In times of the rise of the "A4 waist" trend on social networks (SNs), concerns have been raised over appearance-related content's adverse effects on body image and well-being in parasocial relationships. We conducted a survey on Chinese college students (N = 333) to examine the effects of comparison targets (same-gender acquaintances,…

Globally, a significant gender gap is reported in the enrolment of women in Science, Technology, Engineering, and Mathematics (STEM). Bangladesh reports one of the lowest female stakeholder percentages in STEM but has increased demand for skilled STEM professionals. Therefore, this qualitative study explores the experiences of undergraduate women…

Student teachers enter teacher education programs with existing values, beliefs, and knowledge about teaching. However, little is known about the significant resources that shape this initial professional identity. Additionally, there is a lack of understanding regarding how first-year student teachers depict their initial professional identity in…

Purpose: This study aims to explore the stories of two young refugee women, Sue Mar and Amora, and how their adolescent identities, experiences, and beliefs, partially shaped by their English teacher, helped pave their paths to higher education. Design/methodology/approach: This study is guided by the lens of critical literacy as "a way of…

The aim of this study was to explore Black South African adolescents' sense of self as it emerges through their direct and indirect environments. Black African adolescents (N = 57; 52.63% male; 47.37% female) participated in eight focus groups, which were analyzed thematically. The emphasis fell on the interconnectedness and interdependency…

The purpose of this article is to describe effective functions that mentors can use to assist in both the personal and professional development of protégés. Mentors help their protégés in two primary areas: career development and psychosocial support. Career development functions are intended to advance the protégé's adjustments within the…

This article describes experiences that enhanced life purpose in 21 Thai adolescents living in Southern Thailand. Thailand is undergoing rapid change from technology, a globalizing economy, and shifting social norms. A phenomenological analysis of in-depth interviews and stories to better understand how Thai youth themselves experience and…

Low-income, first-generation students face numerous barriers on the path to college. However, millions of these students persevere and ultimately enroll. How do these students remain motivated on the road to higher education despite these challenges? This collective case study explored influences on the motivation of low-income, first generation…

Circular seating arrangements can help instill a sense of belonging within classroom communities with overall positive effects on learning, emotions, and well-being. Yet students and their teachers within certain language classroom contexts, due to sociocultural limitations, may be relegated to learning in antisocial environments instilled partly…

Upper elementary children today, while retaining many of the characteristics ascribed to them generations ago by theorists such as Piaget, Erikson, and Kohlberg, are different. Developmental characteristics across multiple domains remain relatively predictable for the upper elementary years, but they also reflect changes in society and school…

Mentoring is widely advocated as an educational experience for academically talented students because mentors may provide stimulation for academic growth and serve as positive role models for students in areas of career interest. This study examined the experiences of 72 talented teenagers attending a university-based summer mentorship program.…

This paper presents a qualitative study that used classroom observations, faculty interviews, and student interviews to investigate the meaning and importance of seven non-cognitive variables to a cohort of developmental writing students at an urban community college. The variables studied included finances, study management, college surroundings,…

The objective of this qualitative study was to establish the existing positive factors in the lives of 18 juvenile males living in a low-security correctional facility in order to determine approaches which foster resiliency. Urie Bronfenbrenner's Ecological Systems Theory, an approach to understanding human development within the context of the…

A modified version of the Edwards Personal Preference Schedule (EPPS) was administered to measure self and other orientations on 15 personality variables. The respondents were shown to have different preferences for themselves than for others. (Author/DEP)

Educators have made significant strides toward increasing gender equity in schools in the past several decades, but recent studies into the lives of girls in the early adolescent years continue to reveal that many girls face some significant gender-related stressors as they transition from childhood to adolescence. Researchers have found that…