Youth Academic Performance Research Articles

Influence of Media on Religio-Cultural Development and Academic Performance of Youths in Nigeria

Media plays a significant role in the religio-cultural development and academic performance of Nigerian youths. It connects them across religious and cultural boundaries, promoting the expression and preservation of religious and cultural activities. However, the proliferation of digital media has also led to challenges such as misinformation, religio-cultural erosion, and distractions that can hinder academic progress and undermine traditional beliefs. This paper analyses existing literature and empirical studies to provide insights into the complex interplay between media exposure, religio-cultural identity, and academic outcomes among Nigerian youth. The positive influence of media on the religio-cultural development and academic performance of Nigerian youth is significant, as exposure to diverse religious and cultural perspectives fosters tolerance, understanding, and appreciation for Nigeria's rich heritage. Educational content aids academic growth and skill development. Media serves as a tool for empowerment, inspiring youth to pursue their passions, educational goals, and a deeper connection with their religio-cultural roots. However, it emphasizes the need for media literacy and critical analysis to navigate potential challenges posed by media's influence on religio-cultural values and academic pursuits.

Preterm birth and subsequent intelligence and academic performance in youth: A cohort study.

Worldwide, more children than before survive preterm birth. Preterm birth can affect long-term cognitive outcomes. The aim of our study was to investigate the association between preterm birth and academic performance and intelligence in youth. This cohort study included all liveborn children in Denmark from 1978 to 2000. We used uni- and multivariable logistic and linear regressions to analyze associations between gestational age and school graduation, grade point average (GPA), attending conscription, and male intelligence scores at conscription. We adjusted for a priori defined potential confounders. The study included 1 450 681 children and found an association between preterm birth and lower academic performance, with children born extremely preterm having the lowest odds of graduating from lower- and upper secondary education (LSE and USE) and appearing before the conscription board (odds ratios of 0.45 [0.38-0.54], 0.52 [0.46-0.59], and 0.47 [0.39-0.56] for LSE, USE, and conscription, respectively, compared to the term group). Statistically significant differences were observed in LSE for total GPA and core subject GPA with higher GPAs in the term group, which were considered clinically relevant for mathematics with a 0.71 higher grade point for the term compared to the extremely preterm. Conversely, USE differences were less evident, and in linear regression models we found that preterm birth was associated with higher GPAs in the adjusted analyses; however, this was not statistically significant. We demonstrated statistically significant differences in intelligence scores at conscription with lower scores in the three preterm groups (-5.13, -2.73, and - 0.76, respectively) compared to the term group. Low gestational age at birth was associated with not graduating from LSE and USE, achieving lower GPAs in LSE, not attending conscription, and lower intelligence scores in young adulthood. The findings remained significant after adjusting for potential confounders.

Acculturation/enculturation and internalized model minority myth in Korean immigrant families.

Drawing on Bronfenbrenner's ecological systems theory (1977), this study examined the antecedents and outcomes of internalized model minority myth (MMM) within the microsystem of family and the macrosystem of culture. Among Korean immigrant families, we examined how mothers' internalized MMM (i.e., achievement orientation, unrestricted mobility) and youth's cultural orientations (i.e., acculturation, enculturation) were related to youth's internalized MMM and had direct and indirect relations to youth outcomes (i.e., life satisfaction, depression, antisocial behaviors, and academic performance). In a sample of 334 Korean immigrant mother-youth dyads (155 female youth; 132 foreign-born youth; Mage of youth = 16.37; Mage of mothers = 46.94), we conducted a path analysis by using the maximum likelihood and bootstrapping methods. A path analysis revealed mothers' achievement orientation was indirectly related to youth's academic performance via youth's beliefs in unrestricted mobility. In general, mothers' internalized MMM had harmful relationships to youth's depression and antisocial behaviors versus mixed relationships to academic performance. Importantly, mothers' internalized MMM indicated greater direct and indirect associations with youth outcomes than youth's own internalized MMM. A follow-up analysis of moderated mediation ruled out the possibility that academic performance moderated the relations of youth's internalized MMM and outcomes and thus masked any significant associations. Overall, the current findings highlighted the importance of understanding the internalized MMM within the microsystem of the close-knit Korean immigrant family relations. Implications for research, family intervention, parent education and outreach were discussed.

A Qualitative Assessment of the Experiences with Eye Health and Barriers to Eyeglasses among U.S. Youth.

Uncorrected refractive error is the main cause of visual impairment in U.S. youth and has profound impacts on individuals and society. Identifying and addressing barriers to eyeglasses in this population are critical to maximize youth academic performance, workplace productivity, and quality of life. We aimed to understand youth experiences with eye health, assess the value that youth place on vision, and identify barriers to refractive correction directly from a nationwide sample of youth to inform interventions to address uncorrected refractive error in this population. An open-ended poll was distributed to the MyVoice Text Message Cohort of U.S. youth eliciting youth experiences with eye health and barriers to wearing eyeglasses. Text message responses were coded using grounded theory. Of 1204 recipients, 88.3% (n = 1063) responded. The mean age ± standard deviation was 20.3 ± 2.4 years, 58.8% (n = 625) were male, 74.0% (n = 787) were White, and 41.4% (n = 440) reported low socioeconomic status. Four major themes emerged from the open-ended responses: (1) many youth have experienced problems with their eyes or eyesight (n = 699 [65.8%]); (2) many youth value their eyesight highly (n = 905 [85.1%]; e.g., "Eyesight is one of the most important aspects of my health, particularly in our digital world…"); (3) common reasons youth might not wear glasses even if they need them include concerns over appearance (n = 553 [52.0%]; e.g., "I thought every pair made me look ugly…"), cost (n = 171 [16.1%]), inconvenience (n = 166 [15.6%]), and discomfort (n = 104 [9.8%]); and (4) youth are open to purchasing eyeglasses online (n = 539 [50.7%]). Appearance, cost, inconvenience, and discomfort are critical barriers to wearing eyeglasses among U.S. youth. A multisectoral response is necessary to address these barriers.

Sedentary behaviour profiles and longitudinal associations with academic performance in youth: The UP&DOWN study

ABSTRACT The current study evaluated longitudinal associations between profile transitions of context-specific sedentary behaviour (SB) and changes in academic performance (AP) among school-aged youth. Participants were 466 children and 717 adolescents (50.8% males) aged 8–18 years (children = 7.92 ± 0.41 years; adolescents = 11.85 ± 1.53 years). Non-school SBs and AP were evaluated at baseline and two years later. General linear mixed models were implemented, controlling for age, region, parental education, body mass index, and cardiorespiratory fitness. Cross-sectionally, participants with an Educative-profile (i.e., highest scores in doing homework with/without computer and reading for fun) had higher AP when compared to other profiles. Longitudinally, males who changed from a Screen- to an Educative-profile had higher AP than males who changed from an Educative- to a Social- or Screen-SB profile (p < 0.01). No significant differences were found in females. These findings show the importance of analysing SB patterns from a qualitative perspective (i.e., context-specific for boosting school children AP) and highlighting time spent in educative as the most positive for AP, as well the need to implement interventions to reduce time on screen and social behaviours, especially targeting males.

Impact of Social Networking Sites on Student’s Academic Performance

These days, Social Networking Sites (SNS) have become the primary source of communication between individuals. The main focus of this study is to determine the impact of social networking sites on the academic performance of youth. A sample of 309 youth was selected, and the primary data was collected through the questionnaire. The collected data were analyzed using SPSS. The results were exciting; the results show that SNS is affecting the student’s academic performance. The study further confirmed that most respondents visit the SNS daily for an average of half an hour to more than 3 hours. The study further reveals that the number of active friends increases the youths’ academic performance. Since the study confirmed that the usage had affected children's academic performance, there is an urgent need for counseling and advice to the youths regarding the dangers of addiction to SNS the school authorities and parents. The other factor is that students' time on SNS affects their academic performance, and they cannot finish the portion within the assigned time. Based on these findings, it can be used to propose the appropriate methods for students to manage and balance their time without affecting their academic performance.

Sport Participation and Academic Performance in Young Elite Athletes.

Strong evidence supports physical activity and fitness levels being positively associated with cognitive performance and overall academic performance in youth. This also applies to sports participation. However, whether participation in sports at the elite level is associated with greater academic performance remains unknown. Thus, the present study aimed to compare the academic performance of young elite athletes to that of control students, as well as to analyze whether the type of sport mediates these results. Between 2010 and 2019, all students from the last Baccalaureate course of the Spanish Elite Sport High School-which also includes non-elite athletes and recreational athlete students, who were categorized as controls-participated in this study. Academic performance was assessed through both the grade point average of the two last Baccalaureate courses and through the average grades from the University Entrance Examinations. Athletes were categorized attending to different sport classifications. A total of 1126 adolescents (570 girls, 18.2 ± 0.6 years) participated in the study, of which 483 and 643 were categorized as elite athletes and control students, respectively. Elite athletes attained a lower overall academic performance than controls (p < 0.001), which was confirmed for both sexes (p < 0.001). These differences were separately confirmed for most academic subjects (p < 0.05), as well as when attending to different sport classifications (all p > 0.05). Young elite athletes attained a lower academic performance than their non-elite peers, regardless of their type of sport. These findings highlight the importance of programs aimed at facilitating dual careers among young elite athletes.

Do Black and White Students Benefit From Racial Socialization? School Racial Socialization, School Climate, and Youth Academic Performance During Early Adolescence

With racial inequalities plaguing the U.S. school system, educators have recognized the importance of establishing inclusive, equitable, and diverse school environments where students from different ethnic-racial backgrounds can feel respected and supported. This study examined the longitudinal links between adolescents’ experiences of school racial socialization, school climate perceptions, and academic performance and tested whether these links varied by race (n = 941; 54% boys; 63% Black, 37% White). Results revealed that adolescents’ experience of school racial socialization practices (i.e., cultural socialization and promotion of cultural competence) predicted positive changes in their perceptions of school climate and, in turn, promoted better academic performance. School racial socialization was linked to positive school experiences and achievement for both Black and White adolescents.

Longitudinal Associations of Cardiorespiratory Fitness and Poverty With Academic Performance Among Youth.

Cardiorespiratory fitness (CRF) plays a significant role in health and academic performance in youth. The purpose of this study was to examine the longitudinal relationship between CRF and academic performance from fifth to eighth grade among a large, diverse, and state-wide cohort of students, and to determine the extent to which the relationship between change in CRF and academic performance is moderated by poverty status. CRF and academic performance data were obtained for a retrospective state-wide cohort of 11,013 students with baseline (fifth grade, school year 2015-2016) and follow-up (eighth grade, school year 2018-2019) data. Analysis of covariance was used to examine the association between changes in CRF over a 3-year follow-up period and eighth grade academic performance. After adjusting for covariates, change in CRF and poverty status were positively and significantly associated with eighth grade academic performance. Poverty status did not significantly moderate the association between changes in CRF and academic performance. Schools should prioritize evidence-based policies and programs that optimize students' access to high quantity and quality physical activity throughout the school day. Such efforts can improve and maintain student CRF and thus academic performance outcomes.

Time Spent on Digital Screen and its Impact on Health and Academic Performance of Youth

Background: The current era is a digital era. Every individual spending a lot of time using digital screens for almost everything from work and school to socializing and fun. COVID-19 pandemic further increased the screen time as people stayed indoors and forced to spend more time on screen media. Several studies conducted and revealed the effects of excessive screen time on health and wellbeing. Since youth are the change makers of the society, the current study aimed to conduct on the youths. Results: The findings of the study revealed that, youth in Saudi Arabia spending 7 hrs. daily on an average on screen media. Gender wise females are spending (8 hrs. average) more time on screen media than males (7 hrs. average). Watching movies and other entertaining programs and social media use have highly significant association with increased screen time. More than 50% participants agreed with the fact that their amount of screen media use behaviour affecting their life in diverse way such as, they neglect daily activities, losing sleep, grades suffer and it bothers to their family too. Physical wellbeing markers such as BMI (0.03), suffering from asthma (0.006), suffering from headache often (0.03), suffering from food indigestion often (0.03); psychological wellbeing markers like, feel depressed/low mood/sad often (0.004) and feel lonely often (0.05) have significant association with daily amount of screen time. Social wellbeing markers such as like to spend time with family (&lt; 0.001), like to talk or visit with friends or relatives (&lt; 0.001), like parties (&lt; 0.001) and academic performance marker like grade achieved in recent exam attended (&lt; 0.001) have highly significant association with daily amount of screen time among the Saudi youths. Conclusions: The current study is an eye opener for the whole world to sensitize them for limiting their screen time in order to live a healthy, happy and more active lifestyle.

The impact of type 1 diabetes mellitus in childhood on academic performance: A matched population-based cohort study.

Background and ObjectiveThe impact of type 1 diabetes mellitus (T1D) on academic performance is inconclusive. This study aims to compare scholastic performance and high‐school completion in young people hospitalized with T1D compared to matched peers not hospitalized with diabetes.Research DesignRetrospective case‐comparison cohort study.MethodA population‐level matched case‐comparison study of people aged ≤18 hospitalized with T1D during 2005–2018 in New South Wales, Australia using linked health‐related and education records. The comparison cohort was matched on age, gender, and residential postcode. Generalized linear mixed modeling examined risk of school performance below the national minimum standard (NMS) and generalized linear regression examined risk of not completing high school for young people hospitalized with T1D compared to peers. Adjusted relative risks (ARR) were calculated.ResultsYoung females and males hospitalized with T1D did not have a higher risk of not achieving the NMS compared to peers for numeracy (ARR: 1.19; 95%CI 0.77–1.84 and ARR: 0.74; 95%CI 0.46–1.19) or reading (ARR: 0.98; 95%CI 0.63–1.50 and ARR: 0.85; 95%CI 0.58–1.24), respectively. Young T1D hospitalized females had a higher risk of not completing year 11 (ARR: 1.73; 95%CI 1.19–2.53) or 12 (ARR: 1.65; 95%CI 1.17–2.33) compared to peers, while hospitalized T1D males did not.ConclusionsThere was no difference in academic performance in youth hospitalized with T1D compared to peers. Improved glucose control and T1D management may explain the absence of school performance decrements in students with T1D. However, females hospitalized with T1D had a higher risk of not completing high school. Potential associations of this increased risk, with attention to T1D and psycho‐social management, should be investigated.

Physical Fitness on Academic Performance in Youth

Physical fitness, as an important physical health issue, may play a key role also in brain health by affecting the academic performance of youth helping the cognitive control components to improve. Memory and cognitive skill are some of the cognitive control components that are fundamental even for academic ability. Aim: In this context, the aim of our study was to investigate and analyze the facts regarding the potential of the exercises on academic achievement improvement. Methods: In order to realize a detailed review study we used the Jab Ref as a research sector, focusing more on navigating the Medline, Google Scholar, and Inspire options that this program contains. While as the selection criteria of the collected scientific articles, we used the keywords that provided us the exact articles that stated facts about the aim of our study. Results: Authors emphasized that the development of motor skills by practicing the coordinative exercises may have a beneficial influence on the learning process improving academic performance. This comes out because of the coordinative exercise’s impact on increasing the number of neuron transmitters and the new neural connections that enable youth to have a better perception regarding motor and academic situations. In addition, the authors underline the fact that the most active youth tend to perform better academically.

Factores asociados a la victimización en episodios de violencia escolar

La violencia escolar ha llamado la atención por las consecuencias en la salud y el rendimiento académico de la juventud. Los factores familiares se han asociado con la violencia escolar. Objetivo: Modelar la relación de algunas variables implicadas en el factor escolar y familiar con víctimas en el fenómeno de la violencia escolar. Método: Participó una muestra de 669 díadas estudiante-padre. Se realizaron tres modelos, uno para el factor escolar, otro para el factor familiar y un tercero para establecer vínculos entre ambos factores. Resultados: Los modelos presentaron índices de bondad de ajuste adecuados. El rol de espectador y empatía hacia la víctima están relacionados. La comunicación que establecen los padres con los estudiantes se vincula con el control y promoción de habilidades sociales. Conclusión: Los modelos son preliminares y se requieren considerar variables empíricas que cotejen estas y más relaciones entre estos dos factores.

Longitudinal associations of physical fitness and body mass index with academic performance.

No studies have analyzed the longitudinal associations of change in physical fitness components and obesity with academic performance. The aim of the study was to examine longitudinal associations of changes in physical fitness components and body mass index with academic performance among youth, and whether the physical fitness components are moderators of the longitudinal association between obesity and academic performance in youth. Longitudinal analyses (2years) included 1802 youths. Physical fitness components were assessed following the ALPHA health-related fitness test battery. Academic performance was assessed via school records. Youth in the persistently high cardiorespiratory fitness and motor ability categories (ie, fit at baseline and at 2-year follow-up) had higher academic performance at follow-up than those in the persistently low category. Further, youth with normal weight at baseline and overweight/obesity at follow-up had lower academic performance scores at follow-up compared to those with normal weight. Also, cardiorespiratory fitness may ameliorate the negative influence of excess body mass index on academic performance at follow-up. Promoting physical activity programs at school that include both aerobic exercise and motor tasks to improve physical fitness and reduce body mass index may not only improve physical health, but also contribute toward successful academic development.

Impact of Relocations on Mental Health and School Functioning of Adolescents from Canadian Military Families

The study aim was to explore the impact of one aspect of military lifestyle, frequent relocations, on the adjustment of youth from Canadian military families. In all, 134 parents completed online questionnaires about their 13- to 18-year-old adolescents. Internalized and externalized problems, school functioning, and prosocial behaviors were assessed. Parental perceived stress levels were also measured. Analyses revealed that the mobility rate (i.e., the number of relocations/adolescent age) was not related to youth academic performance, greater suspensions/expulsions from school, or internalized problems. Conversely, mobility rate correlated positively with the presence of externalized problems and negatively with prosocial behaviors. Although these associations were not significant when relocation recency (measured by living in the same community for less than 12 months) was taken into account, they remained a trend, suggesting that adjustment issues were not completely resolved after the transition period. Relocation recency, rather than mobility rate, was a better predictor of adolescent adjustment. Furthermore, parental perceived stress was the variable most associated with adolescent internalized/externalized problems and prosocial behaviors. These results indicate that greater attention should be given to adolescent adjustment in the year following a relocation, because this is the period in which adolescents are at greater risk of developing difficulties. Additionally, the substantial influence of parental stress on youth well-being indicates the importance of services to help parents alleviate their own stress.

Glycemic control influences on academic performance in youth with Type 1 diabetes.

This study examined how children's and adolescents' with Type 1 diabetes mellitus glucose levels during and prior to academic assessment contributed to performance on reading, writing, and mathematics tasks. Participants had a mean age of 13.69 (SD = 2.10); 44.6% were female and 58.1% reported their ethnicity to be Hispanic, Latino, or Mexican. They wore a continuous glucose monitor for approximately 6 days and completed a neurobehavioral evaluation that consisted of tasks assessing basic reading skills, reading fluency, reading comprehension, math fact fluency, math calculation, spelling, and writing fluency. Results indicated that individuals whose glucose levels were suboptimal (>140 mg/dL) or hyperglycemic (>180 mg/dL) had significantly lower scores on reading fluency (ηp2 = .16) and writing fluency (ηp2 = .28) subtests than those in the target range (70-140 mg/dL). Moreover, more time spent hypoglycemic (<70 mg/dL) within the 12 hr prior to the evaluation increased the risk for impaired performance on academic tasks. These findings support the need to move beyond considering only overall glycemic control to review temporal influences of glucose levels on academic performance. By tracking how fluctuations impact academic performance, school based practitioners can better determine necessary accommodations to buffer glycemic dysregulation effects. In particular, individuals whose glucose levels are frequently outside of the target range are at greatest risk for performing below their true academic potential. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2019 APA, all rights reserved).

The effects of correctional education on juvenile delinquents and the factors for their overall changes: Focusing on academic performance and family‐type environment

AbstractThis study aimed to explore the effects of correctional education on juvenile delinquents at a children's self‐reliance support facility in Japan, which provides delinquents with familial environments and multidimensional, comprehensive education. The purpose of this study was to compare the youth's academic performance and resilience from the time of admission to discharge and to identify which interventions improved participants' academic performance and resilience. We examined juvenile database records and “juvenile diaries” of 283 male youth. Participants were categorized into either an Improvement Group (IG) or a No‐Improvement Group (No‐IG) based on their outcome at discharge. The results showed that their academic performance and resilient characteristics were significantly higher at discharge than at admission. Employing single logistic regression, we found that the length of stay, academic performance, and the number of visits by family and social workers were characteristics associated with membership in the IG. These findings can guide future clinical practices and measures implemented for juvenile delinquents.

Can Solar Lanterns Improve Youth Academic Performance? Experimental Evidence from Bangladesh

Abstract We conducted an experimental intervention in unelectrified areas of northern Bangladesh to investigate the effectiveness of solar products in improving children’s educational achievement. We found that treated households substituted solar lanterns for kerosene-based lighting products, helping to decrease total household expenditure. Solar lanterns increased the children’s home-study hours, particularly at night and before exams. The solar lanterns initially led to an increase in school attendance, but this effect diminished over time. However, the increased study hours and initial improvement in school attendance did not translate into improved academic performance. Varying the number of solar products within the treated households did not alter these results. Analyses that exploited the school grade treatment intensity also provided no evidence suggesting that spillover effects explained the “no academic performance effects.” These findings suggest that improving the home-study environment solely through the provision of solar products may have a limited impact on children’s educational achievement.

Associations between objectively measured and self-reported sleep with academic and cognitive performance in adolescents: DADOS study.

Adequate sleep has been positively related with health and school achievement outcomes during adolescence. The aim of this study was to investigate the associations of objectively measured and self-reported sleep duration and quality with academic and cognitive performance in adolescents. This study was conducted with 257 adolescents (13.9 ± 0.3 years) from the DADOS study (Deporte, ADOlescencia y Salud). Objectively measured and self-reported sleep duration and quality were obtained by a wrist-worn GENEActiv accelerometer and the Spanish version of Pittsburgh Sleep Quality Index questionnaire, respectively. Academic performance was analysed through school records using four indicators: math, language, science and grade point average score. Cognitive performance was measured using the Spanish version of the "SRA Test of Educational Ability". After Benjamini-Hochberg correction for the false discovery rate, objectively measured sleep duration was negatively associated with verbal ability (β = -0.179, p = .004), whilst self-reported sleep quality was positively associated with academic performance (β ranging from 0.209 to 0.273; all p < .001). These associations remained significant after further controlling for physical fitness and physical activity. Conversely, there were no associations between self-reported sleep duration and objective sleep quality with academic and cognitive performance. Our findings fit in line with previous research showing that sleep quality may play an important role on adolescents' academic performance. Further interventional research is needed to clarify the mechanisms by which sleep is related to academic performance in youth.

Supplemental Material for Glycemic Control Influences on Academic Performance in Youth With Type 1 Diabetes

Supplemental Material for Glycemic Control Influences on Academic Performance in Youth With Type 1 Diabetes