Adolescent Behavior Research Articles (Page 1)

Adolescents in the European Union (EU) are classified as physically inactive (PIA) when not meeting at least 60min/day of moderate-to-vigorous physical activity (MVPA) every day of the week. However, the diversity in MVPA engagement among those deemed inactive has received limited attention, despite potential differences in associated health risks. To analyse changes in physical inactivity patterns among EU adolescents (2013-2022), by gender. Self-reported MVPA and gender data of EU adolescents (≤ 18 years) were obtained from the three latest Eurobarometer surveys on physical activity (2013, 2017, and 2022). Four non-mutually exclusive dichotomous thresholds of physical inactivity were created (meeting vs. not meeting) based on the number of days per week with ≥ 60min of MVPA: "Totally inactive" (0 days), "Very inactive" (< 3 days), "Quite inactive" (< 5 days), and "Inactive" (< 7 days). Chi-square tests with adjusted residuals were used to compare the PIA levels across years. Z-tests for two proportions were used to assess gender differences within each category and year. In all years, most adolescents were classified as inactive (> 60%). No differences among years were reported for the totally inactive threshold (~ 15%; p > 0.05). A significant decline in the prevalence of very inactive, quite inactive, and inactive adolescents was observed in 2022 (p < 0.05). Girls consistently reported higher PIA levels than boys across all categories, except for the totally inactive threshold. Further effort to reduce the physical inactivity engagement of EU adolescents is needed.

Oral health is crucial for overall well-being and quality of life. Poor hygiene can lead to dental issues like cavities, gum disease, and bad breath, negatively impacting students' daily activities and health. However, many students, especially in low-income areas, lack adequate knowledge, hold negative attitudes toward oral care, and practice insufficient oral hygiene. This study aimed to assess the oral health knowledge, attitudes, practices, and related factors among high school students in Robe Town, Bale Zone, Oromia, Ethiopia, in 2024. From June 1 to July 30, 2024, a cross-sectional survey was conducted with 422 high school students selected via simple random sampling. Data were collected using a structured interviewer questionnaire and analyzed with SPSS version 24. Results were presented in tables and charts, with demographic data summarized descriptively, and Binary logistic regression were calculated to examine relationships between dependent and independent variables. 50% demonstrated strong oral health knowledge, 47% had a positive attitude, and 54% adequate oral health habits. Male students had lower odds of strong knowledge (AOR: 0.60; 95% CI: 0.39-0.93), while Grade 11 students had higher odds. Key factors associated with strong knowledge included proper brushing (AOR: 2.34), using a toothbrush (AOR: 2.35), regular dental visits (AOR: 1.24), and a positive attitude toward dental care (AOR: 1.93). Males also had lower odds of a positive attitude while Grade 11 students had higher odds (AOR: 1.98; 95% CI: 1.03-3.82). Additionally, Grade 11 students were nearly three times more likely to engage in good practices (AOR: 2.89), with factors like visiting the dentist only when in pain (AOR: 2.12; 95% CI: 1.1-4.05), regular visits (AOR: 1.38), a positive attitude (AOR: 2.49), and strong knowledge (AOR: 2.71; 95% CI: 0.47-0.96) contributing to better oral health. Oral health-related knowledge, attitude, and practice among adolescents in Robe Town were found to be suboptimal. Female students, those in higher grades, students with educated parents, and those with prior exposure to oral health information showed significantly better outcomes. Strengthening school-based oral health education, integrating oral health into the curriculum, and engaging parents and teachers are crucial to improve adolescent oral health behaviors in Ethiopia.

Aim. To study the causes and consequences of deviant behaviour in modern society, and to develop recommendations for its prevention. Methodology. The study is based on the analysis of statistical data, normative-legal acts, and scientific works devoted to deviant behaviour. The system approach including comparative and structural-functional analysis was applied. Results. The main factors contributing to adolescent deviant behaviour, including the influence of family environment, peers and social expectations, were identified. The directions of state policy aimed at reducing the level of adolescent deviant behaviour were determined, and measures for improving prevention programmes were proposed. Research implications . The study contributes to a deeper understanding of the mechanisms of adolescent deviant behaviour and the development of effective measures to prevent it, which can be used in social, pedagogical and legal practice.

Background/Objectives: Adolescence is the phase of life when an individual develops habits that lead to their health outcomes in later life stages; yet, comprehensive evidence from low- and middle-income countries (LMICs) like Pakistan remains limited. This study examined the lifestyle behaviors of school-going adolescents in Rawalpindi and their correlation with key sociodemographic factors. Methods: A descriptive cross-sectional study was conducted in four (public and private) schools, using multistage cluster sampling (n = 675). Lifestyle behaviors were examined within seven predefined domains. K-means cluster analysis was used for the identification of distinct behavioral profiles. Associations with age, gender, and school type were examined using Chi-square tests. Correlations within clusters were analyzed using Pearson’s correlation test. Results: The majority of adolescents demonstrated positive life perspectives (88.3%) and strong interpersonal relationships (83.8%), while nutrition (16.2%), physical activity (31.7%), and health responsibility (15.0%) were weaker domains. Cluster analysis revealed three groups: poor (n = 129), moderate (n = 334), and good (n = 212) lifestyle behaviors. Statistically significant associations were found between lifestyle profiles and both age group (p = 0.037) and school type (p = 0.007), with private school students being more likely to exhibit healthier behaviors. Gender differences were notable in physical activity, but not significant in other domains. Conclusions: Interventions targeting low-performing domains, especially physical activity and nutrition, are needed—particularly for females and public school students. These findings highlight the importance of targeted, school-based lifestyle interventions in resource-limited settings.

Introduction Early adolescence is a crucial period of change, during which some youths begin to engage in externalizing and internalizing risk behaviors. Prevention at an early stage is vital to prevent more serious issues later. Although parental influence decreases and peer influence increases during this time, parental behavior still plays a significant role. This study examined the impact of parenting psychological control and warmth on the occurrence of risk behaviors in early adolescence, with susceptibility to peer pressure and self-esteem serving as potential mediators. Methods The sample consisted of 410 eighth-grade students with an average age of 14 years. The instruments used were the Scale of Perception of Family Relationships, Susceptibility to Peer Pressure Scale, Rosenberg Self-Esteem Scale, and two subscales assessing risk-taking behavior among youth, which are part of the Self-Reported Risk and Delinquent Behavior Questionnaire. Results The findings indicate that while models with both mediators included were confirmed, those in which peer pressure susceptibility mediated the relationship between parental behaviors and mild externalizing risk behaviors demonstrated a better fit. In contrast, in the relationship between parental behavior and internalizing risk behaviors, self-esteem emerged as a more effective mediator. All models showed partial mediation, indicating that only a portion of the influence of parenting behavior on the occurrence of risk behaviors is accounted for by these mediators. Analyses presented here focus on maternal data, with paternal results showing highly similar patterns. Discussion The contribution of this study lies in the finding that parental warmth and psychological control and the development of mild externalizing and internalizing risk behaviors are mediated in somewhat different ways with respect to self-esteem and susceptibility to peer pressure. Aside from scientific implications, these results also have practical implications, as they suggest more concrete intervention strategies that can be implemented in family and school settings to mitigate risk behaviors.

Children and adolescents often do not meet the WHO´s physical activity (PA) recommendations. As many of them live in urban areas, these are important spaces for PA-promotion. Objective measures such as the Walkability Index are often used to assess urban spaces in terms of their PA friendliness. However, it is unclear whether such parameters can predict PA behavior of children and adolescents. This study examines the relationships between the Walkability Index and data of the intervention "Kreuz & Quer" (K&Q), promoting PA. K&Q collected data from 9,852 children and adolescents in urban neighborhoods. PA was measured through the number of interactions at K&Q checkpoints, reflecting participants' actively performed visits to physical locations. PA acted as the dependent variable in a linear mixed models approach. Walkability served as a fixed factor and district, season of year and intervention day as random effects. Results indicate a significant positive association between a high Walkability Index and PA levels in children and adolescents. Some of the observed variance can be explained by the random effects. There is still unexplained variance, suggesting the need to consider additional influences to explain youth PA behavior. These may include qualitative explanations to provide a holistic picture. Subjective perspectives can help create environments that are structurally conducive to walking, thereby promoting PA.

Understanding the link between empathy and altruism in adolescents is crucial for promoting their social and moral development. This review examines the relationship between empathy and altruistic behavior among high school students. Generally, empathy is positively correlated with altruistic behavior because it allows individuals to understand and share others' emotions, which can trigger helping responses. While empathy is often seen as a motivator for helping others, this relationship is not fully understood in the complex context of adolescence. The paper explores core mechanisms like mirror neurons and the ventral striatum, which underpin the empathy-altruism link. It also discusses how different types of empathy, namely affective and cognitive, contribute differently to promoting altruism. This paper focus on the boundary conditions of the link between empathy and altruistic behavior, as their correlation is dual-sided. Mediating factors such as neuroticism plays a partial role in the relationship between empathy and altruistic behavior. The findings highlight the nuanced nature of this relationship, suggesting that personality factors must be considered alongside empathy levels. Understanding these interactions is crucial for developing effective strategies to foster genuine altruistic behavior in adolescents.

Research on physical activity (PA) interventions for individuals with autism spectrum disorder (ASD) has shown benefits in various domains, yet questions remain about how to implement such interventions in adolescents effectively. This study case-series study explores the contribution of a PA program integrated with applied behavior analysis (ABA) strategies in improving motor skills and reducing repetitive behaviors in three adolescents with ASD. The study used a pre-post case series design, with assessments at three time points (baseline, 6 months, and 9 months). The intervention consisted of 29 two-hour training sessions, held once a week in a public gymnasium. Standardized tools, including the Checklist for Autism Spectrum Disorder (CASD), the Social Responsiveness Scale (SRS-2), the Vineland Adaptive Behavior Scales (VABS), the Repetitive and Restricted Behavior Scale (RRBS), and the Movement Observation and Valuation for Individual Training (MOVIT), were utilized. Participants showed consistent improvements in all six motor skills evaluated by the MOVIT, with individual variations. The most significant gains were observed in intersegmental coordination, with acquisition rates increasing from 70% to 90%. Repetitive behaviors decreased, particularly restricted behaviors and modulation insufficiency, while changes in sensorimotor stereotypies were more modest. The preliminary results suggest that a PA program integrated with behavioral strategies is efficacious in improving motor skills and reducing repetitive behaviors in adolescents with ASD. These findings support the integration of physical activity into comprehensive educational interventions for this population.

An Analysis of the Impact of Information Dissemination Modes of Short Videos on Health Communication on Adolescent Behaviors

This study examines the various ways that violent and competitive video games affect teenagers' behavior and mental health, emphasizing the psychological processes involved. Players are mostly influenced by competitive games through emotional channels; goal conflict and dissatisfaction can lead to rage, animosity, and emotional collapses like "tilt." Studies using survey, neurological, and longitudinal methods consistently demonstrate that competition creates peer cultures focused on rankings and performance and increases sensitivity to aggressive cues. Conversely, violent games use cognitive-learning pathways to impact players, normalizing violent attitudes, desensitizing empathy, and reinforcing aggressive scripts through frequent engagement, rewards, and identification with violent characters. Peer contagion and family strife can exacerbate these symptoms, which can spread socially. While both are important, comparative studies show that violent material has a greater and more direct impact on aggression than competition. The significance of developing emotional control for competitive play, creating safe and nurturing family situations to prevent violent influences, and promoting responsible game design are all highlighted by the practical consequences. The assessment comes to the conclusion that in order to steer parents, educators, legislators, and developers toward healthier gaming behaviors and better-informed future research, nuanced distinctionsrather than crude conclusionsare crucial.

Adolescent e‑cigarette use is a growing public health concern, yet the influence of family context and risk perceptions on usage patterns remains poorly understood. This cross-sectional study investigated relationships between family context, risk perceptions, and e‑cigarette use patterns among a nationally representative sample of 4797 Polish adolescents aged 15-18 years who were current e‑cigarette users (defined as use in the past 30 days). Using computer-assisted web interviews, the authors assessed family factors (parental awareness, attitudes, and nicotine use), risk perceptions, and e‑cigarette use behaviors. Among adolescent e‑cigarette users, 92.6% engaged in poly-nicotine use (i.e., used ≥1 other nicotine product) with only 7.4% reporting exclusive e‑cigarette use. Notably, 46.7% of participants reported extensive multiple product use (concurrent use of ≥5 products). Structural equation modeling demonstrated that family context significantly influenced e‑cigarette use patterns, both directly (β = 0.31, p < 0.001) and indirectly through risk perceptions (β = 0.12). Risk perception emerged as the strongest direct predictor of e‑cigarette use patterns (β = 0.41, p < 0.001). Parental e‑cigarette use was associated with a 70% increase in adolescents' likelihood of intensive e‑cigarette use (≥10 times daily) (OR = 1.70, 95% CI: 1.39-2.07, p < 0.001). Traditional cigarette initiation (compared to e‑cigarette initiation) was associated with almost twice the likelihood of multiple nicotine product use (OR = 1.89, 95% CI: 1.67-2.13, p < 0.001). These findings highlight the significant influence of family context and risk perceptions on adolescent nicotine use behaviors, suggesting that family-based interventions addressing these factors could be effective prevention strategies. Int J Occup Med Environ Health. 2025;38(5).

This bibliometric study analyses scientific output over the last 10 years on music using the following keywords “youth”, “culture” and “education”. Based on a sample of 904 documents extracted from the Web of Science database, the research analyses emerging trends in the United States, the United Kingdom and Australia, in patterns of collaboration between authors and countries, and the main topics related to music, culture, identity and young people. To this end, we have applied a quantitative bibliometric methodology, using the Biblioshiny tool from RStudio, generating frequency network maps, multiple correspondence analysis and thematic graphs showing the relationships between keywords and those used by authors. The results show that the United States is the leading scientific producer in this field. The two main terms obtained in the analysis are popular culture and popular music, in addition to related concepts such as identity, gender and education, among others. In conclusion, this study shows how globalisation alters popular culture by influencing the behaviour of adolescents. The research is limited in terms of contributions from the Global South, given the database used, but it is presented as an inclusion in future lines of research.

Bullying is a psychosocial problem that has received attention in the context of education and mental health, with at least one in three adolescents having been a victim of bullying. The impacts that occur as a result of bullying behavior are psychological disorders, aggression, criminal acts, feeling inferior and worthless, hating the social environment, and suicidal ideation. This study aims to design assertiveness training to prevent bullying behavior among adolescents of SMP “X” Bandung City. This issue is important because assertiveness training can be an alternative in preventing bullying that can be developed by adolescents so that they are able to communicate in school, family and community environments and form good social relationships. This study is a quantitative research experimental method with research subjects 20 adolescents consisting of 10 experimental groups and 10 control groups with an age range of 12 - 14 years. A purposive sampling technique was used to determine the research participants. The intervention was conducted 4 times with a duration of 90 minutes. Data were collected through questionnaires and analyzed by mann-whitney test and wilxocon test. The results showed that assertiveness training was effective in improving adolescents' assertive skills. This finding shows that there is a difference that shows an increase in assertiveness in the group that received training and has a positive impact on the assertive development of adolescents compared to the group of adolescents who did not receive training. Other researchers can expand the variables and scope of research to prevent bullying behavior. In addition, parents and teachers can be involved in assertiveness training and monitoring adolescent bullying behavior, and schools can add assertiveness training programs as an effort to prevent bullying behavior in adolescents.

Background Mental health issues in adolescents is steadily increasing, mainly since the rise of social media, the concomitant effects of internet use and other problems associated with academic performance, familial abuse and bullying. Secondary school teachers are exposed to a wide range of adolescent behaviours, yet depression and anxiety appear to be those behaviours that are causing the greatest concern. Aim This review aimed to appraise and synthesise qualitative studies examining secondary school teachers’ experiences of supporting students experiencing mental health issues. Methods Between January 2007 and March 2022, a search was conducted across nine databases, namely Medline, CINAHL Complete, APA PsycInfo, Embase, ERIC, Web of Science, Scopus, CNKI (for Chinese sources), and Wanfang (also for Chinese sources). This review focused on qualitative studies and included, but was not exclusive to, phenomenology, grounded theory, ethnography, action research, and feminist research. The selection of studies adhered to the guidelines outlined in the Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta-Analyses. The JBI approach was utilised for data extraction, synthesis, and critical evaluation. Additionally, the ConQual approach was employed to assess the reliability of the findings. Findings A total of 2516 papers were identified, but only eleven qualitative studies were selected for inclusion in this review. Based on the JBI critical appraisal checklist for qualitative research, these studies were rated as having moderate quality. The studies originated from various countries, including three from the USA, one from the UK, Canada, Italy, Norway, Ireland, South Lebanon, Kenya, and China. A common theme identified in these studies was the challenges teachers faced when supporting students with mental health issues. Five categories emerged from the papers reviewed: ‘ Experiencing the Challenges of mental health issues in the Classroom’, ‘Teachers’ understanding of mental health issues’, ‘Feeling at a loss and coping with compassion’, ‘Providing a supportive and close relationship beyond that of the role’, ‘Understanding the Conflicts Imposed on and by the Education System’. Conclusion It is evident from this review that secondary school teachers experience difficulties and challenges in supporting students with mental health issues. This also has implications for school nurses who may be best placed to support both students and teachers alike. It is also recommended that further research be conducted in Asian communities because of the paucity of published work in this setting.

Parenting, including parental psychological control, has a considerable influence on Latine adolescent behavior (Barber, 2002). Cultural values are also protective factors among Latine adolescents (Ojeda & Piña-Watson, 2014). To expand this research, the present study validated a parental psychological control measure among Mexican adolescents. It also examined how perceived maternal and paternal psychological control was associated with Mexican adolescent academic and social self-esteem and whether machismo and caballerismo played a role in these associations. Adolescents (N = 681; 49.2% female; Mage = 14.31 years, SD = 1.55 years) completed the survey at two high schools in Puebla, Mexico. A principal components analysis indicated moderately strong construct validity of psychological control measures in this sample. A series of hierarchical logistic regressions indicated maternal psychological control was negatively associated with both academic and social self-esteem. Further steps revealed that psychological control's effects on self-esteem are complexly moderated by values of machismo and caballerismo. For instance, adolescents with controlling fathers who endorsed higher levels of machismo suffered lower academic and social self-esteem than those who endorsed lower levels of machismo. Moreover, caballerismo acted as a protective factor against the negative effects of maternal psychological control (but not paternal) on social self-esteem. The present study is one of the first to examine the role of cultural values in the relationships between parental psychological control and domain-specific self-esteem in Mexican adolescents. In addition, it empirically validated a psychological control scale among Mexican adolescents. (PsycInfo Database Record (c) 2025 APA, all rights reserved).

A substantial body of anthropological research has investigated how subsistence communities engage with market‐based economies. In this study, we contribute to this body of work by examining adolescent orientations towards intensifying market integration in the Congo Basin. Adolescence is characterized by enhanced capacities for abstract reasoning, creative thought, risk‐taking, and exploration. Consequently, this life stage may represent a sensitive period for adapting to the novel social and material contexts that market integration brings. To explore adolescent engagement with market integration, we worked in three villages inhabited by BaYaka foragers and Bantu fisher‐farmers with varying access to wage labour and market goods. We combined quantitative data on adolescent labour participation and purchasing behaviour with qualitative interview data capturing adolescent perspectives on market integration. Our findings indicate that intensifying market integration does not uniformly shape adolescent behaviour and consumption. Instead, it articulates with socialization practices, market access, resource availability, and the value adolescents place on self‐reliance, resulting in unexpected variation across the three study villages. Additionally, adolescents may be contributing to shifts in norms regarding the sharing of money. Overall, our results suggest that BaYaka and Bantu adolescents are active agents in processes of intensifying market integration in the Congo Basin.

Adolescent suicidal thoughts and behaviors: The independent effects of interpersonal violence.

Cerebellum-cerebrum functional connectivity mediates the association between Adverse Childhood Experiences and suicidal behaviors in depressed adolescents.

Playgrounds and people skills: Examining the relationship between play area availability and psycho-social behavior in adolescents

The interplay of social and family environments in shaping adolescent health behaviours: a population-based study.