Sustainability in Youth:Environmental Considerations in Adolescence and Their Relationship to Pro-Environmental Behavior

Adolescents today face the negative outcomes of climate change, and their pro-environmental behavior is crucial to mitigate these negative outcomes. Yet, we know little about what influences adolescents’ pro-environmental behavior. Research shows that people’s biospheric values and environmental self-identity, elicit personal norms to act environmentally friendly, which can induce a wide range of pro-environmental actions. Yet there is no evidence that these factors can influence pro-environmental behavior of adolescents, because this has only been studied for adults. Given that in adolescence, values, identities and moral structures undergo intense development, the question is whether these factors can motivate adolescents to act pro-environmentally. To address this question, we have conducted three studies with adolescents in Lithuania (Study 1: N = 256; Study 2: N = 349; Study 3: N = 905). We found support that adolescents’ biospheric values and environmental self-identity were associated, via personal norms, with a wide range of pro-environmental behaviors, including recycling, environmentally friendly traveling, purchasing environmentally friendly goods and drinking tap water. Based on theory and the current findings, we suggest directions for policies aimed at promoting pro-environmental behavior of adolescents

Sustainability in Youth: Environmental Considerations in Adolescence and Their Relationship to Pro-Environmental Behavior

Adolescents today face the negative outcomes of climate change, and their pro-environmental behavior is crucial to mitigate these negative outcomes. Yet, we know little about what influences adolescents’ pro-environmental behavior. Research shows that people’s biospheric values and environmental self-identity, elicit personal norms to act environmentally friendly, which can induce a wide range of pro-environmental actions. Yet there is no evidence that these factors can influence pro-environmental behavior of adolescents, because this has only been studied for adults. Given that in adolescence, values, identities and moral structures undergo intense development, the question is whether these factors can motivate adolescents to act pro-environmentally. To address this question, we have conducted three studies with adolescents in Lithuania (Study 1: N = 256; Study 2: N = 349; Study 3: N = 905). We found support that adolescents’ biospheric values and environmental self-identity were associated, via personal norms, with a wide range of pro-environmental behaviors, including recycling, environmentally friendly traveling, purchasing environmentally friendly goods and drinking tap water. Based on theory and the current findings, we suggest directions for policies aimed at promoting pro-environmental behavior of adolescents

Systematic review of the measurement properties of questionnaires for the measurement of the well-being of children and adolescents

The objective of this study was to systematically review the psychometric properties of the measures used in assessing the psychosocial well-being status of children and adolescents. This review updates and expands on the previous review of the literature on child well-being in order to assess all available studies from 2000 to 2013 on the measurement properties of all available well-being assessment instruments that aim to measure the construct of well-being in childhood and adolescence. Overall, 182 measures designed for measuring child and adolescent well-being were found. These measures vary in length and structure from one item scales to multidimensional questionnaires with 70 items and more. Most of the instruments measure positive indicators of well-being (e.g., life satisfaction, quality of life, self-esteem, etc.), others measure deficit indicators (e.g., anxiety, depression, stress, etc.), and a few instruments measure both positive and deficit indicators. In addition, there are some instruments with undefined modality of well-being. Thus, our study has revealed an ongoing theoretical shift from a deficit approach to well-being to a strengths-based approach. The results also indicate that the reliability information is reported for the majority of the instruments. The most frequently used reliability measure for all these instruments is the Cronbach’s alpha internal consistency coefficient. The reports of validity are available for approximately one-third of the instruments. Measures of well-being in adolescence are dominant, however, some instruments are suitable for the measurement of well-being and its indicators in childhood, and some reach the period of emerging adulthood (19-21 years). Most of the studies were conducted in North America and Europe with only a few of them being cross-cultural

Toward Reducing Adolescents’ Bottled Water Purchasing: From Policy Awareness to Policy-Congruent Behavior

Policy awareness increases the likelihood of policy-congruent behavior. Yet individuals may differ in the extent to which they notice certain policies; thus, psychological factors that explain behavior can have a differing effect on policy-congruent behavior of individuals. We investigated to what extent the relationship between normative, habitual, intentional, and situational factors that explain bottled water purchasing behavior vary regarding individuals’ awareness of policy targeted at reducing bottled water purchasing. We investigated this question in a representative sample of Lithuanian adolescents. Our study indicated that awareness of policy targeted at bottled water purchasing acts as a moderator for adolescents’ normative, habitual, intentional, and situational factors related to their bottled water purchasing. In low, moderate, and high policy awareness groups, habit was the strongest direct predictor of behavior. Normative factors had a strong effect in explaining intentions; in addition, awareness of consequences was directly related with behavior in the high policy awareness group. However, situational factors were insignificant predictors of self-reported behavior. Based on the results of the current study, we suggest that to achieve policy-congruent behavior, policy makers should consider both policy-reinforcing incentives and the level of policy awareness of the targeted group

Pozityvi jaunimo raida Lietuvoje

Šioje mokslo studijoje autoriai nagrinėja pozityvios jaunimo raidos mechanizmus ir trajektorijas Lietuvoje bei pozityvios jaunimo raidos skatinimo galimybes, įtraukiant jaunuolius į bendruomenei naudingą veiklą. Teorinė pozityvios jaunimo raidos paradigma, kuria remiamasi šioje studijoje, yra R. Lerner ir kt. (2005) sukurta „5C“ koncepcija. Naudojant longitudinio tyrimo duomenis, pavyko identifikuoti pozityvios jaunimo raidos trajektorijas bei individualius, šeimos ir mokyklos kontekstų veiksnius, susijusius su pozityvia jaunimo raida, t.y. atskleisti pozityvios jaunimo raidos mechanizmus. Kiekvienas šios studijos skyrius skirtas atskiram pozityvios jaunimo raidos teoriniam, metodologiniam arba empiriniam aspektui aptarti. Didelis dėmesys skiriamas bendraamžių, tėvų, mokyklos bei jauno žmogaus asmeninių charakteristikų įtakos individualiai jaunų žmonių raidai analizei. Pateikiama projektą vykdžiusių mokslininkų jaunimo galių stiprinimui sukurta bei įgyvendinta intervencinė programa „Pasimatuok“ savanorystę. Manome, kad ši knyga bus įdomi mokslininkams, tyrinėjantiems paauglius ir jaunimą, praktikams, kuriantiems intervencines programas, skirtas jaunimo galių stiprinimui, o taip pat politikams, siekiantiems pagerinti jaunų žmonių ir jų šeimų galimybes

Promoting thriving in school settings: long-term effects and impact mechanisms of positive youth development intervention

The theoretical perspective of positive youth development (PYD) suggests that thriving people are the basis of strong communities and thriving societies (Lerner et al. 2003). The main aim of the current dissertation was to evaluate the efficacy of a positive youth development intervention and to reveal the mechanisms for promoting adolescents’ thriving. This longitudinal quasiexperimental study investigated 605 middle adolescents. The results revealed that the short-term school-based PYD intervention program evaluated in this study is an eligible tool for promoting positive youth development and thriving, as it has moderately strong positive effects on all five components of PYD (the Five Cs: competence, confidence, connection, character, caring) and contribution to the community. Also, it was found that promoting PYD brings multiple benefits for youth, as fostering the Five Cs is related to increased contribution to the community; decreased anxiety/depressiveness and aggressive behavior; increased intentional self-regulation and positive identity. Finally, the results support the conceptual model of PYD (Lerner, Lerner et al., 2005, 2012, 2015) and complements it with the following insights: (1) identity development is a mechanism through which positive youth development affects positive and negative developmental outcomes; (2) intentional self-regulation is a crucial factor in the PYD process, as it promotes positive identity and is promoted by the indicators of thriving.Pozityvios jaunimo raidos (PJR) teorija, siūlo, kad stiprių bendruomenių ir klestinčios visuomenės pagrindas yra pozityvia raida ir klestėjimu pasižymintys žmonės (Lerner ir kt., 2003). Disertacijos tikslas – įvertinti pozityvios jaunimo raidos intervencijos efektyvumą ir atskleisti paauglių klestėjimo skatinimo mechanizmus. Longitudinio kvazi-eksperimentinio dizaino tyrime dalyvavo 605 paaugliai. Rezultatai atskleidė, kad tyrimu vertinta trumpalaikė mokykloje įgyvendinta PJR intervencinė programa yra tinkama priemonė skatinti pozityvią jaunimo raidą ir klestėjimą, kadangi ji vidutiniškai stipriai, tiesiogiai, teigiamai veikia pozityvios jaunimo raidos komponentus (“5C”: kompetenciją, pasitikėjimą, susietumą, charakterio tvirtumą, atjautą) bei prisidėjimą prie bendruomenės gerovės. Taip pat nustatyta, kad PJR skatinimas atneša paaugliams daugialypę naudą, kadangi “5C” komponentų augimas yra susijęs su prisidėjimo prie bendruomenės gerovės didėjimu; nerimastingumo/depresiškumo ir agresyvaus elgesio mažėjimu; tikslingos savireguliacijos ir pozityvaus tapatumo didėjimu. Tyrimas paremia teorinį pozityvios jaunimo raidos modelį (Lerner ir kt., 2005, 2012, 2015) bei papildo jį šiais siūlymais: (1) tapatumo raida yra mechanizmas, per kurį pozityvi jaunimo raida teigiamai veikia pozityvias ir neigiamai – negatyvias raidos išdavas; (2) tikslinga savireguliacija yra itin svarbus raidos proceso veiksnys, kuris skatina pozityvų tapatumą ir yra veikiamas klestėjimo indikatorių pokyčio

Direct and mediated long-term effects of the positive youth development intervention program Try Volunteering on empathy and prosocial behavior

The primary aim of the current study was to evaluate the 16-months follow-up effects of the short-term school-based positive youth development (PYD) intervention program Try Volunteering on empathy and prosocial behavior. The secondary aim was to test the theory of change in prosocial behavior through the change of empathy in the intervention settings. The quasi-experimental study design (pre-test, post-test, follow-up at 4 months and follow-up at 16 months) was used for the program efficacy evaluation. The current study assessed 538 students, 272 from the intervention school (49.1% girls, aged from 13 to 16 (Mage=15.26; SDage=0.69) at pre-test) and 264 from the control school (40.1% girls, aged from 14 to 17 (Mage=15.24; SDage=0.65) at pre-test). The results of the multivariate Latent Growth Curve analysis indicated that empathy increased significantly in the intervention group and remained stable in the control group. No significant change was found in either of groups for prosocial behavior. In addition, the results revealed that the positive change in empathy fully mediates the relationship between program participation and positive change in prosocial behavior. The present findings highlighted the relevance of promoting empathy in school settings as a strategy for fostering prosocial behavior during adolescence as the positive contribution to community and society

The Psychometric properties of the resilience scale (RS-14) in Lithuanian adolescents

In the current study, we provided the evidence of satisfactory validity of the RS-14 scale in the Lithuanian adolescents’ sample (N = 1299; Mage = 14.24; SDage = 1.26), based on its internal structure, and relations to other variables. The results of the study indicated an acceptable model fit for a single-factor structure of the scale with a high internal consistency (McDonald’s omega = 0.89). We also confirmed the scalar measurement invariance across groups of adolescents in terms of their age (i.e., early and middle adolescence) and mental health profile as well as partial scalar gender invariance. Adolescents characterized by high levels of socio-emotional problems reported lower levels of resilience, in comparison to adolescents that reported low levels of socio-emotional problems. However, the data indicated that adolescents from emotional problems and behavioral problems groups cannot be differentiated with the RS-14 scale. Keywords: resilience, adolescence, socio-emotional problems, latent class analysis, confirmatory factor analysis, measurement invariance, validity