Latinx adolescents' trust in adults: A precursor to psychological well‐being via mentoring relational quality and self‐esteem

Abstract

This study aimed to test a longitudinal model of trust in adults and psychological well‐being among Latinx adolescents, a population that has received little attention in the trust literature. The participants were urban, low‐income Latinx (N = 294) students at two urban, Midwestern high schools who indicated they had at least one natural mentor in 9th grade. Participants completed surveys at two‐time points, in 9th and 10th grade, and responded to measures of their feelings toward adults, quality of their natural mentoring relationships, self‐esteem, intrinsic academic motivation, and coping self‐efficacy. More trust in adults was indirectly, but not directly, associated with higher coping self‐efficacy via higher mentoring relational quality and self‐esteem. Positive expectations of adults may open Latinx youth to closeness in natural mentoring relationships and positive self‐perceptions, which may, in turn, bolster coping ability.

Psychological Strategies and Protocols for Promoting School Well-Being: A Systematic Review

“…Apart from emotional issues, other student factors that promote misbehaviour are increase in age, high student retention rate, high ratio of African–American or Hispanic students, high ratio of male students and students spending more time in school activities ( Welsh, 2001 ; Gottfredson et al, 2005 ; O’Donnell et al, 2022 ; Salceda et al, 2022 ). When students spend more time in non-academic activities, they have a lot of free time to indulge in breaking rules ( Lee and Burkam, 2003 ).…”