Abstract
<title>Abstract</title> <p>This study examined psychosocial correlates of protest engagement among 146 Generation Z (Gen Z) youth in Nepal following the 2025 youth-led protest movement. Guided by Positive Youth Development (PYD) Theory and Emerging Adulthood Theory, the study investigated demographic, behavioral, educational, family, and digital factors associated with three psychosocial outcomes: subjective happiness, self-esteem, and socioemotional competence (SEC) during a period of significant sociopolitical change. Participants were predominantly male, single, and enrolled in undergraduate education. Political dissatisfaction was the primary motivation for protest participation, and most participants reported exposure to civic and moral education, parental support for activism, and frequent social media use. Pearson correlation and hierarchical linear regression analyses were conducted. Happiness was positively associated with SEC, whereas self-esteem was negatively associated with SEC. In adjusted models, study time was the only significant correlate of happiness, while age was the only significant correlate of SEC. No significant predictors emerged for self-esteem, and most family, educational, and digital variables were not significantly associated with the psychosocial outcomes. Because the study employed a cross-sectional design and focused exclusively on protest-engaged youth, findings should be interpreted as correlational rather than causal. Overall, the findings suggest that developmental maturity, academic engagement, and socioemotional competencies were more closely associated with psychosocial functioning than the family, educational, and digital factors examined in this study. By extending research on youth civic engagement to an underrepresented South Asian context, the study contributes to a culturally informed understanding of psychosocial well-being and development among politically engaged emerging adults.</p>