilizes a voluntary, self-selection model that is sustainable in a high school setting, and focuses on empowerment and effective cognitive dissonance based prevention activities. High school peer-educators self-selected into the semi-manualized dissonance based intervention. Group activities were peer led, designed to critique the thin ideal, and designed to empower macro (school and larger community wide) changes in the pilot trial (N=47) assess the effectiveness and feasibility of the intervention. Results of the initial pilot study revealed preliminary support for the feasibility of the program, increases in feelings of empowerment, and decreases in eating disorder cognitions and behaviors with moderate to large effect sizes. Feedback from participants indicated that the intervention was enjoyable, educational, and empowering. This study is the first to adapt dissonance-based prevention models to a semi-manualized, peer-led, prevention program integrated into high school settings. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The stigmatization of individuals with disabilities is a widespread social justice issue. This paper introduces a study of disability, stigmatization and self for children with disabilities and their typically-developing peers. It is the first of two companion papers. It examines the problem of stigmatization from the perspectives of experienced elementary school educators practicing in diverse cultural contexts. We conducted cross-cultural analyses of individual, audio recorded interviews with 26 Japanese, 43 Korean, 16 Taiwanese and 18 US educators, including school social workers. Educators from all four cultural groups described disability and stigma as challenging children's development of self: children with disabilities may experience the self as isolated and inadequate, and typically-developing peers may experience the self as lacking culturally expected values of empathy and respect. Educators' understandings of children's experiences also were culturally nuanced. Educators variously described children with disabilities as experiencing a sense of not belonging [Japan], loss of motivation [South Korea], too much shame [Taiwan], and low self-esteem [US]. They variously described typically-developing children as challenged to show empathy [Japan], include children with disabilities in their peer group [South Korea], develop benevolence [Taiwan], and show respect for individual differences [US]. We contextualize educators' perceptions within their specific sociocultural-historical contexts. Our second paper will focus on solutions; specifically, educators' perspectives on how to minimize stigmatization and support the development of self for children with disabilities and their typically-developing peers. Together, these companion papers provide social workers with valuable perspectives for eliminating the stigmatization of children with disabilities in future generations. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Autistic young adults are at elevated risk for poor employment/internship outcomes, despite having many strengths relevant to the workplace. Currently, very few employment interventions for this population comprehensively promote skills development and success across the various stages of employment.Aims: To address this gap, the current study aimed to test the feasibility, acceptability, and efficacy of a novel college to career intervention program, PEERS® for Careers.Methods and Procedures: Twelve autistic young adults (19-30 years old) were enrolled and matched to a career coach. The pilot program consisted of 90-minute sessions delivered twice per week, for 10 weeks, covering content relevant to obtaining, maintaining, and thriving in employment/internship settings.Outcomes and Results: Results indicated that young adults showed a significant improvement in employment-related social skills knowledge, p < .001. Participants also reported significant improvements in their feelings of preparedness for employment over the course of the study, p = .009, with all young adults self-identifying as "somewhat prepared" or "very prepared" post-intervention. Additionally, in only a brief 10-week intervention, a slight increase in participants who secured or maintained internship/employment-related activities was observed. Overall, lesson content and coaching were perceived as helpful. No significant changes were observed in self-reported autism symptomatology.Conclusions and Implications: In sum, the PEERS® for Careers program shows promise as a college to career intervention program for autistic young adults.What This Paper Adds: There is a dearth of evidence-based interventions for autistic young adults, despite significant need for supports to bolster vocational and relational success. This paper is the first to evaluate the PEERS® for Careers intervention in a pilot study by exploring feasibility, acceptability, and efficacy of this novel college to career intervention program, which teaches ecologically valid employment-related skills using a strengths-based approach. Results suggest PEERS® for Careers shows significant potential as a comprehensive intervention to address the multi-faceted needs of autistic individuals in the workplace through didactic lessons, behavioral rehearsals to practice skills, and out of group assignments. Autistic young adult participants reported a high level of satisfaction with the program and lessons surrounding employment-related social skills. They also endorsed increased feelings of internship/employment readiness and increased knowledge of workplace etiquette, with most participants maintaining or securing employment. This study supports PEERS® for Careers as a feasible intervention that likely benefits autistic individuals' vocational outcomes, which emerge as a strong correlate of well-being in adulthood. This work is essential to furthering the development and provision of effective services to meet needs of the autism community. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In this paper we report the work that jeKnowledge ( Júnior Empresa da Faculdade de Ciências e Tecnologias da Universidade de Coimbra ), a student-led initiative, has done in the ‘ jeKnowledge academy ’ courses to actively engage Portuguese high-school students in STEM education through hands-on projects based on the low-cost Arduino platform. F2F activities, based on a peer-assisted learning strategy, were complemented with tutorials and more advanced project suggestions in a blog. Pre and post surveys on students' attitudes towards programming and peer-coaching were administered to pre-university and first year college participants, finding an overall increase in the Likert scale for all the programming-related constructs under study (confidence, interest, gender, usefulness and professional) after the introductory course. As regards the peer-based learning approach, younger students seemed to be more eager to be taught in a less formal way than their older counterparts. The course resulted in high degrees of satisfaction for both the student tutors and their tutees. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper draws on data from a longitudinal study of over 500 vulnerable adolescents to examine the extent to which levels of individual externalizing risk behaviors (risky or unsafe behaviors) changed over time, as well as which fixed and time-dynamic factors predicted changes in these risk levels over time. Over time absolute levels of risky behaviors decreased but remained above normative levels. Of all the predictors, being excluded from school and associating with an anti-social peer group were the strongest and most consistent predictors of these behaviors. Other factors predicted changes in one or more of the three risk measures used, suggesting that each risk factor may reflect challenges youth face in different domains of their lives. Implications of these findings for service delivery are discussed. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In this paper we report the work that jeKnowledge ( Júnior Empresa da Faculdade de Ciências e Tecnologias da Universidade de Coimbra ), a student-led initiative, has done in the ‘ jeKnowledge academy ’ courses to actively engage Portuguese high-school students in STEM education through hands-on projects based on the low-cost Arduino platform. F2F activities, based on a peer-assisted learning strategy, were complemented with tutorials and more advanced project suggestions in a blog. Pre and post surveys on students' attitudes towards programming and peer-coaching were administered to pre-university and first year college participants, finding an overall increase in the Likert scale for all the programming-related constructs under study (confidence, interest, gender, usefulness and professional) after the introductory course. As regards the peer-based learning approach, younger students seemed to be more eager to be taught in a less formal way than their older counterparts. The course resulted in high degrees of satisfaction for both the student tutors and their tutees. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Using a socio-ecological measure of resilience, this paper examines changes in resilience profiles over time for a group of over 500 at-risk adolescents (12–17 years). Increases in resilience over time are observed, suggesting a developmental component. However, absolute resilience levels are significantly lower than those of adolescents not at-risk. Family and neighborhood risks have the strongest negative impact on resilience. Ethnic minority status is strongly predictive of higher resilience. Being in an intimate relationship and being on-track with education contribute smaller, but nonetheless significant amounts to resilience, while anti-social peers undermine resilience. Findings highlight the importance of addressing contextual and relational risks, maintaining educational progress and working in culturally-responsive ways with at-risk adolescents. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Objectives: This paper will report on the findings of a study which investigated the influence of a befriending (parent-to-parent peer support) scheme on parents whose children have a disability or additional need. The scheme operated from an acute children's tertiary setting in the UK.Methods: A prospective concurrent mixed method design collected interview (n=70) and questionnaire (n=68) data at two time-points from befrienders (n=13) and befriendees (n=26).Results: The main qualitative findings of the study relate to the different degrees parents (befriendees and befrienders) moved from being lost, to finding and being a guide and getting to a better place. The quantitative findings demonstrate that parent-to-parent peer support has a positive influence on parents' levels of psychological distress and their ability to cope with being a parent of a child with a disability.Conclusion: The befriending scheme acted as a catalyst for many parents to move towards a place where they could grow and begin to flourish and thrive.Practice Implications: Professionals should inform parents who have a child with a disability that peer-to-peer parenting support schemes are a valuable and appropriate source of support and help. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Mobile phone use has increased dramatically, and many users carry their phones 24 h a day. Consequently, mobile communication increasingly invades face-to-face interactions. In this paper, the researcher analyzes individual, social, and situational factors that predict such parallel communication habits. To this end, 339 smartphone users in Germany were asked about their smartphone usage habits, their availability management, and their parallel communication experiences. Subsequently, a multiple logistic regression was calculated to test which of the identified factors form predictors of a disposition to parallel communication. The findings confirm the assumption of significant influence from age, social usage motivation, usage habits of the peer group, individual evaluation of parallel communication, and expectations about the availability of others. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

A large body of previous research has elucidated how involvement in drug dealing and crime among marginalized urban youth who use drugs is shaped by the imperatives of addiction and survival in the context of poverty. However, a growing body of research has examined how youth's involvement in these activities is shaped by more expansive desires and moralities. In this paper, we examine the material, moral, and affective worlds of loosely gang affiliated, street level dealing and crime among one group of young men in Vancouver, Canada. Drawing on longitudinal interviews with 44 young men from 2008 to 2016, and ethnographic fieldwork with a group of approximately 15 of those young men over the same time period, we argue that for these youth, dealing and crime were not solely about economic survival, or even the accrual of highly meaningful forms of "street capital" in the margins. Rather, as "regimes of living," dealing and crime also opened up new value systems, moral logics, and affects in relation to the tremendous risks, potential rewards, and crushing boredom of life in the margins. These activities were also understood as a way into deeply desired forms of social spatial belonging in the city, which had previously only been imagined. However, across time dealing and crime "embedded" young men in cycles of incarceration, destitution, addictions, and mental health crises that ultimately reinforced their exclusion-from legal employment, but also within the world of crime. The findings of this study underscore the importance of adopting a life course perspective in order to meaningfully address the harms associated with involvement in dealing and crime among youth in our setting. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Substance use among Latino adolescents continues to be a growing concern for researchers and clinicians. This paper reviews relevant literature regarding the impact of inter-parental conflict (IPC), deviant peer associations (DPA) and parenting behaviors, namely as parental support, psychological control, and parental monitoring knowledge on substance use among Latino adolescents. Although mediating models of IPC and similar parenting behaviors on adolescent externalizing behaviors have been represented in empirical studies, none have included the influence of peer associations or have analyzed these factors with substance use among Latino adolescents in the U.S. This study investigated direct relationships of IPC and DPA with adolescent substance use, and tested parental support, psychological control and parental monitoring knowledge as mediators between those relationships in Latino adolescents. Structural equation modeling was used to analyze direct and indirect relationships of the variables mentioned among 744 Latino adolescents. Results indicated that DPA was positively associated with substance use, parental monitoring knowledge was negatively associated with substance use and that parental monitoring knowledge partially mediated the relationship between DPA and substance use. Implications of the findings are discussed in terms of areas of focus for interventions. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Dissonance-based eating disorder prevention leads to decreases in risk factors for these disorders. Although controlled trials have demonstrated that targeted, manualized programs reduce eating disorder risk, concerns regarding implementation and dissemination remain. A primary concern is the difficulty in adapting programs for a high school setting for populations at highest risk: adolescents. This paper describes the REbeL Peer Education model and assesses the initial pilot trials of the intervention. The program is novel in that it utilizes a voluntary, self-selection model that is sustainable in a high school setting, and focuses on empowerment and effective cognitive dissonance based prevention activities. High school peer-educators self-selected into the semi-manualized dissonance based intervention. Group activities were peer led, designed to critique the thin ideal, and designed to empower macro (school and larger community wide) changes in The pilot trial (N=47) assess the effectiveness and feasibility of the intervention. Results of the initial pilot study revealed preliminary support for the feasibility of the program, increases in feelings of empowerment, and decreases in eating disorder cognitions and behaviors with moderate to large effect sizes. Feedback from participants indicated that the intervention was enjoyable, educational, and empowering. This study is the first to adapt dissonance-based prevention models to a semi-manualized, peer-led, prevention program integrated into high school settings. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Aims: This paper examined longitudinal marijuana use trajectories among drug-using youth presenting to the ED to inform intervention development.Methods: Given interest in substance use and violence, this study oversampled those presenting with assault injuries. Assault-injured youth (ages 14-24) endorsing past 6-month drug use (n=349), and a sex and age proportionally-sampled comparison group (n=250) endorsing drug use, completed a baseline assessment and follow-ups at 6, 12, 18, and 24 months. Latent class trajectory analyses examined days of marijuana use over 2 years. Multinomial regression analyses examined baseline, 12-month and 24-month factors associated with substance use trajectory groups.Results: Trajectory analyses identified 5 groups: Low (Low; 28.2%; n=169); Intermittent (INT; 16.2%; n=97); Moderate Decline (MD; 12.0%; n=72); High decline (HD, 13.2%; n=79) and Chronic (C; 30.4%; n=182). At baseline, as compared to the Low group, the other trajectory groups were more likely to be male and have greater levels of physical aggression. At 12- and 24-months, negative and positive peer influences, incarceration and community violence were additional characteristics associated with the greater marijuana use trajectories (as compared to the Low group).Conclusions: Interventions for drug-using youth presenting to the urban ED should address peer influences, physical aggression and community violence exposure, given the association between these characteristics and greater marijuana use trajectories. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Community-based participatory research (CBPR) has become an increasingly common approach to research involving people who use(d) drugs (PWUD), who are often employed as peer researchers on these projects. This paper seeks to understand the impact of CBPR on PWUD, particularly those living in heavily researched and stigmatized neighbourhoods where CBPR projects are often located. This study draws on 14 in-depth interviews with PWUD who had previous experience as both peer researchers and research participants in CBPR projects conducted between July 2010 and February 2011. The study employed a CBPR approach in its study design, recruitment, interviewing, and analysis. Our analysis indicates that participants were supportive of CBPR in principle and described the ways in which it helped contest stigmatizing assumptions and researcher bias. Participants also reported positive personal gains from participation in CBPR projects. However, many participants had negative experiences with CBPR projects, especially when CBPR principles were implemented in a superficial or incomplete manner. Participants emphasized the importance of inclusiveness and active deconstruction of hierarchy between researchers and community members to successful CBPR among drug using populations. CBPR has been widely adopted as a research approach within marginalized communities but has often been implemented inconsistently. Still, CBPR can empower communities to contest forms of social stigma that are often reproduced through academic research on marginalized communities. Our findings describe how the benefits of CBPR are maximized when CBPR principles are consistently applied and when community-based researchers are supported in ways that reduce power hierarchies. This suggests a need for capacity building within affected communities to develop independent support, training, and grievance processes for peer researchers. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Abstract: Objectives: Adolescents who have a history of being detained report rates of STI that are 8 to 10 times higher than peers without such histories. Over the last decade, an increasing number of studies have identified multiple factors that are associated with STI risk behaviors and acquisition among detained youth. However to date, no reviews of this literature have been conducted, which is the aim of this paper. Method: We conducted a review of the published literature to identify correlates of risky and STIs among detained youth. PsycINFO, PubMed, MEDLINE and Googlescholar were searched for English-language publications from 1999 to present. These dates represent the time period when the majority of research was conducted among this population. Results: This paper utilizes an ecological model to review risk and protective factors related to STIs among this population. Findings indicated that individual factors (i.e., age, gender, substance use, and mental health); micro factors (i.e., parental monitoring, family violence, and peer influences); meso factors (i.e., school enrollment, student-teacher connectedness, and community violence exposure); and macro factors (i.e., race/ethnicity, cultural norms, gender violence and health care policies) were related to risky sex and STIs. Conclusion: We discuss conceptual and theoretical mechanisms that may account for such relationships and conclude with recommendations for advancing future research and service delivery with this population. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

This paper explores the interaction between peer relationships and sexual health among street youth in three Sub-Saharan African cities: Accra (Ghana), Bukavu (Democratic Republic of Congo), and Harare (Zimbabwe). It begins by conceptualising peer relationships for youth globally and considers why these are pivotal for young people living in street settings. The paper reconceptualizes street peer relationships not as replacement families, but as sharing 'social anchorage' in the street space. It draws on qualitative ethnographic data from Growing up on the Streets, a longitudinal research project with a participatory methodology undertaken between 2012 and 2016 and engaging street youth (aged 14–20 at project outset) trained in ethnographic observations as research assistants (n = 18), following a network of ten peers (n = 229 by 2016), reporting their experiences in weekly interviews with facilitators. A wider network attended focus groups (n = 399). The project engaged a 'capability' approach, with ten capabilities defined by street youth as key to their daily lives. Empirical evidence is from a subset of data qualitatively coded (using NVivo) against capabilities 'Health and Wellbeing' and 'Friendship', across all interviews, focus groups and cities (n = 212 sources). In exploring this intersection, the paper demonstrates beneficial and adverse impacts of peer influence on sexual health, including misinformation about contraceptives and death from an informal sector abortion; highlighting findings from across the three cities around primacy of same-sex peer relations, mistrust between genders and in healthcare providers. The paper finds that while street youth remain subject to cultural norms around gender identities, street peer relationships hold a persuasive power; contributing to both everyday survival and moments of acute need. It concludes that recognising the right of young people to live and seek livelihoods in urban settings, and adopting the social networks they create to advance street youth's sexual health has become even more relevant in a (post)pandemic world. • Young people are the majority living in new urban informality. • A new conceptualization positions street peer relations as socio-spatially anchored. • Peers can play a critical role in the sexual wellbeing of young street people. • Policy, practice and peer social networks can advance sexual health of street youth. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Practice is one of the most important predictors of skill. To become an expert, performers must engage in practice for a prolonged time to develop the psychological characteristics necessary for outstanding performance. Deliberate practice (DP), that is focused repetitive activities with corrective feedback, is particularly beneficial for skill development. The amount of accumulated DP differentiates experts and novices. However, the predictive strength of DP weakens considerably when it comes to differentiating between differently skilled experts, leaving a way clear for other non-practice related factors to exercise their influence. In this paper, we demonstrate using a large sample (388) of elite youth soccer players that one such factor, the personality trait of grit, predicts expertise level both directly and indirectly. Grittier players accumulated more time in coach-led team practice, the activity, which is arguably closest to DP in team sports, which in turn predicted the skill level. Other practice activities, such as self-led training or playing with peers, were not predictive of skill level, neither were they influenced by grit. Grit, however, continued to exert a direct positive influence on the skill level of players even after accounting for the hours of DP accumulated. Overall, a standard deviation of change in the grit score resulted in at least a third of standard deviation improvement in skill. Our findings highlight the need for the inclusion of additional factors in theoretical frameworks in situations where the predictive power of traditional expertise factors, such as practice, is limited. • Skill of 388 elite soccer youth players was assessed with perceptual-cognitive tests. • Both Grit and (Deliberate) Practice were significant predictors of soccer skill. • Grittier players accumulated more Practice which indirectly influenced skill. • Grit predicts skill even when the effects of Practice have been accounted for. • Other, non-practice factors, may explain skill differences within elite samples. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

It is well known, based on previous research, that adolescents' thoughts and feelings about their future are related to the risk of delinquency, alcohol use as well as health. However, other well-known facts are that adolescents' actions are substantially shaped in interaction with peers and that, during adolescence, individuals spend a considerable amount of the day at school, in interaction with classmates. Despite this, there is an almost complete lack of studies exploring to what extent the school climate, as measured by thoughts and feelings about the future, can influence individual adolescents. The aim of the current study is to investigate whether the future orientation (FO) climate, measured at the school class level, is related to delinquency, alcohol use and internalizing problems at the individual level, among a sample of Swedish students 14–15 years of age. The data used come from the Swedish part of the Youth in Europe (YES!) study, which is part of the larger project Children of Immigrants - Longitudinal Survey in Four European Countries (CILS4EU). In the present paper, we use data from the first wave, collected among 8th grade students in 2010/11 (n = 4119–4364). The method used was multilevel modeling (linear probability models (LPM) and linear regression analysis). The results showed that, in school classes where a high proportion of students had a positive future orientation, the risk of heavy alcohol use at the individual level was lower, also after adjusting for individual FO and for individual- and class-level socioeconomic conditions. A similar, but not statistically significant, tendency was found for delinquency. In addition, having a high proportion of students with a positive FO in a school class was associated with fewer internalizing problems, also after controlling for individual FO and socioeconomic conditions at the individual and school class level. We conclude that the surrounding school class, in terms of its general future orientation climate, may play a role for individual outcomes in the form of problem behaviors and mental health. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper, framed by risk and resiliency theory, presents findings from a youth led collaborative social research study exploring the facilitators of educational success and college attendance among former foster youth. A simultaneous component/parallel process mixed method design was conducted to explore factors associated with educational success among youth in foster care. Findings suggest that stability and positive relationships with peers and adult mentors ease transitions, and reinforce emotional connections impacting educational success and post-secondary attendance. This manuscript attempts to raise the volume on youth's successful experiences of education and highlight the implications for trauma informed practice in child welfare and school settings. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Adolescence is a time when youth are faced with multiple tasks that intersect and influence one another, e.g., increased desire for autonomy, salience of identity issues, peer orientation, self-focus and self-consciousness, and a continuing need for a safe environment in which to explore autonomy and identity. These all occur in a dynamic ecosystemic environment, which in the past would have mostly included family, peers, and school, but today also includes cyberspace as both a system, and a means to interact with many other systems through the use of multiple forms of information technology (IT). This paper uses the voices and experiences of 128 adolescents, captured in qualitative interviews, to look at autonomy and identity in the digital age as they talk about their parents vis à vis their use of IT. Thematic analysis revealed two major themes: 1) Adolescents spoke of their expertise. In particular they commented on their knowledge to repair equipment, ability to use IT well, their sense of pride in their own ability and their parents' acknowledgement of this ability. 2) Subjects perceived little need for their own supervision, but assessed that other adolescents and younger children needed to be watched closely by their parents. Implications of this work are discussed. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Peer Assessment (PA) offers a powerful solution that helps teachers in online learning environments to correct essays by distributing the workload among students. Nevertheless, the quality of the results in PA depends on good evaluations of reviewers. Thus, the main drawback for scaling up the use of PA is the presence of inadequate behaviours, such as being too harsh or too soft in the assessment, or even not offering a helpful feedback. This usually occurs due to the lack of motivation and engagement of students in the PA process. To deal with this problem, this paper proposes a gamified peer assessment model, where gamification elements are used to engage students in PA activities. Two experiments using the proposed model within an intelligent tutoring system called MeuTutor shows satisfactory outcomes. We verified that the average grade given by students to an essay are equivalent to those given by experts, but the time and costs to complete the assessments were largely reduced. Furthermore, the use of gamification helped to increase the amount of students' access to the system in 64.28%; increase in 10.53% the number of essays written and submitted; and improve the quantity and quality of assessments for each essay. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Emotional trauma is recognised as a common feature in the experience of patients and families following burn injury and incidence may be unrelated to burn size and severity.Aim: The aim of this study was to interpret the lived experience of hospitalisation and recovery following burn injury in Australia. This paper explores the early stages of emotional recovery, how people begin to redefine normality and the needs and supports they describe as integral to this process.Method: We used Heideggerian phenomenology, framed by Merleau-Ponty's philosophy of the body. In-depth, semi-structured interviews with 18 patient and family participants were collected 1-3 weeks after hospital discharge. Median %TBSA was 25.3 (range 3-68%).Results: From a point of being vulnerable, redefining normal was supported for all participants by family being close and involved, for family members by developing routines, and for patients by challenging physical otherness, rethinking work, finding empowerment through self-care, acknowledging a shared recovery and recognising a gradual return of 'good days'.Conclusion: Emotional trauma is highly prevalent among patients and families in the early burn recuperation period where both distress and recovery may co-occur. Despite an initial sense of vulnerability, normality is gradually redefined through practices that keep family close, engage patients in early self-care and allow time, space and support for return to work. Patients, initially confronted by their own physical otherness, share their recovery with fellow burns survivors and seek affirmation from family to negotiate a 'different' normal, integrated into a new self-concept. Early rehabilitation may be strengthened by promoting carer involvement, patient self-efficacy and peer support. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: In Australia, sterile needles and syringes are distributed to people who inject drugs (PWID) through formal services for the purposes of preventing blood borne viruses (BBV). Peer distribution involves people acquiring needles from formal services and redistributing them to others. This paper investigates the dynamics of the distribution of sterile injecting equipment among networks of people who inject drugs in four sites in New South Wales (NSW), Australia.Methods: Qualitative data exploring the practice of peer distribution were collected through in-depth, semi-structured interviews and participatory social network mapping. These interviews explored injecting equipment demand, access to services, relationship pathways through which peer distribution occurred, an estimate of the size of the different peer distribution roles and participants' understanding of the illegality of peer distribution in NSW.Results: Data were collected from 32 participants, and 31 (98%) reported participating in peer distribution in the months prior to interview. Of those 31 participants, five reported large-scale formal distribution, with an estimated volume of 34,970 needles and syringes annually. Twenty-two participated in reciprocal exchange, where equipment was distributed and received on an informal basis that appeared dependent on context and circumstance and four participants reported recipient peer distribution as their only access to sterile injecting equipment. Most (n=27) were unaware that it was illegal to distribute injecting equipment to their peers.Conclusion: Peer distribution was almost ubiquitous amongst the PWID participating in the study, and although five participants reported taking part in the highly organised, large-scale distribution of injecting equipment for altruistic reasons, peer distribution was more commonly reported to take place in small networks of friends and/or partners for reasons of convenience. The law regarding the illegality of peer distribution needs to change so that NSPs can capitalise on peer distribution to increase the options available to PWID and to acknowledge PWID as essential harm reduction agents in the prevention of BBVs. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Children in foster care are at high risk for poor psychosocial outcomes, including school failure, alcohol and other substance abuse, and criminal behaviors. Promoting healthy development by increasing broad-impact positive skills may help reduce some of the risk factors for longer-term negative outcomes. School readiness has been linked to a number of positive outcomes across childhood, adolescence, and adulthood, and may also boost intermediary positive skills such as self-competence. This paper presents findings from a longitudinal study involving 192 children in foster care who were 5 years old at the start of the study. They participated in a randomized controlled trial of a school readiness program to prepare them for kindergarten. Outcomes were assessed at third grade (9 years old) on variables associated with risk for later involvement in substance use and delinquency. These included positive attitudes towards alcohol use, positive attitudes towards antisocial behaviors, and involvement with deviant peers. Results showed that the intervention decreased positive attitudes towards alcohol use and antisocial behaviors. Further, the mediating role of children's self-competence was tested. The intervention positively influenced children's third-grade self-competence, which in turn, decreased their involvement with deviant peers. Findings suggest that promoting school readiness in children in foster care can have far-reaching, positive effects and that increased self-competence may be a mechanism for reducing risk. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Malawian adolescents overestimate their HIV infection risk. Understanding why they do so is important since such overestimation is likely to be linked to later-life outcomes. This study focuses on the influence peers have on HIV infection expectations. I use novel school-based survey data collected in Malawi between October 2011 and March 2012 (n = 7910), which has more reliable measures of peers' HIV infection expectations than other studies. I employ a combined instrumental variables/fixed effects methodology designed to addresses several methodological challenges in estimating peer effects, including self-selection of friends, the issue of unobserved environmental confounders, and the bi-directionality of peer effects. Several tests are conducted in order to assess the robustness of the specifications. Results suggest that a one-percentage-point increase in the mean probabilistic expectation of HIV infection among peers increases an adolescent's own subjective expectation of infection by an average of 0.65 percentage points. This paper shows that peer influence is greater for males than for females. Results also suggest that the peer effects on HIV infection expectations are only statistically significant among those lacking more complete knowledge of HIV/AIDS. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background Turning while walking is a crucial component of locomotion that is performed using an outside (step) or inside (spin) limb strategy. The aims of this paper were to determine how children with cerebral palsy perform turning maneuvers and if specific kinematic and kinetic adaptations occur compared to their typically developing peers. Methods Motion capture data from twenty-two children with cerebral palsy and fifty-four typically developing children were collected during straight and 90° turning gait trials. Experimental data were used to compute spatio-temporal parameters, margin of stability, ground reaction force impulse, as well as joint kinematics and kinetics. Findings Both child groups preferred turning using the spin strategy. The group of children with cerebral palsy exhibited the following adaptations during turning gait compared to the typically developing group: stride length was decreased across all phases of the turn with largest effect size for the depart phase (2.02), stride width was reduced during the turn phase, but with a smaller effect size (0.71), and the average margin of stability during the approach phase of turning was reduced (effect size of 0.98). Few overall group differences were found for joint kinematic and kinetic measures; however, in many cases, the intra-subject differences between straight walking and turning gait were larger for the majority of children with cerebral palsy than for the typically developing children. Interpretation In children with cerebral palsy, turning gait may be a better discriminant of pathology than straight walking and could be used to improve the management of gait abnormalities. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background Peer Mediated Interventions (PMIs) can be incorporated into integrated early childhood and preschool settings to address socialization impairments observed in children with ASD ( Katz & Girolametto, 2013 ). However, research examining specific PMI strategies with young preschoolers remains limited. Objective The current study examines the efficacy of the Stay, Play, Talk PMI ( English, Shafer, Goldstein, & Kaczmerek, 1997 ) on the social communication skills of young preschool children diagnosed with an Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD). Method Each of 3 typically developing children (ages 3–5 years) was paired with a child with an ASD (ages 3–4 years). Typically developing peers were taught to Stay with their friend, Play with their friend, and Talk to their friend. The child dyads played together during two, 20-min weekly sessions for 6–8 weeks. A multiple baseline design across participants was implemented to measure the impact of the Stay Play Talk strategies on social initiations and responses characterized by non-coordinated gestures, gestures, and words. Simulation Modeling Analysis was also conducted to confirm visual analysis. Results All 3 typical peer buddies and all 3 target children with ASD demonstrated increases in the frequency of their responses, reaching levels that greatly exceeded baseline levels. Further, social reciprocations increased among each dyad above baseline. Social initiations remained variable across dyads. Gains were not maintained two months post intervention. Conclusion Results of this study corroborated previous findings that support the usefulness of PMIs to improve social communication of young children with ASD ( Chan et al., 2009 ) and suggest an economical, naturally occurring approach to improve social communication during early childhood. Learning outcomes: Readers will gain knowledge regarding the social communication profile of children with ASD and how this profile can negatively impact language development and peer relationships. In addition, readers will be able to identify the basic components of the Stay Play Talk intervention. Finally, this paper will explain the impacts of the Stay Play Talk intervention on the social communication skills of young children with ASD. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The past two decades have witnessed an increase in ethnicity-related peer aggression, driven by the intensification of the migration phenomenon and rise of information and communication technologies. The goal of the current study is to extend the scope of previous reviews on peer aggression to examine the emerging evidence on the role of technological tools in the prevention, detection, and handling of ethnicity-related peer aggression among young people. We have identified 14 relevant papers published between 2005 and 2020 that help us answer the following research questions: What forms of aggression among young ethnic minorities do these technological interventions try to address? What types of technological interventions are being used? The results indicate that the technological tools are being used to tackle both intergroup as well as intragroup peer aggression, in which ethnic minorities youth is involved (as a victim, perpetrator or bystander). Most studies have focused on adolescents and young adults in the US or in Europe. The technological tools reported on, include: online games, videos, social media, and chat-based programmes, or machine learning algorithms aimed at tackling online and offline peer aggression. They can be used either as stand - alone tools, or as part of intervention programmes (at the school, family or community level). These findings can be useful to improve and elaborate future digital technologies developed to address ethnicity-related peer aggression. • The review maps the existing literature on the role of technological tools in tackling ethnicity-related peer aggression. • All forms of peer aggression are considered in which ethnic minorities youth was involved. • Three groups of technological interventions are identified and categorized into intra- or intergroup ethnicity-related peer aggression. • The digital tools presented include: online games, video, social media, chat-based programmes, and machine learning algorithms. • Our study reveals some follow-up research questions needed to expand current knowledge on digital technologies. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Peer relations inform consumption practices that shape both alcohol use and prescription drug misuse. Integrating studies on pharmaceutical cognitive enhancement with research on consumptive based edgework, this paper examines the role of psychostimulant medications in resolving contradictory aspects of contemporary peer building processes. Drawing on qualitative interviews (n = 162) from a U.S. based study on the context of young adult prescription drug misuse, we demonstrate how medical resources are incorporated into peer bonding rituals in order to enhance consumptive capacity, reduce social risks, and facilitate the accumulation of relational capital. These findings highlight the paradoxical and problematic health ramifications of consumptive based peer bonding practices as well as how psycho-stimulant medications may compound those issues in unintended ways. • Explores how peer bonding and accumulation of relational capital shape substance use. • Examines medicines role in resolving paradoxical aspects of over-consumption. • Expands contextual understandings of pharmaceutical based cognitive enhancement. • Offers insight into unintended consequences of psychostimulant prescribing practices. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The aim of this paper is to examine the role of faith-based communities and activities in helping those convicted of sexual offending to desist from crime and reintegrate back into their communities. It was found that much of the current research is limited to non-offending juvenile populations. Where research has been carried out on adult offenders, these tend to be custodial cases and exclude those convicted of sexual offending. The role of religious and spiritual groups in helping people convicted of sexual offending to desist from crime, while reintegrating into the community is, therefore, unknown. A number of parallels between the factors needed to promote desistance from sexual offending and the conditions encountered when engaged with a faith community are outlined. We would note that a religious and spiritual environment can: promote motivation to change, provide access to pro-social peers, offer moral guidance, provide a support network, and help bring meaning into people's lives. The potential for people to use faith-based communities or organizations to facilitate offending are also considered. Finally, implications for probation work and future research are also discussed. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The development of technology and namely of the Internet changed the way learners and educational institutions see and understand learning, collaboration and knowledge construction. In the educational field, game-based elements such as digital badges have been proposed and used to assess, recognize and validate knowledge construction and are considered as an effective way to improve and structure collaborative peer-based learning communities. This paper introduces the SAPO Campus badging system, a project that is being developed at the University of Aveiro (Portugal), which addresses the potential of a peer-supported badging system in the promotion of a more participatory learning community. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper examines whether a peer group intervention that reduced self-reported risky behaviors for rural adults in Malawi also had impacts on non-participants in the same communities. We randomly assigned two districts to the intervention and control conditions, and conducted surveys at baseline and 18 months post-intervention using unmatched independent random samples of intervention and control communities in 2003–2006. The six-session peer group intervention was offered to same-gender groups by trained volunteers. In this analysis, we divided the post-intervention sample into three exposure groups: 243 participants and 170 non-participants from the intervention district (total n = 415) and 413 control individuals. Controlling for demographics and participation, there were significant favorable diffusion effects on five partially overlapping behavioral outcomes: partner communication, ever used condoms, unprotected sex, recent HIV test, and a community HIV prevention index. Non-participants in the intervention district had more favorable outcomes on these behaviors than survey respondents in the control district. One behavioral outcome, community HIV prevention, showed both participation and diffusion effects. Participating in the intervention had a significant effect on six psychosocial outcomes: HIV knowledge (two measures), hope, condom attitudes, and self-efficacy for community HIV prevention and for safer sex; there were no diffusion effects. This pattern of results suggests that the behavioral changes promoted in the intervention spread to others in the same community, most likely through direct contact between participants and non-participants. These findings support the idea that diffusion of HIV-related behavior changes can occur for peer group interventions in communities, adding to the body of research supporting diffusion of innovations theory as a robust approach to accelerating change. If diffusion occurs, peer group intervention may be more cost-effective than previously realized. Wider implementation of peer group interventions can help meet the global goal of reducing new HIV infections. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

• Friendships have an important scaffolding role in adolescent development. • Friendships are linked to negative behaviours and outcomes in care-experienced youth. • We found 10 papers focused on positive peer factors in care-experienced youth. • Friendships are important, and are associated with markers for resilience. • Longitudinal, co-produced research is needed that orients to the needs of youth. The positive impact for young people in alternative care of attachment relationships with adults is well documented. The potential role of peers in fulfilling attachment needs in this population warrants further investigation. This paper presents a systematic review of existing quantitative evidence exploring how positive peer relationships influence psychological variables related to coping and resilience in young people in alternative care the review targeted literature relating to adolescents aged 10–18 living in alternative care. A systematic search of the literature for studies of psychological resilience-based variables and peer relationships led to the inclusion of 10 papers. An assessment of the studies using methodological quality ratings was conducted. Four key themes emerged: (1) Perceived satisfaction with peer relationships; (2) The impact of peer group networks; (3) Positive attachments in adolescence and; (4) The role of social skills. The findings highlight the need to investigate more positive outcomes using standardized measures for variables of resilience and peer attachment directly in this population. It summarizes the current evidence and lays the foundation for future robust longitudinal studies exploring peer relationships and resilience variables directly. It puts forward the need for a positive developmental rhetoric, drawn directly from the strengths of this group. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

• Young people who reside in a context where agentic capacity can be developed are more likely to achieve normative milestones in residential care. • Well-being in residential care can be negatively affected by the systematic culture in which care homes are embedded in. • Residential care lacks flexibility when meeting the needs of the individual resident. • Peer relationships carry positive and negative aspects which in turn impact on the individual's well-being in residential care. Residential care can be a relevant option for young people with behavioural problems considered beyond the capacity of the young person's own home or foster care to manage. While some care home residents go on to excel in life, others do not. Understanding how young people's experiences of residential care impact on their well-being might help us improve the outcome possibilities for individual residents. This systematic review of qualitative research aimed to synthesize and identify the experience of living in residential care and suggest how these findings can enhance the well-being of this group in the future. Five relevant databases were searched for qualitative empirical studies published between 1990 and January 2020. Twelve papers met the inclusion criteria. The studies were thematically synthesised to produce findings. Four high-order analytical themes were constructed: autonomy and control; relationships and support; safety and security; and, child to adult transitions in care. These high-order themes revealed a varied experience of care with some young people experiencing stability and security as well as support towards achieving normative milestones. For others the findings revealed experiences of not being heard and understood by the care institution, creating experiences of poor well-being and a reduction in agentic development. In addition, peer relationships were experienced both positively as friendships and support developed within some care homes and negatively when the peer group accepted bullying and violence as normative behaviour. This review recommends further research into how the care community culture impacts on young people. Finally, this review calls for research on how agency is developed and supported among young people in residential care, and how poorer psychological well-being can be better understood within the realm of residential care. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Objectives The purposes of this paper were to offer reflections, thoughts, and observations on the burgeoning research regarding eating disorders in athletes over the past 25 years, to comment on the findings and clinical implications of the studies contained in this special issue, and to provide suggestions for future research. Results Disordered eating and eating disorders are complex, multidimensional, and multiply determined, and can affect the health and performance of athletes in both genders and most sports. Although coaches and teammates can be significant sources of weight and body image pressure, they can also play a positive role in identification and prevention. Conclusions Further research is needed in several areas. These include a broader focus that includes athletes believed to be at less risk, most notably males and non-lean sport athletes, and ironically younger athletes, who may be at greatest risk. We also need more research related to treatment of athletes with eating disorders and especially how we might better motivate them for recovery. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper reports on a longitudinal study of 1012 youth (aged 13–17 years). Half were clients of two or more services and were followed for three years to enable analysis of the impact over time of services delivered using positive youth development practices (PYD). Youth completed self-report questionnaires administered by trained interviewers. It was hypothesised that youth reporting two positive service experiences at Time 1 would report better wellbeing and resilience and lower risk at Time 3 than youth reporting inconsistent or two negative service experiences at Time 1. MANCOVA was used to determine the relationships between service quality and wellbeing, resilience, and risk, with three covariates that assessed the presence of positive relational resources (with caregivers, friends and school) around youth. Results indicated that service quality at Time 1 had a positive effect on wellbeing and resilience at Time 3, but not on risk levels. The importance of consistent use of PYD approaches across services is discussed, as is the need for services to more directly address risk levels for vulnerable youth. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Objectives: This study examined the construction of the motivational climate surrounding elite sports performers by investigating the behaviours of coaches, peers and parents that were perceived to be motivationally relevant by elite athletes. Design: Qualitative – inductive. Method: Twenty-eight national, international and world-class athletes (15–29 years old) took part in semi-structured focus groups and interviews investigating how they believe coaches, parents, and peers influence their motivation. Results: An inductive content analysis indicated that elite athletes perceived a multitude of motivationally-relevant social cues. Coaches and peers were reported to be focal influences, whilst the role of parents appeared to be limited to emotional and moral support. Themes of feedback/evaluation, and pre-performance motivating behaviours were common to all social agents, whereas only the coach–athlete and peer–athlete relationships appeared to be important in moderating and directly influencing motivation towards sport. The influences of social agents related to the specific roles they performed in the athlete's life: instruction and leadership for coaches; emotional support, collaborative and/or competitive behaviours for peers, and for parents, a diminished role relative to when the athletes were younger. Conclusions: A central finding of the paper is that there was no discernible one-to-one correspondence between specific behaviours and their impact on motivation. Instead, the findings suggest complex contextual interactions between the immediate behaviours of social agents and the impact on the athlete's motivation. If supported, this finding would necessitate new and novel approaches in future research in order to facilitate a more advanced understanding of athlete motivation in elite sport. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]