Gender self-confidence, scholastic stress, life satisfaction, and perceived academic achievement for adolescent New Zealanders.

INTRODUCTION: Confidence in one's gender self-concept has been positively associated with subjective well-being. Further, negative consequences for school life have occurred for adolescents with marginalised gender identities. As a central process variable of subjective well-being, life satisfaction has been positively associated with educational outcomes and inversely associated with stress. Stress, life satisfaction, and academic achievement have been examined in terms of gender, but less is known about their relationship with gender self-concept. Importantly, gender self-concept has been rendered especially vulnerable in adolescence-a time when social self-concept and life satisfaction are reportedly lower than in childhood. METHOD: The current study was conducted with adolescents (N = 1601) from seven secondary schools comprising a range of socioeconomic backgrounds and ethnicities, in two major New Zealand metropolitan centres. Data were collected via self-report survey. After checking the validity of each measurement model by using confirmatory factor analysis, structural equation modelling was performed to explore associations between aspects of gender self-concept, stress, life satisfaction (LS), and perceived academic achievement (PAA). RESULTS: Gender self-definition (GSD; one's self-definition of one's own gender identity) was associated positively with stress, and negatively with perceived academic achievement. Gender self-acceptance (GSA; contentment with one's self-defined gender identity) was negatively associated with stress, and positively associated with LS. Both gender self-acceptance and LS were associated positively with PAA. Two stressors mediated the relationship between LS and both GSD and GSA. CONCLUSION: Implications are suggested for fostering gender-identity safe school environments for adolescents to ensure positive wellbeing and scholastic outcomes.

Asian New Zealanders' experiences of racism during the COVID-19 pandemic and its association with life satisfaction.

AIM: Racism is an important social determinant of wellbeing. This study describes New Zealand Asians' experience of racism and the association between their racism experiences and their impacts on life satisfaction during the COVID-19 pandemic. METHOD: This study collected 1,452 responses by the cross-sectional online survey conducted in 2021. Descriptive and logistic regression analyses yielded the prevalent types and settings of racism, identified subgroups exposed more to racism and its association with life satisfaction. RESULTS: Results show that nearly 40% (37.7-42.9%) of participants experienced racism, mainly in public places, social media and mainstream media. Verbal attacks and microaggressions were predominant types of racism. Younger, student, temporary visa holding, and rural area participants were more likely to experience racism. Associations between not experiencing racism and high life satisfaction were significant. CONCLUSION: This study identified two under-represented subgroups, students and migrants, who were disproportionately exposed to racism. It also revealed that experiences of COVID-era racism are associated with life satisfaction. These findings inform us where anti-racism interventions are most needed, and that such interventions are needed to ensure the wellbeing of Asian communities in a COVID-19 world.