The third issue of the journal “Social Sciences and Childhood” for 2025 (No. 3, 2025) has been released. It features articles covering not only contemporary socio-psychological issues confronting professionals working in the field of childhood but also those affecting children themselves.
In the “General Psychology” section, an investigation by A.A. Zhdanova examines the specifics of emotional intelligence among specialists from guardianship and custody authorities performing various functional duties. The study shows that a high level of emotional intelligence helps reduce the risks of professional burnout and compassion fatigue, especially among employees who interact directly with children and families facing challenging life situations.
Under the rubric “Pedagogy and Psychology of Education,” V.V. Kasperovich and E.M. Semyonova (Minsk, Belarus; Moscow, Russia) present results from a comparative analysis of psychological well-being among professionally successful teachers versus those struggling with self-realization. Significant differences emerge in such characteristics as resilience, life purpose, meaning in life, self-perception, self-development, and self-regulation.
In the “Social Psychology” category, V.N. Oslon, E.N. Stakhova, and U.V. Kolesnikova (Moscow, Russia) focus on post-traumatic growth among prospective and current foster parents. High levels of post-traumatic growth are associated with maladaptive coping strategies and possible burnout risks among active foster parents. For candidates seeking adoption, however, emotional intelligence stands out as a critical psychological resource fostering the beginnings of personal growth.
An article by M.A. Odintsova and N.P. Radchikova explores life satisfaction and school involvement among Russian teenagers from diverse family backgrounds. Findings suggest that adolescents raised in intact families exhibit greater well-being and academic engagement compared to peers from single-parent or mixed households, who may benefit from supplementary psychological and educational interventions.
Continuing its commitment to interdisciplinary studies informed by epigenetics, the journal publishes another analytical piece by E.I. Nikolaeva, E.A. Dydenkova, and G.V. Semya. Their contribution investigates the psychophysiological underpinnings of parenting children deprived of parental care. Drawing upon historical cases where environmental conditions have influenced gene methylation patterns—for instance, the so-called "grandmother effect" seen in offspring of mothers who endured the Siege of Leningrad—they discuss more recent phenomena such as Quebec's Ice Storm cohort and commonplace events like maternal smoking or shifts in prenatal diet. Through elucidating epigenetic pathways connecting early trauma to developmental outcomes, they argue for sustained, targeted support systems for adoptive families at every stage, including adolescence.
Finally, Y.A. Kochetova and M.V. Klimakova conclude the issue with a comprehensive overview titled "Adolescent Identity Formation in Digital Environments." Herein, they analyze the impact of social media platforms on youthful self-image, identifying both perils—discrepancies between actual and idealized identities, dissatisfaction with physical appearance ("dysmorphophobia"), and context collapse—as well as benefits: enhanced self-expression, discovery of supportive networks, and cultivation of narrative-based identity constructs.