Risk and Protective Factors for Promoting Psychological Health and Preventing Psychological Disorders in Emerging Adulthood

A special issue of Healthcare (ISSN 2227-9032). This special issue belongs to the section "Health Assessments".

Deadline for manuscript submissions: 31 December 2024 | Viewed by 10865

Special Issue Editors


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Guest Editor
Dynamic Psychology Laboratory, Department of Political Sciences, University of Naples Federico II, 80138 Napoli, Italy
Interests: stress; health psychology; mental health; psychopathology; assessment; methodology; psychological modeling; mediation/moderation; risk/protective factors; occupational health; higher education; healthcare; medical settings

E-Mail Website
Guest Editor
Dynamic Psychology Laboratory, Department of Political Sciences, University of Naples Federico II, 80138 Napoli, Italy
Interests: stress; health psychology; mental health; psychopathology; assessment; methodology; psychological modeling; mediation/moderation; risk/protective factors; occupational Health; higher education; healthcare; medical settings
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Special Issue Information

Dear Colleagues,

As Guest Editors, we are pleased to announce this Special Issue of the journal Healthcare titled “Risk and Protective Factors for Promoting Psychological Health and Preventing Psychological Disorders in Emerging Adulthood”.

In the last decade, growing research attention was given to youth and young adults’ mental health. Previous research carried out among this specific population across the world has revealed, even before the COVID-19 pandemic, increasing rates of psychological disease, including—but not limited to—anxiety, depression, and somatization. Indeed, emerging adulthood represents a critical turning point due to the different changes and challenges to be faced, i.e., the transition from adolescence to adulthood; the restructuring of the social network by the inclusion of new relationships; the adjustment to new demands; the development and implementation of plans (for future personal and professional life).

Moreover, along with the psychological impact of the two years of the pandemic, within the contemporary age, achieving independence is a more complex path than at any other point in history.

Therefore, new research efforts addressing individual, situational, and relational risk and protective factors influencing psychological health in youth and young adults are highly required. This will allow the development of tailored evidence-based interventions that effectively foster psychological health and prevent psychopathological risk in youth and young adults.

This Special Issue seeks original high-quality research targeting youth and young adults in different contexts (e.g., family context;  academic context; work context). Older adults can be included as a comparison group. Moderation and mediation analyses are particularly welcome. Development and validation studies of new measurement tools, systematic reviews and/or meta-analyses, policy and practice reviews, perspectives, clinical trials, case reports, and brief research reports are also welcome.

Dr. Federica Vallone
Prof. Dr. Maria Clelia Zurlo
Guest Editors

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Keywords

  • emerging adulthood
  • youth/young adults
  • prevention
  • psychopathology
  • mental health
  • risk factors
  • protective factors
  • mediation/moderation

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Published Papers (4 papers)

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Research

16 pages, 298 KiB  
Article
COVID-19-Related Stressors and Psychophysical Health Conditions among Italian University Students: A Post Pandemic Insight
by Maria Francesca Cattaneo Della Volta, Federica Vallone and Maria Clelia Zurlo
Healthcare 2024, 12(7), 752; https://doi.org/10.3390/healthcare12070752 - 29 Mar 2024
Viewed by 1155
Abstract
The COVID-19 medical emergency has ended worldwide, yet the psychological impact of these years of unprecedented changes on students’ lives still needs to be deepened. Methods: This study aims to assess and compare COVID-19-related stressors (relationships and academic life; isolation; and fear of [...] Read more.
The COVID-19 medical emergency has ended worldwide, yet the psychological impact of these years of unprecedented changes on students’ lives still needs to be deepened. Methods: This study aims to assess and compare COVID-19-related stressors (relationships and academic life; isolation; and fear of contagion) and psychophysical symptoms reported by 637 university students at three times, i.e., April 2020 (n = 197), April 2021 (n = 200), and April 2022 (n = 240). The impact of COVID-19-related stressors on psychophysical symptoms within each time was also tested. Results: In April 2022, perceived isolation and fear of contagion decreased from the peak registered in April 2021, but stress related to relationships and academic life remained high. An ongoing increase in psychophysical symptoms was found. More than 50% of students reported clinical levels of sleep disorders, depression, psychoticism, and interpersonal sensitivity. In April 2022, students still perceiving stress related to relationships and academic life and isolation were at risk for anxiety, somatization, and sleep disorders. Students still perceiving stress related to fear of contagion were also at risk for depression, obsessive–compulsive symptoms, and psychoticism. Conclusion: The findings emphasized the long-lasting effects of COVID-19-related stress on students’ psychophysical health. Interventions must aim at supporting students in dealing with the complex post-pandemic adjustment process. Full article
10 pages, 455 KiB  
Article
Adult Attachment and Fear of Missing Out: Does the Mindful Attitude Matter?
by Matteo Perazzini, Danilo Bontempo, Marco Giancola, Simonetta D’Amico and Enrico Perilli
Healthcare 2023, 11(23), 3093; https://doi.org/10.3390/healthcare11233093 - 4 Dec 2023
Viewed by 1857
Abstract
Fear of missing out (FoMO) involves the desire or urge to stay continuously connected to and kept up-to-date with a social reference group. The present study explored the relationships between adult attachment and FoMO and the potential mediating effect of a mindful attitude. [...] Read more.
Fear of missing out (FoMO) involves the desire or urge to stay continuously connected to and kept up-to-date with a social reference group. The present study explored the relationships between adult attachment and FoMO and the potential mediating effect of a mindful attitude. The present study was carried out on 192 participants (meanage = 23.24 years; SDage = 4.33 years), of whom 151 (78.6%) were female and the remaining 41 (21.4%) were male. The participants completed the Adult Attachment Scale—Revised (AAS-R), which evaluates Close, Depend, and Anxiety attachment, the Cognitive and Affective Mindfulness Scale—Revised (CAMS-R) and the Fear of Missing Out Scale (FoMOs). The results indicated that the three forms of adult attachment (Close, Depend, and Anxiety) were associated with FoMO through the indirect effect of mindful attitudes. This study yielded relevant theoretical and practical implications regarding the critical role of a mindful attitude as a protective factor against FoMO. Limitations and future research directions were also discussed. Full article
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19 pages, 373 KiB  
Article
Psychological Help-Seeking Status for Living with Mental Health Conditions in Türkiye: Using a Multivariate Probit Model
by Esra Bayrakçeken, Ömer Alkan and Hayri Abar
Healthcare 2023, 11(21), 2837; https://doi.org/10.3390/healthcare11212837 - 27 Oct 2023
Cited by 5 | Viewed by 1269
Abstract
Background/aim: Mental disorders constitute a significant public health concern, contributing significantly to the overall disease burden. Individuals experiencing mental distress often delay or avoid seeking psychological help or do not seek help due to varying factors. This study examines the factors affecting individuals’ [...] Read more.
Background/aim: Mental disorders constitute a significant public health concern, contributing significantly to the overall disease burden. Individuals experiencing mental distress often delay or avoid seeking psychological help or do not seek help due to varying factors. This study examines the factors affecting individuals’ preferences, particularly young people, in seeking psychological help in Türkiye. Methods: This study utilized microdata from the Türkiye Health Survey conducted by TURKSTAT in 2016 and 2019. The factors influencing decisions to consult with a psychologist, psychotherapist, or psychiatrist were determined by multivariate probit regression analysis. The Türkiye Health Survey employed a stratified two-stage cluster sampling method, surveying 17,242 individuals over the age of 15 in 9470 households in 2016 and 17,084 individuals over the age of 15 in 9470 households in 2019. Results: The analysis findings indicated that, in the entire sample, women are more likely to seek psychological help, while younger women are less likely to do so. In the entire sample, as the education level increased, the probability of individuals receiving psychological help increased, while it decreased for young people. It was determined that people who use tobacco and alcohol are more likely to receive psychological help than others. It was also determined that individuals who perceive their health status as good, especially those who are both young and perceive their health status as good, are less likely to seek psychological help. Conclusions: The significance and impact of the variables on the probability of individuals seeking psychological help vary for both the entire sample and young people. There may be various restrictions in getting psychological help, and people may resort to informal methods instead of professionals to cope with their existing problems. In developing preventive strategies to safeguard mental health, factors related to young people’s and individuals’ psychological help-seeking status should be prioritized, and more attention should be paid to them. Full article
12 pages, 315 KiB  
Article
Relationships between Depression, Fear of Missing Out and Social Media Addiction: The Mediating Role of Self-Esteem
by Massimiliano Sommantico, Ferdinando Ramaglia and Marina Lacatena
Healthcare 2023, 11(12), 1667; https://doi.org/10.3390/healthcare11121667 - 6 Jun 2023
Cited by 7 | Viewed by 5729
Abstract
The present study examines the relationships between depression, self-esteem, fear of missing out, online fear of missing out, and social media addiction in a sample of 311 Italian young adults (66.2% women and 33.8% men), ages 18–35 yrs. (M = 23.5; SD [...] Read more.
The present study examines the relationships between depression, self-esteem, fear of missing out, online fear of missing out, and social media addiction in a sample of 311 Italian young adults (66.2% women and 33.8% men), ages 18–35 yrs. (M = 23.5; SD = 3.5). The following hypotheses were tested: that depression is positively correlated with fear of missing out, online fear of missing out, and social media addiction, while being significantly negatively correlated with self-esteem; that depression, self-esteem, fear of missing out, and online fear of missing out explain social media addiction scores; that self-esteem mediates the relationship between depression and social media addiction; and that, among Italian participants between the ages of 18 and 35, younger women report higher scores on fear of missing out, online fear of missing out, and social media addiction. Results strongly supported the hypotheses. Taken together, our findings not only contribute to the growing body of research on online addictive behaviors and individuals’ well-being, but also provide support for prevention programs in the field. Full article
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