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We examined the ways low-income adolescents' family resources, school resources, and belief in a just world, served to predict their subjective well-being, propensity for depression, and problem behaviors. One hundred and ninety-four low-income Chinese adolescents completed self-reported questionnaires. The results found that family resources interacted with school resources in predicting subjective well-being and depression, with resources made available through schools diminished the detrimental effects of low levels of family resources. Moreover, the relationship between the different sources of resources and psychological adjustment was moderated by the adolescents' belief in a just world. The belief in a just world enhanced the positive effects of high levels of school resources on subjective well-being and depression only among adolescents with relatively high family resources. The belief in a just world buffered the negative effects of low levels of school resources that contributed to problem behaviors. This study identified school resources and belief in a just world, which are potentially malleable, as protective factors related to low-income adolescents' psychological adjustment. The results have important implications for future studies and interventions. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Purposes: Given that the period from middle to high school is important to develop and cultivate self-efficacy, reduced support in low-income families might negatively influence the development of self-efficacy among low-income students since COVID-19. This study aims to investigate the association between family satisfaction and self-efficacy among low-income students since COVID-19 and the moderating effect of parents’ educational attainment on the relationship. Methods: 255 low-income students in South-Korea were selected for the final sample. The PROCESS macro 3.4 for Statistical Product and Service Solutions was used to analyze the data. Results: Family satisfaction was positively related to self-efficacy among low-income students. There was a significant moderating effect of parents’ educational attainment on the relationship between family satisfaction and self-efficacy among low-income students during the COVID-19 pandemic. Discussion: Financial support and COVID-19 benefits should be prioritized to low-income families with adolescents to improve family relationships, leading to increase self-efficacy among low-income students. Social welfare programs targeting family relationships in low-income households should be especially targeted toward low-income households without a parent who received higher education. Life-long education should be provided to parents in low-income families who did not gain higher education as their educational attainment influences the self-efficacy of their adolescent children. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

PurposesGiven that the period from middle to high school is important to develop and cultivate self-efficacy, reduced support in low-income families might negatively influence the development of self-efficacy among low-income students since COVID-19. This study aims to investigate the association between family satisfaction and self-efficacy among low-income students since COVID-19 and the moderating effect of parents' educational attainment on the relationship.Methods255 low-income students in South-Korea were selected for the final sample. The PROCESS macro 3.4 for Statistical Product and Service Solutions was used to analyze the data.ResultsFamily satisfaction was positively related to self-efficacy among low-income students. There was a significant moderating effect of parents' educational attainment on the relationship between family satisfaction and self-efficacy among low-income students during the COVID-19 pandemic.DiscussionFinancial support and COVID-19 benefits should be prioritized to low-income families with adolescents to improve family relationships, leading to increase self-efficacy among low-income students. Social welfare programs targeting family relationships in low-income households should be especially targeted toward low-income households without a parent who received higher education. Life-long education should be provided to parents in low-income families who did not gain higher education as their educational attainment influences the self-efficacy of their adolescent children.

The current research aimed at deepening our understanding of how multiple sources of perceived social support (i.e., parent, teacher, friend, peer) predicted low-income adolescents' multiple types of prosocial behavior (i.e., emotional, dire, compliant, anonymous, public, and altruistic) and if these relations were mediated by agentic and communal social goals across a 1-semester time span. Participants of the current research were adolescents in middle schools whose annul family income is less than 10,000 RMB (1,567.40 dollars) with ages ranging from 12 to 15 years old (Mean = 14.07, SD = 1.24, N = 689). The results showed that perceived social support from teachers, friends, and classmates positively predicted later prosocial behavior, and this relation was mediated by communal but not agentic social goal. Agentic social goal negatively predicted compliant prosocial behavior, anonymous prosocial behavior, and altruistic prosocial behavior. Perceived social support from parents, teachers, classmates, and friends did not significantly predict later agency. The present findings extended our understanding of the processes underlying the influence of social support on low-income adolescents' prosocial development. Implications for practices to promote low-income adolescents' prosocial development were discussed. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

• Low-income adolescents experience a specific form of academic motivation decline. • They become uncertain of the importance of studying to achieve their personal goals. • This decline is more pronounced for second-generation and male low-income students. • Support for autonomy provided by teachers and parents appears to be effective. • Peer acceptance (not friendships) among the classmates proved also to be effective. Motivational development in low-income adolescents has been insufficiently studied, due to the difficulties involved in accessing the target population. Nevertheless, previous research suggests that some specific developmental patterns might be particular to this group. On the basis of Self-Determination Theory (SDT) and using latent growth modeling (LGM), we investigated the trajectories of intrinsic and extrinsic motivations in low-income students during adolescence, and we identified the role of parents, teachers, and classmates in determining these trajectories. The participants were 228 adolescents (M age = 12.8; SD age = 1.74; 43.4% girls; 17.1% immigrants) officially certified by the Italian government as being below the poverty threshold. Data was collected by means of a four-wave research design over a period of two years. Our findings revealed a significant drop in levels of identified regulation over time, while all other forms of motivation, including intrinsic motivation, remained stable during the period considered. Low-income students therefore appear to experience a specific form of motivational decline during adolescence, so that they perceive studying as being less and less meaningful in relation to their goals, values and identities. This decline is even more pronounced for second-generation and male low-income adolescents. However, parents and teachers were significant predictors of identified regulation at each point in time, suggesting that their support for autonomy fosters identified regulation throughout adolescence. As regards the role of classmates, peer acceptance appears to support identified regulation, while having many friendships seems to have a negative impact on this kind of motivation. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Adolescents' beliefs about family obligation often reflect cultural variations in their family context, and thus are important for understanding development among diverse youth. In this study, we test hypotheses about the role of family obligation values in risk behavior and mental health in a sample of 194 low-income adolescent girls (mean age = 15.2; 58 % Latina, 28 % African-American/Black). We hypothesized that family obligation values can be both a protective and vulnerability factor, depending on the type of outcome and the presence of other risk factors. Across the sample, higher family obligation values tended to occur with indicators of positive family functioning (e.g., more frequent communication, less maternal hostility) based on mother and adolescent reports. As hypothesized, family obligation values moderated the relationship between established risk factors and adjustment in distinct ways, such that high family obligation values decreased risk in some domains (i.e., a protective factor) but increased risk in other domains (i.e., a vulnerability factor). Specifically, high family obligation values diminished the relationship between peer norms for risky behavior (sex and substance use) and individual engagement in those behaviors. At the same time, high family obligation values magnified the relationship between exposure to negative life events and poor mental health (PTSD and depressive symptoms). The results suggest that family obligation is an important but complex aspect of development among diverse adolescent girls. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Using a sample of 391 low-income youth ages 13-17, this study investigated the potential moderating effects of school climate, participation in extracurricular activities, and positive parent-child relations on associations between exposure to violence (i.e., witnessing violence and violent victimization) and adolescent socioemotional adjustment (i.e., internalizing and externalizing problems). Exposure to violence was related to both internalizing and externalizing problems. High levels of participation in extracurricular activities and positive parent-child relations appeared to function as protective factors, weakening the positive association between exposure to violence and externalizing problems. Contrary to prediction, school climate did not moderate associations between exposure to violence and socioemotional adjustment. Further, none of the hypothesized protective factors moderated the association between exposure to violence and internalizing problems. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

To better understand outcome expectations, barriers, and strategies for healthful eating, 5 structured focus groups were conducted with adolescents from low-income families (n = 48; 83% Black students; 10-14 years old). The focus group questions dealt with healthful eating in different settings: home, school, and other eating establishments. Results suggested that healthful eating is important to this population, but perceived barriers prevent the consistent consumption of healthful foods. Strategies suggested by participants to increase healthful eating (eg, parents and schools making healthy foods that look and taste good more available) should be considered when developing nutrition interventions for adolescents from low-income families. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Objective: The purpose of this study was to identify personal, behavioral, and environmental factors influencing fruit and vegetable consumption among 10- to 13-year-old low-income black American youth in the lower Mississippi Delta region. Social Cognitive Theory, along with other theoretical constructs, guided focus group questions and analysis. Design: A qualitative study using focus group methodology. Setting: Enrichment program of a sports summer camp for low-income youth. Participants: Forty-two adolescents (21 female, 21 male) participated in 6 focus groups. Main Outcome Measures: Personal, behavioral, and environmental influences on fruit and vegetable consumption. Analysis: Content analysis methods were used by 3 independent reviewers to identify themes within the focus group transcripts. Themes were summarized and then categorized into the 3 domains of Social Cognitive Theory. Results: The major themes were taste, availability, extended family influence, visual proof of the benefits of fruit and vegetable consumption, and the need for gender-specific behavioral skills. Conclusions and Implications: This formative research will aid in the development of a culturally relevant nutrition intervention for low-income black American adolescents in the lower Mississippi Delta region. The results indicate that this group is more likely to respond to interventions that use role models who can provide proof that fruit and vegetable consumption is related to improved health. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Objective: This study examines whether exposure to community violence is indirectly related to academic performance through anxious/depressed symptoms and delinquent behaviors., Methods: Three hundred eighteen mothers and adolescents who participated in a longitudinal investigation were interviewed when adolescents were age 10, 14, and 16., Results: Community violence exposure at age 14 was significantly related to anxious/depressed symptoms and delinquent behaviors. Delinquent behaviors (but not anxious/depressed symptoms) were significantly associated with academic performance at age 16. Exposure to community violence was indirectly related to academic performance through delinquent behaviors. There was no significant indirect effect of exposure to community violence on academic performance through anxious/depressed symptoms. Covariates included sociodemographics and exposure to child abuse. Age 10 anxious/depressed symptoms, age 10 delinquent behaviors, and age 14 academic performance were also included in the model to control for preexisting differences in socioemotional adjustment and academic performance., Conclusions: Results suggest that exposure to community violence may initiate a cascade of problems that spread from behavior problems to declines in academic performance. Our results highlight the need for schools to consider exposure to community violence as one form of trauma and to transform in ways that make them more trauma-sensitive. The use of trauma-sensitive practices that address the effects of violence exposure on youth may help limit the progression of adverse effects from delinquent behavior to other domains of functioning.