Uncovering the relationship between community participation and socio-political control among the migrant population.

Prior research on psychological empowerment has found that community participation is associated with socio-political control, which takes place when people perceive control in their socio-political contexts. However, the process by which this relationship occurs remains an understudied area for migrants. This study aims to: (a) analyze the differences in socio-political control, critical thinking, and ethnic identity according to membership in migrant community-based organizations; and (b) propose a predictive model of socio-political control. A total of 239 first-generation migrants living in northern Italy completed a questionnaire (48.4% belonged to a migrant community-based organization). Members were found to have higher levels than nonmembers in all the variables. A moderated mediation model was proposed, whereby ethnic identity was a mediator between community participation and socio-political control, and critical thinking was a negative moderator between ethnic identity and socio-political control. Practical implications for enhancing socio-political control among migrants in receiving societies are discussed.

The Mediating Role of Migrant Community-Based Organizations: Challenges and Coping Strategies.

Migrant community-based organizations (MCBOs) are key mediating structures between immigrants and host societies. However, when implementing this role in host societies, MCBOs often face a number of challenges that reduce their chances to be effective in promoting social justice. This paper aims to analyze the challenges that MCBOs settled in Milan (Northern Italy) experience and the coping strategies that they use in order to provide some guidelines on how to support them. In-depth interviews, observations and document analysis with 15 MCBOs were conducted. Based on a situational analysis, we present the main challenges perceived by MCBOs at three levels: internal (i.e., surviving), inter-organizational (i.e., collaborating) and community (i.e., being recognized as mediating actors). We provide specific guidelines for action on how to address such challenges and thus foster the role of MCBOs as mediating structures in receiving societies.

Community participation and subjective wellbeing among the immigrant population in Northern Italy: An analysis of mediators.

Community participation can be a potential strategy to increase the degree of the subjective wellbeing of immigrants within receiving societies. This study aims to analyze the relationship between immigrants' community participation and their subjective wellbeing, testing the two dimensions of sense of mattering (feeling valued and adding value) and psychological sense of community as potential mediators of this relationship. A total of 308 first-generation immigrants living in Northern Italy filled out a questionnaire (45.1% were members of a migrant community-based organization). We found that immigrants who are members of a migrant organization show a higher level of subjective wellbeing, sense of mattering, and psychological sense of community than those who are not members. We also found that the sense of adding value and the psychological sense of community serve as mediators of the relationship between community participation and subjective wellbeing. The findings suggest that active participation is positively related to immigrants' feeling useful and capable of contributing to society and their feeling of belonging, which, in turn, are positively related to their subjective wellbeing. Practical implications are presented, focusing on the need for generative social policies to move beyond the welfarist perspective in which immigrants only "receive" to embrace an active perspective in which immigrants can also "give."

What are the predictors of sexting behavior among adolescents? The positive youth development approach.

INTRODUCTION: Research supporting adolescent sexual health and empowerment is needed. The study investigates sexting among adolescents using the resources that characterized the Positive Youth Development Approach (PYD) and considering the impact of parental monitoring. The study aims to describe sexting among three different groups of adolescents (i.e., Non Sexters [NS], Passive Sexters [PS], and Active Sexters [AS]) considering age and sex (first aim). It also seeks to identify predictors among the PYD's resources and parental monitoring that explain the probability of falling into the sexter or the non sexter groups (second aim) as well as the probability of falling into the active or the passive sexter groups (third aim). METHOD: The national representative sample was composed of 1866 Italian adolescents: 980 girls and 886 boys aged between 13 and 19 years old (M = 16.26; SD = 1.49). Participants completed a questionnaire that measured sexting behavior, PYD resources, and parental monitoring scales. Chi-squared and multivariate logistic regressions were performed. RESULTS: Almost half of the participants (46.0%) were NS, 36.2% were PS, and 17.8% were AS. Results show that sex, age, Connection, and Child Disclosure are significant predictors of sexting behavior. CONCLUSIONS: Results highlighted that sexting can be seen as a relational activity that adolescents use to establish connections as part as their sexual exploration. A parenting approach that promotes disclosure may help adolescents explore safely their sexuality and be accountable. Results also indicate that parents need to build educational alliances with schools to promote sexual health and empowerment among teenagers while preventing risk of harm.

"Even Though We Have Different Colors, We Are All Equal Here": Immigrants building a sense of community and wellbeing through sport participation.

Although there are several studies reporting the beneficial role of sports in immigrant health, more research is needed to understand whether and how these activities can guide the psychological sense of community (SOC) and well-being outcomes. This study aims at exploring how sport participation among immigrants contributes to developing their SOC and subjective well-being. We analyzed the experiences of 17 immigrants participating in Balon Mundial (BM), an annual multicultural football tournament in Turin (Italy). A thematic deductive theory-driven analysis was implemented based on in-depth interviews. BM developed a psychological SOC by providing immigrants with a safe space-based on norms of accessibility and fair play-to mutually share traditions while forming positive and trusting bonds. All these dimensions of the tournament were connected to an enhancement of immigrants' subjective well-being in terms of happiness, self-care, sense of acceptance and cultural intelligence. Sport participation can sustain immigrants' psychological SOC and subjective well-being under specific conditions: (a) when norms are developed based on inclusion; and (b) when a shared goal and  history are built among participants.

The resilience of Peruvian immigrants through participation in community-based organizations in urban Chile.

This study explores the situational elements related to the resilience of Peruvian immigrants in Santiago, Chile. Through extensive fieldwork with Santiago community-based organizations, in-depth semistructured interviews (N = 18) completed with Peruvian leaders, and an innovative grounded theory situational analysis, a critical psychopolitical framework of community participation of Peruvian immigrants was generated. More specifically, three main themes emerged from data analysis and describe resilience processes, including, negotiating historical narratives and multiple identities; navigating to resources; and resisting racism and dehumanization. Results describe how community participation plays a role in promoting resilience by transforming immigrants' conditions and contexts while increasing their sense of mattering, and their access to resources and human rights.