Al, the recoil was more than I'd expect, but except for some 3" loads, I found the kick quite tolerable. Sharp, but doable. Adding a half lb of weight in the right places would make one outstanding shotgun for anyone capable of handling a 7 1/2 to 8 lb weapon, in the field or in crisis.
Part of the increase in kick in the YE can be traced to the short LOP. This makes the butt smaller in area, thus putting energy into less space.
Next time I play with this one, I may sand a little cast at toe into that pad, see if that reduces the felt recoil.
Mastrogiacomo, I strongly recommend you getting some lessons from a qualified instructor and trying out a few shotguns. The Big Four pumpguns
(Ithaca 37, Winchester 1300, Mossberg 500 and variants, and the legendary Remington 870) are all available in either 12 or 20 gauge, and with Youth models with the shorter stock suitable for smaller shooters.
An auto is often a good choice, Remington made an 1100 Special Field model with 21" barrel suitable for sport or defense.
The Berettas are also good.
And, I've never heard a bad word about the venerable Franchi AL-48. It's quite light in weight, which means the kick is increased.
And I wouldn't recommend a double for a first shotgun. They can be a morass for the tyro. Stick to the repeaters like those listed.
A note about off brand shotguns. While the classics like the Big Four last well nigh forever, and one can often sell one for more than paid, the value of the offbrands drops like a paralytic buzzard.
HTH....