Female Middle School Research Articles

The Influence of Reflected Appraisals on Middle School and High School Athletes’ Self-Perceptions of Sport Competence

This study examined the reflected appraisal process in female middle school (n = 66; M age = 12.39 – .87 years) and high school athletes (n = 88; M age = 14.70 – 1.08 years). Questionnaires assessed the athletes’ self-perceptions of sport competence and how they perceived their mothers, fathers, coaches, and teammates evaluated their ability in sport. A multiple regression analysis revealed that the various reflected appraisals predicted self-perceptions of competence (p < .01, R2 = .65). Mothers (β = .19), coaches (β = .24), and teammates (β = .47) were each significant predictors, while the reflected appraisal of fathers (β = .08) was non-significant. Squared semi-partial correlations indicated that teammates accounted the greatest amount of unique (sr2 = .25), followed by coaches (sr2 = .08), mothers (sr2 = .05), and fathers (sr2 = .01). Structural equation modeling indicated that the pattern of relationships was the same for middle school and high school athletes.

An empirically supported eating disorder prevention program

A six-session eating disorder prevention program was completed with three samples: middle school, high school, and college females. The program was intended to promote resiliency factors while mitigating risk factors that had been identified earlier by hierarchical multiple regression analyses and subsequent path analyses from a large epidemiological sample (Phelps, Johnston, & Augustyniak, 1999). Utilizing this etiological model, the program was successful in: (a) facilitating an acknowledgement of the ubiquitous pressures for attainment of the model skeletal look; (b) changing attitudes about standards of beauty; (c) altering the participants' current and future intentional use of pharmaceutical aids or disordered eating behaviors (e.g., fasting, strenuous dieting, purging, excessive exercise) as methods of weight control; (d) building physical self-esteem and personal competence; and (e) reducing body dissatisfaction. To facilitate replication, the article includes a description of the objectives and activities for each of the six sessions. It is recommended that future research efforts focus on testing the long-term efficacy of this program. © 2000 John Wiley & Sons, Inc.

Self-reported honesty among middle and high school students responding to a sexual behavior questionnaire

Purposes: To determine self-reported honesty in completing a sexual and other risk behavior questionnaire among middle and high school students, and to relate honesty scores to sexual behavior item responses as a method to detect bias in reporting. Methods: A self-administered questionnaire measuring overall honesty (7-point rating scale), sexual honesty (5-category scale), and selected sex behaviors was used. Urban, predominantly minority middle and high schools (Grades 7–12) were examined, and participants were 3144 male and female students in middle (mean age = 13.7 ± 2.0) and high (17.3 ± 1.6) school health classes. Results: The majority of students stated that they had been very or completely honest in responding to items on the questionnaire. Seventy-eight percent of middle school males (lowest rate), and 94% of high school females (highest rate) reported honesty. Middle school males were most likely to declare dishonesty regarding sexual behavior items, overstating their actual behavior (14%), while middle school girls were most likely to understate (8%) their behavior. Self-reported sexual honesty and reports of behavior were most consistent for understaters. That is, those subjects who answered that their questionnaire responses underreported their true sexual behavior did, in fact, report lower sexual activity on selected survey items. Conclusion:> Middle and late adolescents reported high levels of honesty in responding to a sexuality-related questionnaire. When interpreting such questionnaire data, correction for the tendency to overstate among middle school males and understate among middle school females should be considered; conclusions about self-reports of sexual behavior among young adolescents need to take into account degree of honesty. However, the presence of some overreported and some underreported behavior does not invalidate interpretation of the overall survey findings.

Weight control techniques among female adolescents: A comparative study

Three samples of middle school and high school female students within one suburban school district were surveyed in the spring of 1984 ( n = 442), 1989 ( n = 395), and 1992 ( n = 367) to assess change over a 7-year period in the utilization of such weight control/reduction techniques as dieting, fasting, self-induced vomiting, appetite suppressants, and laxative abuse. The results demonstrated a significant decrease in dieting, fasting, and use of appetite suppressants among high school students. However, middle school females reported a significant increase in fasting and no change in medication use of self-induced vomiting during the same 7-year period. Laxative abuse has persisted unchanged for a small segment of both populations. Likewise, preoccupation with thinness has remained unmoderated, with 56% of middle school and 61% of high school students currently regarding themselves as overweight.

Prevalence of self-induced vomiting and laxative/medication abuse among female adolescents: a longitudinal study.

In order to assess the prevalence and stability of weight reduction techniques utilized by adolescent females, three comprehensive samples of middle school and high school students (ages 12-18) were surveyed in the springs of 1984, 1989, and 1992. All participants were enrolled in the same school district to ensure that the groups were demographically equivalent. The results demonstrated a significant decrease in the use of appetite suppressants among high school students. However, middle school females reported a significant increase in medication use and self-induced vomiting during the same 7-year period. Laxative abuse has persisted unchanged for a small segment of both populations.

Figure Preference, Body Dissatisfaction, and Body Distortion in Adolescence

The present study was designed to evaluate gender and age effects on three multidimensional factors (i.e., figure preference, body dissatisfaction, and body distortion) that potentiate eating-related problems among adolescents. Data from 454 students (X age 15.03) found females preferred afigure significantly thinner than their current status, whereas males were generally pleased with their body proportions. This discrepancy resulted in significant gender differences in idealfigure preference and body dissatisfaction. School level (high school vs. middle school) by gender, two-way ANOVA comparisons found an interactional effect, with high schoolfemales evidencing significantly higher levels of body dissatisfaction and distortion than the middle schoolfemales and males. Further analysis with females found body dissatisfaction increased with age in a linear configuration, whereas body distortion followed a curvilinear pattern.

Affective Development in Children, Grades 3 through 12

Summary A total of 499 youngsters in grades 3 through 12 were tested with three widely used affective instruments which measure self-esteem, locus of control, and achievement motivation. Sex and age effects in affect were assessed; intercorrelations between the measures used were also examined. In addition, a series of stepwise regression analyses were employed in an effort to examine the relationship between affect and academic performance for the elementary, middle school, and high school males and females. Results of the study revealed that females were more internally controlled and higher in achievement motivation than males. Contrary to our expectation, early adolescence does not appear to be an especially dramatic time affectively for youngsters.