The Development of Internalizing Behaviors in Early Adolescence: Introduction to the Special Issue

Abstract

This special issue highlights a number of important processes that help explain the emergence and continuation of internalizing psychopathology (i.e., problem behaviors characterized by inner distress) during early adolescence. The five articles making up the special issue are introduced, each of which represents exciting new work regarding how, why, and for whom internalizing problems develop and are maintained. The introduction to the special issue further elaborates on transdiagnostic and person-oriented approaches, internalizing interpretations and functional effects of internalizing as relatively underused methodological and theoretical perspectives that might help move the field forward and further our understanding regarding the development of internalizing psychopathology early on in life.

Positive Perceived School Climate and Cyberbullying in Chinese Adolescents: A Moderated Mediation Model From the Perspective of Internet Characteristics

“…The early years of youth are characterized by huge changes in neurobiology and mentality (Steinberg & Morris, 2001) while cyberbullying, which usually results in negative development, peaks during this period. Prevention is believed to be the most favorable mode of avoiding the unwanted development of cyberbullying behavior in the first step (Van Zalk, 2020), especially considering that early adolescence is a crucial period for the prevention of cyberbullying (Zych et al, 2020). In China, schools are the main places to undertake youth education, so the promotion of school-based intervention programs is very practical.…”