Polysubstance use is associated with myriad short- and long-term health outcomes. Although prior research has documented differences in polysubstance use between lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, queer/questioning, and other sexual and gender minoritized (LGBTQ +) youth and their heterosexual/cisgender counterparts, as well as between subgroups…

In this article, I argue that the scalability and effectiveness of universal school-based mindfulness interventions for adolescents will always be limited by the high motivational commitment required to meditate. Mindfulness interventions rely on a single and demanding health behavior--namely, meditation--to cultivate mindfulness skills. But…

Background: We examined whether subgroups of adolescents experienced disparate changes in school connectedness--a robust predictor of multiple health outcomes--from before the COVID-19 pandemic to the first full school year following pandemic onset. Methods: We used 2 waves of prospective survey data from 7178 students attending 41 Canadian…

School is the primary setting for social activities among adolescents, and the quality of school adjustment has a significant impact on their physical and mental well-being. Research has shown that perceived social support, school belongingness, and physical activity can influence adolescents' school adjustment, but the underlying mechanisms…

In this article, we present an Arabic adaptation and validation of the School Refusal Evaluation (SCREEN). This measure aims to understanding the strong negative emotions and anxiety of the adolescent toward school. For this purpose, two studies (i.e., validation and cross-validation) with a student sample in middle schools (age range 12-16)…

Bias-based bullying (BBB) is a serious problem for school-aged adolescents. However, limited attention has been paid to the mechanism of how BBB may affect youths' sense of belonging to the school. The purpose of the current study was to understand the associations between BBB victimization, school belonging, and school fairness among school-aged…

Children adopted from care become part of a hidden, but no less vulnerable, group in the education system and may be overlooked for allocation of additional support and guidance. Adoption is a relatively unique experience and adds layers of complexity, difference and vulnerability to young people's lives that are poorly understood and…

School belonging, sometimes referred to as school belonging or school connectedness, involves dimensions like positive affect towards school, relationships with teachers, and feeling socially valued. Previous research points to immediate benefits for students' mental health and wellbeing; however, evidence on the potential long-term benefits of…

Ample evidence suggests that exposure to family violence associates with bullying perpetration (BP). However, much is unknown about the underlying mechanism such as depressive symptoms and the moderating role of school bonding in these relationships. Thus, this study first examined the link between exposure to family violence and BP. Second, the…

Background: Schools are responsible for promoting LGBTQ+ students' academic success, yet many LGBTQ+ students contend with unsupportive learning environments. Gender-Sexuality Alliances (GSAs)--clubs that affirm students' sexual orientation and gender diversity--could promote academic engagement and protect against disaffection. Aims: We aimed to…

This study explores the complex relationships among emotional and behavioral problems, self-esteem, subjective well-being, school satisfaction, and depression in adolescents. We conducted a comprehensive survey of 958 students aged 9-15 using self-report questionnaires covering emotional and behavioral problems, self-esteem, subjective well-being,…

School connectedness is an important factor in the lives of youth and are a leverage point for optimizing youth's social, emotional, and physical health. This study presents a meta-analysis examining the relationship between school connectedness and four health domains that are prevalent in adolescence, have implications for adult health, and…

Over the last five years, the Excluded Lives team has been examining the patterns and processes of school exclusions across the UK in order to identify those factors which may exacerbate or reduce exclusions. One of most the striking aspects is the contrasting accounts of the causes of exclusion provided by professionals and pupils. Drawing on…

Universal and selective preventive interventions targeting youth behavioral problems have shown crossover effects on suicide risk, the second leading cause of death among youth. However, the mechanisms that explain this long-term unanticipated benefit are understudied and unclear. The current study examines the crossover effects of PROSPER, a…

This 1-year longitudinal study examined the association between student-teacher relationship quality and school liking in a sample of 234 students from two public schools in Sweden, who completed an online questionnaire on two separate occasions. The age range was 9-15 years in Time 1 and 10-16 years in Time 2. A path analysis showed that students…