About this Research Topic
The body-mind dissociation is an important source of internal and relational disturbances. Of all the periods of life, adolescence is perhaps when the body-mind conflict manifests itself with peculiar intensity, due to the requirement made on the mind by the bodily changes of puberty. The pubescent transformations that trigger changes in the body image and, hence, into the image of the self obliges the body and mind to negotiate a new relationship. A failure in such a delicate and intricate process may result in a neglect of the reality of the sexual body and contribute to a marked dissociation. The body suddenly becomes foreign, alien, and uncontrollable, is hated, disinvested, or attacked (such as eating disorders, self-injury and even suicide).
This Research Topic stimulates a multidisciplinary discussion around the intricate relationship between body and mind in adolescence. The main goal is to contribute to a better and broader understanding of the importance of the body in mental functioning and body-focused disorders (i.e., eating disorders, non-suicidal self-injury), including their prevalence, development, predictors, interventions, and prevention strategies. This Research Topic also aims to draw attention to the impact of technology on development during adolescence, focusing on the identity formation process and the exploration of body representation and its detachment in virtual space. Of course, the new technologies (e.g., internet, social networks, virtual reality) can support the development and symbolic thinking, but they may be defensively used, by some vulnerable adolescents, to escape the troubled relationship with the reality of the changing body. This may adversely impact emotional, cognitive, and social functioning and increase the risk for adolescent mental health problems and adverse developmental outcomes.
This Research Topic welcomes scholars from different perspectives to provide their points of view concerning the problematic context of adolescent development and future directions in the field. Authors are invited to contribute by submitting clinical trials, original research, meta-analyses, systematic reviews, and brief reports.
Topics include but are not limited to the following areas:
- Body-Mind dissociation/integration;
- Body-focused disorders (i.e., eating disorders, non-suicidal self-injury);
- Suicidal ideation and suicide attempts in adolescence;
- Adolescent tattoos, body piercings and other body modifications;
- Emotion regulation strategies in adolescents;
- Prevention and early intervention in youth mental health;
- Technological developments and impacts on the psychic structure;
- The role of technology in promoting developmental processes;
- Cross-cultural perspectives on body image and related concerns.
This Research Topic stimulates a multidisciplinary discussion around the intricate relationship between body and mind in adolescence. The main goal is to contribute to a better and broader understanding of the importance of the body in mental functioning and body-focused disorders (i.e., eating disorders, non-suicidal self-injury), including their prevalence, development, predictors, interventions, and prevention strategies. This Research Topic also aims to draw attention to the impact of technology on development during adolescence, focusing on the identity formation process and the exploration of body representation and its detachment in virtual space. Of course, the new technologies (e.g., internet, social networks, virtual reality) can support the development and symbolic thinking, but they may be defensively used, by some vulnerable adolescents, to escape the troubled relationship with the reality of the changing body. This may adversely impact emotional, cognitive, and social functioning and increase the risk for adolescent mental health problems and adverse developmental outcomes.
This Research Topic welcomes scholars from different perspectives to provide their points of view concerning the problematic context of adolescent development and future directions in the field. Authors are invited to contribute by submitting clinical trials, original research, meta-analyses, systematic reviews, and brief reports.
Topics include but are not limited to the following areas:
- Body-Mind dissociation/integration;
- Body-focused disorders (i.e., eating disorders, non-suicidal self-injury);
- Suicidal ideation and suicide attempts in adolescence;
- Adolescent tattoos, body piercings and other body modifications;
- Emotion regulation strategies in adolescents;
- Prevention and early intervention in youth mental health;
- Technological developments and impacts on the psychic structure;
- The role of technology in promoting developmental processes;
- Cross-cultural perspectives on body image and related concerns.
Keywords: body-mind relationship, dissociation, self, adolescence, sexual body, pubescent transformation, sexuality, body-focused disorders, eating disorders, non-suicidal self-injury, suicidal behavior, body modification, public mental health, technological culture, virtual embodiment
Important Note: All contributions to this Research Topic must be within the scope of the section and journal to which they are submitted, as defined in their mission statements. Frontiers reserves the right to guide an out-of-scope manuscript to a more suitable section or journal at any stage of peer review.
