JMIR Publications

ABSTRACT

As a critical period in psychosocial development, adolescence is marked by heightened emotion regulation demands as well as increased risk for, and vulnerability to, stress. This longitudinal study investigates how dynamic patterns (i.e., variability, instability, inertia, and reactivity to stress) in positive and negative affect relate to, and predict change in, broad domains of adolescent psychosocial well-being, namely mental health, social well-being, and academic motivation. At baseline, adolescents aged 14-17 from Southwestern Ontario reported on their academic motivation, social well-being (e.g., social support, loneliness), and mental health (e.g., anxiety syndrome severity) before completing a 35-day ecological momentary assessment protocol wherein participants reported twice daily on positive and negative affect, stress, and internalizing symptom severity. Participants then repeat the surveys of academic motivation, social well-being, and mental health 6-, 12-, and 18-months following baseline assessment to assess change in broad domains of psychosocial well-being. This study protocol paper outlines the study overarching objectives and methodology to promote transparency and reproducibility. Overall, this study aims to identify the potential implications of dynamic emotional processing (e.g., affective reactivity to daily stress) for both adolescent psychopathology and well-being beyond clinical syndromes.