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Background: This paper presents the baseline characteristics and their moderators in the Healthy Learning Mind (HLM)– school-based cluster-randomized controlled trial. Objectives: The paper evaluates the state of various measures of well-being, their moderators and how these results compare to national and global norms/population studies. Methods: Data were collected from all participants prior to the intervention and further analyzed by gender, grade and perceived socioeconomic status, including standardized measures for resilience, depressive symptoms and socioemotional functioning; health-related quality of life, dispositional mindfulness, satisfaction with life, compassion/self-kindness, self-rated health and morning tiredness. Results: Participating 2793 students (1425 girls, 1368 boys), ages 12 to 15 years, filled in the questionnaires. The outcomes were in line with previous research, demonstrating gender differentiation and lower wellbeing among older children and adolescents. Conclusions: All outcomes were associated with perceived socioeconomic status, suggesting that perceived low socioeconomic status should be addressed as a serious risk factor and included as a moderator in similar trials. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper reviews school-based (n = 212) and clinically-based (n = 68) positive psychological interventions (PPIs) for children and adolescents. A new 3 × 3 classification of PPIs was developed based on the processes and content of the PPI and the outcomes measured. This classification involves 9 different types of interventions depending on whether the intervention focuses on positive, remedial, or both positive and remedial processes and content, and whether the intervention aims to evade or address challenges, deficits, or disorders or improve or elicit positive outcomes. Positive content-balanced outcomes interventions were the most common type used in schools (38%) and clinical settings (63%). Mindfulness was the most common approach used (49% in schools and 71% in clinical settings). Surprisingly, relatively few studies focused on well-established positive psychological constructs, such as strengths, hope, and gratitude. Overall, the results suggest strong support for the use of PPIs in school and clinical contexts. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Social media are integral in the lives of adolescents. Practitioners need to be able to assess risk, and social media are potentially a new dimension to consider. Adolescent voices and practitioner perspectives are central to understanding the relationship between social media and mental health, yet there is limited work that highlights their views. Aims: This paper aims to illuminate the perspectives of adolescents and practitioners about social media and mental health. Method: Eight focus groups, six with adolescents aged 11–18 years and two with mental health practitioners, were conducted. Ethical approval was provided. Discussions allowed for expression of experiences, views and opinions of the relationship between social media and mental health. Results: Participants discussed what might be thought of as the "good", the "bad" and the "ugly" side of social media, navigating the benefits of social media to well-being against possible negative impacts on adolescents. They differentiated personal use from third party attributions whereby they extolled the risk to adolescents outside of their personal group. Much of the negative rhetoric of social media was repeated by mental health practitioners, although there was some acknowledgement of potential benefit. Conclusions: Practitioners need to consider social media and its role in practice. When risk-assessing adolescents, it is arguably useful to include a social media dimension, without presuming the relationship will be negative. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

• Care-experienced young people experience high levels of mental health problems. • System resources, cultures and stakeholder values, impact interventions. • Care-experienced young people valued meaningful relationships in interventions. • Carers felt interventions often overlooked their expertise and experiences. • Future interventions should support carers' time and emotional commitment. The mental health and well-being of care-experienced children and young people remains a concern. Despite a range of interventions, the existing evidence base is limited in scope, with a reliance on standalone outcome evaluations which limits understanding of how contextual factors influence implementation and acceptability. The Care-experienced cHildren and young people's Interventions to improve Mental health and wEll-being outcomes Systematic review (CHIMES) aimed to synthesise evidence of intervention theory, outcome, process and economic effectiveness. This paper reports the process evaluation synthesis, exploring how system factors facilitate and inhibit implementation and acceptability of mental health and wellbeing interventions for care-experienced children and young people. Sixteen databases and 22 websites were searched between 2020 and 2022 for studies published from 1990 and May 2022. This was supplemented with contacting experts in the field, citation tracking, screening of relevant systematic reviews and stakeholder consultations. We drew on framework synthesis of qualitative data and incorporated a systems lens, taking account of contextual influences across socio-ecological domains. Quality appraisal assessed reliability and usefulness. Confidence in synthesised findings was assessed with the GRADE-CERQual tool. We report the review in accordance with relevant elements of both the Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta-Analysis (PRISMA), and the Enhancing transparency in reporting the synthesis of qualitative research (ENTREQ) checklist. Searches retrieved 15,068 unique study reports, and 23 of these were eligible for process evaluation synthesis, reporting on sixteen interventions. Studies were published between 2003 and 2021. Nine interventions were from the UK and Ireland, six interventions were from the USA, and one was from Australia. They were largely classified as interpersonal, where the aim was to modify carer-child relationships. Five key context factors were identified that supported and prohibited intervention delivery: (1) lack of system resources; (2) intervention burden, which encompasses the time, cognitive, and emotional burden associated with implementation and participation; (3) interprofessional relationships between health and social care professionals; (4) care-experienced young people's identity; and (5) carer identity. We identified several supportive and restrictive factors across social and health care systems that may impact intervention implementation and acceptability. Key implications include: the importance of involving diverse stakeholders in intervention development and delivery; the need to better resource and support those involved in interventions, particularly training and support for carers; and ensuring future evaluations integrate process evaluations in order to optimise interventions. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Children's health policy has highlighted the need to develop self-care programmes. However, there is a lack of evidence on which to base the development of such programmes. This paper reviews the published research on the effectiveness of self-care support interventions for children and young people with asthma, cystic fibrosis and diabetes. A systematic search was conducted of a range of electronic databases, supplemented by searching the reference lists of retrieved papers and published reviews. Retrieved studies were assessed against quality and eligibility criteria by two independent reviewers. The results were narratively synthesized to examine the effectiveness of self-care support interventions on health status, psycho-social well-being, condition-related knowledge, health service use and participant satisfaction. The search strategy identified 4261 papers which were screened against the review inclusion criteria. A total of 194 papers were assessed as being potentially eligible for inclusion with 15 papers being judged as adequate to include in the review. There is strong evidence of the effectiveness of interventions that target children/young people; use e-health or group-based methods; that are delivered in community settings. There is no evidence that interventions that focus on parents alone or are delivered only in hospital settings are effective. While there is some evidence to inform the development of self-care support programmes, there is a need for well-designed trials of interventions that are feasible to transfer into real-life settings and which involve parents and children in their development. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Purpose – This paper aims to explore the growing field of the teaching of mindfulness to young people, looking at its social and policy context, its applications, and other areas of work that it might support and within which it might fit. It focuses particularly on the state of the current evidence for such teaching and the conclusions that can be drawn from it. Design/methodology/approach – The paper is a literature review, drawing mainly on the 20 or so significant and good quality studies (i.e. those with significant numbers of participants, published in peer-reviewed journals) that make up the evidence base for mindfulness and the young, along with some comments on the policy context into which mindfulness can and might fit. Findings – Work on mindfulness with young people is popular with both staff and students, has a developing presence and can be effective in promoting a very wide range of outcomes. When well taught and when practised regularly, it has been shown to be capable of improving mental health and well-being, mood, self-esteem, self-regulation, positive behaviour and academic learning. There are many possible promising locations for mindfulness within mainstream education and the health services, including work to improve on mental health and well-being for staff and students, social and emotional learning, special education and mainstream subject based work. Originality/value – Mindfulness is a new and growth area. Work with adults is well developed with a convincing evidence base, but work with the young, although developing rapidly, is much younger and this review is one of only a handful attempting to bring it to wider professional awareness. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Extensive evidence has shown that working nonstandard hours, such as evening or night shifts, impacts negatively on workers' own health, and a growing literature suggests such impacts extend to the health of workers’ children. Using matched parent and child data from a large Australian panel survey this paper explores the effects of parental work schedules on the mental and physical health of adolescents aged 15–20 in sole-parent families. Random-effects models indicate adolescents have marginally worse emotional and physical health when their parent works nonstandard hours, based on SF-36 component summary scores, associated primarily with emotional or physical role limitations. Parental weekend schedules are particularly detrimental to adolescent physical health. Evidence is found that the effects of nonstandard work schedules on adolescent wellbeing are transmitted through increased work-family conflict and exacerbated where parents have low job control. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The impact of climate change on the mental health of young people is poorly understood. Emerging evidence suggests that exposure to climate change exerts a disproportionate mental health burden on young people. An understanding of the risk factors (RFs) and protective factors (PFs) that affect the likelihood of mental health impacts arising from exposure to climate change is required to support youth wellbeing. This review scopes the current research on what and how RFs and PFs are related to the mental health impacts of both direct and indirect exposure to climate change for young people. RFs and PFs were reviewed through the lens of ecological system theory. We conducted systematic searches in four databases: PubMed, PsycInfo, Web of Science, and Scopus. Grey literature searches were conducted in ProQuest Dissertations, GreyLit.org , OpenGrey, and relevant organisations' websites. We included 92 empirical studies focused on the RFs and PFs of the mental wellbeing under the impact of climate change of young people (0–24). We extracted data on study characteristics, type of climate change event, mental health outcomes, RFs and PFs, and associated ecological system level. The current evidence base focuses predominantly on young people's experience of PTSD (k = 59), depression (k = 26), or anxiety (k = 17) mainly following exposure to singular climate change-related natural disaster events. Only four studies explored the impacts of climate change in general. Majority of the studies investigated RFs and PFs at the individual level and at the micro-system level. Several RFs and PFs were identified, such as coping strategies, family factors (e.g. parenting style), social support, community connection, and cultural identity. Positioning the mental health impacts of singular events within the broader context of ongoing and escalating climate change impacts will better inform the development of interventions that seek to build resilience among young people. • Studied risk (RFs) and protective factors (PFs) with climate change and youth mental health. • We analysed 92 papers to identify RFs and PFs at each ecological system level. • Most RFs and PFs were identified at the individual (48%) and micro level (77%). • There is a lack of evidence on RFs and PFs that operate at macro and exo-levels. • Youth mental health interventions need to consider ongoing climate change impacts. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

• The capability approach is an apt tool for assessing the well-being of children. • Children must be involved in the assessment of their capabilities and well-being. • Parents at risk are more likely than children to undervalue education. • Parents at risk underrate their key role in loving and caring for their children. • Social services should concentrate more on development of youngsters' capability. The aim of this empirical paper was to answer the following question: "What are the desirable and the actually achieved capabilities in relation to the well-being of children and adolescents using social services in the Czech Republic from their own point of view, from that of their parents or foster parents and social workers?" Our research study was based on the capability approach and looked at the well-being of vulnerable children who are clients of social service providers in the Czech Republic. It was conducted through a combination of qualitative and quantitative research techniques. Children and adolescents aged 11–22 years (n = 28) and their parents or foster parents (n = 16) were surveyed using the technique of in-depth semi-structured interviews and a questionnaire survey. We also held a focus group with 15 social workers working with these clients. The study has shown that what children need the most for their sense of well-being are harmonious relationships, particularly with their parents. This finding is all the more serious as parents are not fully aware of the importance of their love and care for their children's lives, as also evidenced in our empirical findings. The research finding that we consider the most disturbing is that children lack capabilities that would allow them to experience a meaningful life. This is most pronounced in their views of their future, which they do not associate with any hope. They do not see their future as providing opportunities for a positive life experience. Another key finding is that both children and parents marginalise capabilities developed through education. What is particularly alarming is that parents were much more likely to marginalise education than their children. Although these children are users of social services, these services proved unable to provide adequate formal support for them and their parents. Based on our study of children and families using social services we recommend that social services should focus on fostering the relationship between parents/foster parents and children. Particular attention should be paid to developing adolescents' potential, while taking into consideration their natural need to learn new skills so that they could live a more active life translating into a more meaningful life experience at present, as well as into a sustained sense of meaning in life in the future. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The aim of this review is to provide a scientific update on evidence related to the biological and psycho-social health benefits of physical activity in school-aged children and youth. To accomplish this aim, the first part of the paper reviews existing physical activity guidelines for school-aged children and youth, with an emphasis placed on how Canada’s guidelines compare and contrast with those of other countries and organizations. The paper then provides an overview of physical activity levels of Canadian children and youth, which indicates that few Canadian youngsters meet current physical activity recommendations. The next section of the paper summarizes the literature that informs how much physical activity is required to promote health and well-being in children and youth. The paper then provides suggestions on modifications that could be made to Canada’s physical activity guidelines for children and youth. Specifically, consideration should be given to setting both minimal (>=60 min/d) and optimal (up to several hours per day) physical activity targets. The final section identifies future research needs. In this section, a need is noted for comprehensive dose-response studies of physical activity and health in the paediatric age group. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The aim of this review is to provide a scientific update on evidence related to the biological and psycho-social health benefits of physical activity in school-aged children and youth. To accomplish this aim, the first part of the paper reviews existing physical activity guidelines for school-aged children and youth, with an emphasis placed on how Canada’s guidelines compare and contrast with those of other countries and organizations. The paper then provides an overview of physical activity levels of Canadian children and youth, which indicates that few Canadian youngsters meet current physical activity recommendations. The next section of the paper summarizes the literature that informs how much physical activity is required to promote health and well-being in children and youth. The paper then provides suggestions on modifications that could be made to Canada’s physical activity guidelines for children and youth. Specifically, consideration should be given to setting both minimal (>=60 min/d) and optimal (up to several hours per day) physical activity targets. The final section identifies future research needs. In this section, a need is noted for comprehensive dose-response studies of physical activity and health in the paediatric age group [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]