Background: Youth-focused co-design, involving active collaboration between researchers, designers, clinicians and end users, is essential for enhancing the acceptability, feasibility and effectiveness of digital mental health interventions (DMHIs). However, most literature on co-design comes from high-income countries and offers limited…

Engagement in preventive health behaviors (PHBs; i.e., healthy eating, sleep, and physical activity) during adolescence is associated with reduced risks for chronic conditions, such as diabetes, in adulthood. Although several interventions seek to improve adolescents' engagement in health promoting behaviors, racial- and income-based disparities…

We explored assent procedures to promote assent and treatment effectiveness for an autistic adult. The objective, at the request of the participant, was to evaluate an innovative approach to (a) identify aversive auditory stimuli and (b) teach Steven, a 19-year-old male, appropriate responses in the presence of these stimuli without directly…

According to the "Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders" (DSM-5; American Psychiatric Association, 2013), an substance use disorder (SUD) involves patterns of symptoms caused by using a substance that an individual continues taking despite its negative effects. Though there are 11 specific DSM-5 criteria for an SUD, they…

Background: ADHD is a generally persistent neurodevelopmental condition that can have significant consequences if left untreated, and medication, often in conjunction with psychotherapy, is the first-line treatment with well-established efficacy. Adolescents and young adults (AYAs) represent a particularly vulnerable and understudied subgroup and…

Previous research indicates that learners appear to connect with nature and have heightened environmental perceptions after participating in environmental education programs (EEPs). Positive changes in attitudes toward nature are important because they can precede environmentally responsible behaviors, such as individuals' leadership on…

Background: Online exercise programming reduces transportation and scheduling barriers. This study explored the feasibility of online resistance training for individuals with Down syndrome. Method: Thirteen individuals (3 M/10 F, age: 21.7 ± 5.9 years) began a 10-week programme delivered using a website with pre-recorded exercise videos (45--60…

Purpose: Adolescents and adults with Down syndrome are noted to display symptoms and behaviors consistent with a diagnosis of Obsessive Compulsive Disorder. While evidenced-based interventions, including psychopharmacology and therapeutic interventions including exposure and response prevention, exist and effectively treat obsessive-compulsive…

We examined relations among select components of the 4-H Thriving Model, focusing on youth sparks and four presumed determinants: program quality, developmental relationships, situational engagement, and dosage. Based on our results and results of previous studies, we propose a formal theory of youth program sparks. Three hundred fifty-six Texas…

Youth participation in community-based, structured out-of-school time programs (OST) has been found to promote positive developmental outcomes by providing youth with resources to build interpersonal relationships and essential life skills. The increasing prevalence and multiplicity of youth participation in these activities leads us to expand the…

Purpose: Stress is a risk factor for poor educational achievement and health. Mindfulness-based programming (MBP) is a viable technology for reducing stress, and Mindful Stress Buffering theory suggests that the benefits of MBP will be most pronounced during periods of high stress. This research details a replication of the MBP "Learning to…

Background: Individuals with intellectual disability have deficits in postural balance and mobility. This study aimed to explore the effect of listening to music on postural balance and mobility in individuals with intellectual disability. Method: Ten participants with intellectual disability and 10 participants with typical development performed…

Background: This review aimed to synthesise the literature about interventions for parents of adolescents with intellectual disability, including parental experience of receiving interventions and intervention effectiveness. Methods: Eligible interventions aimed to improve parenting skills and/or parent-adolescent relationships, adolescent…

Beyond correlational studies exploring the benefits of nature exposure, there have been studies assessing interventions that aim to improve nature connection in children and adolescents. A feeling of connection with nature or 'nature connectedness' describes our attitude towards nature, primarily reflecting the emotional, cognitive, and…

This is the protocol for a Campbell systematic review. The objectives are as follows. (1) Examine whether secondary and tertiary interventions delivered outside of the criminal justice system are effective at countering the cognitive and behavioural radicalisation of children and adolescents by synthesising evidence relating to relevant primary…