Positive Youth Development and Life Satisfaction: School-related Variables and Psychological Distress Mediating Effect Across Gender and School Level

In recent years, the focus of youth health research has shifted from identifying problems to emphasizing positive youth development (PYD). This approach explores the strengths and resources young people possess. The present study examines how PYD attributes relate to life satisfaction in adolescents, considering the mediating effects of school-related factors ( school belonging, bullying, test anxiety, and relationship with teachers) and psychological distress and the moderating effect of gender and school level. Based on the literature, a path model was created and tested with a large group of adolescents. The results revealed that PYD attributes like confidence, connection, and competence are linked to school-related variables, which in turn are associated with psychological distress. Psychological distress, confidence, and connection are directly related to life satisfaction. While most associations showed no significant differences between gender and school level, there were some significant differences between these groups, namely the negative confidence-psychological distress association, which was higher for girls (lower and upper secondary), the positive confidence-life satisfaction and the negative connection-psychological distress associations that were higher for upper-secondary boys, and the negative confidence-bullying association, which was higher for lower secondary boys. These findings underscore the importance of promoting Positive Youth Development (PYD) in schools to enhance young people’s mental health and well-being, fostering a supportive and inclusive environment that benefits the entire school community.