Colombian Youth Research Articles

Youth’s tolerance of corruption: exploring the influence of sensitivity to monetary inequity and sociodemographic factors

This study explores the relationship between tolerance of corruption, in-group/out-group sensitivity to differences in random monetary distributions, and sociodemographic variables in young students in Colombia. The results offer evidence of a relationship between aversion to monetary inequity and a reduced tolerance for corrupt acts among young people. The design included two experiments: a corruption task (CT) and a sensitivity to difference in monetary rewards (MR) task. MR had two conditions, one implying social bias as a variable. Participation involved a sample of 220 students, ranging in age from fifteen to twenty-three, representing both public and private universities in Colombia. Participants with preferences for fair distributions had a lower tolerance of corruption. In this study, cognitive and sociodemographic factors influencing corruption tolerance among Colombian youth are identified. Likewise, the methodology used to investigate corruption tolerance is outlined and the mediating role of sensitivity to monetary differences in said acceptance is examined.

Land‐based literacies in local naturecultures: Walking, reading, and storying the forests in rural Colombia

AbstractLand‐based literacies scholars have worked to expand understandings of literacies to include often marginalized cultures who understand literacy as resulting from human and more‐than‐human relations. In this article, we contribute to this broadening of literacies with an analysis of how nature influences the meaning‐making practices of rural, subaltern communities in the Global South. Our inspiration stems from indigenous scholars who have advanced indigenous and relational epistemologies, seeking to bridge the nature/culture divide that remains prevalent in Western thinking. The central question that guides this article is: How are Land‐based literacies produced through the felt and sensed relationships with nature, history and culture in the Callemar community? Drawing on micro‐analysis of participant‐generated video data from two walks with Colombian youth and adults from the Callemar community, we illustrate ways naturecultures, specifically the assemblages of Land, collective memory and cultural practices, produce Land‐based literacies. We describe Land‐ walking, including forest‐ and creek‐crossing practices, as literacies that require reading and meaning‐making with the Land, and that which allow individuals to relate to other beings and thrive in the changing landscape of their rural community. Our description and discussion of Land‐based literacies in this rural community poses important implications for informing pluriversal literacies pedagogies that draw on local knowledges and contexts to make literacy learning more relevant and equitable. Furthermore, we describe the relevance of Land‐based literacies for sustainable stewardship of the Land during times of drastic environmental change.

Exploring One Colombian Adolescent’s Diverse Literacies in his Rural Community

A deficit view of rural language learners’ out-of-school literacy practices has permeated formal educational and language policy globally. Intergovernmental organizations like the Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development, for instance, have often portrayed rural learners in Global South countries as having literacy deficits if their language skills are not in alignment with the practices valued in school contexts. These deficit representations are often instrumentalized as a tactic to oppress and exclude rural students’ literacies and language traditions from educational policy and curricula. Throughout this article, the authors – both language educators researching young people’s diverse literacy practices – aim to address and combat such problematic omissions. Following a sociocultural, multiliteracies framework, we analyzed two semi-structured interviews and accompanying artifacts to feature the literacies that a 14-year-old rural Colombian youth engages with daily. Results illuminate the myriad language practices honed outside of formal learning contexts, including family-based literacies, oral and embodied forms of communication, analyzing and composing with multimodal texts, and developing critical skills with digital texts to question national power relations and forge activist identities. The authors discussed the benefits of an expanded view of literacy – particularly for educators – in hopes of contributing to equity-based research advocating the recognition and inclusion of rural students’ vernacular literacies across formal learning spaces.

Internet-Based Access to Sexual and Reproductive Health Services Among Colombian Youth: A Cross-Sectional Study.

Introduction: Sexual and reproductive health (SRH) is a sensitive subject, and young people may be unfamiliar with how to access SRH services. In this cross-sectional study, we examined young people's internet use to understand how they accessed SRH clinics in Colombia. This study also explored Colombian youth's interest in online material teaching how to access SRH services. Methods: During August 2019-February 2020, patients aged 10-24 years old presenting at two SRH clinics in Colombia were invited to answer a survey. Chi-square tests were performed to assess possible differences in how participants inquired how to access the clinic according to sociodemographic characteristics. Results: Among the 812 patients who participated, 91.4% were female and the median age was 19 years. To inquire how to access the SRH clinic, 30.7% of participants asked their parent(s) and 24.0% used the internet. Participants aged 20-24 years old were more likely to use the internet compared to younger participants (p < .001). Most respondents (81.5%) were interested in the availability of online material explaining how to access SRH services. Conclusions: While Colombian youth learned about how to access SRH clinics from several different sources, the vast majority indicated their interest in having access to online materials explaining how to access SRH services.

Confirmatory Factor Analysis and Factorial Invariance of the Mechanisms of the Moral Disengagement Scale

The objective of this paper was to analyze the factorial structure, psychometric characteristics, and factorial invariance by sex, age, and city of the Mechanisms of Moral Disengagement Scale in young university students. A total of 1,431 young people between the ages of 18 and 30 (M = 20.86, SD = 3.64) from two Colombian cities participated in the study. A confirmatory factor analysis (CFA) was used to test four hypothesized models. The CFA confirmed a first-order factor structure grouping the eight mechanisms of moral disengagement (Model 4), which explained 54.17% of the total variance. The final model obtained a good fit, χ2 = 12.514, RMSEA = .010, TLI = .999, AGFI = .993, CFI = 1.00, ECVI = .044, CMIN/df = 1.138. Factorial invariance by sex, age and city of the final proposed model was confirmed. Moral disengagement mechanisms were negatively correlated with empathy and prosocial tendencies. It is concluded that this scale is valid and reliable to assess moral disengagement in Colombian youth.

A Psychometric Analysis of the Moral Disengagement Scale (MDS) in Association to Bullying Roles in Colombian Youth

AbstractThe Moral Disengagement Scale (MDS) is a widely employed tool for assessing moral neutralization strategies in the context of bullying. However, studies conducted globally exhibit inconsistencies in both the factor structure and the number of items comprising the MDS. This study was conducted to assess the reliability and factor structure of the MDS within a sample of Colombian adolescents (N = 375; M age = 13.3; SD = 1.69) and to compare the use of MD mechanisms across victims, perpetrators, non-involved students, and bystanders of school bullying. To begin, a confirmatory factor analysis (CFA) compared the fit indices of theoretical models proposed in the existing literature. The results revealed that all previously suggested models exhibited similar fit indices, indicating that these structures could be equally applicable for evaluating various dimensions of moral disengagement among adolescent populations. In order to identify the most suitable model for our culturally specific sample, an exploratory factor analysis (EFA) pointed towards a more concise 13-item version of the MDS as the optimal solution. Individuals meeting the scores for “bullies” employed more MD mechanisms compared to victims and non-involved students. There were no significant differences in MDS scores between pro-victim bystanders and those remaining passive or supporting aggressors. In light of these findings, targeting cognitive mechanisms that neutralize moral self-sanctions in perpetrators and potential bystanders of bullying may prove to be a valuable strategy in enhancing the effectiveness of anti-bullying interventions.

Positive Youth Development in Colombia: Reflections on a Cross-cultural Collaboration

This paper shares the story and reflections of an international collaboration aimed at cross-culturally adapting the United Future Leaders (UFL) program, originally developed in the United States (U.S.), for Colombian youth. The paper provides a comprehensive description of how the collaboration has unfolded from three perspectives: Conceptual (theoretical), functional (program adaptation), and reflective (insights from the collaboration team). Rooted in Lerner’s and Lerner’s Positive Youth Development model, UFL provides participants with an active learning experience focused on developing leadership competencies that promote the development of character, ethics, and civility. For the adaptation study, two schools (one public and one private) were chosen to represent the general population of the city of Medellín (Colombia). The paper describes how UFL is delivered in the U.S., the research activities that were undertaken to ensure methodological rigor for the adaptation process and the content and implementation of the pilot activities. Subsequently, the collaboration team reflects on the different perceptions and understandings of what it means to establish a PYD program such as UFL in Medellin, Colombia. Finally, it is discussed how adapting and implementing programs guided by PYD principles is a promising approach for Colombian youth.

Guidelines for Physical Activity, Sedentary Behavior, and Sleep in Colombian Youth during COVID-19

Abstract The Canadian 24-Hour movement guidelines integrate physical activity, sedentary behaviour and sleep habits for children and adolescents. This study aims to assess the compliance of these guidelines in Colombia, as an instrument to design strategies of health promotion in this population. A cross-sectional study in 619 scholars aged 7-17 in Caribbean Colombian region was performed to measure aerobic activity, muscular force and flexibility during 7 days through the ActivityGram questionnaire of the Cooper Institute. The data was gathered in May, 2021, through phone interviewing, and parents and participants signed an informed consent form. The screen time was measured (in hours/day), as well as the times sitting and sleeping, to perform a regression analysis and determine the Pearson coefficient characterizing the correlation between the total time in physical activity and the time in aerobic exercise. A 73.5% of the sample do not comply with the Canadian physical activity guidelines. The mean sleeping time per day is 7.9±1.2 h, being 8.1±1.2 h for 7-13 scholars and 7.5±1.3 h for 14-17 adolescents (p = 0.003). Sedentary behaviour exceeds 2 h per day, being 4.7±1.3 h sitting and 3.2±1.9 h screen time. Aerobic exercise was the most influential in the total time of physical activity (r = 0.82, p = 0.0001). The sample was composed of 51.5% males, and the mean age was 11.5±3.2 years. In this sample, 80.5% were socioeconomically vulnerable, and 55.7% were involved in remote learning activities. The COVID-19 health emergency increased the non-compliance of the physical activity guidelines and the sedentary behaviour in childhood and adolescence. It is mandatory to design health promotion strategies to encourage active life styles during these stages, as they lay the foundations of healthy habits in the future, and this is a shared responsibility between educational institutions, families and policy-making institutions Key messages • The ActivityGram test assesses physical activity in children and adolescents. • Analysis of physical activity and sedentary habits help to design health promotion policies in young people.

The association between youth violence and mental health outcomes in Colombia: A cross sectional analysis

BackgroundViolence against children and youth poses public health risks regarding mental health symptoms and substance use. Less studied is the relationship between violence and mental health/substance abuse in the Latin American context. This study explored sex-stratified relationships between violence and mental health/substance use among Colombian youth. MethodsWe analyzed the 2018 Colombian Violence Against Children and Youth Survey, which collected cross-sectional data from Colombian youth (13–24 years) (n = 2705). Exposure variables were (i) binary sexual, emotional, and physical victimization and (ii) poly-victimization. The outcomes were binary suicidal thoughts, self-harm, past-month psychological distress, binge drinking, smoking, and drug use. Sex-stratified, logistic regressions were adjusted for age, primary school, parental presence, relationship status, and witnessing community violence. ResultsFor females, (i) emotional violence (compared to being unexposed) was associated with greater odds of suicidal thoughts, self-harm, and psychological distress and (ii) sexual violence was associated with suicidal thoughts and self-harm. For males, (i) emotional violence (compared to being unexposed) was associated with greater odds of suicidal thoughts and psychological distress, but not self-harm and (ii) sexual violence exposure was associated with suicidal thoughts and self-harm. Physical violence was generally not associated with internalized mental health outcomes for females/males, when emotional and sexual violence were held constant. Poly-victimization was consistently and positively associated with internalized mental health symptoms among females, and to a lesser degree for males. Substance use outcomes for males or females were not associated with violence. ConclusionsFindings highlight the internalized mental health burden of emotional and sexual violence.

Characterisation of Youth Entrepreneurship in Medellín-Colombia Using Machine Learning

The aim of this paper is to identify profiles of young Colombian entrepreneurs based on data from the “Youth Entrepreneurship” survey developed by the Colombian Youth Secretariat. Our research results show five profiles of entrepreneurs, mainly differentiated by age and entrepreneurial motives, as well as the identification of relevant skills, capacities, and capabilities for entrepreneurship, such as creativity, learning, and leadership. The sample consists of 633 young people aged between 14 and 28 years in Medellín. The data treatment was approached through cluster analysis using the K-means algorithm to obtain information about the underlying nature and structure of the data. These data analysis techniques provide valuable information that can help to better understand the behaviour of Colombian entrepreneurs. They also reveal hidden information in the data. Therefore, one of the advantages of using statistical and artificial intelligence techniques in this type of study is to extract valuable information that might otherwise go unnoticed. The clusters generated show correlations with profiles that can support the design of policies in Colombia to promote an entrepreneurial ecosystem and the creation and development of new businesses through business regulation.

How sport changed my life? Description of the perceived effects of the experiences of young Colombians throughout a sport for development and peace program.

This study contributes to the advancement of the field of Sport for Development and Peace (SDP) research in Latin America and the Caribbean (LAC). There are still few studies on SDP programs in this region and it is important to document and understand the impacts of these programs on participants. The present study is the result of a collaborative research that aims to describe the experiences and perceptions of Colombian youth and program managers who participated in an SDP program that took them from a local community sports club to the Olympic Games. Seven semi-structured interviews were conducted with key actors (administrators, coaches, and athletes) who participated in a triple and transversal (local, district and national) Olympic walking training program. The results provided a better understanding of the program dynamics in the local, regional, and national level, as well as of the short- and long-term effects perceived by the actors of the process on their development, education, health, and career. Recommendations are made for SDP organizations in LAC. Future studies should continue to investigate the SDP initiative in LAC to understand how sport can help development and peace building in this region.

Adolescent trajectories in situations of adversity: A mixed‐method approach to understanding educational and leadership outcomes

AbstractThe context in which youths grow up influences the lives they are capable of living. Using a mixed‐methods approach, this study analyses the risk and promotive factors associated with educational and leadership outcomes in Colombian youth. Results suggest that poverty and inadequate social services are key obstacles to the attainment of positive school and leadership outcomes, while parental involvement is among the most important promotive factors associated with such outcomes. Our qualitative findings show that teachers' and peers' motivational support promotes adolescents' positive leadership and educational trajectories, as does educational institution and teacher quality.

Association between sexual attraction and suicide risk: the mediating role of spirituality

ABSTRACT The present study’s main objective was to evaluate the mediating role of spirituality in the relationship between sexual attraction and suicide risk. A cross-sectional study was designed for students’ participation from colleges and universities in Barranquilla, Bogotá, and Villavicencio, Colombia. Sexual attraction was investigated using one question with six response options: opposite-sex attraction (OSA) and sexual minorities young (SMY), and with scales, suicide risk (Plutchik Suicide Risk Scale), and spirituality (three items). Three thousand and sixty four young people between 14 and 24 years old participated (M = 16.8, SD = 2.2); 61% were women. The group of SMY participants showed higher scores in suicide risk than the participants OSA. The OSA group showed greater spirituality than the SMY group. Spirituality mediated the relationship between sexual attraction and suicide risk, both in men and women, even after controlling for age. New research is needed in Colombian youth.

Colombian Youth Express Interest in Receiving Sex Education from their Parents

Colombian Youth Express Interest in Receiving Sex Education from their Parents

From Family to Franchise? Friendship, Individualism, and the Marketization of the Colombian Youth Gang

Abstract The surge of transnational illicit economies has led to important transformations in gang structures and cultures. From locally-bound, solidarity-driven institutions, gangs have morphed into globally-connected, market-driven ones. But how has this change affected the way young gang members relate to each other? This paper explores this question in the particular case of Medellín (Colombia), based on long-term ethnographic fieldwork with adolescents working at the low ends of narco-gangs. It traces the evolution of gangs from the 1970s galladas – peer groups of kids who sought to support each other – to today’s pandillas – ruthless and profit-driven groups that operate as the local franchises of larger criminal organizations. The paper argues that the co-optation of youth gangs by transnational organized crime has drastically reduced the sense of protection, inclusion, and belonging that gangs provide to their youngest members. It has also hampered the role of gangs as institutions of cultural resistance and critique.

Self-harming behavior in relation to exposure to inter-personal violence among youth and young adults in Colombia

The effects of violence exposure on the risk of self-harming behaviors of youth in low- and middle-income countries is not well-understood. Using household survey data from one nationally representative sample and one sample from conflict-affected areas, we examined violence exposure and self-harm among Colombian youth aged 13–24. Survey-weighted prevalence ratios comparing self-harming behaviors by exposure to violence were estimated with Poisson log-linear models, controlling for age, sex, education and food insecurity. Compared to unexposed youth, those exposed to violence in both home and community settings were 7.97 (95% confidence interval [CI]:2.72–23.36) times more likely in the conflict-affected sample, and 21.05 (95% CI: 8.80–50.34) times more likely in the national sample to report having attempted suicide. Among Colombian youth, exposure to violence as either witness or victim was associated with greater prevalence of self-harming behaviors. Youth suicide prevention programs can address exposures to violence as a risk factor for self-harm.

Differences in prosocial and agonistic behaviours expressed by Colombian and Spanish children and youth during a game session

Abstract We investigated behavioural patterns of school subjects from Colombia and Tenerife (Spain) of 10–12, 13–14 and 15–17 years old (150 per age group), during a crossed puzzle game. We video-recorded all sessions, elaborated an ethogram and classified behavioural patterns within functional categories (Empathy, Help Organizing, Agonistic, Cooperation, Selfishness and Tension-Distension); their frequencies were analyzed by Generalized Linear Mixed Models (GLMM). Results showed significant differences between countries in Help Organizing, Cooperation, Agonistic and Tension-Distension; the same categories except Cooperation differed between age ranges, but no category significantly differed between sexes. GLMM of factor scores from a principal component analysis applied to behavioural categories showed subjects from Colombian schools had significantly lower PC1 factor scores (Empathy, Selfishness and Tension-Distension) than those from Tenerife; the contrary occurred for PC2 (Help Organizing and Cooperation) and no significant difference was found for PC3 (Agonistic and Selfishness). We discuss several potential causes of the differences found.

Violence Exposure, Aggressive Cognitions &amp; Externalizing Behaviors among Colombian Youth: The Moderating Role of Community Belongingness

Limited work has focused on understanding mechanisms through which violence negatively impacts youth outcomes. The present study investigates how three different facets of violence exposure (witnessing violence, victimization and armed conflict) relate to Colombian youth externalizing behaviors via the indirect influence of aggressive cognitions and the moderating role of community belongingness. Data were from a sample of students ( N = 3,483) in public high schools in Colombia. Findings indicated all three facets of violence were positively associated with youth externalizing behaviors. Armed conflict and witnessing community violence positively predicted externalizing behaviors via the indirect effect of aggressive cognitions. Community belongingness moderated the association between armed conflict and witnessing on aggressive cognitions. Results highlight the need for understanding risk and protective factors from a contextual lens. The role of community belongingness as a resilience factor is discussed, as such it has implications for intervention programs targeting youth at greater risk to violence exposure.

Relación entre los niveles de actividad física y la condición física autopercibida en una muestra de estudiantes universitarios en Bogotá, Colombia

ObjectiveTo determine the relationship between physical activity levels and self-perceived physical condition in a sample of university students from Bogotá, Colombia. Materials and methodsDuring the years 2017 and 2018, a descriptive and cross-sectional study was conducted in 1206 university students (338 women and 868 men) belonging to 2 higher education institutions located in Bogotá, Colombia. For the measurement of self-perceived physical condition, the International Fitness Scale (IFIS) questionnaire was administered and for the assessment of PA the International Physical Activity Questionnaire was applied in its short version. Both questionnaires have already been validated for the Colombian youth population. A one-way ANOVA was applied to establish the relationship between levels of physical activity, represented in METs (metabolic equivalent of task) consumed weekly and self-perceived physical condition in each of its components. ResultsIn men, there was a significant relationship between METs consumed weekly and self-perceived physical condition in the components of general physical condition and muscle strength (P<.05). In women, this relationship only occurred with the general PC variable. ConclusionsPhysical activity and self-perceived physical condition are two components that are related in university students from the city of Bogotá, Colombia.

The SIMAC study: A randomized controlled trial to compare the effects of resistance training and aerobic training on the fitness and body composition of Colombian adolescents.

The aim of this study was to evaluate the impact on muscle strength, aerobic fitness and body composition, of replacing the physical education (PE) class of Colombian adolescents with resistance or aerobic training. 120 tanner stage 3 adolescents attending a state school were randomized to resistance training, aerobic training, or a control group who continued to attend a weekly 2- hour PE class for 16 weeks. The resistance training and aerobic training groups participated in twice weekly supervised after-school exercise sessions of < 1 hour instead of their PE class. Sum of skinfolds, lean body mass (bioelectrical impedance analysis), muscular strength (6 repetition maximum (RM)) bench press, lateral pulldown and leg press) and estimated cardiorespiratory fitness (multistage 20 meter shuttle run) were assessed at pre and post intervention. Complete data were available for n = 40 of the resistance training group, n = 40 of the aerobic training group and n = 30 PE (controls). Resistance training attenuated increases in sum of skinfolds compared with controls (d = 0.27, [0.09–0.36]). We found no significant effect on lean body mass. Resistance training produced a positive effect on muscle strength compared with both controls (d = 0.66 [.49-.86]) and aerobic training (d = 0.55[0.28–0.67]). There was a positive effect of resistance training on cardiorespiratory fitness compared with controls (d = 0.04 [-0.10–0.12]) but not compared with aerobic training (d = 0.24 [0.10–0.36]). Replacing a 2-hour PE class with two 1 hour resistance training sessions attenuated gains in subcutaneous adiposity, and enhanced muscle strength and aerobic fitness development in Colombian youth, based on a median attendance of approximately 1 session a week. Further research to assess whether adequate stimuli for the development of muscular fitness exists within current physical education provision is warranted.