Life Satisfaction Development in the Transition to Adulthood: Differences by Gender and Immigrant Background

Life satisfaction is crucial for healthy development into adulthood. However, it is yet largely unknown how life satisfaction develops in the transition to adulthood. This study examined life satisfaction development in this transition and paid special attention to differences between boys, girls, children of immigrants, and nonimmigrants. Unique longitudinal data of seven waves (2010–2018) of the Children of Immigrants Longitudinal Survey Germany were used. Respondents (N = 3757, 54% girls, 78% nonimmigrants, Mage weighted = 14.6, SD = 0.6 at wave 1) were followed between ages 14 and 23 and multi-level random effect models were applied. Life satisfaction developed in a nonlinear way in the transition to adulthood (M-shape), with overall decreases between age 17 and 18 and between age 20 and 23. Girls reported lower life satisfaction levels in adolescence and more unstable trajectories than boys, where girls with immigrant backgrounds represented the least advantageous life satisfaction trajectory. Differences in life satisfaction between groups decreased from age 19 onwards.

Attrition of Police Officers With Immigrant Background

Recruiting police officers with immigrant backgrounds has a limited effect if many of these recruits leave the police service. The dropout and attrition rates among officers with immigrant backgrounds are also an important indicator of the challenges this group faces when joining the police profession. We investigated police education dropout patterns and attrition rates among police students and officers with immigrant backgrounds. Our study is based on detailed longitudinal data with total coverage of the population, which were previously unavailable for police career studies. Using logistic regression and coarsened exact matching, we analysed administrative registry data covering all individuals admitted to the Norwegian police university college (1995–2010, N = 6570) and all police-educated staff employed in the Norwegian police (1995–2014, N = 7001). Students and police officers with non-Western immigrant backgrounds have a greater tendency to both dropout of education and leave the police service. Prior academic performance can only partly explain these higher educational dropout rates. Female and males with non-Western immigrant backgrounds have similar dropout patterns. Our results provide a rationale for developing policy aimed at not only recruiting, but also retaining police officers with immigrant backgrounds.

Dental Caries Prevalence and Experience (ICDAS II Criteria) of 5-, 12- and 15-Year-Old Children and Adolescents with an Immigrant Background in Greece, Compared with the Host Population: A Cross-Sectional Study

Evidence regarding disparities in oral health among native and immigrant child and adolescent populations in Europe is scarce. The present study aimed to determine the caries status of 5-, 12-, and 15-year-olds with an immigrant background in Greece in relation to their sociodemographic characteristics and compare their caries levels with those of their native Greek peers. A sample of 707 immigrants underwent clinical examination for caries (ICDAS II criteria), followed by a calculation of caries prevalence and experience estimates (2013–2014). Multivariable regression models assessed the effect of ethnic background on the caries experience (d3–6mfs/D3–6MFS) of the total (707 immigrants and 3702 Greeks) population, and the association between parental education level and the immigrants’ d3–6mfs/D3–6MFS. Among the 5- and 12-year-olds, those with an immigrant background demonstrated higher caries rates and had unfulfilled treatment needs at higher proportions. Among 15-year-old adolescents, no considerable differences in caries status were observed according to ethnic background (native Greek or immigrant). The strength of the association between immigrant background and caries experience levels attenuated gradually with increasing age (IRR = 1.61, 1.27 and 1.10, and p = 0.001, p = 0.006 and p = 0.331 for 5-, 12- and 15-year-olds, respectively). Among the immigrants, adolescents with less educated mothers exhibited elevated caries levels. Public health strategies should prioritize immigrant children and early adolescents in order to reduce the existing ethnic disparities in oral health.

Examining adolescent maltreatment and connections to school engagement

This article examines how maltreatment experienced by adolescents is related to school engagement. Maltreatment includes physical, mental, and sexual violence along with sexual harassment, neglect, and witnessing domestic violence. School engagement refers to the students’ relationship to all activities in the school. It describes students’ thoughts, activities and participation as well as their emotions in relation to school. Analysis is based on the Finnish School Health Promotion data ( N = 155,299) and analyzed by linear regression analysis. Results indicate that adolescents’ maltreatment experiences are related to school engagement, regardless of gender, age, family structure, or immigrant background. Maltreatment increases functional engagement and decreases emotional and cognitive engagement. These results thus confirm that maltreatment can also cause immersion in schoolwork. The results can be used to prevent lower school engagement and maltreatment of adolescents.

Parents’ Participation in School Health Examinations for Their Adolescent Children in Finland

Engaging parents in school health examinations can promote adolescents’ well-being. We examined parents’ participation in universal school health examinations in Finland reported by adolescents in school surveys (14 to 16-year-olds, N = 58,232). Further we studied variation between service providers and schools, and student and school-level factors in participation. National data were analyzed using multilevel logistic regression models. Less than half of the adolescents reported parents’ participation. The variation between service providers and schools was large. Non-participation was associated with mother's low education, students’ immigrant background, daily health complaints, heavy drinking, and discussion difficulties with parents. Boys and those who did not live with both mother and father had a higher risk for parents’ non-participation. Adolescents with a long-term illness or being bullied reported participation more often. Inviting parents and the school health nurse resource were not associated with participation. Our results raise the question of barriers to participation in health examinations.

Inequalities In Caries Among Pre-School Italian Children With Different Background

Background: The study was aimed to describe caries prevalence and severity and health inequalities among Italian preschool children with European and non-European background and to explore the potential presence of a social gradient. Methods: The ICDAS (International Caries Detection and Assessment System) was recorded at school on 6,825 children (52.76% females). Caries frequency and severity was expressed as a proportion, recording the most severe ICDAS score observed. Socioeconomic status (SES) and behavioral habits of children/parents/caregivers were estimated by mean a standardized self-submitted questionnaire filled-in by parents. The Slope Index of Inequality (SII) based on regression of the mid-point value of caries experiences score for each SES group was calculated and a social gradient was generated as the weighted sum of the worst circumstances deriving from social explanatory variables. Children were stratified into four social gradient levels based on the number of worst options. Multivariate regression models (Zero-Inflated Negative Binomial logistic regression in children with European background and a logistic regression in children with non-European background) were used to elucidate the associations between all explanatory variables and health outcome (namely the caries prevalence). Mantel Haenszel trend of odds adjusted by immigrant background and area of living were calculated to study the existence, dimensions and direction of a social gradient in oral health. Results: Overall, 54.37% (95%CI 46.71–58.28%) of the children were caries-free; caries prevalence was statistically significant higher in children with non-European background compared to European children (72.59% vs 41.62% p<0.01). A statistically significant trend was observed for ICDAS 5/6 score and the worst social/behavioral level (Z=5.24, p<0.01). Conclusions: Data show how caries in preschool children is an unsolved public health problem especially in those with a non-European background. The proposed gradient was clearly able to identify children with the worst dental conditions.

Intimate partner violence during COVID-19 lockdown in Norway: the increase of police reports

Background In March 2020, the Norwegian government announced a COVID-19 lockdown in order to reduce the spread of the coronavirus. In Norway, lockdown measures included restricting people’s ability to leave their home and the closing of social institutions, thus reducing the capacity for victims of intimate partner violence to alert someone outside of their home about violent incidents that occurred during lockdown. At the same time, the restrictive measures forced the victim and the perpetrator to stay together for prolonged periods within the home, and reduced the possibility for them to escape or leave the perpetrator. The aim of this study was to investigate how the frequency and character of intimate partner violence reported to the police changed during the period of lockdown in Norway. Methods All cases of intimate partner violence registered in police files before the pandemic (from January 2016-February 2020) and during lockdown in Norway (March-December 2020) were included in the study, representing a total of 974 cases. Differences in the number and severity of cases were calculated using χ2-tests and Wilcoxon’s rank sum test. Differences in the characteristics of the reported violence was assessed with the Brief Spousal Assault form for the Evaluation of Risk (B-SAFER) and tested with Fischer’s exact test with Bonferroni correction. Standardised Morbidity Rate (SMR) statistics were used to analyse the proportion of immigrants as compared to the general population. Results Reported intimate partner violence increased by 54% during the lockdown period in Norway. Between March-December 2020, the police assessed the cases as being at higher risk of imminent and severe violence. Our findings indicated an overrepresentation of immigrant perpetrators before and during lockdown (SMR = 1.814, 95% CI = 1.792–1.836 before, and SMR = 1.807, 95% CI = 1.742–1.872 during lockdown). Notably, while victims with an immigrant background were overrepresented before lockdown, we found significantly lower proportion of immigrant IPV victims during the lockdown period (SMR = 1.070, 95% CI = 1.052–1.087 before, and SMR = 0.835, CI 95% CI = 0.787-0.883 during lockdown). Also, there were significantly more female perpetrators and male victims reported to the police during the lockdown period. A higher proportion of the victims were assessed as having unsafe living conditions and personal problems during lockdown. Finally, during the lockdown period in Norway, a higher proportion of perpetrators had a history of intimate relationship problems. Conclusions Intimate partner violence increased dramatically during the COVID-19 lockdown. A range of options for victims to escape from their perpetrators, particularly during times of crisis, should be developed in line with good practice, and with a special focus on the most vulnerable victims.

Multilingual education in an Italian public preschool: teachers and families among mobility processes and inclusive practices

This paper focuses on the integration of translanguaging practices in a public preschool situated in a small village in North-West of Italy. Mobility processes and local Italian families’ school choices have led to the raise of the number of students with an immigrant background enrolled at the studied preschool up to 85%. After a brief overview regarding mobility and translanguaging in education, particularly in relation to preschool domain, I describe the macro and micro contexts of this ethnographic case study. I then focus on the analysis of the main learning activities designed by teachers to engage children’s multilingual repertoires. Later, applying qualitative content analysis, I outline the main patterns and categories emerging from interviews and focus groups conducted with teachers and parents to investigate how they experienced the marginalization of immigrant minority children in their preschool and how they received the introduction of multilingual education approach. The results shows that the adoption of a translanguaging lens contributed to the educational legitimation of language diversity and to the acknowledgment of immigrant families. Finally, I discuss the results in terms of democratic language education and social justice, underlining their implications and relevance for preschools teachers’ professional development and agency.

Positive Youth Development Among Youth Living in Poverty: The Role of Psychological Needs Satisfaction

Positive developmental outcomes among youth living in poverty have rarely been studied. Despite numerous risk factors, it is important to understand the factors that contribute to positive developmental outcomes among youth in poverty. Using the Self-Determination Theory framework, this two-wave longitudinal study investigated the contribution of basic psychological needs of autonomy, competence, and relatedness to positive developmental outcomes of prosocial behavior and positive affect among 225 youth living in poverty in Italy. Results suggest that overall, prosocial behavior was positively predicted by autonomy, while positive affect was positively predicted by competence. Moderator analyses showed that the satisfaction of the need of relatedness predicted prosociality for girls and immigrants. For girls, the fulfilling of this need also predicted positive affect. The importance of each psychological need to different positive outcomes was shaped by adolescents’ economic condition, immigrant background, and gender. The implications for further research and practices are discussed.