Subjective age—how old individuals feel, look, behave, think, identify based on interests, and wish to be—is a multidimensional construct linked to health and wellbeing. We examined whether stable (self-perceptions of aging, aging expectations) and daily (stress, affect) factors predict six subjective age dimensions: Felt, Look, Behave, Mental, Interest, and Ideal Ages. A community sample of 209 Australian adults (19–84 years; M age = 54.56, SD = 17.49; 64.59% female) completed two 7-day diary bursts 4 weeks apart, providing 2,385–2,419 observations collected near the end of COVID-19 restrictions. Multilevel models estimated between-person (stable) and within-person (daily) associations and tested moderation by chronological age. Between persons, lower positive affect was associated with older subjective age across all dimensions except Ideal Age. More negative self-perceptions of aging predicted older Ideal Age. Age moderated the relationship between self-perceptions of aging and Interest Age: negative self-perceptions were linked to younger Interest Ages, especially among older adults. Within persons, days with higher positive affect predicted feeling younger for all except Ideal Age, whereas higher negative affect predicted older Felt Age. On days with more stress, people reported older Felt, Mental, and Interest Ages. Findings support subjective age as a dynamic, multidimensional construct in understanding aging.

Temperament, the constitutionally based individual patterns in reactivity and regulation, plays a fundamental role in the development of psychopathology. This study aimed to examine the role of temperament profiles in the development of internalizing and externalizing psychopathology in a sample of 961 adolescents (12–17 years). Adolescents completed the Chilean adaptation of the Early Adolescent Temperament Questionnaire (EATQ) and measures of psychological symptoms concurrently and 1 year later. Results showed that temperament profile configuration was different for girls and boys, with 4-profile (i.e., regulated, dysregulated, inhibited, and average) and 3-profile (i.e., regulated, inhibited, and average) solutions, respectively. Moreover, temperament profile played a different role on concurrent and follow-up psychopathology in female and male adolescents, over and above age and SES. In comparison with other profiles, the dysregulated profile was associated with higher depressive symptoms and substance use in female adolescents. Both in female and male adolescents, the regulated profile was associated with the lowest levels of internalizing symptoms and substance use, when compared against the average profile, both concurrently and prospectively. Overall, the findings suggest that temperament profile may play a role in the onset of internalizing and externalizing psychopathology expression during adolescence. This research contributes to a more comprehensive understanding of the development of psychopathology in the adolescent years and broadens the evidence so far, considering a non-WEIRD sample. Efforts needed to address this important issue are discussed.

Parents are early socialization agents who promote both independence and interdependence in their interactions with children. However, given that cultural contexts differ in the relative emphasis placed on the self versus others, the manifestations of these behaviours are likely to differ across cultures. This study compares mothers’ observed independence- and interdependence-promoting behaviours during a naturalistic snack interaction with their preschool-aged child in two urban samples from Canada ( n = 112) and Singapore ( n = 136), using a novel coding system. In addition to comparing Canadian and Singaporean mothers in terms of their behaviours, we also examine associations between mothers’ observed behaviours and their self-reported socialization goals. Results show that Canadian mothers generally exhibited more independence-promoting behaviours (i.e., by affirming or complying with child initiatives, orienting to the physical environment, and discussing their own internal states), while Singaporean mothers exhibited more interdependence-promoting behaviours (i.e., by issuing commands and initiating physical touch/control). Singaporean mothers also endorsed stronger interdependent socialization goals than Canadian mothers, which were positively correlated with most observed dimensions of interdependence-promoting behaviour and negatively correlated with one dimension of observed independence-promoting behaviour. Overall, this study describes differences in mother–child interactions across two distinct cultural contexts, while providing evidence suggesting that these behaviours may be informed by contextually relevant parental beliefs about children’s socialization.

This two-sample Mendelian randomization (MR) study investigated causal associations of genetic predisposition to sedentary behaviors (television viewing, computer use, driving) and mobile phone use duration with social anxiety/social phobia, an “anxiety, nerves, or generalized anxiety disorder (GAD)” phenotype, and panic attacks. Genome-wide association study (GWAS) summary data were sourced from the IEU OpenGWAS repository, primarily comprising individuals of European ancestry from the UK Biobank (aged 40–69). Independent genome-wide significant single-nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs) ( p < 5 × 10 −8 ) were selected as instrumental variables. Causal estimates were primarily derived using inverse-variance weighted (IVW) regression, supplemented by sensitivity analyses. Results demonstrated that genetically predicted mobile phone use was associated with increased liability to both social anxiety or social phobia (β = .011, p = .045) and panic attacks (β = .021, p = .033). Conversely, computer use showed a protective association with panic attacks (β = −0.028, p = .010), whereas television viewing was also associated with higher panic attack risk (β = .020, p = .047). These findings indicate modest causal effects of specific digital behaviors on anxiety-related outcomes, though interpretations are constrained by phenotypic and sample limitations.

Adopting a person-centered approach with longitudinal data, our study examined the stability and transitions of loneliness profiles across three consecutive years, during adolescence. We also explored the lasting effects of loneliness and the role of intraindividual characteristics—sex, self-worth, social acceptance, friendships competence, and social withdrawal—in predicting transitions between profiles. Data were collected from an initial sample of Portuguese adolescents ( N = 721; 47.9% boys). Latent transition analyses revealed four loneliness profiles: Non-lonely (most stable), Highly lonely (least stable), Peer-related lonely (increasingly stable), and Family-related lonely (decreasingly stable). Most adolescents transitioned to profiles with lower loneliness, except those in the Family-related profile , who tended to move toward the Highly lonely profile . Our findings also suggest lasting effects, as adolescents with a history of loneliness were more likely to report feeling lonely again later. Intraindividual characteristics also impacted on the transitions among profiles. Overall, these findings highlight the importance of recognizing loneliness as a multidimensional experience with a potentially discontinuous developmental trajectory.

While research has demonstrated the importance of parental autonomy support and psychological control for children’s adjustment, their implications of such parenting practices for children’s subjective feelings of autonomy remain less well understood. Focusing on American and Chinese adolescents, the current research examined the longitudinal associations between parenting and adolescents’ feelings of autonomy, with attention to adolescents’ endorsement of parent-oriented reasons for doing well in school as a possible underlying mechanism. At three time points over 1.5 years, American ( n = 332) and Hong Kong Chinese ( n = 235) adolescents reported on their parents’ use of autonomy-supportive and psychological controlling parenting practices, their reasons for doing well in school, and their feelings of autonomy. Autoregressive path analyses were conducted to examine longitudinal associations and test for indirect effects. Results revealed that, in both the American and Chinese samples, parental autonomy support predicted increases in adolescents’ feelings of autonomy, whereas psychological control predicted decreases. In the Chinese sample only, autonomy support also predicted a greater endorsement of parent-oriented reasons for doing well in school, which, in turn, was associated with reduced feelings of autonomy over time. Findings highlight both the universal and culture-specific pathways through which parenting practices shape adolescents’ autonomy development. While autonomy support fosters a sense of volition across cultures, its motivational significance may vary depending on cultural norms and the extent to which adolescents internalize parental expectations.

This study used a person-centered approach to explore elementary-school-aged children’s conflict resolution strategy profiles and the transition of the profiles over time, as well as their contribution to child adjustment. A total of 956 children from Grades 3–5 ( M age = 10.39 years, SD = .87; 43% girls) participated in the study at two time points. Four conflict resolution strategy profiles were identified: Problem-Solving-Oriented Profile , Proactive Strategy Profile , Nonconfrontational/Control-Oriented Profile , and Passive Strategy Profile . Children in the Problem-Solving-Oriented Profile exhibited more favorable psychological and social adjustment outcomes at both time points compared with children in other profiles. Children who remained in and transitioned into the Problem-Solving-Oriented Profile showed improved adjustment outcomes at T2, whereas children who remained in and transitioned into the other profiles were found to have varying degrees of decrease in adjustment outcomes at T2. These results highlight the importance of fostering problem-solving-oriented styles for children.

School absenteeism is a major social problem that can lead to poorer educational outcomes, including school dropout and social exclusion. To prevent school non-attendance and dropout, more knowledge of how absenteeism affects well-being and educational pathways in the long term is needed. This study examined the consequences of the developmental trajectories of school absences during basic education in students’ educational paths and well-being in early adulthood. The sample included 1,823 Finnish students (T1, mean age 12.76 years; 954 boys). Results revealed that students in the increasing school absences trajectory were more likely to have police contact and less likely to feel lonely. High levels of school absences and low affective engagement in upper secondary education, as well as a higher likelihood of receiving social assistance in early adulthood, were typical of the early started school absences trajectory. Parental and teacher support were protective factors against dropout intentions in upper secondary education and adverse well-being consequences in early adulthood. These results suggest that identifying and supporting students with chronic and high levels of school absences is important to reduce the risk of school dropout and poor subsequent well-being.

This special section is in honor of Dr. Kenneth H. Rubin and his unparalleled intellectual contribution to the study of the development and implications of social withdrawal. It also recognizes his almost 50 years of enthusiastic and devoted mentorship and international collaboration, which has stimulated numerous scholars around the world to investigate social withdrawal-related topics. The six contributions in this special section are written by scholars from diverse perspectives and backgrounds and include longitudinal datasets from four different countries. This introduction highlights the empirical contributions of these studies, characterized into three broad categories that have been central to Ken’s enormously influential work on social withdrawal: (1) peers as contributors to, and outcomes of, social withdrawal; (2) the consideration of the diverse contexts in which social withdrawal can occur; and (3) social withdrawal as a modifiable risk factor. Together, these studies extend knowledge about social withdrawal and its concomitants, set the stage for future research and intervention efforts, and honor the legacy of Dr. Kenneth H. Rubin.

Problematic internet use (PIU) is an increasing public health concern among adolescents. Understanding its development and related factors is essential for effective prevention. Although basic psychological need frustration (BPNF) has been identified as a key predictor of PIU, their reciprocal relationship remains underexplored. Therefore, this study aimed to examine the longitudinal and reciprocal associations between adolescents’ BPNF and PIU, as well as the potential sex differences, to provide empirical evidence for practical interventions. Using a cluster sampling method, a three-wave survey over 1 year was conducted among 3,061 adolescents ( M age = 13.83, SD = 1.52; 50.47% girls; age range = 12–16) from two middle public schools in Sichuan Province, China. Data were collected in classroom settings using the Short Version of the Problematic Internet Use Questionnaire and the Basic Psychological Need Frustration Scale. Cross-lagged panel models, parallel latent growth models, and group analysis were used to test reciprocal associations and sex differences. Results showed a reciprocal positive predictive relationship between BPNF and PIU. In addition, group analysis revealed that boys exhibited a faster increase in BPNF driven by PIU growth compared to girls. These findings suggest that the prevention of adolescent PIU should focus on both reducing BPNF and regulating internet use behaviors.