The goals established by the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development, and the new needs that globalization has created, have prompted researchers to examine young people’s educational and professional experiences in the context of economic and social disadvantages, considering agency capacities and psychological factors. Following these research interests, this study aimed to evaluate Italian university students’ perceptions of socioeconomic barriers to achieving professional goals and the effects of these perceived barriers on some indicators of adaptation. The study included 401 Italian university students (M = 24.18, SD = 3.33). The results demonstrated that economic constraints can be a psychological barrier to career advancement by negatively influencing the perception of being able to actively choose one’s professional future and by diminishing the psychological resources required to adapt to complex environments. In turn, this can indirectly affect the perceived gap between a person’s career goals and their progress toward achieving them, thereby impeding their adaptation processes. The implications of the research are discussed.

Background: Intolerance of Uncertainty (IU) is a transdiagnostic factor measured using the Intolerance of Uncertainty Scale-Revised (IUS-R). This study evaluated the stability and change in adolescents’ IU over a three-month period using a modified version of the scale. Methods: A two-wave study was conducted, with 290 adolescents responding to an online survey at baseline and 199 at follow-up. The original IUS-R was modified to probe the rating of the current perceived state of IU, rather than typical experience. The link between IU variability and the development of interpretation bias in ambiguous social situations at follow-up was explored. Structural Equation Modeling and Linear Mixed Model analyses were performed to assess the longitudinal measurement invariance and responsiveness of the Modified IUS-R scale. Results: The scale demonstrated good psychometric properties and full measurement invariance. Individual participants showed significant variability in baseline IU levels but not in the degree of change. A reliable change in scores was observed in 8% of adolescents. The Modified IUS-R predicted interpretation bias in social situations at follow-up. Conclusions: Significant inter-individual-level variation in IU suggests this tool may be useful for detecting changes in IU and predicting significant health outcomes. Future studies should further address the assessment of changing IU with longer timeframes.

Environmental Literacy (EL) is a multidimensional concept that includes knowledge, values, and behavior related to environmental sustainability. Past research has highlighted that EL could play a crucial role in shaping individuals’ appraisals with environmental issues, such engagement in pro-environmental behaviors and activism. This research explored the connection between core EL components and other psychological dimensions such as environmental identification, self-efficacy, attitudes, and behaviors among 792 university students across six countries: Italy, Lithuania, Poland, Portugal, Spain, and the United States. Findings indicate that while EL components are interconnected, knowledge has the weakest links to attitudes and behaviors. While biospheric values and past environmental behavior are stronger predictors of environmental engagement, reinforcing the idea that moral commitment and experience drive action more than knowledge alone. EL was also correlated with normative and non-extreme forms of activism, while extreme activism was not correlated to any of the EL dimensions. Country-level differences revealed that Poland and Portugal had the highest environmental literacy and activism levels, while Italy and Spain had the lowest engagement levels. These results highlight the importance of integrating environmental literacy into educational programs as a tool that could foster long-term climate engagement.

Parents play a fundamental role in the development of young people’s self-perceptions. In the context of education, psychological research has revealed that parental involvement (PI) is significantly related to students’ attitudes, beliefs, motivation, expectations, and academic outcomes. However, few studies have focused on a specific aspect of PI known as academic socialization, which refers to the importance that parents attribute to school and education, particularly in terms of how their educational values correspond with students’ psychological and academic adaptation. Thus, this study aimed to examine the associations between perceived parents’ educational values and students’ academic adjustment. A cross-sectional quantitative study was conducted on a sample of 477 Italian students (9th and 10th graders), with a mean age of 15.28 years ( SD = .75; 50% male). A Structural Equation Model was estimated to examine how perceived parents’ educational values are related to students’ educational values and academic self-concept, and how these, in turn, relate to students’ perceived difficulties in completing their educational path. Results revealed an indirect relationship between perceived parents’ educational values and students’ negative expectations of academic success, via students’ educational values and their academic self-concept. Interestingly, these associations were found only when the intrinsic dimensions of parents’ and students’ educational values were considered. Overall, the findings highlight parents’ important role during secondary school and suggest that valuing education for its intrinsic and formative function – rather than for its extrinsic outcomes – may be associated with students’ academic adaptation and well-being.