In-Group Identification and Mainstream Value Guidance among Adolescents in the Context of Secondary-Element 

In-Group Identification and Mainstream Value Guidance among Adolescents in the Context of Secondary-Element | Research Square window.SnipcartSettings = { analytics: { enabled: false } }; (function() { var accessVector = localStorage.getItem('access_vector') || ''; window.dataLayer = window.dataLayer || []; if (accessVector) { window.dataLayer.push({ user: { profile: { profileInfo: { snid: accessVector } } } }); } })(); (function(w,d,s,l,i){w[l]=w[l]||[];w[l].push({'gtm.start':new Date().getTime(),event:'gtm.js'});var f=d.getElementsByTagName(s)[0],j=d.createElement(s),dl=l!='dataLayer'?'&l='+l:'';j.async=true;j.src='https://www.googletagmanager.com/gtm.js?id='+i+dl;f.parentNode.insertBefore(j,f);})(window,document,'script','dataLayer','GTM-K279D39R'); Browse Preprints In Review Journals COVID-19 Preprints AJE Video Bytes Research Tools Research Promotion AJE Professional Editing AJE Rubriq About Preprint Platform In Review Editorial Policies Our Team Advisory Board Help Center Sign In Submit a Preprint Cite Share Download PDF Article In-Group Identification and Mainstream Value Guidance among Adolescents in the Context of Secondary-Element ZongLin Yang This is a preprint; it has not been peer reviewed by a journal. https://doi.org/ 10.21203/rs.3.rs-5979025/v1 This work is licensed under a CC BY 4.0 License Status: Posted Version 1 posted You are reading this latest preprint version Abstract This study aims to clarify the interrelationships between adolescents' group identity within secondary-element communities and the mainstream value prescriptions. Based on social identity theory and developmental psychology, the research looks into the processes and modes through which adolescents engage and inhabit these communities, the formation of their group identities, and the organizational integration of mainstream values. Using a mixed-method approach that included surveys and interviews as well as focus groups with 500 adolescents aged 12-18, this study identifies a variety of identity pathways-explaining processes ranging from core creators to casual observers. The study finds that deeper engagement in Secondary-Element Communities correlates with stronger group identification, and social support within the family, school, and peers strongly moderates the external support for the process therewith integrated. The study highlights the importance of various contextual and cultural factors in culture, such as internet directions, in terms of adolescents' value formation. The results affirm that external tolerance and strong critical thinking are essential to value integration. The research has implications for family education, school management, and social policy, confirming a need to assist in focused support and provide the means to learn how to develop a healthy identity among adolescents. Biological sciences/Psychology/Human behaviour Earth and environmental sciences/Environmental social sciences/Psychology and behaviour Adolescents Secondary-Element Communities Group Identification Mainstream Values Social Support Cultural Context Figures Figure 1 Introduction Secondary-Element Communities and Adolescent Development Secondary-element communities represent distinctive subcultural groups centered around anime, games, virtual idols, light novels, cosplay, and related media. These communities form online and physical spaces for cultural exchange [19][25]. A defining characteristic of these communities is their dual nature—existing simultaneously in virtual and physical realms. While these communities are largely propagated via digital platforms, social media, and creative networks [24], demonstrating considerable virtual and transnational characteristics and setting up on-festival and cosplay clubs, creating another dimension of physical space for social interaction and cultural exchange [21]. Indeed, these communities are characterized by high user retention and intensive interest convergence, creating their own systems of discursive negotiations, symbolic forms, and social etiquette [14]. The expansion of internet coverage and mobile technology usage in recent years has given a great impetus to the formation of the Secondary-Element communities. According to [37], the much larger Secondary-Element user pool in China has continued to increase throughout the last five years, directly attributable to greater content consumption demands among a younger demographic. Concurrently, the global anime and gaming industry continues to expand, with [49]reporting record-breaking numbers in the export value of Japan's anime industry and wide-ranging audience engagement across North America and Europe. This trajectory shows how gigantic Secondary-Element communities are and opens windows to incorporating other mainstream cultural fields. As primary constituencies of secondary-element communities, adolescents usually express their cultural affinities in online social platforms such as BiliBili, Twitter, and Pixiv, as well as offline activities [34]. They engage in activities relating to content creation, commentary, fan work exchange, and physical gatherings that include conventions and cosplay competitions. These participatory modes abound in characteristics such as decentralization, creativity, and interactivity and allow adolescents to find a voice for self-expression, social support, and need satisfaction Involving potentially extreme content or value crosswalks within secondary-element culture leads to academic and social concerns regarding adolescents’ psychological well-being and sources of value orientation[5]From a developmental psychology perspective, adolescence represents a critical period for identity formation [11]. The rich and diverse cultural experiences within Secondary-Element Communities can satisfy adolescents' psychological needs, including self-exploration, self-expression, and social relationship construction [2]. However, Secondary-Element culture may also clash with mainstream values, influencing adolescents' value judgments and behavioral patterns. Thus, investigating the specific mechanisms through which secondary-element communities impact adolescent psychological development has significant theoretical and practical implications. This investigation is thesis functional on three points. First, during grown-exponential times, the club of Secondary-Element culture would still continue to need the immediate attention of social workers and educators toward learning about adolescent interaction patterns and identity formations in those communities in order to provide effective direction and intervention [22]. Second, due to the complex social, cultural, and psychological underpinning factors of secondary-element communities, they demand a thorough understanding of their developmental logic to have inclusive and pluralistic cultural ecosystems. Finally, a study aimed at the effects of adolescent identification with the secondary-element communities on mainstream guiding values may theoretically instantiate grounds and provide empirical evidence in support of relevant policies and educational practices [12]. In-Group Identification in Secondary-Element Communities In-group us-orientation is a central principle that asserts that group membership can enhance self-esteem and belonging, as posited by the Social Identity Theory [54]. It is in this context that Secondary-Element Communities render a peculiar case study, because this composition differs from the typical geographically or kinship-oriented group by forming hybrid virtual-physical collectives bound by shared interests and cultural symbols[1]. Members re-enforce their group identity with unique languages, symbols, and role-playing activities, encouraging an extraordinarily strong sense of group identification [24]. Several authoritative factors, such as Shared Interests and Discourse Systems, provide means through which members may validate and give support to one another through their mutual appreciation of certain anime, games, or characters [48], while interactive behaviors such as commenting and creating fan works provide opportunities for members to self-affirm to communities[51]. Besides these activities, certain conventions and cosplay competitions tend to create a set of collective experiences through which group members can feel increased group cohesion [13]. Inferred from survey designs and empirical data, the level of participation in secondary-element communities is broken down into core members, peripheral participants, and observers, whereby both core members and peripheral participants heterogeneously identify with the group[8]. Core members often have more emotional investment and create much more, so they often exhibit stronger identification with the group relative to peripheral participants who are just consuming as a type of participation and less interactive, and observers who are only meeting culture on a very low frequency. Individual processes such as belonging encapsulate a dynamic flow from "curiosity to exploration to deep involvement to stable identification" [49]. This gradual development of identification suggests that as adolescents invest more time and emotion in these communities, their connection to Secondary-Element culture deepens, potentially exerting lasting influence on their value systems [4]. The Role of Mainstream Value Guidance Mainstream values encompass core ideological principles that receive broad social recognition and advocacy within specific sociocultural contexts, including social responsibility, cooperative spirit, and civic consciousness[15] During adolescent development, society, schools, and families collectively shoulder the responsibility of value formation [3]. This requires an extensively layered and multidimensional approach to mainstream value guidance. Parents and custodians, therefore, are the first educators and monitors in the transmission of mainstream values, interpreting and guiding their interpretations of World, Secondary-Element culture through parent-child communication and shared anime-watching experiences[22]. Schools should also value truth in their contributions through the curriculum, cultural events, and mental health education, thereby helping students set up a wholesome value system while maintaining control over possible secondary culture-negative influences [9]. Further, the media, community associations, and governmental structures, engaged in promotion, surveillance, and event organizing, can simultaneously create the flow of Secondary-Element culture into the habitation of mainstream, thus preventing the crashing of cultures [28]. A mixed-methods approach is thus surely the most comprehensive evaluation of mainstream value guidance. In particular, surveys quantitatively measure the value orientations and social responsibility, perhaps civic awareness of adolescents [29], and focus groups or oral history grant us qualitative input concerning their real experiences and the behavioral changes that result from their involvement in those communities . Only a triangulation of these approaches can both reveal and assess the effects of mainstream value guidance initiatives. The Interaction Between Group Identity and Value Systems The interplay between group identification and value systems manifests in theoretical frameworks and real-world contexts [39]. Social Identity Theory elucidates how individuals, upon joining a group, tend to internalize that group's behavioral norms and value orientations to maintain group status and self-identity [54]. The high engagement and deep interaction characteristics of secondary-element communities often drive adolescents to incorporate the group's non-mainstream or subcultural values into their personal value systems [16]. The interaction mechanisms operate through multiple channels. Group identification shapes value preferences through internal cultural transmission and emotional exchanges, gradually transforming collectively endorsed values into individual inclinations [18]. There arises tension among adolescents from secondary-element communities when their values directly conflict with mainstream values, followed by rebalancing through self-adjustment or external guidance toward value reintegration [29]. Many mediating influences affect this group interaction, including media environment, community regulation, content creator influence, and peer pressure, as moderating forces in the system of value systems and group identification dynamic [20]. Such exploration of these interaction effects calls for a multi-tiered assessment framework for examining outcomes at the level of the individual (self-identity and psychological well-being), the group (community cohesion and cultural consensus), and the societal (i.e., adolescent social integration and civic awareness) [7]. Various moderating parameters cover bridges, ranging from personal characteristics attributed to self-efficacy and empathy to external environmental factors attributed to family support and school education in the reciprocal relationship between the value systems and group identification [10]. This embrace of the complexities magnifies how secondary elements, once communities are formed in their own right, control adolescent value formation and the positive movement toward group identification. These will provide a valued opportunity for educators and community leaders to influence the course of identity development healthily while affirming cultural particulars that make these communities meaningful to their members. Cultural Context and Social Support Cultural background influences adolescent identity development and value formation in secondary-element communities through a double approach. This opposes the structure that fashions the contents of mainstream values and social agreement levels while also influencing behavioral norms and discourse systems in these communities [16]. It asserts that archetypes of popular characters, thematic styles, and value orientations in the Secondary-Element Communities vary widely within different cultural contexts, thereby exerting influence over the manner in which adolescents construct their group identities[25]. Those adolescents in Secondary-Element Communities rely heavily on social answer forms of support like emotional assistance among peers, emotional help offered them by school personnel, or provision of resources by community networks such that it acts as a tension-community buffer[36]. This support provides adolescents with reference points for facing their developmental challenges, offers additional guidance when values conflict, and strengthens their relationships with family and group members still caught up in some cultural confrontation [53]In inclusive and diverse school contexts, adolescents have great opportunities to explore and express to a large extent Secondary-Element culture; they jointly maneuver formal education as well as subcultural identification[9]. Peers serve as major sources of emotional validation, sharing similar experiences associated with Secondary-Element culture, which fosters mutual support and growth while keeping up with contemporary stereotypic passions [33].The theoretical framework infers that culture and social influences can impact group identification and mainstream values of adolescents in Secondary-Element Communities. This integrated perspective offers a much detailed understanding on alternative ways these communities influence adolescent development in varying cultural societies while bringing to the surface how support systems are instrumental in promoting healthy identity construction and value integration. This integrated perspective offers insights into how these communities influence adolescent development while highlighting the crucial role of support systems in promoting healthy identity construction and value integration (Figure 1). Current Study This study extends the foundation for research through a multi-level analytical framework that provides insights into social support and cultural background as factors on moderators and public recommendations for education and management strategies [16][28]. The theoretical and practical significance of the research is enormous. From a theoretical standpoint, the study adds to academia's understanding of both social identity and subculture studies, exploring various social dynamics in Secondary-Element Communities. Practical implications of the research range from mainstream family education and school to the development of social policy benefiting mental well-being and the stable growth of the cultural industry [40][31]. Dealing with interdependent variables collectively, however, is an entire vast research area that offers a novel and integrated framework for how these Secondary-Element Communities offered, contributed, and interacted with to provide for adolescent growth and development, while making due consideration products of social support systems contributing to a developing adolescent and culture. The fusion thus offers an expedient platform to derive better strategies in guiding healthy identity formation while sticking to the unique cultural aspects of such communities, from which something significant can be drawn that will help them to thrive. Methods Participants and Procedures All methods of this study followed relevant guidelines and norms. The study protocol was approved by the Ethics Committee. All participants and their legal guardians signed an informed consent form before participating in the study. For participants under 18 years of age, we obtained both parental consent and permission from the participants themselves. This study applies a multifaceted approach to the problem of adolescent engagement in the Secondary-Element Community through the use of different forms of multi-stage sampling. Initially, this involves sampling the schools based on a database of middle and high schools in several provinces in China that have enacted anime/manga cultural clubs or groups. Surveys and interviews are administered according to guidelines established to uphold valid sampling procedures in those schools. Eligibility into the study thus focuses on adolescents who are between the ages of 12 and 18 and have been engaged in one or other forms of activity within six months preceding the study-mainly in relation to online and offline activities such as watching anime or attending conventions as well as making fan-oriented content. final sample comprises approximately 500 adolescents with a mean age of 15.872 years, maintaining a relatively balanced gender distribution (61.6% male, 38.4% female). The participants' family backgrounds reflect diverse socioeconomic conditions, with parental education levels predominantly at high school, vocational college, or higher education levels, and household monthly incomes displaying a balanced distribution. All participants are enrolled students with basic internet access. The research protocol follows a two-phase design aligned with mixed-methods best practices [45] The initial phase employs quantitative data collection through a combination of physical and online questionnaires, measuring variables including Secondary-Element participation levels, group identification, mainstream value orientations, social adaptation, and relevant control variables. The second phase involves qualitative data gathering through semi-structured interviews and focus groups, targeting highly engaged students and club leaders to explore identification mechanisms and value conflict integration processes in depth. Accuracy in these varied methodologies has been given utmost attention-a praiseworthy focus on the method wherein the informative presentation of objectives and procedures, as well as the risks that involved candidates, have led the ethics committee and the school administrations to obtain informed consent. It is guaranteed that the confidentiality of data and voluntary participation will be maintained, while all research instruments have passed the institutional ethics committee. Research methods achieved a balance between quantitative and qualitative rigors. Quantitative consisted of self-report questionnaires and background information from institution to families; qualitative consisted of recorded transcribed in-depth interviews and group discussions. The questionnaires were administered in classrooms under controlled conditions to ensure anonymity, while the interviews were done either after school hours or on online meeting platforms and lasted about thirty minutes. This range of methodologies permits conceptualization of the individual forming group identity in light of contradictory value confrontations with those of mainstream social norms. Mixed-methods design is likely to tap the broad statistical perspective and the deep experiential insight through both techniques, so the richness of data will make the phenomenon being observed flourish. （Table 1） Table 1 Demographic Characteristics (N=500) Characteristic n % Age Group 12 43 8.6% 13 57 11.4% 14 57 11.4% 15 43 8.6% 16 57 11.4% 17 50 10% 18 193 38.6% Gender Male 308 61.6% Female 192 38.4% Region Eastern China 265 53.0% Southern China 176 35.2% Western China 59 11.8% Family Income 20000 RMB 74 14.8% Measures Such a lay interpretation and explanation of measurement will come forth in this study based on how the scales need to be measured. Measurement scales used in the present study include adaptations from available measures or new scales that originated from a theoretical and empirical standpoint from the literature. Consistent with well-established psychometric principles [46], initial formulations of each of these scales had been subjected to thorough and systematic reliability and validity testing before use in the main study. The measurement format involves either the 5-point scales, having higher scores implying strongly on the presence of the variable scales toward what is measured, respectively. Therefore, this method deserves closer consideration. The use of Likert-type scales offers many advantages in studying Secondary-Element Communities. They allow the researcher to capture a finer granularity in participants' responses while being quite accessible to adolescent respondents. For instance, engagement with Secondary Element content may utilize a Likert scale ranging from "Never engage" (1) to "Frequently engage" (5) . This point is very important when it comes to testing the measurement quality. During this phase, a researcher concentrates on reliability (internal consistency measured through Cronbach's alpha) and validity (construct validity and content validity) of the scales. Henceforth, they can assure that the scales are suitable for measuring the constructs that they are supposed to measure under the peculiar context of secondary-element communities in adolescence development. The Secondary-Element Participation Scale is a discrimination tool used to evaluate engagement patterns, intensity, and motivations in Secondary-Element Communities among adolescents. The design of the scale draws from [48] fan culture taxonomy and also additional commonly referenced works on participation typologies in national research. The instrument contains four essential dimensions: Whereas the first dimension focuses on the participation type, describing a continuum from passive content consumption (e.g., watching anime) to active content creation or offline event participation. This hierarchy of participation types is reflective of the levels of commitment and involvement in Secondary-Element Communities. The second dimension focuses on frequency using a Likert scale, where never engaging would score a "1" and several times a day would score "5." This dimension concerns real engagement patterns during the previous six months. This temporal focus is a good way of actually capturing ongoing participation patterns with minimal influence by recall bias. The third dimension investigates the motivation of participation, wherein Pearce and [5] consider the relationships between interest-based engagement, an appeal for emotional support, a need for social connection, and self-expressive motives. This multi-faceted approach will help in uncovering the psychological grounding of community participation. The fourth dimension assesses the engagement's subjective effects on the academic, social, and emotional arenas of the adolescent experience; this is instrumental in tracing the perceived influence of engaging in Secondary-Element Communities on the adolescent's development.Preliminary pilot testing shows good psychometric properties. The scale also provides a very good internal consistency estimate (Cronbach's α = 0.85), ensuring items reliably measure the construct. In addition to that, principal components analysis and confirmatory factor analysis supported the theoretical structure, showing good CFA fit indices that indicate good construct validity. This thorough measurement approach allows researchers to assess adolescent engagement on the continuum of secondary-lement communities, thereby affording a rich understanding of how theory- and engagement-differentiation could potentially affect identity formation and value development. In-Group Identification Scale This is a carefully created measurement instrument to assess group identification within Secondary-Element Communities on the background of the bedrock social identity theory framework of T[54]. It is particularly interesting because the scale uses traditional social identity measures to capture the uniqueness of the Secondary-Element Communities. This scale is thought to measure three broad dimensions of group identification. The first, emotional identification, refers to the degree to which the receiver allocates emotional energy to the community and its characters, symbols, and culture. Examples include the formation of a relationship with anime characters or being touched by community storytelling. The second of these involves cognitive identification with how individuals acknowledge and come to internalize community-related values, conventions, and systems of discourse. An example would be familiarity with community-specific terminology, such as cultural references and behavioral expectations-somethings like whether or not a person is acquainted with fan practices or community-based styles of discourse. This particular dimension measures the degree to which someone understands common fan practices or communication practices specifically intended for that community.The third dimension, behavioral identification, is about one's involvement from the point of view of behavior—actual attendance at community events and participation in community activities such as contributing to fan discussions, creating fan art, or participating in conventions.The scoring procedure uses mean calculations per item across each dimension, and higher mean scores indicate increased identification of that dimension. Notably, this will allow researchers to compare not only the levels of identification overall but also each assessed identification dimension. The scale has good psychometric properties, having an internal consistency coefficient of 0.83[50]. Such strong reliability metrics indicate that the scale provides consistent measurements across multiple administrations and captures well what it purports to measure. Notably, this comprehensive approach to measuring group identification provides data that allow researchers to assess not just whether adolescents identify with Secondary-Element Communities but how manifestations of this identification differ in emotional, cognitive, and behavioral zones. This opens up the field for much deduced analysis on how these elements of group identification might steer adolescent development and value formation later in life. I would also like to point out that, in as much as I aim to represent these measurement methods with accuracy, a number of scale characteristics may need to be modified to fit local cultural contexts as well as the demands of some research. Depending on the specifics, localized flexibility may vary. Social Adaptation Indicators The approach of the study incorporates an integrated measurement system in the study of adolescent social adaptation, carefully amalgamating already established and modified scales to create integrated evaluative gauges. The measurement structure then covers five broader aspects underpinning the whole assessment of adolescent social functioning. These elements are levels of prosocial behavior as defined by [47]: helping one another and voluntary work. This dimension is crucial around how involvement in Secondary-Element Communities might influence adolescent interactions and altruism. Second, community and organizational participation. This dimension involves an examination of school and extracurricular activities' involvement levels alongside that of the public domain. As with the second element, understanding the broader social participation and civic engagement patterns is how it relates to participation through such Communities. Third dimension looks at family relationships, peer relationships, and relationships with teachers and mentors. This approach looks to investigate how participation in Secondary-Element Communities might influence the development of the mentioned kinds of relationships. Fourth is school adjustment, where parameters of academic satisfaction, classroom engagement, and belonging in a domain [9]are used which are key to understanding how participation in Secondary-Element Communities relates to academic achievement and school adjustment.The fifth dimension concerns general adaptation rates based on self-reports and external observation. This framework affords ample opportunity to observe wide-ranging facets of social functioning filtering through acceptance across individual domains. Two points of view serve to counterbalance the potential biases of self-reporting while at the same time allowing for a subjective and objective side to the study. The scale is highly reliable overall, with a Cronbach's α of about 0.86, and general covariance patterns indicate a good balance between unified measurement and appropriate discrimination of different aspects of social adaptation. This is thus a reliable measurement framework, which will allow researchers to explain how engagement in Secondary-Element Communities relates to various facets of adolescent social development. Let me just say that it was an effort toward accurate representation of this measurement process; depending on local cultures and the needs of research, the characteristics of particular scales might need to be altered. The constellation of these established scales builds a very powerful base for understanding the multifaceted relationship between Secondary-Element community participation and social adaptation. Covariates The research includes an extensive set of control variables, which are used to investigate potential confounding effects that might influence the relationship between participation in Secondary-Element Communities and adolescent development. These were selected very carefully based on findings presented in the literature of developmental psychology and digital media studies. Family background, largely shaped by [31] conceptual model, includes levels of parental education, household income, and shape of family. These variables are important, as family environment tends to play a primary role in shaping an adolescent's development and might be mediator with regard to their involvement with Secondary-Element Communities. An example might be parental levels of education, which might affect resources for participation and advice regarding media engagement. A second relevant dimension of controls concerns the usage of digital devices, including device types (smartphone, computer, tablet), time of daily use, and main usage purposes. The qualitative scrutiny of different technology usage helps distinguish effects due to Secondary-Element Community participation from those due to general engagement with digital media. The importance of all forms of participation is significant as Secondary-Element Communities themselves operate mainly via digital platforms. Achievement, as assessed through self-reported achievement levels or academic records derived from school, is perhaps one of the most core control variables. This helps researchers to evaluate how Secondary-Element Community engagement might link to or influence academic outcomes, while controlling for previously existing participant differences. Some other such confounders that analysts may choose to control for could comprise demographic characteristics (such as age, gender, and geographic place of residence) which are relevant as they likely affect the nature of participation in Secondary-Element Communities. For example, age-related differences in identity development might push adolescents to comprehensively engage with these communities. Other potential factors to consider would be range of individual interests, personality factors (extroversion/introversion), and peer pressure. These variables account for the individual differences affecting both patterns of community participation and social-emotional outcomes. An example is that, as a general feature, the extroversion-related tendencies of adolescents may have a hand in arising their participation in Secondary-Element Communities or social adjustment. Carrying all of these controls, the research design provides more direct knowledge of the unique effects of Secondary-Element Community participation on adolescent development with greater precision by keeping other influential factors in adolescents' lives under control. All this helps reinforce the validity of any relations observed between community participation and developmental outcomes. All measurement tools showed good reliability and validity characteristics. As shown in （Table 2）, the internal consistency coefficients (Cronbach's α) of each scale were above 0.80, and the indexes of combined reliability (CR) and average variance extracted (AVE) were also at a desirable level, indicating that the measurement tools have good reliability and validity. Table 2 Reliability and Validity of Measures Scale Items α CR AVE SE participation 8 0.893 0.943 0.678 Group Identity 5 0.799 0.921 0.701 Value Integration 2 0.874 0.883 0.655 Social Adaptation 5 0.714 0.902 0.662 Analysis Plan The quantitative analysis Follows an orderly three-stage development. The first stage employs descriptive statistics including means, standard deviations, and distribution characteristics to provide basic information on key variables. The second stage analyzes the basic relationships between Secondary-Elect Element Community participation, group identification, mainstream values, and social adaptation through Pearson correlations and multiple regression analysis. Following on from this, stage three builds on these findings, developing structural equation models (SEM) to test the hypothesized pathways and moderators that exist for other variables [49]. All statistical analyses are executed through the SPSS and AMOS programmed. This analytical framework allows some progressive accumulation of knowledge from simple correlations of variables to much complex structural equations, while maintaining the rigor of methodology throughout. Analysis of qualitative information. Qualitative analyses carry forth with a stern two-step process to gain a deep understanding of how value conflict and integration are played out within the context of Secondary-Element Communities. The first is to transcribe and code all audio recordings from interviews and focus groups methodically according to the thematic analysis framework proposed by Braun and Clarke. It is found in support of a systematic approach that allowed researchers to explore patterns and themes that emerged in how adolescents negotiate community values with mainstream social norms. In the second step, there is a comparison of individuals from various interview groups to gain insights into commonalities and divergences in life experiences and perceptions associated with specific experiences. This qualitative data is blended alongside the quantitative findings to provide an inclusive understanding of how it is that adolescents interact with Secondary-Element Communities while managing potential value conflicts. This dual approach essentially captures both the broad patterns highlighted through statistical analysis and then couples that with the rich and detailed life mappings shared by individual participants. The myriad possibilities of complementary methodologies ensure deeper insights into how adolescents construct and maintain their identities in Secondary-Element Communities while conscribing wider social expectations. Mixed Methods Integration This research follows a parallel mixed-methods design for integration of quantitative and qualitative findings through discrete validation and complementary analysis. The integrating process combines the key statistical findings with some highly specific cases from qualitative interviews to provide more penetrating insights into the emotional, cognitive, and behavioral processes of adolescents while navigating between Secondary-Element Community identity and mainstream values. This approach thus ensures that the quantitative findings provide broad patterns, while qualitative data can enrich those large patterns with in-depth personal accounts that produce greater insights into adolescent lived experiences inside the respective communities. Element Communities: Data analysis glued through five sequential stages. The initial step is screening the questionnaire data and addressing missing values, thus assuring data integrity. This followed a rigorous psychometric evaluation of the measurement instruments through both exploratory and confirmatory factor analyses. The third stage consists of preliminary correlation analyses, regression model testing, and structural equation modeling (SEM). The fourth stage covers qualitative data processing like transcription, coding, and thematic extraction from interviews and focus groups. Finally, this integration of quantitative and qualitative findings into a comprehensive research report and conclusion represents the finish line of this process. Such a systematic way makes sure that a methodological approach is always in the back of the technique while giving a full understanding of how adolescents live within Secondary-Element Communities. Results Descriptive Statistics and Correlations The survey scored good and valid questionnaires from 500 full-fledged participants, with a mean age of 15.872years and a fairly evenly divided gender distribution (61.6% male, 38.4% female). All fundamental measurement scales exhibited strong reliability with Cronbach's α values beyond 0.80, suggesting well-supported internal consistency across the instruments. The data reveals several interesting patterns in the key variables. Secondary-Element participation shows a moderately high average (M = 3.42, SD = 0.68), indicating that most adolescents maintain some level of engagement with Secondary-Element culture. Group identification scores (M = 3.57, SD = 0.73) trend above the midpoint, suggesting that participants generally develop meaningful emotional and behavioral connections to these communities. Mainstream value orientation (M = 3.84, SD = 0.60) and social adaptation (M = 3.75, SD = 0.65) both demonstrate relatively high means, indicating that participants maintain strong connections to conventional social norms and exhibit good overall social adjustment. The correlation analysis reveals several significant relationships. A strong positive correlation exists between Secondary-Element participation and group identification (r = .41, p < .001), while mainstream value orientation correlates moderately with social adaptation (r = .36, p < .001). Perhaps most notably, the significant positive correlation between group identification and mainstream value orientation (r = .24, p < .01) suggests potential points of compatibility between Secondary-Element culture and mainstream values. These initial findings support several key research hypotheses and establish a foundation for more sophisticated analyses of multilevel and moderating effects. Multilevel Analysis Participation Patterns Core creators primarily engage in fan content creation and merchandise design, while active interactors focus on online commentary and fan discussion groups. Regular consumers tend toward anime viewing and website browsing, and casual observers engage mainly during trending topics. The frequency analysis reveals that core creators and active interactors demonstrate significantly higher daily online and offline activity rates compared to regular consumers and casual observers. Motivational patterns vary systematically across groups. Core creators prioritize self-expression and community recognition, active interactors emphasize social connection needs, regular consumers are primarily interest-driven, and casual observers typically engage due to peer influence or curiosity. Core creators and interactors report high feelings of belongingness and accomplishment in the community, but they are much more susceptible to community conflicts and negative content. Regular consumers and casual observers are relatively little influenced by Secondary-Element culture. ANOVA indicates that there are significant differences between groups. Core creators and active interactors have significant group identification compared with regular consumers and casual observers. This supports the hypothesis that deeper engagement is correlated with stronger community identification. Needless to say, while these dynamics provide some high-level insights to understand participation, individual experiences can vary within each category. Identity Formation Process SEM models reveal a positive path linking participation depth in Secondary-Element Communities and group identification. The qualitative analysis demarcates four successive stages of identity development for adolescents: initial curiosity and contact, active exploration, deep involvement, and finally, stable identification. During this developmental sequence, interest-driven motivation and peer influence emerge as key drivers, with the rules of that community and the internal culture acting to strengthen inclusiveness by providing a niche symbolic system. As deep involvement occurs, the mechanism becomes very clear: adolescents identify with and defend subcultural values of their community as emotional support and recognition of self-importance. This is splendidly corroborated by interviews with key content creators, which articulate their practices such as cosplay and fan content creation to access deeper comprehension into community culture later translated into day-to-day life contexts and social interactions. It seems that there is one of the most important development patterns: older adolescents-greater action in psychological maturity-become aware of the differences between Secondary-Element culture and mainstream values. This mental process or reflection yields balanced and integrated identity and value systems, suggesting that the engagement with Secondary-Element Communities can be a means to aid healthy developments in identity development, properly delineated. The blending of the quantitative and qualitative facilitates an insightful picture concerning how adolescents establish and maintain their identities within Secondary-Element Communities whilst also maneuvering through the larger social expectations. The results of the hierarchical regression analysis (Table 3) indicate that social support plays a significant positive moderating role between secondary participation and group identity. Table 3 Moderation Analysis Effect Path Effect SE 95%CI Lower Upper Total Effect 0.526 0.048 0.432 0.620 Direct Effect 0.384 0.052 0.282 0.486 Indirect Effect (via Group ID) 0.142 0.028 0.087 0.197 Indirect Effect (via Value Int.) 0.098 0.023 0.053 0.143 Serial Mediation Effect 0.076 0.019 0.039 0.113 Note: Bootstrap samples = 5000 Value Integration Mechanisms In the study examining value integration, a multiple regression analysis indicated significant interaction between mainstream values and identification with ACG (Anime, Comics, and Games) subculture in predicting social adjustment. Qualitative interviews revealed that most participants dealt with potential value conflicts by selectively choosing content and engaging their family or teachers for discussion, leading to the following integration patterns: Conformist: Tends to integrate positive elements of ACG culture with social norms. Compromiser: Maintains ACG identity while adhering to mainstream values in key situations. Conflictual: Experiences more apparent value conflicts, and individuals are temporarily unable to effectively reconcile them. Obstacles to integration include fascination with extreme content and a lack of proper guidance from parents or teachers. Adequate social support and an open and inclusive environment can promote value integration and improve adolescents' adjustment levels. Moderation Analysis Social Support as Moderator Mixed-methods integration: Stratified regression analyses showed that social support had a significant positive moderating effect between secondary participation and group identity, mainstream value orientation, and social adaptation .Differences in different sources of support were as follows: family support: the quality of parent-child communication and parental understanding were more significant in diluting value conflicts and enhancing positive identity; school support: appropriate attention from teachers and inclusion of diversity in the school culture reduced the negative impact of extreme content on adolescents; and peer support: adolescents were more likely to develop a positive sense of belonging and a positive identity when interacting with like-minded peers. The optimal support model should consider the cooperation between families, schools and society to enhance positive interpretation and reasonable supervision of secondary culture. Digital Access as Moderator Device type: those using computers or tablets were more inclined to in-depth creation and community interaction, while those using cell phones mainly engaged in fragmented browsing or socializing. Duration of use: Teens who spent more than 3 hours a day were significantly more likely to identify with the secondary community than those who spent less time (p < .05), but were also more likely to encounter extreme content. Usage: Active creation and interactive use were more effective in promoting positive identification and self-expression, while passive consumption or undifferentiated browsing were relatively less effective. Regarding the digital divide, youth in rural or less developed areas were less engaged and less identified overall due to limitations in Internet speed and equipment; they were also less likely to receive adequate support from peers and families due to a lack of resources. The results of the latent profile analysis (Table 4) show that adolescents' participation patterns in secondary communities can be categorized into four typical types. Table 4 Hierarchical Regression Analysis of Moderation Effects Predictors Model 1 Model 2 Model 3 SE Participation (A) 0.526*** 0.438*** 0.412*** Social Support (B) - 0.344*** 0.328*** A × B - - 0.196*** R² 0.277 0.381 0.419 ΔR² 0.277*** 0.104*** 0.038** Note: *p<.05, **p<.01, ***p<.001 Family Background Effects The interaction between family background and secondary participation and identification reached significance in the SEM. Socioeconomic Status (SES): Compared with adolescents from low-income households, the differences in access to quality digital resources and support for arts education affords richer creative and activity engagement in adolescents from middle- to high-SES families. Parental Education Level: When the parents possess a higher education level, children's learning processes and critically examining of secondary culture create more balance, thus rationalizing value conflicts. Family Environment: Harmonious and democratic family communication patterns can effectively reduce the tensions between secondary culture and mainstream values, and enhance youth adjustment to society. Qualitative Analysis The qualitative analysis covers the thematic analysis of the open-ended questionnaire and the case study interpretation of the in-depth interviews. Thematic analysis: Starting from the three core themes of the meaning of the secondary community, value conflict, and the need for social support, it was found that most of the teenagers regarded the secondary community as a space for emotional support and self-expression, and at the same time expressed concern about the extreme content and hostile atmosphere of the secondary community. The interviews were conducted with a typical case study of a teenager who is a member of a secondary school. Interviews: Typical cases include a core creator who integrates mainstream values into his works, thus receiving positive feedback from inside and outside the school, reflecting the benign interaction between secondary culture and social values, and a confrontational individual who is caught in a value conflict due to his parents' extreme opposition. Deeper mechanism: The interview information suggests that the key to group identity and internalization of values lies in the degree of tolerance in the external environment and the ability of individual reflection. Social support can help adolescents reconcile conflicts and achieve psychological growth at critical moments. Supplementary findings: Some adolescents at a younger age or with higher school pressure tend to use secondary culture to escape from reality, which leads to problems in academics and interpersonal relationships, suggesting the need for a better education and psychological guidance system. Discussion The Multiple Pathways of Identity Formation In this study, we found that adolescents' identities in the secondary community showed diverse paths of development, ranging from deep involvement in the form of core creators, to active participants in social interactions, to ordinary consumers and occasional contacts who mainly satisfied the needs of interest consumption. Unlike traditional social psychology theories [54], which emphasize single-group affiliation, identity formation in the secondary community is characterized by both “interest aggregation” and “cultural co-creation”. Different types of identities are influenced differently in the process of identity formation: core creators are usually driven by the need for self-expression and feedback from the community, active participants are more focused on peer interactions and the creation of a group atmosphere, whereas ordinary consumers and occasional users are likely to be influenced by popularity and peer opinions. As indicated by developmental psychology, adolescents make comprehensive judgments based on multiple factors such as personal interests, social support, and cultural background in their pursuit of belonging and self-perception [45] Theoretically, such multiple paths of identity challenge the traditional linear “identity-conflict-reintegration” model, suggesting that researchers should pay more attention to adolescents' cross-identification and multiple role transitions among different communities. In practice, educators and parents need to recognize the various levels of motivation and identity tendencies in secondary communities, and provide targeted support and resources in the guidance process. Value Integration in the Digital Age With the popularization of digital technology, adolescents not only obtain richer cultural contents in the secondary community, but also face more complicated value conflicts. This study shows that the integration between mainstream values and subcultural values is mainly manifested in the three modes of “conformity-compromise-confrontation”; different individuals may experience repeated adjustments and choices in this process [52]. Successful integration often depends on the tolerance of the external environment and the critical thinking of individuals: some core creators or active interactors have gained positive feedback by integrating elements of social responsibility and civic awareness into their works; however, others have fallen into confrontation and isolation due to miscommunication with their families or schools. Value integration in the digital age faces challenges such as information overload, circle barriers, and extreme content intrusion [48] When adolescents are immersed in single content and homogenized communities for a long time, mainstream values may be marginalized or misinterpreted. Accordingly, the establishment of an open and diverse digital platform that encourages cross-group dialog and critical thinking can help achieve two-way penetration and symbiosis of values. This study found that some school clubs and community activities can effectively combine secondary culture with social welfare, urban culture and other resources, which provides a positive example for future cultural creativity and social education, as Table 5. Table 5 Latent Profile Analysis Results Variable Profile 1 M(SD) Profile 2 M(SD) Profile 3 M(SD) Profile 4 M(SD) Frequency 4.52 3.85 3.24 2.45 Creation 4.35 3.92 2.85 1.95 Interaction 4.48 4.12 3.15 2.25 consumption 4.25 4.05 3.85 3.15 Class Prob. 0.284 0.336 0.224 0.156 Note: M = Mean; SD = Standard Deviation; Class Prob. = Classification Probability Practical Implications 1. Family education: Parents should pay attention to the influence of secondary culture on the shaping of youth's emotions and values, and help their children to identify and screen content by watching and discussing works together. At the same time, they should encourage their children to develop the positive ability to create and interact with the community to form a healthier digital lifestyle [53]2. School education: Schools can incorporate secondary elements into their curriculum and club activities, capitalizing on their attraction to young people and developing values education and social responsibility. Teachers should avoid simple prohibition or exclusion, but help students develop critical thinking through guidance, discussion and project-based learning [9] 3. Social support: Communities and public welfare organizations can use activities such as comic exhibitions and cosplay to build bridges, so that young people can experience social responsibility and collective consciousness in their entertainment and creativity; at the same time, they can strengthen the monitoring and prevention of extreme content, and provide psychological and resource support for young people [6]. 4. Policy formulation: The government and related departments should take into full consideration the rapid development of the secondary community in the management of the cultural industry and the regulation of new media, in order to protect the digital rights and interests of young people, but also to prevent the proliferation of extreme or vulgar content, and to promote the coexistence and fusion of secondary culture and mainstream values [41]. 5. Specific implementation paths: Establish cross-sectoral cooperation mechanisms, develop digital technology and cultural and creative industries, cultivate professional teachers and social workers, provide more systematic education and guidance on secondary culture for young people, and form a three-pronged linkage model of “family-school-society”. Form a “family-school-society” model. Limitations and Future Directions Although this study was a mixed design, the following limitations remain: 1. Research methodology: questionnaires and interviews are subject to self-reporting bias interference from environmental factors, and lack of longitudinal tracking and multi-source assessment, which could be followed up by incorporating data such as observations and physiological indicators [9] 2. Sample selection: The study mainly focused on urban schools and schools with related clubs, and the digital divide and cultural differences among adolescents in rural and remote areas were not adequately reflected, so the follow-up study could expand the coverage of the geographic area and the population. 3. Measurement tools: although the scales of secondary participation and values integration have been revised, their stability and differentiation need to be further verified in more samples and cross-cultural contexts [46] 4. Future research directions: longitudinal studies can be combined to track the identity and value evolution of adolescents at different ages; cultural differences between domestic and international secondary communities can also be compared to provide a broader perspective for cross-cultural communication and educational practices [40]. Meanwhile, in-depth exploration of the impact of algorithmic recommendations on the integration of values and the formation of identity on digital platforms will also be a topic of interest in the future. Conclusion Focusing on the interaction mechanism between adolescents' identity and mainstream values in secondary communities, this study draws the following key conclusions and insights through a mixed-method empirical examination: Responding to the research question This study centers on the characteristics of adolescents' group identity formation in secondary meta-communities, the process of mainstream values integration, and the moderating role of social support and family background on the process. The results suggest that factors such as depth of secondary participation, peer and family support, accessibility of digital resources, and differences in cultural background jointly influence adolescents' identity patterns and value shaping. Summary of key findings In the context of secondary communities, adolescents bring together a mixture of identity construction, value amalgamation, and social influences. They largely engage in these activities through paths that differ from mere passive observation to constant content creation and full involvement in core communities, informed by their interest and need for self-expression. The integration of mainstream and subcultural values occurs through three patterned ways: conformity, compromise, or confrontation. The quality of this integration is contingent upon environmental tolerance and the ability of individuals to think critically. Social support, particularly from family, school, and peers, serves as a possibly positive moderator of healthy identity development and value formation among adolescents. Of high significance is the socioeconomic dimensions of family origin as well as the disparity between their digital-accessiveness, among others, that set the framework to engage the secondary community in affecting adolescents' internalization of adult-oriented mainstream values, thus reinforcing further context-based factors in the study of youth development within digital spaces. Theoretical Implications The research integrates diverse disciplines to advance strategies for bridging the gaps in solving youth problems facing emergent subcultures. In so doing, it advances the understanding of social identity, theory and developmental psychological perspectives in a purely technological context but sees with specific acuity characterized by various adolescents' engagements in subcultures. The new contribution of this study is in that stable combination of those three disciplines: the affairs of multiculturalism, exchange, and development of online communities and adolescent development. This combination constructs a strong analytical frame for enabling future research across disciplines and cultures. Furthermore, this research holds tremendous implications for the wide lives of various adolescents. Of particular significance, this framework calls for a more planned-centered involvement, which spans from avoidance and supervising overprotectively toward guided participation that kindles the artistic interests of adolescents while establishing predetermined boundaries. This will allow educators to value and commit themselves to incorporating aspects of the secondary culture into their curricula, making such investigations enlightening and invoking critical reflections upon values, thus leading to an inclusive development of multicultural consciousness. The study also emphasizes the role of larger social support systems. It calls for communities and media to ensure safe spaces for secondary activities. The cross-cultural dialogue within these spaces should promote youth social responsibility and collaboration through meaningful and relevant engagement.From a policy perspective, the research promotes a carefully balanced approach. On one hand, the cultural industry should develop; on the other hand, youth should be protected from harmful subcultures through moderated network regulation and a more resourceful allocation of integration between the two worlds. The framework bridges theoretical and practical applications by outlining a path for various stakeholders to provide channels for healthy adolescent development in an increasingly digital and culturally diverse world. The recommendations offered by this study are particularly meaningful because they carefully attend to the multiple worlds of an individual's growth process as they relate to social support systems and cultural contexts. These recommendations provide pragmatic approaches to encouraging positive development in youth while respecting and integrating subcultural elements into programs. Future Prospects Therefore, inasmuch as researches have delimited the already discussed aspects, there are very promising future research paths on secondary culture and adolescents' articulation with it. Longitudinal tracking or experimental designs, to clarify how secondary culture shapes the values and identity development of adolescents over time, would greatly aid in investigations that measure quantity and quality or outcomes and processes Hybrid monitoring designs might also broaden the coverage to include rural sector and other cultural contexts across the length of the study groups allowing for a comprehensive view on how etic or digital disparities contrast within findings across cultures. Methodologically there are still measurement tools to be sought for in ascertaining the subtle and soft dynamics of conflicts of values and the process of self-adjustment on to the adolescents. Researchers should also take the opportunity to investigate more deeply how the favorite hens for emerging online technology- algorithms for recommendations or virtual platforms for socialization-affect processes of transmitting values or in the creation of group identity, which still speaks towards extension on practical undertakings of the framework for this research. Declarations Data Availability Statement The dataset generated and analyzed in this study is currently not publicly available due to privacy concerns of the minor participants. However, access can be requested from the corresponding author after obtaining appropriate ethical approval. Author Contributions ZongLin Yang conceived and designed the study, analyzed all the data, wrote the manuscript. The author has read and agreed to the published version of the manuscript. Ethics Statement The study followed the Declaration of Helsinki and relevant ethical guidelines and all research methods were ethical. 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C. (1979). An integrative theory of intergroup conflict. In W. G. Austin & S. Worchel (Eds.), The social psychology of intergroup relations (pp. 33–47). Brooks/Cole. Additional Declarations No competing interests reported. Cite Share Download PDF Status: Posted Version 1 posted You are reading this latest preprint version Research Square lets you share your work early, gain feedback from the community, and start making changes to your manuscript prior to peer review in a journal. As a division of Research Square Company, we’re committed to making research communication faster, fairer, and more useful. We do this by developing innovative software and high quality services for the global research community. Our growing team is made up of researchers and industry professionals working together to solve the most critical problems facing scientific publishing. Also discoverable on Platform About Our Team In Review Editorial Policies Advisory Board Help Center Resources Author Services Accessibility API Access RSS feed Manage Cookie Preferences © Research Square 2026 | ISSN 2693-5015 (online) Privacy Policy Terms of Service Do Not Sell My Personal Information {"props":{"pageProps":{"initialData":{"identity":"rs-5979025","acceptedTermsAndConditions":true,"allowDirectSubmit":true,"archivedVersions":[],"articleType":"Article","associatedPublications":[],"authors":[{"id":464596550,"identity":"eb9fd19d-f788-43aa-82e6-48247f9da045","order_by":0,"name":"ZongLin Yang","email":"data:image/png;base64,iVBORw0KGgoAAAANSUhEUgAAAZAAAAAyAQMAAABI0h/eAAAABlBMVEX///8AAABVwtN+AAAACXBIWXMAAA7EAAAOxAGVKw4bAAAA2UlEQVRIiWNgGAWjYBACefb+hw8+8LDJMc5/fIA4LYY9Z5gNZ8jwGTM3pCUQac2NHDZpHhu5xPaGHAPidDA25B424MkxM+ZtOPPxxhsGOzndBgJa2BnOJT6QOJMmJ9nYu9lyDkOysdkBQrY0NhgbGPYcMzZs5t0mzcNwIHEbIS0MhxnMJBL//U/cf4znGZFajvGYSRzgYUts7OFhI06LYQ9bsmEDD5sx4ww2Y8s5BkT4RV7+8cHHf0BROYP54Y03FXZyBLWgAAkeIqMGWQupOkbBKBgFo2BEAAD3eUKuuc6/XQAAAABJRU5ErkJggg==","orcid":"","institution":"Guangdong Police College","correspondingAuthor":true,"prefix":"","firstName":"ZongLin","middleName":"","lastName":"Yang","suffix":""}],"badges":[],"createdAt":"2025-02-07 08:08:24","currentVersionCode":1,"declarations":"","doi":"10.21203/rs.3.rs-5979025/v1","doiUrl":"https://doi.org/10.21203/rs.3.rs-5979025/v1","draftVersion":[],"editorialEvents":[],"editorialNote":"","failedWorkflow":false,"files":[{"id":84089044,"identity":"41f78ca9-7da9-4e00-8d8d-e703034a04f2","added_by":"auto","created_at":"2025-06-06 15:42:34","extension":"png","order_by":1,"title":"Figure 1","display":"","copyAsset":false,"role":"figure","size":136416,"visible":true,"origin":"","legend":"\u003cp\u003eRelationship between core variables\u003c/p\u003e","description":"","filename":"1.png","url":"https://assets-eu.researchsquare.com/files/rs-5979025/v1/47b3cde788c6dd22bb7eaea8.png"},{"id":86641222,"identity":"cdc18198-deae-4415-b9cd-2f773b310a11","added_by":"auto","created_at":"2025-07-14 08:17:10","extension":"pdf","order_by":0,"title":"","display":"","copyAsset":false,"role":"manuscript-pdf","size":1101259,"visible":true,"origin":"","legend":"","description":"","filename":"manuscript.pdf","url":"https://assets-eu.researchsquare.com/files/rs-5979025/v1/3369ea28-2bf8-40ae-8db5-7fba56b99c22.pdf"}],"financialInterests":"No competing interests reported.","formattedTitle":"In-Group Identification and Mainstream Value Guidance among Adolescents in the Context of Secondary-Element ","fulltext":[{"header":"Introduction","content":"\u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eSecondary-Element Communities and Adolescent Development\u003c/strong\u003e\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eSecondary-element communities represent distinctive subcultural groups centered around anime, games, virtual idols, light novels, cosplay, and related media. These communities form online and physical spaces for cultural exchange [19][25]. A defining characteristic of these communities is their dual nature—existing simultaneously in virtual and physical realms. While these communities are largely propagated via digital platforms, social media, and creative networks [24], demonstrating considerable virtual and transnational characteristics and setting up on-festival and cosplay clubs, creating another dimension of physical space for social interaction and cultural exchange [21]. Indeed, these communities are characterized by high user retention and intensive interest convergence, creating their own systems of discursive negotiations, symbolic forms, and social etiquette [14]. The expansion of internet coverage and mobile technology usage in recent years has given a great impetus to the formation of the Secondary-Element communities. According to [37], the much larger Secondary-Element user pool in China has continued to increase throughout the last five years, directly attributable to greater content consumption demands among a younger demographic. Concurrently, the global anime and gaming industry continues to expand, with [49]reporting record-breaking numbers in the export value of Japan's anime industry and wide-ranging audience engagement across North America and Europe. This trajectory shows how gigantic Secondary-Element communities are and opens windows to incorporating other mainstream cultural fields. As primary constituencies of secondary-element communities, adolescents usually express their cultural affinities in online social platforms such as BiliBili, Twitter, and Pixiv, as well as offline activities [34]. They engage in activities relating to content creation, commentary, fan work exchange, and physical gatherings that include conventions and cosplay competitions. These participatory modes abound in characteristics such as decentralization, creativity, and interactivity and allow adolescents to find a voice for self-expression, social support, and need satisfaction Involving potentially extreme content or value crosswalks within secondary-element culture leads to academic and social concerns regarding adolescents’ psychological well-being and sources of value orientation[5]From a developmental psychology perspective, adolescence represents a critical period for identity formation [11]. The rich and diverse cultural experiences within Secondary-Element Communities can satisfy adolescents' psychological needs, including self-exploration, self-expression, and social relationship construction [2]. However, Secondary-Element culture may also clash with mainstream values, influencing adolescents' value judgments and behavioral patterns. Thus, investigating the specific mechanisms through which secondary-element communities impact adolescent psychological development has significant theoretical and practical implications.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eThis investigation is thesis functional on three points. First, during grown-exponential times, the club of Secondary-Element culture would still continue to need the immediate attention of social workers and educators toward learning about adolescent interaction patterns and identity formations in those communities in order to provide effective direction and intervention [22]. Second, due to the complex social, cultural, and psychological underpinning factors of secondary-element communities, they demand a thorough understanding of their developmental logic to have inclusive and pluralistic cultural ecosystems. Finally, a study aimed at the effects of adolescent identification with the secondary-element communities on mainstream guiding values may theoretically instantiate grounds and provide empirical evidence in support of relevant policies and educational practices [12].\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eIn-Group Identification in Secondary-Element Communities\u003c/strong\u003e\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eIn-group us-orientation is a central principle that asserts that group membership can enhance self-esteem and belonging, as posited by the Social Identity Theory [54]. It is in this context that Secondary-Element Communities render a peculiar case study, because this composition differs from the typical geographically or kinship-oriented group by forming hybrid virtual-physical collectives bound by shared interests and cultural symbols[1]. Members re-enforce their group identity with unique languages, symbols, and role-playing activities, encouraging an extraordinarily strong sense of group identification [24]. Several authoritative factors, such as Shared Interests and Discourse Systems, provide means through which members may validate and give support to one another through their mutual appreciation of certain anime, games, or characters [48], while interactive behaviors such as commenting and creating fan works provide opportunities for members to self-affirm to communities[51]. Besides these activities, certain conventions and cosplay competitions tend to create a set of collective experiences through which group members can feel increased group cohesion [13]. Inferred from survey designs and empirical data, the level of participation in secondary-element communities is broken down into core members, peripheral participants, and observers, whereby both core members and peripheral participants heterogeneously identify with the group[8]. Core members often have more emotional investment and create much more, so they often exhibit stronger identification with the group relative to peripheral participants who are just consuming as a type of participation and less interactive, and observers who are only meeting culture on a very low frequency. Individual processes such as belonging encapsulate a dynamic flow from \"curiosity to exploration to deep involvement to stable identification\" [49]. This gradual development of identification suggests that as adolescents invest more time and emotion in these communities, their connection to Secondary-Element culture deepens, potentially exerting lasting influence on their value systems [4].\u0026nbsp;\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eThe Role of Mainstream Value Guidance\u003c/strong\u003e\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eMainstream values encompass core ideological principles that receive broad social recognition and advocacy within specific sociocultural contexts, including social responsibility, cooperative spirit, and civic consciousness[15] During adolescent development, society, schools, and families collectively shoulder the responsibility of value formation [3]. This requires an extensively layered and multidimensional approach to mainstream value guidance. Parents and custodians, therefore, are the first educators and monitors in the transmission of mainstream values, interpreting and guiding their interpretations of World, Secondary-Element culture through parent-child communication and shared anime-watching experiences[22]. Schools should also value truth in their contributions through the curriculum, cultural events, and mental health education, thereby helping students set up a wholesome value system while maintaining control over possible secondary culture-negative influences [9]. Further, the media, community associations, and governmental structures, engaged in promotion, surveillance, and event organizing, can simultaneously create the flow of Secondary-Element culture into the habitation of mainstream, thus preventing the crashing of cultures [28]. A mixed-methods approach is thus surely the most comprehensive evaluation of mainstream value guidance. In particular, surveys quantitatively measure the value orientations and social responsibility, perhaps civic awareness of adolescents [29], and focus groups or oral history grant us qualitative input concerning their real experiences and the behavioral changes that result from their involvement in those communities . Only a triangulation of these approaches can both reveal and assess the effects of mainstream value guidance initiatives.\u0026nbsp;\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eThe Interaction Between Group Identity and Value Systems\u003c/strong\u003e\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eThe interplay between group identification and value systems manifests in theoretical frameworks and real-world contexts [39]. Social Identity Theory elucidates how individuals, upon joining a group, tend to internalize that group's behavioral norms and value orientations to maintain group status and self-identity [54]. The high engagement and deep interaction characteristics of secondary-element communities often drive adolescents to incorporate the group's non-mainstream or subcultural values into their personal value systems [16].\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eThe interaction mechanisms operate through multiple channels. Group identification shapes value preferences through internal cultural transmission and emotional exchanges, gradually transforming collectively endorsed values into individual inclinations [18]. There arises tension among adolescents from secondary-element communities when their values directly conflict with mainstream values, followed by rebalancing through self-adjustment or external guidance toward value reintegration [29]. Many mediating influences affect this group interaction, including media environment, community regulation, content creator influence, and peer pressure, as moderating forces in the system of value systems and group identification dynamic [20]. Such exploration of these interaction effects calls for a multi-tiered assessment framework for examining outcomes at the level of the individual (self-identity and psychological well-being), the group (community cohesion and cultural consensus), and the societal (i.e., adolescent social integration and civic awareness) [7]. Various moderating parameters cover bridges, ranging from personal characteristics attributed to self-efficacy and empathy to external environmental factors attributed to family support and school education in the reciprocal relationship between the value systems and group identification [10]. This embrace of the complexities magnifies how secondary elements, once communities are formed in their own right, control adolescent value formation and the positive movement toward group identification. These will provide a valued opportunity for educators and community leaders to influence the course of identity development healthily while affirming cultural particulars that make these communities meaningful to their members.\u0026nbsp;\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eCultural Context and Social Support\u003c/strong\u003e\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eCultural background influences adolescent identity development and value formation in secondary-element communities through a double approach. This opposes the structure that fashions the contents of mainstream values and social agreement levels while also influencing behavioral norms and discourse systems in these communities [16]. It asserts that archetypes of popular characters, thematic styles, and value orientations in the Secondary-Element Communities vary widely within different cultural contexts, thereby exerting influence over the manner in which adolescents construct their group identities[25]. Those adolescents in Secondary-Element Communities rely heavily on social answer forms of support like emotional assistance among peers, emotional help offered them by school personnel, or provision of resources by community networks such that it acts as a tension-community buffer[36]. This support provides adolescents with reference points for facing their developmental challenges, offers additional guidance when values conflict, and strengthens their relationships with family and group members still caught up in some cultural confrontation [53]In inclusive and diverse school contexts, adolescents have great opportunities to explore and express to a large extent Secondary-Element culture; they jointly maneuver formal education as well as subcultural identification[9]. Peers serve as major sources of emotional validation, sharing similar experiences associated with Secondary-Element culture, which fosters mutual support and growth while keeping up with contemporary stereotypic passions [33].The theoretical framework infers that culture and social influences can impact group identification and mainstream values of adolescents in Secondary-Element Communities. This integrated perspective offers a much detailed understanding on alternative ways these communities influence adolescent development in varying cultural societies while bringing to the surface how support systems are instrumental in promoting healthy identity construction and value integration.\u0026nbsp;\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eThis integrated perspective offers insights into how these communities influence adolescent development while highlighting the crucial role of support systems in promoting healthy identity construction and value integration (Figure 1).\u003c/p\u003e\u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eCurrent Study\u003c/strong\u003e\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eThis study extends the foundation for research through a multi-level analytical framework that provides insights into social support and cultural background as factors on moderators and public recommendations for education and management strategies [16][28].\u0026nbsp;\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eThe theoretical and practical significance of the research is enormous. From a theoretical standpoint, the study adds to academia's understanding of both social identity and subculture studies, exploring various social dynamics in Secondary-Element Communities. Practical implications of the research range from mainstream family education and school to the development of social policy benefiting mental well-being and the stable growth of the cultural industry [40][31].\u0026nbsp;\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eDealing with interdependent variables collectively, however, is an entire vast research area that offers a novel and integrated framework for how these Secondary-Element Communities offered, contributed, and interacted with to provide for adolescent growth and development, while making due consideration products of social support systems contributing to a developing adolescent and culture. The fusion thus offers an expedient platform to derive better strategies in guiding healthy identity formation while sticking to the unique cultural aspects of such communities, from which something significant can be drawn that will help them to thrive.\u0026nbsp;\u003c/p\u003e"},{"header":"Methods","content":"\u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eParticipants and Procedures\u003c/strong\u003e\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eAll methods of this study followed relevant guidelines and norms. The study protocol was approved by the Ethics Committee. All participants and their legal guardians signed an informed consent form before participating in the study. For participants under 18 years of age, we obtained both parental consent and permission from the participants themselves.\u0026nbsp;\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eThis study applies a multifaceted approach to the problem of adolescent engagement in the Secondary-Element Community through the use of different forms of multi-stage sampling. Initially, this involves sampling the schools based on a database of middle and high schools in several provinces in China that have enacted anime/manga cultural clubs or groups. Surveys and interviews are administered according to guidelines established to uphold valid sampling procedures in those schools. Eligibility into the study thus focuses on adolescents who are between the ages of 12 and 18 and have been engaged in one or other forms of activity within six months preceding the study-mainly in relation to online and offline activities such as watching anime or attending conventions as well as making fan-oriented content. final sample comprises approximately 500 adolescents with a mean age of 15.872 years, maintaining a relatively balanced gender distribution (61.6% male, 38.4% female). The participants\u0026apos; family backgrounds reflect diverse socioeconomic conditions, with parental education levels predominantly at high school, vocational college, or higher education levels, and household monthly incomes displaying a balanced distribution. All participants are enrolled students with basic internet access.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eThe research protocol follows a two-phase design aligned with mixed-methods best practices [45] The initial phase employs quantitative data collection through a combination of physical and online questionnaires, measuring variables including Secondary-Element participation levels, group identification, mainstream value orientations, social adaptation, and relevant control variables. The second phase involves qualitative data gathering through semi-structured interviews and focus groups, targeting highly engaged students and club leaders to explore identification mechanisms and value conflict integration processes in depth.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eAccuracy in these varied methodologies has been given utmost attention-a praiseworthy focus on the method wherein the informative presentation of objectives and procedures, as well as the risks that involved candidates, have led the ethics committee and the school administrations to obtain informed consent. It is guaranteed that the confidentiality of data and voluntary participation will be maintained, while all research instruments have passed the institutional ethics committee.\u0026nbsp;\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eResearch methods achieved a balance between quantitative and qualitative rigors. Quantitative consisted of self-report questionnaires and background information from institution to families; qualitative consisted of recorded transcribed in-depth interviews and group discussions. The questionnaires were administered in classrooms under controlled conditions to ensure anonymity, while the interviews were done either after school hours or on online meeting platforms and lasted about thirty minutes. \u0026nbsp;\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eThis range of methodologies permits conceptualization of the individual forming group identity in light of contradictory value confrontations with those of mainstream social norms. Mixed-methods design is likely to tap the broad statistical perspective and the deep experiential insight through both techniques, so the richness of data will make the phenomenon being observed flourish.\u0026nbsp;（Table 1）\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eTable 1 Demographic Characteristics (N=500)\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003ctable border=\"1\" cellspacing=\"0\" cellpadding=\"0\"\u003e\n \u003ctbody\u003e\n \u003ctr\u003e\n \u003ctd valign=\"top\" style=\"width: 200px;\"\u003e\n \u003cp\u003eCharacteristic\u003c/p\u003e\n \u003c/td\u003e\n \u003ctd valign=\"top\" style=\"width: 200px;\"\u003e\n \u003cp\u003en\u003c/p\u003e\n \u003c/td\u003e\n \u003ctd valign=\"top\" style=\"width: 200px;\"\u003e\n \u003cp\u003e%\u003c/p\u003e\n \u003c/td\u003e\n \u003c/tr\u003e\n \u003ctr\u003e\n \u003ctd colspan=\"3\" valign=\"top\" style=\"width: 601px;\"\u003e\n \u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eAge Group\u003c/strong\u003e\u003c/p\u003e\n \u003c/td\u003e\n \u003c/tr\u003e\n \u003ctr\u003e\n \u003ctd valign=\"top\" style=\"width: 200px;\"\u003e\n \u003cp\u003e12\u003c/p\u003e\n \u003c/td\u003e\n \u003ctd valign=\"top\" style=\"width: 200px;\"\u003e\n \u003cp\u003e43\u003c/p\u003e\n \u003c/td\u003e\n \u003ctd valign=\"top\" style=\"width: 200px;\"\u003e\n \u003cp\u003e8.6%\u003c/p\u003e\n \u003c/td\u003e\n \u003c/tr\u003e\n \u003ctr\u003e\n \u003ctd valign=\"top\" style=\"width: 200px;\"\u003e\n \u003cp\u003e13\u003c/p\u003e\n \u003c/td\u003e\n \u003ctd valign=\"top\" style=\"width: 200px;\"\u003e\n \u003cp\u003e57\u003c/p\u003e\n \u003c/td\u003e\n \u003ctd valign=\"top\" style=\"width: 200px;\"\u003e\n \u003cp\u003e11.4%\u003c/p\u003e\n \u003c/td\u003e\n \u003c/tr\u003e\n \u003ctr\u003e\n \u003ctd valign=\"top\" style=\"width: 200px;\"\u003e\n \u003cp\u003e14\u003c/p\u003e\n \u003c/td\u003e\n \u003ctd valign=\"top\" style=\"width: 200px;\"\u003e\n \u003cp\u003e57\u003c/p\u003e\n \u003c/td\u003e\n \u003ctd valign=\"top\" style=\"width: 200px;\"\u003e\n \u003cp\u003e11.4%\u003c/p\u003e\n \u003c/td\u003e\n \u003c/tr\u003e\n \u003ctr\u003e\n \u003ctd valign=\"top\" style=\"width: 200px;\"\u003e\n \u003cp\u003e15\u003c/p\u003e\n \u003c/td\u003e\n \u003ctd valign=\"top\" style=\"width: 200px;\"\u003e\n \u003cp\u003e43\u003c/p\u003e\n \u003c/td\u003e\n \u003ctd valign=\"top\" style=\"width: 200px;\"\u003e\n \u003cp\u003e8.6%\u003c/p\u003e\n \u003c/td\u003e\n \u003c/tr\u003e\n \u003ctr\u003e\n \u003ctd valign=\"top\" style=\"width: 200px;\"\u003e\n \u003cp\u003e16\u003c/p\u003e\n \u003c/td\u003e\n \u003ctd valign=\"top\" style=\"width: 200px;\"\u003e\n \u003cp\u003e57\u003c/p\u003e\n \u003c/td\u003e\n \u003ctd valign=\"top\" style=\"width: 200px;\"\u003e\n \u003cp\u003e11.4%\u003c/p\u003e\n \u003c/td\u003e\n \u003c/tr\u003e\n \u003ctr\u003e\n \u003ctd valign=\"top\" style=\"width: 200px;\"\u003e\n \u003cp\u003e17\u003c/p\u003e\n \u003c/td\u003e\n \u003ctd valign=\"top\" style=\"width: 200px;\"\u003e\n \u003cp\u003e50\u003c/p\u003e\n \u003c/td\u003e\n \u003ctd valign=\"top\" style=\"width: 200px;\"\u003e\n \u003cp\u003e10%\u003c/p\u003e\n \u003c/td\u003e\n \u003c/tr\u003e\n \u003ctr\u003e\n \u003ctd valign=\"top\" style=\"width: 200px;\"\u003e\n \u003cp\u003e18\u003c/p\u003e\n \u003c/td\u003e\n \u003ctd valign=\"top\" style=\"width: 200px;\"\u003e\n \u003cp\u003e193\u003c/p\u003e\n \u003c/td\u003e\n \u003ctd valign=\"top\" style=\"width: 200px;\"\u003e\n \u003cp\u003e38.6%\u003c/p\u003e\n \u003c/td\u003e\n \u003c/tr\u003e\n \u003ctr\u003e\n \u003ctd colspan=\"3\" valign=\"top\" style=\"width: 601px;\"\u003e\n \u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eGender\u003c/strong\u003e\u003c/p\u003e\n \u003c/td\u003e\n \u003c/tr\u003e\n \u003ctr\u003e\n \u003ctd valign=\"top\" style=\"width: 200px;\"\u003e\n \u003cp\u003eMale\u003c/p\u003e\n \u003c/td\u003e\n \u003ctd valign=\"top\" style=\"width: 200px;\"\u003e\n \u003cp\u003e308\u003c/p\u003e\n \u003c/td\u003e\n \u003ctd valign=\"top\" style=\"width: 200px;\"\u003e\n \u003cp\u003e61.6%\u003c/p\u003e\n \u003c/td\u003e\n \u003c/tr\u003e\n \u003ctr\u003e\n \u003ctd valign=\"top\" style=\"width: 200px;\"\u003e\n \u003cp\u003eFemale\u003c/p\u003e\n \u003c/td\u003e\n \u003ctd valign=\"top\" style=\"width: 200px;\"\u003e\n \u003cp\u003e192\u003c/p\u003e\n \u003c/td\u003e\n \u003ctd valign=\"top\" style=\"width: 200px;\"\u003e\n \u003cp\u003e38.4%\u003c/p\u003e\n \u003c/td\u003e\n \u003c/tr\u003e\n \u003ctr\u003e\n \u003ctd colspan=\"3\" valign=\"top\" style=\"width: 601px;\"\u003e\n \u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eRegion\u003c/strong\u003e\u003c/p\u003e\n \u003c/td\u003e\n \u003c/tr\u003e\n \u003ctr\u003e\n \u003ctd valign=\"top\" style=\"width: 200px;\"\u003e\n \u003cp\u003eEastern China\u003c/p\u003e\n \u003c/td\u003e\n \u003ctd valign=\"top\" style=\"width: 200px;\"\u003e\n \u003cp\u003e265\u003c/p\u003e\n \u003c/td\u003e\n \u003ctd valign=\"top\" style=\"width: 200px;\"\u003e\n \u003cp\u003e53.0%\u003c/p\u003e\n \u003c/td\u003e\n \u003c/tr\u003e\n \u003ctr\u003e\n \u003ctd valign=\"top\" style=\"width: 200px;\"\u003e\n \u003cp\u003eSouthern China\u003c/p\u003e\n \u003c/td\u003e\n \u003ctd valign=\"top\" style=\"width: 200px;\"\u003e\n \u003cp\u003e176\u003c/p\u003e\n \u003c/td\u003e\n \u003ctd valign=\"top\" style=\"width: 200px;\"\u003e\n \u003cp\u003e35.2%\u003c/p\u003e\n \u003c/td\u003e\n \u003c/tr\u003e\n \u003ctr\u003e\n \u003ctd valign=\"top\" style=\"width: 200px;\"\u003e\n \u003cp\u003eWestern China\u003c/p\u003e\n \u003c/td\u003e\n \u003ctd valign=\"top\" style=\"width: 200px;\"\u003e\n \u003cp\u003e59\u003c/p\u003e\n \u003c/td\u003e\n \u003ctd valign=\"top\" style=\"width: 200px;\"\u003e\n \u003cp\u003e11.8%\u003c/p\u003e\n \u003c/td\u003e\n \u003c/tr\u003e\n \u003ctr\u003e\n \u003ctd colspan=\"3\" valign=\"top\" style=\"width: 601px;\"\u003e\n \u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eFamily Income\u003c/strong\u003e\u003c/p\u003e\n \u003c/td\u003e\n \u003c/tr\u003e\n \u003ctr\u003e\n \u003ctd valign=\"top\" style=\"width: 200px;\"\u003e\n \u003cp\u003e\u0026lt;5000 RMB\u003c/p\u003e\n \u003c/td\u003e\n \u003ctd valign=\"top\" style=\"width: 200px;\"\u003e\n \u003cp\u003e81\u003c/p\u003e\n \u003c/td\u003e\n \u003ctd valign=\"top\" style=\"width: 200px;\"\u003e\n \u003cp\u003e16.2%\u003c/p\u003e\n \u003c/td\u003e\n \u003c/tr\u003e\n \u003ctr\u003e\n \u003ctd valign=\"top\" style=\"width: 200px;\"\u003e\n \u003cp\u003e5000-10000 RMB\u003c/p\u003e\n \u003c/td\u003e\n \u003ctd valign=\"top\" style=\"width: 200px;\"\u003e\n \u003cp\u003e162\u003c/p\u003e\n \u003c/td\u003e\n \u003ctd valign=\"top\" style=\"width: 200px;\"\u003e\n \u003cp\u003e32.4%\u003c/p\u003e\n \u003c/td\u003e\n \u003c/tr\u003e\n \u003ctr\u003e\n \u003ctd valign=\"top\" style=\"width: 200px;\"\u003e\n \u003cp\u003e10000-15000 RMB\u003c/p\u003e\n \u003c/td\u003e\n \u003ctd valign=\"top\" style=\"width: 200px;\"\u003e\n \u003cp\u003e140\u003c/p\u003e\n \u003c/td\u003e\n \u003ctd valign=\"top\" style=\"width: 200px;\"\u003e\n \u003cp\u003e28.0%\u003c/p\u003e\n \u003c/td\u003e\n \u003c/tr\u003e\n \u003ctr\u003e\n \u003ctd valign=\"top\" style=\"width: 200px;\"\u003e\n \u003cp\u003e15000-20000 RMB\u003c/p\u003e\n \u003c/td\u003e\n \u003ctd valign=\"top\" style=\"width: 200px;\"\u003e\n \u003cp\u003e44\u003c/p\u003e\n \u003c/td\u003e\n \u003ctd valign=\"top\" style=\"width: 200px;\"\u003e\n \u003cp\u003e8.8%\u003c/p\u003e\n \u003c/td\u003e\n \u003c/tr\u003e\n \u003ctr\u003e\n \u003ctd valign=\"top\" style=\"width: 200px;\"\u003e\n \u003cp\u003e\u0026gt;20000 RMB\u003c/p\u003e\n \u003c/td\u003e\n \u003ctd valign=\"top\" style=\"width: 200px;\"\u003e\n \u003cp\u003e74\u003c/p\u003e\n \u003c/td\u003e\n \u003ctd valign=\"top\" style=\"width: 200px;\"\u003e\n \u003cp\u003e14.8%\u003c/p\u003e\n \u003c/td\u003e\n \u003c/tr\u003e\n \u003c/tbody\u003e\n\u003c/table\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eMeasures\u003c/strong\u003e\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eSuch a lay interpretation and explanation of measurement will come forth in this study based on how the scales need to be measured. Measurement scales used in the present study include adaptations from available measures or new scales that originated from a theoretical and empirical standpoint from the literature. Consistent with well-established psychometric principles [46], initial formulations of each of these scales had been subjected to thorough and systematic reliability and validity testing before use in the main study.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eThe measurement format involves either the 5-point scales, having higher scores implying strongly on the presence of the variable scales toward what is measured, respectively. Therefore, this method deserves closer consideration. The use of Likert-type scales offers many advantages in studying Secondary-Element Communities. They allow the researcher to capture a finer granularity in participants\u0026apos; responses while being quite accessible to adolescent respondents. For instance, engagement with Secondary Element content may utilize a Likert scale ranging from \u0026quot;Never engage\u0026quot; (1) to \u0026quot;Frequently engage\u0026quot; (5) .\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eThis point is very important when it comes to testing the measurement quality. During this phase, a researcher concentrates on reliability (internal consistency measured through Cronbach\u0026apos;s alpha) and validity (construct validity and content validity) of the scales. Henceforth, they can assure that the scales are suitable for measuring the constructs that they are supposed to measure under the peculiar context of secondary-element communities in adolescence development.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eThe Secondary-Element Participation Scale is a discrimination tool used to evaluate engagement patterns, intensity, and motivations in Secondary-Element Communities among adolescents. The design of the scale draws from [48] fan culture taxonomy and also additional commonly referenced works on participation typologies in national research.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eThe instrument contains four essential dimensions: Whereas the first dimension focuses on the participation type, describing a continuum from passive content consumption (e.g., watching anime) to active content creation or offline event participation. This hierarchy of participation types is reflective of the levels of commitment and involvement in Secondary-Element Communities. The second dimension focuses on frequency using a Likert scale, where never engaging would score a \u0026quot;1\u0026quot; and several times a day would score \u0026quot;5.\u0026quot; This dimension concerns real engagement patterns during the previous six months. This temporal focus is a good way of actually capturing ongoing participation patterns with minimal influence by recall bias.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eThe third dimension investigates the motivation of participation, wherein Pearce and [5] consider the relationships between interest-based engagement, an appeal for emotional support, a need for social connection, and self-expressive motives. This multi-faceted approach will help in uncovering the psychological grounding of community participation. The fourth dimension assesses the engagement\u0026apos;s subjective effects on the academic, social, and emotional arenas of the adolescent experience; this is instrumental in tracing the perceived influence of engaging in Secondary-Element Communities on the adolescent\u0026apos;s development.Preliminary pilot testing shows good psychometric properties. The scale also provides a very good internal consistency estimate (Cronbach\u0026apos;s \u0026alpha; = 0.85), ensuring items reliably measure the construct. In addition to that, principal components analysis and confirmatory factor analysis supported the theoretical structure, showing good CFA fit indices that indicate good construct validity.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eThis thorough measurement approach allows researchers to assess adolescent engagement on the continuum of secondary-lement communities, thereby affording a rich understanding of how theory- and engagement-differentiation could potentially affect identity formation and value development.\u0026nbsp;\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eIn-Group Identification Scale\u003c/strong\u003e\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eThis is a carefully created measurement instrument to assess group identification within Secondary-Element Communities on the background of the bedrock social identity theory framework of T[54]. It is particularly interesting because the scale uses traditional social identity measures to capture the uniqueness of the Secondary-Element Communities.\u0026nbsp;\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eThis scale is thought to measure three broad dimensions of group identification. The first, emotional identification, refers to the degree to which the receiver allocates emotional energy to the community and its characters, symbols, and culture. Examples include the formation of a relationship with anime characters or being touched by community storytelling.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eThe second of these involves cognitive identification with how individuals acknowledge and come to internalize community-related values, conventions, and systems of discourse. An example would be familiarity with community-specific terminology, such as cultural references and behavioral expectations-somethings like whether or not a person is acquainted with fan practices or community-based styles of discourse.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eThis particular dimension measures the degree to which someone understands common fan practices or communication practices specifically intended for that community.The third dimension, behavioral identification, is about one\u0026apos;s involvement from the point of view of behavior\u0026mdash;actual attendance at community events and participation in community activities such as contributing to fan discussions, creating fan art, or participating in conventions.The scoring procedure uses mean calculations per item across each dimension, and higher mean scores indicate increased identification of that dimension. Notably, this will allow researchers to compare not only the levels of identification overall but also each assessed identification dimension.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eThe scale has good psychometric properties, having an internal consistency coefficient of 0.83[50]. Such strong reliability metrics indicate that the scale provides consistent measurements across multiple administrations and captures well what it purports to measure. Notably, this comprehensive approach to measuring group identification provides data that allow researchers to assess not just whether adolescents identify with Secondary-Element Communities but how manifestations of this identification differ in emotional, cognitive, and behavioral zones. This opens up the field for much deduced analysis on how these elements of group identification might steer adolescent development and value formation later in life. I would also like to point out that, in as much as I aim to represent these measurement methods with accuracy, a number of scale characteristics may need to be modified to fit local cultural contexts as well as the demands of some research. Depending on the specifics, localized flexibility may vary.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eSocial Adaptation Indicators\u003c/strong\u003e\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eThe approach of the study incorporates an integrated measurement system in the study of adolescent social adaptation, carefully amalgamating already established and modified scales to create integrated evaluative gauges. The measurement structure then covers five broader aspects underpinning the whole assessment of adolescent social functioning. These elements are levels of prosocial behavior as defined by [47]: helping one another and voluntary work. This dimension is crucial around how involvement in Secondary-Element Communities might influence adolescent interactions and altruism.\u0026nbsp;\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eSecond, community and organizational participation. This dimension involves an examination of school and extracurricular activities\u0026apos; involvement levels alongside that of the public domain. As with the second element, understanding the broader social participation and civic engagement patterns is how it relates to participation through such Communities.\u0026nbsp;\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eThird dimension looks at family relationships, peer relationships, and relationships with teachers and mentors. This approach looks to investigate how participation in Secondary-Element Communities might influence the development of the mentioned kinds of relationships.\u0026nbsp;\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eFourth is school adjustment, where parameters of academic satisfaction, classroom engagement, and belonging in a domain [9]are used which are key to understanding how participation in Secondary-Element Communities relates to academic achievement and school adjustment.The fifth dimension concerns general adaptation rates based on self-reports and external observation. This framework affords ample opportunity to observe wide-ranging facets of social functioning filtering through acceptance across individual domains. Two points of view serve to counterbalance the potential biases of self-reporting while at the same time allowing for a subjective and objective side to the study.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eThe scale is highly reliable overall, with a Cronbach\u0026apos;s \u0026alpha; of about 0.86, and general covariance patterns indicate a good balance between unified measurement and appropriate discrimination of different aspects of social adaptation. This is thus a reliable measurement framework, which will allow researchers to explain how engagement in Secondary-Element Communities relates to various facets of adolescent social development.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eLet me just say that it was an effort toward accurate representation of this measurement process; depending on local cultures and the needs of research, the characteristics of particular scales might need to be altered. The constellation of these established scales builds a very powerful base for understanding the multifaceted relationship between Secondary-Element community participation and social adaptation.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eCovariates\u003c/strong\u003e\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eThe research includes an extensive set of control variables, which are used to investigate potential confounding effects that might influence the relationship between participation in Secondary-Element Communities and adolescent development. These were selected very carefully based on findings presented in the literature of developmental psychology and digital media studies.\u0026nbsp;\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eFamily background, largely shaped by [31] conceptual model, includes levels of parental education, household income, and shape of family. These variables are important, as family environment tends to play a primary role in shaping an adolescent\u0026apos;s development and might be mediator with regard to their involvement with Secondary-Element Communities. An example might be parental levels of education, which might affect resources for participation and advice regarding media engagement.\u0026nbsp;\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eA second relevant dimension of controls concerns the usage of digital devices, including device types (smartphone, computer, tablet), time of daily use, and main usage purposes. The qualitative scrutiny of different technology usage helps distinguish effects due to Secondary-Element Community participation from those due to general engagement with digital media. The importance of all forms of participation is significant as Secondary-Element Communities themselves operate mainly via digital platforms.\u0026nbsp;\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eAchievement, as assessed through self-reported achievement levels or academic records derived from school, is perhaps one of the most core control variables. This helps researchers to evaluate how Secondary-Element Community engagement might link to or influence academic outcomes, while controlling for previously existing participant differences.\u0026nbsp;\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eSome other such confounders that analysts may choose to control for could comprise demographic characteristics (such as age, gender, and geographic place of residence) which are relevant as they likely affect the nature of participation in Secondary-Element Communities. For example, age-related differences in identity development might push adolescents to comprehensively engage with these communities.\u0026nbsp;\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eOther potential factors to consider would be range of individual interests, personality factors (extroversion/introversion), and peer pressure. These variables account for the individual differences affecting both patterns of community participation and social-emotional outcomes. An example is that, as a general feature, the extroversion-related tendencies of adolescents may have a hand in arising their participation in Secondary-Element Communities or social adjustment.\u0026nbsp;\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eCarrying all of these controls, the research design provides more direct knowledge of the unique effects of Secondary-Element Community participation on adolescent development with greater precision by keeping other influential factors in adolescents\u0026apos; lives under control. All this helps reinforce the validity of any relations observed between community participation and developmental outcomes. All measurement tools showed good reliability and validity characteristics. As shown in\u0026nbsp;（Table 2）, the internal consistency coefficients (Cronbach\u0026apos;s \u0026alpha;) of each scale were above 0.80, and the indexes of combined reliability (CR) and average variance extracted (AVE) were also at a desirable level, indicating that the measurement tools have good reliability and validity.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eTable 2 Reliability and Validity of Measures\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003ctable border=\"1\" cellspacing=\"0\" cellpadding=\"0\"\u003e\n \u003ctbody\u003e\n \u003ctr\u003e\n \u003ctd valign=\"top\" style=\"width: 121px;\"\u003e\n \u003cp\u003eScale\u003c/p\u003e\n \u003c/td\u003e\n \u003ctd valign=\"top\" style=\"width: 95px;\"\u003e\n \u003cp\u003eItems\u003c/p\u003e\n \u003c/td\u003e\n \u003ctd valign=\"top\" style=\"width: 97px;\"\u003e\n \u003cp\u003e\u0026alpha;\u003c/p\u003e\n \u003c/td\u003e\n \u003ctd valign=\"top\" style=\"width: 96px;\"\u003e\n \u003cp\u003eCR\u003c/p\u003e\n \u003c/td\u003e\n \u003ctd valign=\"top\" style=\"width: 96px;\"\u003e\n \u003cp\u003eAVE\u003c/p\u003e\n \u003c/td\u003e\n \u003c/tr\u003e\n \u003ctr\u003e\n \u003ctd valign=\"top\" style=\"width: 121px;\"\u003e\n \u003cp\u003eSE participation\u003c/p\u003e\n \u003c/td\u003e\n \u003ctd valign=\"top\" style=\"width: 95px;\"\u003e\n \u003cp\u003e8\u003c/p\u003e\n \u003c/td\u003e\n \u003ctd valign=\"top\" style=\"width: 97px;\"\u003e\n \u003cp\u003e0.893\u003c/p\u003e\n \u003c/td\u003e\n \u003ctd valign=\"top\" style=\"width: 96px;\"\u003e\n \u003cp\u003e0.943\u003c/p\u003e\n \u003c/td\u003e\n \u003ctd valign=\"top\" style=\"width: 96px;\"\u003e\n \u003cp\u003e0.678\u003c/p\u003e\n \u003c/td\u003e\n \u003c/tr\u003e\n \u003ctr\u003e\n \u003ctd valign=\"top\" style=\"width: 121px;\"\u003e\n \u003cp\u003eGroup Identity\u003c/p\u003e\n \u003c/td\u003e\n \u003ctd valign=\"top\" style=\"width: 95px;\"\u003e\n \u003cp\u003e5\u003c/p\u003e\n \u003c/td\u003e\n \u003ctd valign=\"top\" style=\"width: 97px;\"\u003e\n \u003cp\u003e0.799\u003c/p\u003e\n \u003c/td\u003e\n \u003ctd valign=\"top\" style=\"width: 96px;\"\u003e\n \u003cp\u003e0.921\u003c/p\u003e\n \u003c/td\u003e\n \u003ctd valign=\"top\" style=\"width: 96px;\"\u003e\n \u003cp\u003e0.701\u003c/p\u003e\n \u003c/td\u003e\n \u003c/tr\u003e\n \u003ctr\u003e\n \u003ctd valign=\"top\" style=\"width: 121px;\"\u003e\n \u003cp\u003eValue Integration\u003c/p\u003e\n \u003c/td\u003e\n \u003ctd valign=\"top\" style=\"width: 95px;\"\u003e\n \u003cp\u003e2\u003c/p\u003e\n \u003c/td\u003e\n \u003ctd valign=\"top\" style=\"width: 97px;\"\u003e\n \u003cp\u003e0.874\u003c/p\u003e\n \u003c/td\u003e\n \u003ctd valign=\"top\" style=\"width: 96px;\"\u003e\n \u003cp\u003e0.883\u003c/p\u003e\n \u003c/td\u003e\n \u003ctd valign=\"top\" style=\"width: 96px;\"\u003e\n \u003cp\u003e0.655\u003c/p\u003e\n \u003c/td\u003e\n \u003c/tr\u003e\n \u003ctr\u003e\n \u003ctd valign=\"top\" style=\"width: 121px;\"\u003e\n \u003cp\u003eSocial Adaptation\u003c/p\u003e\n \u003c/td\u003e\n \u003ctd valign=\"top\" style=\"width: 95px;\"\u003e\n \u003cp\u003e5\u003c/p\u003e\n \u003c/td\u003e\n \u003ctd valign=\"top\" style=\"width: 97px;\"\u003e\n \u003cp\u003e0.714\u003c/p\u003e\n \u003c/td\u003e\n \u003ctd valign=\"top\" style=\"width: 96px;\"\u003e\n \u003cp\u003e0.902\u003c/p\u003e\n \u003c/td\u003e\n \u003ctd valign=\"top\" style=\"width: 96px;\"\u003e\n \u003cp\u003e0.662\u003c/p\u003e\n \u003c/td\u003e\n \u003c/tr\u003e\n \u003c/tbody\u003e\n\u003c/table\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eAnalysis Plan\u003c/strong\u003e\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eThe quantitative analysis\u0026nbsp;\u003c/strong\u003e\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eFollows an orderly three-stage development. The first stage employs descriptive statistics including means, standard deviations, and distribution characteristics to provide basic information on key variables. The second stage analyzes the basic relationships between Secondary-Elect Element Community participation, group identification, mainstream values, and social adaptation through Pearson correlations and multiple regression analysis. Following on from this, stage three builds on these findings, developing structural equation models (SEM) to test the hypothesized pathways and moderators that exist for other variables [49]. All statistical analyses are executed through the SPSS and AMOS programmed.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eThis analytical framework allows some progressive accumulation of knowledge from simple correlations of variables to much complex structural equations, while maintaining the rigor of methodology throughout.\u003cstrong\u003e\u0026nbsp;\u003c/strong\u003e\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eAnalysis of qualitative information.\u003c/strong\u003e\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eQualitative analyses carry forth with a stern two-step process to gain a deep understanding of how value conflict and integration are played out within the context of Secondary-Element Communities. The first is to transcribe and code all audio recordings from interviews and focus groups methodically according to the thematic analysis framework proposed by Braun and Clarke. It is found in support of a systematic approach that allowed researchers to explore patterns and themes that emerged in how adolescents negotiate community values with mainstream social norms.\u0026nbsp;\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eIn the second step, there is a comparison of individuals from various interview groups to gain insights into commonalities and divergences in life experiences and perceptions associated with specific experiences. This qualitative data is blended alongside the quantitative findings to provide an inclusive understanding of how it is that adolescents interact with Secondary-Element Communities while managing potential value conflicts.\u0026nbsp;\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eThis dual approach essentially captures both the broad patterns highlighted through statistical analysis and then couples that with the rich and detailed life mappings shared by individual participants. The myriad possibilities of complementary methodologies ensure deeper insights into how adolescents construct and maintain their identities in Secondary-Element Communities while conscribing wider social expectations.\u0026nbsp;\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eMixed Methods Integration\u003c/strong\u003e\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eThis research follows a parallel mixed-methods design for integration of quantitative and qualitative findings through discrete validation and complementary analysis. The integrating process combines the key statistical findings with some highly specific cases from qualitative interviews to provide more penetrating insights into the emotional, cognitive, and behavioral processes of adolescents while navigating between Secondary-Element Community identity and mainstream values. This approach thus ensures that the quantitative findings provide broad patterns, while qualitative data can enrich those large patterns with in-depth personal accounts that produce greater insights into adolescent lived experiences inside the respective communities.\u0026nbsp;\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eElement Communities:\u003c/strong\u003e\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eData analysis glued through five sequential stages. The initial step is screening the questionnaire data and addressing missing values, thus assuring data integrity. This followed a rigorous psychometric evaluation of the measurement instruments through both exploratory and confirmatory factor analyses. The third stage consists of preliminary correlation analyses, regression model testing, and structural equation modeling (SEM). The fourth stage covers qualitative data processing like transcription, coding, and thematic extraction from interviews and focus groups. Finally, this integration of quantitative and qualitative findings into a comprehensive research report and conclusion represents the finish line of this process. \u0026nbsp;Such a systematic way makes sure that a methodological approach is always in the back of the technique while giving a full understanding of how adolescents live within Secondary-Element Communities.\u003c/p\u003e"},{"header":"Results","content":"\u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eDescriptive Statistics and Correlations\u003c/strong\u003e\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eThe survey scored good and valid questionnaires from 500 full-fledged participants, with a mean age of 15.872years and a fairly evenly divided gender distribution (61.6% male, 38.4% female). All fundamental measurement scales exhibited strong reliability with Cronbach's α values beyond 0.80, suggesting well-supported internal consistency across the instruments.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eThe data reveals several interesting patterns in the key variables. Secondary-Element participation shows a moderately high average (M = 3.42, SD = 0.68), indicating that most adolescents maintain some level of engagement with Secondary-Element culture. Group identification scores (M = 3.57, SD = 0.73) trend above the midpoint, suggesting that participants generally develop meaningful emotional and behavioral connections to these communities. Mainstream value orientation (M = 3.84, SD = 0.60) and social adaptation (M = 3.75, SD = 0.65) both demonstrate relatively high means, indicating that participants maintain strong connections to conventional social norms and exhibit good overall social adjustment.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eThe correlation analysis reveals several significant relationships. A strong positive correlation exists between Secondary-Element participation and group identification (r = .41, p \u0026lt; .001), while mainstream value orientation correlates moderately with social adaptation (r = .36, p \u0026lt; .001). Perhaps most notably, the significant positive correlation between group identification and mainstream value orientation (r = .24, p \u0026lt; .01) suggests potential points of compatibility between Secondary-Element culture and mainstream values. These initial findings support several key research hypotheses and establish a foundation for more sophisticated analyses of multilevel and moderating effects.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eMultilevel Analysis\u003c/strong\u003e\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eParticipation Patterns\u003c/strong\u003e\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eCore creators primarily engage in fan content creation and merchandise design, while active interactors focus on online commentary and fan discussion groups. Regular consumers tend toward anime viewing and website browsing, and casual observers engage mainly during trending topics. The frequency analysis reveals that core creators and active interactors demonstrate significantly higher daily online and offline activity rates compared to regular consumers and casual observers.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eMotivational patterns vary systematically across groups. Core creators prioritize self-expression and community recognition, active interactors emphasize social connection needs, regular consumers are primarily interest-driven, and casual observers typically engage due to peer influence or curiosity. Core creators and interactors report high feelings of belongingness and accomplishment in the community, but they are much more susceptible to community conflicts and negative content. Regular consumers and casual observers are relatively little influenced by Secondary-Element culture. ANOVA indicates that there are significant differences between groups. Core creators and active interactors have significant group identification compared with regular consumers and casual observers. This supports the hypothesis that deeper engagement is correlated with stronger community identification. Needless to say, while these dynamics provide some high-level insights to understand participation, individual experiences can vary within each category.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eIdentity Formation Process\u003c/strong\u003e\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eSEM models reveal a positive path linking participation depth in Secondary-Element Communities and group identification. The qualitative analysis demarcates four successive stages of identity development for adolescents: initial curiosity and contact, active exploration, deep involvement, and finally, stable identification. During this developmental sequence, interest-driven motivation and peer influence emerge as key drivers, with the rules of that community and the internal culture acting to strengthen inclusiveness by providing a niche symbolic system.\u0026nbsp;\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eAs deep involvement occurs, the mechanism becomes very clear: adolescents identify with and defend subcultural values of their community as emotional support and recognition of self-importance. This is splendidly corroborated by interviews with key content creators, which articulate their practices such as cosplay and fan content creation to access deeper comprehension into community culture later translated into day-to-day life contexts and social interactions.\u0026nbsp;\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eIt seems that there is one of the most important development patterns: older adolescents-greater action in psychological maturity-become aware of the differences between Secondary-Element culture and mainstream values. This mental process or reflection yields balanced and integrated identity and value systems, suggesting that the engagement with Secondary-Element Communities can be a means to aid healthy developments in identity development, properly delineated.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eThe blending of the quantitative and qualitative facilitates an insightful picture concerning how adolescents establish and maintain their identities within Secondary-Element Communities whilst also maneuvering through the larger social expectations. The results of the hierarchical regression analysis (Table 3) indicate that social support plays a significant positive moderating role between secondary participation and group identity.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eTable 3 Moderation Analysis\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003ctable border=\"1\" cellspacing=\"0\" cellpadding=\"0\"\u003e\n \u003ctbody\u003e\n \u003ctr\u003e\n \u003ctd valign=\"top\"\u003e\n \u003cp\u003eEffect Path\u003c/p\u003e\n \u003c/td\u003e\n \u003ctd valign=\"top\"\u003e\n \u003cp\u003eEffect\u003c/p\u003e\n \u003c/td\u003e\n \u003ctd valign=\"top\"\u003e\n \u003cp\u003eSE\u003c/p\u003e\n \u003c/td\u003e\n \u003ctd valign=\"top\"\u003e\n \u003cp\u003e95%CI Lower\u003c/p\u003e\n \u003c/td\u003e\n \u003ctd valign=\"top\"\u003e\n \u003cp\u003eUpper\u003c/p\u003e\n \u003c/td\u003e\n \u003c/tr\u003e\n \u003ctr\u003e\n \u003ctd valign=\"top\"\u003e\n \u003cp\u003eTotal Effect\u003c/p\u003e\n \u003c/td\u003e\n \u003ctd valign=\"top\"\u003e\n \u003cp\u003e0.526\u003c/p\u003e\n \u003c/td\u003e\n \u003ctd valign=\"top\"\u003e\n \u003cp\u003e0.048\u003c/p\u003e\n \u003c/td\u003e\n \u003ctd valign=\"top\"\u003e\n \u003cp\u003e0.432\u003c/p\u003e\n \u003c/td\u003e\n \u003ctd valign=\"top\"\u003e\n \u003cp\u003e0.620\u003c/p\u003e\n \u003c/td\u003e\n \u003c/tr\u003e\n \u003ctr\u003e\n \u003ctd valign=\"top\"\u003e\n \u003cp\u003eDirect Effect\u003c/p\u003e\n \u003c/td\u003e\n \u003ctd valign=\"top\"\u003e\n \u003cp\u003e0.384\u003c/p\u003e\n \u003c/td\u003e\n \u003ctd valign=\"top\"\u003e\n \u003cp\u003e0.052\u003c/p\u003e\n \u003c/td\u003e\n \u003ctd valign=\"top\"\u003e\n \u003cp\u003e0.282\u003c/p\u003e\n \u003c/td\u003e\n \u003ctd valign=\"top\"\u003e\n \u003cp\u003e0.486\u003c/p\u003e\n \u003c/td\u003e\n \u003c/tr\u003e\n \u003ctr\u003e\n \u003ctd valign=\"top\"\u003e\n \u003cp\u003eIndirect Effect\u003cbr\u003e\u0026nbsp;(via Group ID)\u003c/p\u003e\n \u003c/td\u003e\n \u003ctd valign=\"top\"\u003e\n \u003cp\u003e0.142\u003c/p\u003e\n \u003c/td\u003e\n \u003ctd valign=\"top\"\u003e\n \u003cp\u003e0.028\u003c/p\u003e\n \u003c/td\u003e\n \u003ctd valign=\"top\"\u003e\n \u003cp\u003e0.087\u003c/p\u003e\n \u003c/td\u003e\n \u003ctd valign=\"top\"\u003e\n \u003cp\u003e0.197\u003c/p\u003e\n \u003c/td\u003e\n \u003c/tr\u003e\n \u003ctr\u003e\n \u003ctd valign=\"top\"\u003e\n \u003cp\u003eIndirect Effect\u0026nbsp;\u003cbr\u003e\u0026nbsp;(via Value Int.)\u003c/p\u003e\n \u003c/td\u003e\n \u003ctd valign=\"top\"\u003e\n \u003cp\u003e0.098\u003c/p\u003e\n \u003c/td\u003e\n \u003ctd valign=\"top\"\u003e\n \u003cp\u003e0.023\u003c/p\u003e\n \u003c/td\u003e\n \u003ctd valign=\"top\"\u003e\n \u003cp\u003e0.053\u003c/p\u003e\n \u003c/td\u003e\n \u003ctd valign=\"top\"\u003e\n \u003cp\u003e0.143\u003c/p\u003e\n \u003c/td\u003e\n \u003c/tr\u003e\n \u003ctr\u003e\n \u003ctd valign=\"top\"\u003e\n \u003cp\u003eSerial Mediation Effect\u0026nbsp;\u003c/p\u003e\n \u003c/td\u003e\n \u003ctd valign=\"top\"\u003e\n \u003cp\u003e0.076\u003c/p\u003e\n \u003c/td\u003e\n \u003ctd valign=\"top\"\u003e\n \u003cp\u003e0.019\u003c/p\u003e\n \u003c/td\u003e\n \u003ctd valign=\"top\"\u003e\n \u003cp\u003e0.039\u003c/p\u003e\n \u003c/td\u003e\n \u003ctd valign=\"top\"\u003e\n \u003cp\u003e0.113\u003c/p\u003e\n \u003c/td\u003e\n \u003c/tr\u003e\n \u003ctr\u003e\n \u003ctd colspan=\"5\" valign=\"top\"\u003e\n \u003cp\u003eNote: Bootstrap samples = 5000\u003c/p\u003e\n \u003c/td\u003e\n \u003c/tr\u003e\n \u003c/tbody\u003e\n\u003c/table\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eValue Integration Mechanisms\u003c/strong\u003e\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eIn the study examining value integration, a multiple regression analysis indicated significant interaction between mainstream values and identification with ACG (Anime, Comics, and Games) subculture in predicting social adjustment. Qualitative interviews revealed that most participants dealt with potential value conflicts by selectively choosing content and engaging their family or teachers for discussion, leading to the following integration patterns:\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003col start=\"1\" type=\"1\"\u003e\n \u003cli\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eConformist:\u003c/strong\u003e Tends to integrate positive elements of ACG culture with social norms.\u003c/li\u003e\n \u003cli\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eCompromiser:\u003c/strong\u003e Maintains ACG identity while adhering to mainstream values in key situations.\u003c/li\u003e\n \u003cli\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eConflictual:\u003c/strong\u003e Experiences more apparent value conflicts, and individuals are temporarily unable to effectively reconcile them.\u003c/li\u003e\n\u003c/ol\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eObstacles to integration include fascination with extreme content and a lack of proper guidance from parents or teachers. Adequate social support and an open and inclusive environment can promote value integration and improve adolescents' adjustment levels.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eModeration Analysis\u003c/strong\u003e\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eSocial Support as Moderator\u003c/strong\u003e\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eMixed-methods integration: Stratified regression analyses showed that social support had a significant positive moderating effect between secondary participation and group identity, mainstream value orientation, and social adaptation .Differences in different sources of support were as follows: family support: the quality of parent-child communication and parental understanding were more significant in diluting value conflicts and enhancing positive identity; school support: appropriate attention from teachers and inclusion of diversity in the school culture reduced the negative impact of extreme content on adolescents; and peer support: adolescents were more likely to develop a positive sense of belonging and a positive identity when interacting with like-minded peers. The optimal support model should consider the cooperation between families, schools and society to enhance positive interpretation and reasonable supervision of secondary culture.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eDigital Access as Moderator\u003c/strong\u003e\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eDevice type: those using computers or tablets were more inclined to in-depth creation and community interaction, while those using cell phones mainly engaged in fragmented browsing or socializing. Duration of use: Teens who spent more than 3 hours a day were significantly more likely to identify with the secondary community than those who spent less time (p \u0026lt; .05), but were also more likely to encounter extreme content. Usage: Active creation and interactive use were more effective in promoting positive identification and self-expression, while passive consumption or undifferentiated browsing were relatively less effective.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eRegarding the digital divide, youth in rural or less developed areas were less engaged and less identified overall due to limitations in Internet speed and equipment; they were also less likely to receive adequate support from peers and families due to a lack of resources. The results of the latent profile analysis (Table 4) show that adolescents' participation patterns in secondary communities can be categorized into four typical types.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eTable 4 Hierarchical Regression Analysis of Moderation Effects\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003ctable border=\"0\" cellspacing=\"0\" cellpadding=\"0\"\u003e\n \u003ctbody\u003e\n \u003ctr\u003e\n \u003ctd valign=\"top\"\u003e\n \u003cp\u003ePredictors\u0026nbsp;\u003c/p\u003e\n \u003c/td\u003e\n \u003ctd valign=\"top\"\u003e\n \u003cp\u003eModel 1\u003c/p\u003e\n \u003c/td\u003e\n \u003ctd valign=\"top\"\u003e\n \u003cp\u003eModel 2\u003c/p\u003e\n \u003c/td\u003e\n \u003ctd valign=\"top\"\u003e\n \u003cp\u003eModel 3\u003c/p\u003e\n \u003c/td\u003e\n \u003c/tr\u003e\n \u003ctr\u003e\n \u003ctd valign=\"top\"\u003e\n \u003cp\u003eSE Participation (A)\u0026nbsp;\u003c/p\u003e\n \u003c/td\u003e\n \u003ctd valign=\"top\"\u003e\n \u003cp\u003e0.526***\u003c/p\u003e\n \u003c/td\u003e\n \u003ctd valign=\"top\"\u003e\n \u003cp\u003e0.438***\u003c/p\u003e\n \u003c/td\u003e\n \u003ctd valign=\"top\"\u003e\n \u003cp\u003e0.412***\u003c/p\u003e\n \u003c/td\u003e\n \u003c/tr\u003e\n \u003ctr\u003e\n \u003ctd valign=\"top\"\u003e\n \u003cp\u003eSocial Support (B)\u0026nbsp;\u003c/p\u003e\n \u003c/td\u003e\n \u003ctd valign=\"top\"\u003e\n \u003cp\u003e-\u003c/p\u003e\n \u003c/td\u003e\n \u003ctd valign=\"top\"\u003e\n \u003cp\u003e0.344***\u003c/p\u003e\n \u003c/td\u003e\n \u003ctd valign=\"top\"\u003e\n \u003cp\u003e0.328***\u003c/p\u003e\n \u003c/td\u003e\n \u003c/tr\u003e\n \u003ctr\u003e\n \u003ctd valign=\"top\"\u003e\n \u003cp\u003eA × B\u0026nbsp;\u003c/p\u003e\n \u003c/td\u003e\n \u003ctd valign=\"top\"\u003e\n \u003cp\u003e-\u003c/p\u003e\n \u003c/td\u003e\n \u003ctd valign=\"top\"\u003e\n \u003cp\u003e-\u003c/p\u003e\n \u003c/td\u003e\n \u003ctd valign=\"top\"\u003e\n \u003cp\u003e0.196***\u003c/p\u003e\n \u003c/td\u003e\n \u003c/tr\u003e\n \u003ctr\u003e\n \u003ctd valign=\"top\"\u003e\n \u003cp\u003eR²\u0026nbsp;\u003c/p\u003e\n \u003c/td\u003e\n \u003ctd valign=\"top\"\u003e\n \u003cp\u003e0.277\u003c/p\u003e\n \u003c/td\u003e\n \u003ctd valign=\"top\"\u003e\n \u003cp\u003e0.381\u003c/p\u003e\n \u003c/td\u003e\n \u003ctd valign=\"top\"\u003e\n \u003cp\u003e0.419\u003c/p\u003e\n \u003c/td\u003e\n \u003c/tr\u003e\n \u003ctr\u003e\n \u003ctd valign=\"top\"\u003e\n \u003cp\u003eΔR²\u0026nbsp;\u003c/p\u003e\n \u003c/td\u003e\n \u003ctd valign=\"top\"\u003e\n \u003cp\u003e0.277***\u003c/p\u003e\n \u003c/td\u003e\n \u003ctd valign=\"top\"\u003e\n \u003cp\u003e0.104***\u003c/p\u003e\n \u003c/td\u003e\n \u003ctd valign=\"top\"\u003e\n \u003cp\u003e0.038**\u003c/p\u003e\n \u003c/td\u003e\n \u003c/tr\u003e\n \u003ctr\u003e\n \u003ctd colspan=\"4\" valign=\"top\"\u003e\n \u003cp\u003eNote: *p\u0026lt;.05, **p\u0026lt;.01, ***p\u0026lt;.001\u003c/p\u003e\n \u003c/td\u003e\n \u003c/tr\u003e\n \u003c/tbody\u003e\n\u003c/table\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eFamily Background Effects\u003c/strong\u003e\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eThe interaction between family background and secondary participation and identification reached significance in the SEM. Socioeconomic Status (SES): Compared with adolescents from low-income households, the differences in access to quality digital resources and support for arts education affords richer creative and activity engagement in adolescents from middle- to high-SES families. Parental Education Level: When the parents possess a higher education level, children's learning processes and critically examining of secondary culture create more balance, thus rationalizing value conflicts. Family Environment: Harmonious and democratic family communication patterns can effectively reduce the tensions between secondary culture and mainstream values, and enhance youth adjustment to society.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eQualitative Analysis\u003c/strong\u003e\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eThe qualitative analysis covers the thematic analysis of the open-ended questionnaire and the case study interpretation of the in-depth interviews.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eThematic analysis: Starting from the three core themes of the meaning of the secondary community, value conflict, and the need for social support, it was found that most of the teenagers regarded the secondary community as a space for emotional support and self-expression, and at the same time expressed concern about the extreme content and hostile atmosphere of the secondary community. The interviews were conducted with a typical case study of a teenager who is a member of a secondary school. Interviews: Typical cases include a core creator who integrates mainstream values into his works, thus receiving positive feedback from inside and outside the school, reflecting the benign interaction between secondary culture and social values, and a confrontational individual who is caught in a value conflict due to his parents' extreme opposition. Deeper mechanism: The interview information suggests that the key to group identity and internalization of values lies in the degree of tolerance in the external environment and the ability of individual reflection. Social support can help adolescents reconcile conflicts and achieve psychological growth at critical moments. Supplementary findings: Some adolescents at a younger age or with higher school pressure tend to use secondary culture to escape from reality, which leads to problems in academics and interpersonal relationships, suggesting the need for a better education and psychological guidance system.\u003c/p\u003e"},{"header":"Discussion","content":"\u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eThe Multiple Pathways of Identity Formation\u003c/strong\u003e\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eIn this study, we found that adolescents' identities in the secondary community showed diverse paths of development, ranging from deep involvement in the form of core creators, to active participants in social interactions, to ordinary consumers and occasional contacts who mainly satisfied the needs of interest consumption. Unlike traditional social psychology theories [54], which emphasize single-group affiliation, identity formation in the secondary community is characterized by both “interest aggregation” and “cultural co-creation”.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eDifferent types of identities are influenced differently in the process of identity formation: core creators are usually driven by the need for self-expression and feedback from the community, active participants are more focused on peer interactions and the creation of a group atmosphere, whereas ordinary consumers and occasional users are likely to be influenced by popularity and peer opinions. As indicated by developmental psychology, adolescents make comprehensive judgments based on multiple factors such as personal interests, social support, and cultural background in their pursuit of belonging and self-perception [45]\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eTheoretically, such multiple paths of identity challenge the traditional linear “identity-conflict-reintegration” model, suggesting that researchers should pay more attention to adolescents' cross-identification and multiple role transitions among different communities. In practice, educators and parents need to recognize the various levels of motivation and identity tendencies in secondary communities, and provide targeted support and resources in the guidance process.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eValue Integration in the Digital Age\u003c/strong\u003e\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eWith the popularization of digital technology, adolescents not only obtain richer cultural contents in the secondary community, but also face more complicated value conflicts. This study shows that the integration between mainstream values and subcultural values is mainly manifested in the three modes of “conformity-compromise-confrontation”; different individuals may experience repeated adjustments and choices in this process [52]. Successful integration often depends on the tolerance of the external environment and the critical thinking of individuals: some core creators or active interactors have gained positive feedback by integrating elements of social responsibility and civic awareness into their works; however, others have fallen into confrontation and isolation due to miscommunication with their families or schools.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eValue integration in the digital age faces challenges such as information overload, circle barriers, and extreme content intrusion [48] When adolescents are immersed in single content and homogenized communities for a long time, mainstream values may be marginalized or misinterpreted. Accordingly, the establishment of an open and diverse digital platform that encourages cross-group dialog and critical thinking can help achieve two-way penetration and symbiosis of values. This study found that some school clubs and community activities can effectively combine secondary culture with social welfare, urban culture and other resources, which provides a positive example for future cultural creativity and social education, as\u0026nbsp;Table 5.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eTable 5 Latent Profile Analysis Results\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003ctable border=\"1\" cellspacing=\"0\" cellpadding=\"0\"\u003e\u003ctbody\u003e\u003ctr\u003e\u003ctd valign=\"top\"\u003e\n \u003cp\u003eVariable\u003c/p\u003e\n \u003c/td\u003e\u003ctd valign=\"top\"\u003e\n \u003cp\u003eProfile 1\u003cbr\u003e\u0026nbsp;M(SD)\u003c/p\u003e\n \u003c/td\u003e\u003ctd valign=\"top\"\u003e\n \u003cp\u003eProfile 2\u003cbr\u003e\u0026nbsp;M(SD)\u003c/p\u003e\n \u003c/td\u003e\u003ctd valign=\"top\"\u003e\n \u003cp\u003eProfile 3\u003cbr\u003e\u0026nbsp;M(SD)\u003c/p\u003e\n \u003c/td\u003e\u003ctd valign=\"top\"\u003e\n \u003cp\u003eProfile 4\u003cbr\u003e\u0026nbsp;M(SD)\u003c/p\u003e\n \u003c/td\u003e\u003c/tr\u003e\u003ctr\u003e\u003ctd valign=\"top\"\u003e\n \u003cp\u003eFrequency\u003c/p\u003e\n \u003c/td\u003e\u003ctd valign=\"top\"\u003e\n \u003cp\u003e4.52\u003c/p\u003e\n \u003c/td\u003e\u003ctd valign=\"top\"\u003e\n \u003cp\u003e3.85\u003c/p\u003e\n \u003c/td\u003e\u003ctd valign=\"top\"\u003e\n \u003cp\u003e3.24\u003c/p\u003e\n \u003c/td\u003e\u003ctd valign=\"top\"\u003e\n \u003cp\u003e2.45\u003c/p\u003e\n \u003c/td\u003e\u003c/tr\u003e\u003ctr\u003e\u003ctd valign=\"top\"\u003e\n \u003cp\u003eCreation\u003c/p\u003e\n \u003c/td\u003e\u003ctd valign=\"top\"\u003e\n \u003cp\u003e4.35\u003c/p\u003e\n \u003c/td\u003e\u003ctd valign=\"top\"\u003e\n \u003cp\u003e3.92\u003c/p\u003e\n \u003c/td\u003e\u003ctd valign=\"top\"\u003e\n \u003cp\u003e2.85\u003c/p\u003e\n \u003c/td\u003e\u003ctd valign=\"top\"\u003e\n \u003cp\u003e1.95\u003c/p\u003e\n \u003c/td\u003e\u003c/tr\u003e\u003ctr\u003e\u003ctd valign=\"top\"\u003e\n \u003cp\u003eInteraction\u003c/p\u003e\n \u003c/td\u003e\u003ctd valign=\"top\"\u003e\n \u003cp\u003e4.48\u003c/p\u003e\n \u003c/td\u003e\u003ctd valign=\"top\"\u003e\n \u003cp\u003e4.12\u003c/p\u003e\n \u003c/td\u003e\u003ctd valign=\"top\"\u003e\n \u003cp\u003e3.15\u003c/p\u003e\n \u003c/td\u003e\u003ctd valign=\"top\"\u003e\n \u003cp\u003e2.25\u003c/p\u003e\n \u003c/td\u003e\u003c/tr\u003e\u003ctr\u003e\u003ctd valign=\"top\"\u003e\n \u003cp\u003econsumption\u003c/p\u003e\n \u003c/td\u003e\u003ctd valign=\"top\"\u003e\n \u003cp\u003e4.25\u003c/p\u003e\n \u003c/td\u003e\u003ctd valign=\"top\"\u003e\n \u003cp\u003e4.05\u003c/p\u003e\n \u003c/td\u003e\u003ctd valign=\"top\"\u003e\n \u003cp\u003e3.85\u003c/p\u003e\n \u003c/td\u003e\u003ctd valign=\"top\"\u003e\n \u003cp\u003e3.15\u003c/p\u003e\n \u003c/td\u003e\u003c/tr\u003e\u003ctr\u003e\u003ctd valign=\"top\"\u003e\n \u003cp\u003eClass Prob.\u003c/p\u003e\n \u003c/td\u003e\u003ctd valign=\"top\"\u003e\n \u003cp\u003e0.284\u003c/p\u003e\n \u003c/td\u003e\u003ctd valign=\"top\"\u003e\n \u003cp\u003e0.336\u003c/p\u003e\n \u003c/td\u003e\u003ctd valign=\"top\"\u003e\n \u003cp\u003e0.224\u003c/p\u003e\n \u003c/td\u003e\u003ctd valign=\"top\"\u003e\n \u003cp\u003e0.156\u003c/p\u003e\n \u003c/td\u003e\u003c/tr\u003e\u003ctr\u003e\u003ctd colspan=\"5\" valign=\"top\"\u003e\n \u003cp\u003eNote: M = Mean; SD = Standard Deviation; Class Prob. = Classification Probability\u003c/p\u003e\n \u003c/td\u003e\u003c/tr\u003e\u003c/tbody\u003e\u003c/table\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003ePractical Implications\u003c/strong\u003e\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e1. Family education: Parents should pay attention to the influence of secondary culture on the shaping of youth's emotions and values, and help their children to identify and screen content by watching and discussing works together. At the same time, they should encourage their children to develop the positive ability to create and interact with the community to form a healthier digital lifestyle [53]2. School education: Schools can incorporate secondary elements into their curriculum and club activities, capitalizing on their attraction to young people and developing values education and social responsibility. Teachers should avoid simple prohibition or exclusion, but help students develop critical thinking through guidance, discussion and project-based learning [9]\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e3. Social support: Communities and public welfare organizations can use activities such as comic exhibitions and cosplay to build bridges, so that young people can experience social responsibility and collective consciousness in their entertainment and creativity; at the same time, they can strengthen the monitoring and prevention of extreme content, and provide psychological and resource support for young people [6].\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e4. Policy formulation: The government and related departments should take into full consideration the rapid development of the secondary community in the management of the cultural industry and the regulation of new media, in order to protect the digital rights and interests of young people, but also to prevent the proliferation of extreme or vulgar content, and to promote the coexistence and fusion of secondary culture and mainstream values [41].\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e5. Specific implementation paths: Establish cross-sectoral cooperation mechanisms, develop digital technology and cultural and creative industries, cultivate professional teachers and social workers, provide more systematic education and guidance on secondary culture for young people, and form a three-pronged linkage model of “family-school-society”. Form a “family-school-society” model.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eLimitations and Future Directions\u003c/strong\u003e\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eAlthough this study was a mixed design, the following limitations remain:\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e1. Research methodology: questionnaires and interviews are subject to self-reporting bias interference from environmental factors, and lack of longitudinal tracking and multi-source assessment, which could be followed up by incorporating data such as observations and physiological indicators [9]\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e2. Sample selection: The study mainly focused on urban schools and schools with related clubs, and the digital divide and cultural differences among adolescents in rural and remote areas were not adequately reflected, so the follow-up study could expand the coverage of the geographic area and the population.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e3. Measurement tools: although the scales of secondary participation and values integration have been revised, their stability and differentiation need to be further verified in more samples and cross-cultural contexts [46]\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e4. Future research directions: longitudinal studies can be combined to track the identity and value evolution of adolescents at different ages; cultural differences between domestic and international secondary communities can also be compared to provide a broader perspective for cross-cultural communication and educational practices [40]. Meanwhile, in-depth exploration of the impact of algorithmic recommendations on the integration of values and the formation of identity on digital platforms will also be a topic of interest in the future.\u003c/p\u003e\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n"},{"header":"Conclusion","content":"\u003cp\u003eFocusing on the interaction mechanism between adolescents' identity and mainstream values in secondary communities, this study draws the following key conclusions and insights through a mixed-method empirical examination:\u003c/p\u003e\u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eResponding to the research question\u003c/strong\u003e\u003c/p\u003e\u003cp\u003eThis study centers on the characteristics of adolescents' group identity formation in secondary meta-communities, the process of mainstream values integration, and the moderating role of social support and family background on the process. The results suggest that factors such as depth of secondary participation, peer and family support, accessibility of digital resources, and differences in cultural background jointly influence adolescents' identity patterns and value shaping.\u003c/p\u003e\u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eSummary of key findings\u003c/strong\u003e\u003c/p\u003e\u003cp\u003eIn the context of secondary communities, adolescents bring together a mixture of identity construction, value amalgamation, and social influences. They largely engage in these activities through paths that differ from mere passive observation to constant content creation and full involvement in core communities, informed by their interest and need for self-expression. The integration of mainstream and subcultural values occurs through three patterned ways: conformity, compromise, or confrontation. The quality of this integration is contingent upon environmental tolerance and the ability of individuals to think critically. Social support, particularly from family, school, and peers, serves as a possibly positive moderator of healthy identity development and value formation among adolescents. Of high significance is the socioeconomic dimensions of family origin as well as the disparity between their digital-accessiveness, among others, that set the framework to engage the secondary community in affecting adolescents' internalization of adult-oriented mainstream values, thus reinforcing further context-based factors in the study of youth development within digital spaces.\u003c/p\u003e\u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eTheoretical Implications\u003c/strong\u003e\u003c/p\u003e\u003cp\u003eThe research integrates diverse disciplines to advance strategies for bridging the gaps in solving youth problems facing emergent subcultures. In so doing, it advances the understanding of social identity, theory and developmental psychological perspectives in a purely technological context but sees with specific acuity characterized by various adolescents' engagements in subcultures. The new contribution of this study is in that stable combination of those three disciplines: the affairs of multiculturalism, exchange, and development of online communities and adolescent development.\u003c/p\u003e\u003cp\u003eThis combination constructs a strong analytical frame for enabling future research across disciplines and cultures. Furthermore, this research holds tremendous implications for the wide lives of various adolescents. Of particular significance, this framework calls for a more planned-centered involvement, which spans from avoidance and supervising overprotectively toward guided participation that kindles the artistic interests of adolescents while establishing predetermined boundaries. This will allow educators to value and commit themselves to incorporating aspects of the secondary culture into their curricula, making such investigations enlightening and invoking critical reflections upon values, thus leading to an inclusive development of multicultural consciousness.\u003c/p\u003e\u003cp\u003eThe study also emphasizes the role of larger social support systems. It calls for communities and media to ensure safe spaces for secondary activities. The cross-cultural dialogue within these spaces should promote youth social responsibility and collaboration through meaningful and relevant engagement.From a policy perspective, the research promotes a carefully balanced approach. On one hand, the cultural industry should develop; on the other hand, youth should be protected from harmful subcultures through moderated network regulation and a more resourceful allocation of integration between the two worlds.\u003c/p\u003e\u003cp\u003eThe framework bridges theoretical and practical applications by outlining a path for various stakeholders to provide channels for healthy adolescent development in an increasingly digital and culturally diverse world. The recommendations offered by this study are particularly meaningful because they carefully attend to the multiple worlds of an individual's growth process as they relate to social support systems and cultural contexts. These recommendations provide pragmatic approaches to encouraging positive development in youth while respecting and integrating subcultural elements into programs.\u003c/p\u003e\u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eFuture Prospects\u003c/strong\u003e\u003c/p\u003e\u003cp\u003eTherefore, inasmuch as researches have delimited the already discussed aspects, there are very promising future research paths on secondary culture and adolescents' articulation with it. Longitudinal tracking or experimental designs, to clarify how secondary culture shapes the values and identity development of adolescents over time, would greatly aid in investigations that measure quantity and quality or outcomes and processes Hybrid monitoring designs might also broaden the coverage to include rural sector and other cultural contexts across the length of the study groups allowing for a comprehensive view on how etic or digital disparities contrast within findings across cultures. Methodologically there are still measurement tools to be sought for in ascertaining the subtle and soft dynamics of conflicts of values and the process of self-adjustment on to the adolescents. Researchers should also take the opportunity to investigate more deeply how the favorite hens for emerging online technology- algorithms for recommendations or virtual platforms for socialization-affect processes of transmitting values or in the creation of group identity, which still speaks towards extension on practical undertakings of the framework for this research.\u003c/p\u003e"},{"header":"Declarations","content":"\u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eData Availability Statement\u003c/strong\u003e\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eThe dataset generated and analyzed in this study is currently not publicly available due to privacy concerns of the minor participants. However, access can be requested from the corresponding author after obtaining appropriate ethical approval.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eAuthor Contributions\u003c/strong\u003e\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eZongLin Yang conceived and designed the study, analyzed all the data, wrote the manuscript. The author has read and agreed to the published version of the manuscript.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eEthics Statement\u003c/strong\u003e\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eThe study followed the Declaration of Helsinki and relevant ethical guidelines and all research methods were ethical. All experimental protocols were independently ethically reviewed and approved. All participants and their legal guardians gave written consent to participate in the study and were informed about the purpose, procedures and potential risks.\u003c/p\u003e"},{"header":"References","content":"\u003col\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eAnderson, J., \u0026amp; Rainie, L. 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Brooks/Cole.\u003c/li\u003e\n\u003c/ol\u003e"}],"fulltextSource":"","fullText":"","funders":[],"hasAdminPriorityOnWorkflow":false,"hasManuscriptDocX":true,"hasOptedInToPreprint":true,"hasPassedJournalQc":"","hasAnyPriority":false,"hideJournal":true,"highlight":"","institution":"","isAcceptedByJournal":false,"isAuthorSuppliedPdf":false,"isDeskRejected":"","isHiddenFromSearch":false,"isInQc":false,"isInWorkflow":false,"isPdf":false,"isPdfUpToDate":true,"isWithdrawnOrRetracted":false,"journal":{"display":true,"email":"[email protected]","identity":"researchsquare","isNatureJournal":false,"hasQc":true,"allowDirectSubmit":true,"externalIdentity":"","sideBox":"","snPcode":"","submissionUrl":"/submission","title":"Research Square","twitterHandle":"researchsquare","acdcEnabled":true,"dfaEnabled":false,"editorialSystem":"","reportingPortfolio":"","inReviewEnabled":false,"inReviewRevisionsEnabled":true},"keywords":"Adolescents, Secondary-Element Communities, Group Identification, Mainstream Values, Social Support, Cultural Context","lastPublishedDoi":"10.21203/rs.3.rs-5979025/v1","lastPublishedDoiUrl":"https://doi.org/10.21203/rs.3.rs-5979025/v1","license":{"name":"CC BY 4.0","url":"https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/"},"manuscriptAbstract":"This study aims to clarify the interrelationships between adolescents' group identity within secondary-element communities and the mainstream value prescriptions. Based on social identity theory and developmental psychology, the research looks into the processes and modes through which adolescents engage and inhabit these communities, the formation of their group identities, and the organizational integration of mainstream values. Using a mixed-method approach that included surveys and interviews as well as focus groups with 500 adolescents aged 12-18, this study identifies a variety of identity pathways-explaining processes ranging from core creators to casual observers. The study finds that deeper engagement in Secondary-Element Communities correlates with stronger group identification, and social support within the family, school, and peers strongly moderates the external support for the process therewith integrated. The study highlights the importance of various contextual and cultural factors in culture, such as internet directions, in terms of adolescents' value formation. The results affirm that external tolerance and strong critical thinking are essential to value integration. The research has implications for family education, school management, and social policy, confirming a need to assist in focused support and provide the means to learn how to develop a healthy identity among adolescents.","manuscriptTitle":"In-Group Identification and Mainstream Value Guidance among Adolescents in the Context of Secondary-Element ","msid":"","msnumber":"","nonDraftVersions":[{"code":1,"date":"2025-06-06 15:42:29","doi":"10.21203/rs.3.rs-5979025/v1","editorialEvents":[{"type":"communityComments","content":0}],"status":"published","journal":{"display":true,"email":"[email protected]","identity":"researchsquare","isNatureJournal":false,"hasQc":true,"allowDirectSubmit":true,"externalIdentity":"","sideBox":"","snPcode":"","submissionUrl":"/submission","title":"Research Square","twitterHandle":"researchsquare","acdcEnabled":true,"dfaEnabled":false,"editorialSystem":"","reportingPortfolio":"","inReviewEnabled":false,"inReviewRevisionsEnabled":true}}],"origin":"","ownerIdentity":"98fd9743-e403-47a1-ab1c-dbd08c30b61d","owner":[],"postedDate":"June 6th, 2025","published":true,"recentEditorialEvents":[],"rejectedJournal":[],"revision":"","amendment":"","status":"posted","subjectAreas":[{"id":49330687,"name":"Biological sciences/Psychology/Human behaviour"},{"id":49330688,"name":"Earth and environmental sciences/Environmental social sciences/Psychology and behaviour"}],"tags":[],"updatedAt":"2025-07-14T08:08:56+00:00","versionOfRecord":[],"versionCreatedAt":"2025-06-06 15:42:29","video":"","vorDoi":"","vorDoiUrl":"","workflowStages":[]},"version":"v1","identity":"rs-5979025","journalConfig":"researchsquare"},"__N_SSP":true},"page":"/article/[identity]/[[...version]]","query":{"redirect":"/article/rs-5979025","identity":"rs-5979025","version":["v1"]},"buildId":"8U1c8b4HqxoKbykW_rLl7","isFallback":false,"isExperimentalCompile":false,"dynamicIds":[84888],"gssp":true,"scriptLoader":[]}