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Positive developmental outcomes among youth living in poverty have rarely been studied. Despite numerous risk factors, it is important to understand the factors that contribute to positive developmental outcomes among youth in poverty. Using the Self-Determination Theory framework, this two-wave longitudinal study investigated the contribution of basic psychological needs of autonomy, competence, and relatedness to positive developmental outcomes of prosocial behavior and positive affect among 225 youth living in poverty in Italy. Results suggest that overall, prosocial behavior was positively predicted by autonomy, while positive affect was positively predicted by competence. Moderator analyses showed that the satisfaction of the need of relatedness predicted prosociality for girls and immigrants. For girls, the fulfilling of this need also predicted positive affect. The importance of each psychological need to different positive outcomes was shaped by adolescents' economic condition, immigrant background, and gender. The implications for further research and practices are discussed.

The present study, based on data concerning 2328 immigrant children attending a representative sample of 561 schools, investigates the impact of various group, family and individual characteristics as well as proficiency in the national language on acceptance and friendship among classmates, while controlling for measurement errors by means of a structural equation modelling approach. As regards group characteristics, the results indicate that only immigrant density in the classroom has a positive impact on social inclusion, which seems to be limited to peer acceptance. As regards family and individual characteristics, low-SES and female immigrants appear to be doubly vulnerable in class, which specifically affects their friendships. One of our main findings is that proficiency in the national language predicts the social inclusion of immigrant children, while controlling for all the other variables considered. A moderation analysis reveals that this factor also applies to second-generation immigrants. In conclusion, we suggest that interventions aiming to facilitate the social inclusion of immigrant children should take into account the fact that proficiency in the national language appears to be much more important than group, family and individual characteristics, and that low-SES and female immigrants require particular attention, since they are doubly vulnerable.

Background: Very-low-income students are a population at a high risk of perpetrating and suffering bullying at school, and at the same time the peer group at school is often one of the few sources of support for these minors. Objective: This two-wave study is aimed to disambiguate the two different roles of peer acceptance and friendship on bullying and victimization in very-low-income adolescents, exploring the possible differential role of immigrant background. Method: An online survey was administered to 249 early to late adolescents living below the poverty threshold (M[subscript age] = 12.76; SD[subscript age] = 2.34; 41.8% girls; 19.3% immigrants). A multivariate regression model with multi-group analyses was applied. Results: Our results indicated that peer friendship was a protective factor against bullying as well as victimization, whilst peer acceptance was not protective. Only for natives (but not for immigrants), a high level of peer acceptance was a risk factor for bullying, and low school achievement was a risk factor for victimization. The persistence of victimization over time was significantly stronger for immigrants than for natives. Conclusions: The study provides new insights for the unique protective role of classmates' friendship in natives and immigrants, while acceptance appeared to be less relevant. Research and applied implications are discussed.

The psychological well-being at school of immigrant students living in poverty is currently an understudied topic in developmental psychology. This is an important shortcoming because this population, which is rapidly increasing in many western countries, is in a double minority condition and has a greater risk of experiencing psychological distress at school, in comparison with their native peers. In order to improve our understanding on this issue, the present two-wave study investigated the prospective relationships between peer acceptance and two aspects of well-being at school--intention to drop out of school and negative self-esteem--specifically focusing on the differential effect of having (vs. not having) an immigrant background. The participants were 249 preadolescents and adolescents living in poverty (M[subscript age] = 12.76; SD[subscript age] = 2.34; 41.8% girls; 19.3% immigrants) who were attending educational centres for disadvantaged minors. The poverty status of the participants was an inclusion criterion. A multilinear regression model with multigroup analysis was tested. As expected, the results showed that peer acceptance had a significant negative association with school dropout intentions and negative self-esteem only for immigrants, but not for natives. For immigrant students, the protective effect of peer acceptance was comparable to the stability over time of dropout intention and self-esteem, a result that has promising implications for prevention programs. The applied implications of the study for educational and clinical contexts are discussed.

(1) Background: Physical activity is known to promote health and psychological well-being in older adults, yet global inactivity rates in this population remain high. Among the factors associated with physical activity, self-efficacy for exercise represents a key predictor for developing effective interventions in older adults. This study aimed to validate the Self-Efficacy for Exercise Scale (SEE) in individuals over 65. (2) Methods: A sample of 726 older adults from the USA and Italy (51.1% females; age range = 65–95 years; Mage = 72.57, SDage = 6.49) completed the SEE, along with the Godin–Shepard Leisure-Time Physical Activity Questionnaire (GSLTPAQ), the Big Five Inventory 2—Extra Short Form (BFI-2-XS), and the 12-item Short Form Health Survey (SF-12). (3) Results: The SEE showed a Cronbach's Alpha of 0.88 and a Composite Reliability of 0.89. Moreover, it demonstrated a unidimensional factor structure and good fit indices. Full measurement invariance was achieved across gender and age, while partial scalar invariance was found across countries, suggesting minor cultural differences. Correlation with the GSLTPAQ, the BFI-2-XS, and the SF-12 support the convergent and nomological validity of the SEE. (4) Conclusions: These findings provide evidence that the SEE is a reliable and valid measure of self-efficacy for exercise among older adults and that the items are interpreted similarly across different ages, genders, and cultures. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

School situations trigger affective states that influence students' achievement and well-being. In the present study, we investigated, on the basis of a sample of 26,470 high-school students and 1,472 classrooms, the relationship of individual characteristics (immigrant background, gender, socioeconomic status, and achievement) as well as classroom characteristics (group composition and size) with students' feelings at school. The results showed that females, low achievers, immigrants, and low-SES students are more at risk of psychological distress at school, with gender and achievement being the most important factors. A doubly latent model analysis revealed that whereas individual socioeconomic status and achievement have a positive impact on students' feelings, the effect of the two variables at the classroom level is negative. The impact of immigrant classroom composition seems to be limited to positive affect and dependent on students' immigrant generation. Finally, students in smaller classrooms show more psychological well-being at school.

Cognitive self-regulation is regarded as necessary for enhancing academic success and the possibility of lifelong learning. This study, based on 263,683 Italian 10th-grade students, examines the use of self-regulated cognitive strategies in immigrant and native students, as well as in boys and girls. Preliminarily, we examined the psychometric properties and measurement invariance across the groups of the short four-factor scale adopted. Immigrant students report less use of self-regulated cognitive strategies than natives and that this use diminishes from one generation of immigrants to the next. Also boys report lower levels of cognitive self-regulation than girls. On the whole, these findings indicate that male and immigrant students systematically use less self-regulated cognitive strategies in studying. Improvements in their cognitive self-regulation should therefore increase the chances of academic success in these groups of students, which tend to have lower performances at school across the industrialized countries.

The ever-increasing presence of immigrants in Italian schools make these contexts important for the study of young peoples' attitudes towards those who are new to a country. We analysed the metaphors regarding immigrants produced by a sample of 840 eighth-grade students. The results of a content analysis showed nine complex attitudes referring to different conceptual frames, such as adolescents' perception of immigrants as part of a primary social group, as a source of possible wealth, as something troublesome or annoying, as a transient phenomenon that is unlikely to be integrated into society and various others. The results of a multinomial logistic regression indicated that boys have more feelings of annoyance as regard immigrants than girls. A higher socioeconomic background is associated with ambivalent attitudes toward immigrants (who are seen as being needy, as a resource but also as a threat). Possible behavioural implications of the adolescents' views of minority social and cultural groups are discussed.

Italy is a particularly interesting context in which to study the phenomenon of bullying given the steadily increasing number of immigrant students attending Italian primary schools. We examined the psychometric properties of a short self-report measure of bullying and victimization across groups of students with various migration backgrounds. We then estimated, by latent mean comparisons, the rates of prevalence of bullying and victimization among different generations of immigrants and native students. Results concerning the factor structure of the measure were consistent with studies in other cultural contexts and complete scalar measurement invariance was found across immigrant backgrounds. The analyses showed that both first- and second-generation immigrant pupils reported being victimized more frequently than their native peers. However, the incidence of victimization for second generations was lower than that for first generations. Finally, no differences across different generations of immigrants and native students were found in reported bullying behaviors.

The present study examined the interplay between self-determined motivation and the use of cognitive strategies in predicting university students' academic performance while taking into account the effect of prior achievement. A theory based model was tested using structural equation modeling on a sample of 764 Italian university students. Results showed that prior achievement influenced students' academic performance and their motivation and use of cognitive strategies. Critical thinking was the only cognitive strategy which proved to have a significant impact on students' academic performance. Autonomous motivation had an indirect positive impact on academic performance through its influence on the critical thinking strategy. Controlled motivation had a direct negative impact on academic performance. On the whole, our findings suggest that autonomously motivated students tend to achieve better academic performance by using critical thinking, while students who are driven by controlled motivation have lower academic performance.

Questionnaire data from the PIRLS 2006 study in Italy provided a number of indices in order to summarize factors of educational context influencing reading achievement. The aim of the present paper is to study the relationships between school factors, teacher factors, family factors, student factors and reading achievement by means of multilevel regression analysis. Results show that pupils' attainment in reading is significantly related to: (1) home educational resources (home/student level effect); (2) parents' attitudes toward reading (home/student level effect); (3) students' attitudes toward reading; (4) students' reading self-concept; and (5) teacher career satisfaction (school/teacher level). (Contains 3 tables.)

This study examines the factor structures of Personal and Classroom Achievement Goals and the relationships between them. Multilevel structural equation modeling was used to examine data from a sample of 3,544 Italian 10th-grade students (184 classrooms) who completed the Patterns of Adaptive Learning Scales (PALS). Findings about the factor structure of personal goals were consistent with studies in other cultural contexts. The scales showed measurement invariance both across gender and across various immigrant backgrounds. Boys showed lower levels of mastery and higher levels of performance-approach than girls. Immigrant students scored higher than the native students on all Performance scales. At the group level, a measurement model including mastery and performance-approach goal structures showed good fit indices. In classrooms more oriented toward mastery, students' personal goals tend to be in the same direction. Classroom performance-approach goal structures were related to performance-avoidance personal orientations but not to performance-approach personal orientations.

In the study, based on a representative sample of 26,670 Italian fifth-grade students, the authors examine the academic motivational profiles of immigrant and native students, as well as of boys and girls. To reliably estimate mean differences, the measurement invariance of a short version of the Academic Self-Regulation Questionnaire was first established across the groups. Boys reported less autonomous motives for studying than girls while first-generation immigrant pupils showed higher levels of intrinsic motivation, identified regulation, and external regulation for studying than natives did. Also, second-generation immigrants had higher levels of academic motivation than natives did, although they were less motivated and reported less autonomous reasons for studying than first generations. While confirming the immigrant paradox in a country with a rapidly increasing level of immigrant students, findings show that second-generation immigrants not only report a lower quantity of motivation than first-generations, but also appear to have a different quality of motivation.

Immigration processes and the possible marginalization of ethnic minorities in the receiving countries are essential issues in contemporary societies. Prejudice and discrimination can be critical obstacles to immigrants' integration into the host country and can severely affect their well-being and mental health. This theoretical and conceptual overview aims to highlight the critical social–psychological processes underlying attitudes toward immigrants. First, it tackles the social psychological roots of social prejudice by focusing on the role of individual (ideological, motivational, and cultural) factors and categorization processes. Second, it examines how contextual factors such as intergroup perceptions and structural relations can lead to high levels of prejudice and discrimination towards immigrants. This review highlights how prejudice against immigrants can be driven by various factors at the individual and contextual level, suggesting that programs aimed at facilitating harmonious relations in contemporary multi-ethnic societies should consider such different determinants. Accordingly, the conclusion discusses possible interventions that can promote better relations between the majority and immigrant groups and counteract the negative impact of discrimination. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

With the global population of older adults projected to double to 2.1 billion by 2050, it becomes crucial to promote healthy aging to alleviate the associated disease burden. In this context, technology, particularly virtual reality (VR) and augmented reality (AR), has garnered attention for its potential to augment physical activity in older adults. These immersive technologies offer interactive and enjoyable exercise experiences, making physical activity more appealing. However, the effectiveness of these interventions is not solely attributed to technology itself but is deeply intertwined with psychological processes. This rapid review examines the effectiveness of VR and AR interventions in enhancing physical exercise among healthy older adults while exploring the role of psychological variables, including mood, self-efficacy, and motivation. The results of the study show that technology-enhanced physical activity interventions hold great promise but call attention to the need for a comprehensive understanding of psychological dynamics that will pave the way for more tailored and effective interventions. Future research endeavors should aim to bridge these gaps in knowledge to optimize the impact of technology on healthy aging. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Purpose: The purpose of this paper is to examine the relationships between the school context, the leadership of the school principal, and a set of process variables related to teachers and the educational climate, which have been shown to mediate the effects of the principal's leadership on schools and students. The authors examined the following research questions: does the school context influence the principal's leadership? When the influences of the school context are controlled for, does the principal's leadership influence the process variables related to teachers and educational climate? Design/Methodology/Approach: The research questions are analysed in a multilevel context by developing two models regarding the hypothesized relationships between the study variables. With the use of multilevel structural equation modelling techniques the models were empirically tested on data from Italian teachers and students from a sample of schools in Italy. The database include 1,566 teachers from 47 schools of different types and levels from the Autonomous Province of Trento. Findings: In those schools which have the highest leadership scores, the authors also find a greater degree of job satisfaction among the teachers, higher levels of self-efficacy of teachers, and a better educational climate, which is more respectful of the basic rules of coexistence existing within the school. An interesting additional element is that the positive relationship between the exercise of leadership and the process variables related to academic success is still present, even if the effects of the school context are controlled for. Research Limitations/Implications: It should be observed that the results of this study, particularly due to the non-representative nature of the sample considered, should be considered as preliminary evidence that will require further confirmation, and which cannot be immediately generalized. The results obtained can be influenced by the specific territorial area in which this search has been conducted. The Autonomous Province of Trento, from the rest of Italy, is characterized by a highly centralized education system, with a relative homogeneity of the conditions of the context in which schools have achieved so widespread high levels of student learning. Originality/Value: When studying leadership it is important to consider the school context, particularly the role of the initial level of learning of the students, as this study shows that in schools where the prior knowledge of students is greater, teachers are generally more satisfied with their job and they report a better educational environment. If the influence of the context were not taken into account, this could easily be mistaken for that of the actions of the principal.