Life Skills and Emotional Competencies in Adolescence: What Is the Role of Educational Settings?

Special Issue Editors


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Guest Editor
Department of Educational Sciences, University of Catania, 95100 Catania, Italy
Interests: developmental psychology; educational psychology; life cycle psychology; development in adolescence; attachment relationships; family; learning and quality of educational settings
Special Issues, Collections and Topics in MDPI journals

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Guest Editor
Department of Psychology, Faculty of Psychology and Educational Sciences, Babes-Bolyai University, Cluj-Napoca, Romania.
Interests: educational psychology; health promotion; development of emotional and social competence in children and adolescents

Special Issue Information

Dear Colleagues,

Adolescence is a crucial stage of human development when individuals undergo significant changes in multiple domains, including cognitive, social, emotional, and physical. During this period, adolescents face a range of developmental tasks that require them to acquire new skills and competencies. Educational settings play a vital role in facilitating the acquisition of these skills and promoting adolescent development.

This Special Issue aims to explore the skills and competencies that adolescents need to develop to positively address the developmental tasks of this unique life cycle stage, providing a specific focus on the role of educational settings. Potential topics include the following:

  1. The role of education in developing adolescents’ cognitive competencies, such as critical thinking, problem-solving, and decision-making;
  2. The impact of social/emotional learning programs on developing emotional regulation, empathy, and relationship skills in adolescence;
  3. The use of technology in promoting adolescent skill development;
  4. The role of educational settings in facilitating the development of life skills in adolescence;
  5. The role of cultural and contextual factors in shaping the acquisition of life skills in adolescents;
  6. The impact of teacher–student relationships on developing skills and competencies in adolescence;
  7. The use of experiential learning approaches in promoting skill development in adolescence;
  8. The role of peer relationships in shaping the development of life skills and emotional competencies;
  9. The impact of family on the development of adolescent skills and competencies.

Dr. Valentina Lucia La Rosa
Dr. Éva Kállay
Prof. Dr. Elena Commodari
Guest Editors

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Keywords

  • adolescence
  • development
  • life skills
  • psychological well-being
  • emotional competencies
  • educational settings

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Published Papers (2 papers)

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Research

16 pages, 671 KiB  
Article
Personal Resources for Psychological Well-Being in University Students: The Roles of Psychological Capital and Coping Strategies
by Esteban Moreno-Montero, María del Mar Ferradás and Carlos Freire
Eur. J. Investig. Health Psychol. Educ. 2024, 14(10), 2686-2701; https://doi.org/10.3390/ejihpe14100177 - 2 Oct 2024
Abstract
In recent years, research has noted the increasing prevalence of mental health problems among university students. The current mental health needs of the university population, along with the multitude of stressors they face, have increased the importance of examining their psychological well-being and [...] Read more.
In recent years, research has noted the increasing prevalence of mental health problems among university students. The current mental health needs of the university population, along with the multitude of stressors they face, have increased the importance of examining their psychological well-being and determining the personal resources that effectively promote it. In this context, the present research aims to analyze the roles of psychological capital (PsyCap) and coping strategies as personal resources that are significantly related to the psychological well-being (PWB) of university students. Specifically, the mediating roles of various coping strategies (both adaptive and maladaptive) in the relationship between PsyCap and PWB are explored. The study involves 391 university students from Spain. The results show partial mediation effects of adaptive coping strategies (cognitive restructuring and social support) on the relationship between PsyCap and PWB. Likewise, PsyCap is shown to be a direct positive predictor of adaptive coping strategies and PWB, as well as a direct negative predictor of maladaptive coping strategies (self-criticism). Therefore, it is concluded that PsyCap and some adaptive coping strategies serve as valuable personal resources that predict PWB in university students. PsyCap is also associated with a lower tendency to engage in maladaptive coping strategies, such as self-criticism. Similarly, the use of cognitive restructuring and/or social support is related to high levels of PWB among university students. Full article
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11 pages, 878 KiB  
Article
Academic Burnout, Personality, and Academic Variables in University Students
by Elena Cuevas-Caravaca, Elisa Isabel Sánchez-Romero and Josefa A. Antón-Ruiz
Eur. J. Investig. Health Psychol. Educ. 2024, 14(6), 1561-1571; https://doi.org/10.3390/ejihpe14060103 - 3 Jun 2024
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Abstract
This study examines academic burnout syndrome and its relation to personal and academic variables among university students in nursing and early childhood education programs in Spain. A total of 606 university students (primary education: 49.7%; nursing: 49.7%) of both sexes (71.5% female) with [...] Read more.
This study examines academic burnout syndrome and its relation to personal and academic variables among university students in nursing and early childhood education programs in Spain. A total of 606 university students (primary education: 49.7%; nursing: 49.7%) of both sexes (71.5% female) with an average age of 20.68 years (SD = 1.65) participated. An ex post facto retrospective single-group design was planned. The instruments used were the Maslach Burnout Inventory-Student Survey (MBI-SS) and the NEO Five-Factor Inventory (NEO-FFI). Nursing students, who reported more study hours, less sleep, and lower grades, had higher academic burnout scores. Linear regression models were proposed to analyze the relationship between academic burnout, personality, and sociodemographic variables. Nursing students scored higher in emotional exhaustion and lower in cynicism, and they scored higher in neuroticism and openness. Furthermore, 16.1% of the variance in academic burnout was explained by personality variables as well as the degree studied, course year, and study hours. These findings suggest the importance of considering both academic and personality variables in understanding academic burnout in university students. Full article
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