Traditionally, visuo-spatial perspective-taking (vPT) has been investigated as an ability to take the perspective of others when explicitly instructed to do so. However, more recent findings suggest that, even in the absence of explicit instruction, people sometimes take the visual perspective of others when observing a visual scene, that is, they engage in spontaneous vPT. To explain why, research has so far focused on features of the visual scene. Here, I focused on the observer, by testing a novel task, the Do You See What I See (DYSWIS) task, across two projects and six studies, with adults (N = 603; age range: 18-36 years) and children (N = 108; age range: 9-12 years). In both age groups, results revealed that, even in the absence of correct or incorrect perspectives, some people are systematically more likely than others to engage in spontaneous vPT, across conditions and when tested 2 weeks apart. Using mixed-model analyses, the associations with cognitive and dispositional measures have been explored. In adults, these individual differences correlated with the ability to take the perspective of others when explicitly instructed to do so, and with more dispositional measures, such as self-reported empathy, while they were not associated with cognitive measures. No significant relationship of spontaneous vPT with cognitive measures has been found in childhood as well. Children and adults did not differ in the extent of their spontaneous vPT, but children displayed more variability around their responses, possibly as a result of greater uncertainty. Taken together, this work demonstrated that people systematically differ in their spontaneous tendency to take the visual perspective of others. Given that this tendency is related to empathy, the study of vPT not only as an ability, but also as a disposition or motivation, becomes important.

As the conceptualization of personality disorders evolves and the dimensional model gains prominence, personality functioning—defined as self and interpersonal processes on a continuum from adaptive to impaired—has become a key dimension of personality psychopathology. Developmental psychopathology research indicates that personality disorders can emerge in adolescence. However, studies on personality functioning development remain scarce due to ongoing conceptual shifts and the novelty of the construct. Adolescence is marked by an increased significance of peer relationships. This study examines the interaction between personality functioning and peer relationships over one year. The sample included 294 adolescents (ages 11-17, 64.6% girls), assessed at two time points. Measures included the Levels of Personality Functioning Questionnaire 12-18, Multidimensional Peer-Victimization Scale, Network of Relationships Inventory – Relationship Qualities Version, and the Adverse Childhood Experiences Questionnaire. Findings indicate that personality functioning difficulties, peer victimization, and best-friend relationship quality remain relatively stable over one year. Difficulties in personality functioning predict later discord with a best friend and increased peer rejection. Among individuals with a history of violence and/or neglect, personality functioning difficulties also predict prior peer rejection experiences. However, past peer victimization and best-friend relationship quality do not predict later difficulties in personality functioning. These findings contribute to understanding the development of personality functioning in adolescence, emphasizing the need for further longitudinal research.

Migrant allophone students, often weakened by difficult migration journeys (UNHCR, 2024), face linguistic insecurity and suboptimal educational conditions, such as linguistic submersion (Guedat-Bittighoffer, 2024). These factors not only influence their academic success but also their overall well-being, particularly their life satisfaction and emotions in language learning, such as foreign language enjoyment (Dewaele & MacIntyre, 2016). In this context, understanding the psychological state of these children is essential.

The study will draw on data collected from 72 students (primary, middle school, high school), from many different backgrounds (34 countries, 40 languages). To measure life satisfaction and emotion in language learning, validated scales will be used, such as the Multidimensional Student’s Life Satisfaction Scale (MSLSS) in its abbreviated form (Coudronnière et al., 2017) and the Foreign Language Enjoyment and Anxiety scale (Guedat-Bittighoffer & Dewaele, 2023).

Preliminary results indicate that life satisfaction across four domains—family, school, self, and environment—is initially high but experiences a significant decline during high school, although it remains relatively elevated overall. Similarly, enjoyment in learning French, despite the challenging educational conditions faced by these students, is generally high but tends to decrease with age. Moreover, positive correlations have been observed between life satisfaction domains and enjoyment in learning, underscoring the major role positive emotions might have in supporting the linguistic and psychological development of migrant children.

This presentation will present the variation of life satisfaction and emotion in language learning depending on multiple variable such as gender, age, country of origin and school level, underscoring the importance of taking intercultural differences into account. By exploring their experiences and challenges, this presentation will highlight the importance of such studies to develop political and educational strategies in order to sustain their overall development.

What happens when life as you know it is shattered in a single day? How do adolescents, during their formative years, navigate the sudden trauma of war, forced displacement, and prolonged uncertainty — and emerge with new strengths?

Adolescence is a crucial developmental stage, where exposure to prolonged war and conflict significantly impacts psychological well-being. This study examines post-traumatic growth (PTG) and resilience in adolescents living in the Gaza Envelope, who have experienced the Iron Swords War. Unlike traditional deficit-based approaches, our research highlights adaptive mechanisms that allow youth not only to survive, but to transform adversity into personal growth.

Using semi-structured interviews with 26 adolescents, we employed Interpretative Phenomenological Analysis (IPA) to explore their narratives. Findings indicate that despite experiencing trauma, hypervigilance, and survivors’ guilt, many adolescents developed stress-adapted skills, including leadership, self-discipline, and emotional regulation. Engagement in meaningful activities, volunteering, and creative outlets played a crucial role in their coping.

This study emphasizes the paradox of Continuous Traumatic Situations (CTS)—while prolonged exposure to war heightens stress, it simultaneously fosters psychological resilience. Adolescents reframed their struggles as opportunities for self-discovery, strengthened social bonds, and found meaning through shared experiences. Their stories reveal how extreme adversity can lead to unexpected skills development, including enhanced problem-solving abilities, interpersonal sensitivity, and creative expression as mechanisms for emotional processing and improving self-worth.

Findings might suggest that structured intervention programs should not only focus on mitigating trauma but also on harnessing adolescents' resilience and adaptive growth. Schools, mental health professionals, and policymakers should adopt strength-based approaches that promote psychological flexibility, community engagement, and proactive coping strategies. By shifting the perspective from vulnerability to empowerment, we can better support youth in war zones, fostering their long-term development despite ongoing instability.

Each person is a unique human being, one of a kind, shaped by many idiosyncratic experiences. One of the primary contexts in which we gain lifechanging experiences is the parent-child relationship. Indeed, many developmental theories converge on the idea that parents and children influence each other in heterogeneous ways across families (e.g., Belsky & Pluess, 2009; Bronfenbrenner, 2005). Despite these long-held theoretical beliefs and perhaps even common-held knowledge that families are not all alike, many empirical studies have mostly been dedicated to studying ‘the average family’ to identify general principles. The findings of my recent dissertation warn against such a nomothetic approach. In my dissertation, where I introduce a family-specific (idiographic) approach, I present evidence that every family might have its own unique “recipe” for how parenting and an adolescent’s functioning impact each other over time. For example, my findings suggest that it depends on the family whether parenting practices influence the adolescent’s everyday emotions and/or vice versa. To avoid that invalid inferences from ‘the average family’ to the individual family end up in the homes of real existing families, I therefore strongly encourage parenting science to prioritize the study of the individual family to start to grasp the real life complexities of parenting adolescents. In this 5-minute talk, I will briefly highlight my key findings and their practical and scientific implications.

Background. Adolescence is a developmental stage that might be marked by a higher risk of adverse life experiences and psychopathology. However, the role of various forms of maltreatment on changes in resilience in adolescence is still unknown.

Objective. The study aimed to investigate the trajectories of resilience in adolescence and explore its’ associations with maltreatment exposure and mental health difficulties.

Method. The study was part of a large longitudinal project “Stress and Resilience in Adolescence” (STAR-A). The three-wave study, with two-year gaps between time points, took place in various schools in Lithuania. The study sample comprised 1295 adolescents at baseline, n = 329 at the second wave and n = 849 at the third wave. Based on baseline data, 57.4% were females; the sample mean age was 15.35 (SD = 1.53) years. The main measures included the Resilience scale-14 (RS-14), the Strengths and Difficulties Questionnaire (SDQ), and a questionnaire on exposure to maltreatment. The latent growth modeling approach was used to identify resilience trajectories.

Results. The two resilience latent classes were indicated: stable relatively high (91.4%) and stable relatively low (8.6%). Adolescents in the lower resilience group were more frequently exposed to at least one form of neglect, verbal abuse, physical abuse, or internet sexual abuse. The lower resilience group was at three times higher risk for mental health difficulties than the higher resilience group.

Conclusions. The longitudinal study of Lithuanian adolescents extends our understanding of what contributes to the stability of resilience in adolescence. This study suggests that maltreatment experiences may contribute to the development of stable low resilience. However, further investigations are needed on the role of child abuse and neglect on resilience and mental health in adolescence.

Non-suicidal self-injury (NSSI) includes non-lethal behaviours like cutting or hitting oneself, typically not intended as suicidal. NSSI is associated with adversity and mental health problems, and can be used to manage and endure such distress. While most adolescents who self-injure stop before reaching adulthood, little is known about their current situation and what facilitates NSSI cessation alongside improved health. This dissertation aimed to investigate:

1. The mental health and well-being of Swedish young adults who ceased NSSI since adolescence.

2. The psychosocial conditions facilitating NSSI cessation and psychological growth between adolescence–adulthood.

Data from the longitudinal SoL project was utilized. Participants completed questionnaires in 2007 (T1: N = 992, mean age = 13.73), 2008 (T2: N = 987, mean age = 14.78), and 2017 (T3: N = 557, mean age = 25.33). Additionally, 11 respondents were interviewed in 2018.

Results indicate: (aim 1) Adolescent NSSI is linked to negative life events, depression, anxiety, and stress in adulthood. However, young adults who ceased NSSI reported higher emotional regulation, well-being, and resilience compared to those who continued. (aim 2) Cessation could not be predicted from adolescent psychosocial functioning, but interviews identified agency as crucial in ceasing NSSI in conjunction with improved well-being. Intentionality was ascribed to positive life experiences; accordingly, those who ceased NSSI reported more positive life events 1–5 years prior compared to those who continued.

In conclusion, young adults who ceased NSSI still face distress from past and recent mental health issues and adversity. Initiating and sustaining behavioural change within detrimental contexts is difficult, and ceasing NSSI in such contexts does not equate psychological growth. However, sensing agency and positive experiences can make life meaningful despite ongoing challenges, making life become more than something that needs to be endured.