Well-being of Youth and Emerging Adults Across Cultures ― Novel Approaches and Findings from Europe, Asia, Africa and America

The current volume presents new empirical data on well-being of youth and emerging adults from a global international perspective. Its outstanding features are the focus on vast geographical regions (e.g., Europe, Asia, Africa, North and South America), and on strengths and resources for optimal well-being. The international and multidisciplinary contributions address the complexities of young people’s life in a variety of cultural settings to explore how key developmental processes such as identity, religiosity and optimism, social networks, and social interaction in families and society at large promote optimal and successful adaptation. The volume draws on core theoretical models of human development to highlight the applicability of these frameworks to culturally diverse youth and emerging adults as well as universalities and cultural specifics in optimal outcomes. With its innovative and cutting-edge approaches to cultural, theoretical and methodological issues, the book offers up-to-date evidence and insights for researchers, practitioners and policy makers in the fields of cross-cultural psychology, developmental science, human development, sociology, and social work.

Radosveta Dimitrova is a Docent at the Department of Psychology at Stockholm University, Sweden. She holds PhD in Developmental Psychology (University of Trieste, Italy awarded the 2009 Best Doctoral Thesis by the Italian Association of Psychologists), and a PhD in Cross-Cultural Psychology (Tilburg University, the Netherlands, awarded the 2012 Student and Early Career Council Dissertation Award of the Society for Research in Child Development (SRCD). She holds the 2016 Young Scientist Award of the International Society for the Study of Behavioral Development, ISSBD for distinguished theoretical contribution, research and dissemination of developmental science. Her research interests regard migration, positive youth development, marginalized ethnic minority communities (Roma).