In rural China, left-behind children are likely to suffer chronic loneliness. Research has identified a variety of factors that may be associated with loneliness among these children. A meta-analysis is needed to address the empirical inconsistencies and examine the strength of relations between different factors and loneliness. The current meta-analysis included 51 studies on predictors of loneliness published from 2008 to 2017. Results showed that one individual factor (social anxiety) is a key risk factor for loneliness, whereas eight individual (older age, self-esteem, resilience, extroversion) and contextual factors (family functioning, parent–child relationship, peer relationship, social support) serve as protective factors in predicting loneliness. In addition, boys were more likely to feel lonely than girls. Findings and implications of this study were discussed.

Taking an integrative etic-emic approach, the current study aimed at developing a culturally contextualized positive youth development (PYD) scale in China. We collected survey data from one sample of 695 adolescents (321 girls, M_age = 13.82 years) to identify appropriate items and structure for the measure through a series of exploratory factor analyses. We then collected survey data from another sample of 1,404 adolescents (611 girls, M_age = 13.89 years) to examine the measure’s reliability, validity, and measurement invariance. Results revealed a four-factor Chinese PYD measure, which showed good psychometric qualities and possessed measurement invariance across gender and age groups. The Chinese PYD measure shared theoretical foundations with the US-based PYD model, but also demonstrated unique definitions and manifestations for some PYD indicators.

Career construction is a crucial developmental task of adolescence. Previous research widely examined predictors of career construction resources but rarely explored the antecedents of career construction behaviors. Based on the career construction model of adaptation, this study explored how adolescents’ grit affects career construction behaviors. Data were collected from a cross-sectional survey. Participants were 573 students (M_age = 15.34, SD = 0.51; 51% boys) drawn from two public high schools. The results showed that grit positively predicted students’ career construction. Meanwhile, hope and career adaptability mediated the association between grit and career construction. The serial mediation analysis indicated that students with high grit tended to report a high level of hope, which increased career adaptability and consequently promoted career construction. This study contributes significant knowledge of how precise interventions can be developed for high school students to assist them to cope with career challenges.