International Journal of Developmental Science

Previous research comparing different large-scale cross-national surveys has shown substantial discrepancies in (cyber)bullying and (cyber)victimization rates within countries. This study hypothesized that systematic differences in bullying definitions might explain these discrepancies. Prevalence rates of bullying, victimization, cyberbullying and cybervictimization of two large-scale surveys, EU Kids Online (EUKO) and Health Behaviour in School-aged Children (HBSC) that used two types of bullying definitions were compared using data from 123,206 students (aged 10–16 years) in 19 overlapping countries. Contrary to our hypotheses, multilevel Bayesian logistic regression analyses in Mplus and Bayes factor calculations in R showed no evidence of systematic differences in prevalence rates between EUKO and HBSC within countries, either before or after statistically controlling for sample characteristics and study features. Instead, prevalence rates generated by EUKO and HBSC varied unsystematically within countries, highlighting that within country differences produced by EUKO and HBSC should be interpreted with great caution.

Self-continuity, the sense of connection between one's past and present self, is at the core of identity. However, differences between two perspectives on self-continuity, the narrative perspective and the essentialist perspective, remain unexplored. This study investigates whether these two perspectives represent distinct facets of past self-continuity. We examined the relationship between self-continuity and factors such as acceptance of the past, self-concept clarity, and temporal comparison orientation, and whether these associations vary depending on the perspective through which self-continuity is understood. A total of 57 Japanese university students (M_age = 19.68, SD_age = 1.74, range = 18–28, 33 women, 24 men) participated in an experiment in which either the narrative or essentialist perspective was activated through descriptive tasks. Results showed that self-continuity correlated positively with acceptance of the past and temporal comparison orientation specifically in the narrative condition. These findings suggest that the two perspectives reflect distinct components of self-continuity.

Encouraged by the broad applicability of the primacy of emotional developmental age in addressing challenging behavior, we decided to construct and validate a new comprehensive model of socio-emotional development (SED) for the age range from 0 to 25 years. Guided by the premises of the Dynamic Systems Approach, this article outlines the initial phase of the construction process that focuses on the interactive processes underlying SED. We argue that SED results from the synergistic relationship between five core developmental domains, propelled by ongoing interactions between emotion, cognition, and social environment. These interactions take place in the form of regulated affective transactions within an attuned caregiver-child dyad, as well as within dialogues with the socio-cultural environment at a later age. After identifying seven developmental phases for the intended age range, we constructed a conceptual framework integrating phases and domains. Upcoming articles will describe how this framework forms the basis for the identification of core milestones, resulting in the construction of our intended theoretical model of SED.

Critical Digital Literacy (CDL) extends basic digital competence to the ability to critically evaluate and engage with digital media's social and ethical dimensions. This scoping review targeted CDL theory and interventions in early childhood, applying PRISMA-ScR and JBI methods; database searches produced twenty-five studies, analyzed descriptively and using thematic analysis approach. The literature displays varied definitions, few age-specific interventions, and a concentration in educational research from the Global North. Core early CDL capacities identified are sociocultural contextualization, reflective perspective-taking, and constructing/deconstructing multimodal narratives. Educational approaches to building CDL included playful and creative multimodal learning, reflective practices, fostering the understanding and evaluation of sociocultural contexts, varying perspectives and narratives, and building of active, confident digital participation. The review suggests young children can develop foundational CDL skills, and implementing effective practices across policies, education, and home settings could yield long-term benefits. The ever-changing digital landscape necessitates further research and more comprehensive reviews.

This study assessed the effectiveness of the “Friendship Program,” a psychosocial intervention designed to increase perceived social support and psychological resilience among elderly individuals in institutional settings in Jordan. Using a quasi-experimental pretest–posttest–follow-up design with a single experimental group, the study involved 27 elderly participants and 27 student volunteers trained in basic counseling and communication skills. The six-week program featured structured sessions based on social learning and cognitive-behavioral principles, designed to promote emotional expression, cognitive engagement, and interpersonal bonds. To evaluate changes in social support and psychological resilience, the Social Support Scale and the Connor-Davidson Resilience Scale were administered at three different time points. The results indicated that participants experienced enhanced perceived social support and improved psychological resilience, supporting the program's effectiveness in fostering emotional well-being and resilience in older adults. The findings underscore the importance of integrating structured psychosocial interventions into geriatric care settings.

The ability to consider other people's perspectives is an important competence in societies. The competence to extend this perspective to unknown individuals or even to abstracted, generalized people has been neglected in developmental research. For the latter aspect, we propose the term Concept of Generalized Other Minds (CoGOM). Two developmental models are conceivable: (a) a sequential model in which a CoGOM develops additively from increasing complexity in a person's Theory of Mind (ToM) and (b) a Y model with a diverging developmental pathway, starting from basic ToM competencies as a common root. In three studies are presented, in which several tasks measured five- to ten-year-old children's abilities to consider generalized others’ perspectives. ToM and perspective-taking were correlated across studies, but ToM and a linguistic indicator of CoGOM (pronoun) were not. These findings may offer preliminary evidence that the development of a CoGOM follows the Y model.