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Individual Differences in Adolescents’ Civic Engagement: The Role of Civic Discussions with Parents and Environmental Sensitivity

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  • Giusy Danila Valenti

    (Department of Psychology, Educational Science and Human Movement, University of Palermo, 90128 Palermo, Italy)

  • Alida Lo Coco

    (Department of Psychology, Educational Science and Human Movement, University of Palermo, 90128 Palermo, Italy)

  • Nicolò Maria Iannello

    (Department of Law, University of Palermo, 90128 Palermo, Italy)

  • Cristiano Inguglia

    (Department of Psychology, Educational Science and Human Movement, University of Palermo, 90128 Palermo, Italy)

  • Michael Pluess

    (Department of Biological and Experimental Psychology, Queen Mary University of London, London E1 4NS, UK)

  • Francesca Lionetti

    (Department of Neurosciences, Imaging and Clinical Sciences, University G. D’Annunzio Chieti-Pescara, 66100 Chieti, Italy)

  • Sonia Ingoglia

    (Department of Psychology, Educational Science and Human Movement, University of Palermo, 90128 Palermo, Italy)

Abstract

The main goal of the current study was to examine the direct and moderating effects of civic discussions with parents and environmental sensitivity using both the total score and its specific dimensions (i.e., Aesthetic Sensitivity, AES; Ease of Excitation, EOE; Low Sensitivity Threshold, LST) on youth civic engagement (attitudes and behaviours). The empirical analysis relied on a questionnaire-based survey conducted on a sample of 438 adolescents (30% males), aged between 14 and 18 years ( M = 16.50, SD = 1.36). We used a structural equation model (SEM) with latent variables and the latent moderated structural equation (LMS) method to test our hypotheses. Our results showed that civic discussions with parents were positively and significantly associated with general environmental sensitivity and with AES and predicted both civic attitudes and civic behaviours; EOE was negatively and significantly related to civic behaviours; AES was positively and significantly related to civic attitudes; and LST was not significantly related to either civic attitudes or behaviours. Contrary to our expectations, environmental sensitivity did not moderate the relationship between civic discussions with parents and civic engagement. Our study further highlights the relevance that parents have in shaping their children’s civic engagement and makes a novel contribution regarding how differences in perceiving and processing environmental stimuli can affect beliefs and behaviours toward community issues among young individuals.

Suggested Citation

  • Giusy Danila Valenti & Alida Lo Coco & Nicolò Maria Iannello & Cristiano Inguglia & Michael Pluess & Francesca Lionetti & Sonia Ingoglia, 2023. "Individual Differences in Adolescents’ Civic Engagement: The Role of Civic Discussions with Parents and Environmental Sensitivity," IJERPH, MDPI, vol. 20(13), pages 1-17, July.
    • Handle: RePEc:gam:jijerp:v:20:y:2023:i:13:p:6315-:d:1188829
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    References listed on IDEAS

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    1. Alessandra Santona & Francesca Lionetti & Giacomo Tognasso & Chiara Fusco & Graziana Maccagnano & Danila Barreca & Laura Gorla, 2023. "Sensitivity and Attachment in an Italian Sample of Hikikomori Adolescents and Young Adults," IJERPH, MDPI, vol. 20(12), pages 1-14, June.
    2. Andreas Klein & Helfried Moosbrugger, 2000. "Maximum likelihood estimation of latent interaction effects with the LMS method," Psychometrika, Springer;The Psychometric Society, vol. 65(4), pages 457-474, December.
    3. Elvira Cicognani & Claudia Pirini & Corey Keyes & Mohsen Joshanloo & Reza Rostami & Masoud Nosratabadi, 2008. "Social Participation, Sense of Community and Social Well Being: A Study on American, Italian and Iranian University Students," Social Indicators Research: An International and Interdisciplinary Journal for Quality-of-Life Measurement, Springer, vol. 89(1), pages 97-112, October.
    4. Brady, Bernadine & Chaskin, Robert J. & McGregor, Caroline, 2020. "Promoting civic and political engagement among marginalized urban youth in three cities: Strategies and challenges," Children and Youth Services Review, Elsevier, vol. 116(C).
    5. Albert Satorra & Peter Bentler, 2010. "Ensuring Positiveness of the Scaled Difference Chi-square Test Statistic," Psychometrika, Springer;The Psychometric Society, vol. 75(2), pages 243-248, June.
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