Young French People Research Articles

Personal networks typologies: A structural approach

Building typologies allows to compare networks on multiple dimensions, and to approach a generalization grounded on empirical data. In this article, we present a typology of personal networks only based on indicators related to the structure of relations between alters. It is designed from very detailed data on young French people who were involved in a longitudinal study. Our typology mobilizes a small number of indicators to discriminate the types that compose it. In so doing, we intend to make it applicable to various surveys.

Aesthetico-Cultural Cosmopolitanism Among French Young People: Beyond Social Stratification, The Role of Aspirations and Competences

Based on a French survey designed to understand how young people appropriate internationally disseminated cultural products, this article explores the social stratification of everyday aesthetico-cultural cosmopolitanism in France among them. Using two classification techniques (ascending hierarchical classification and k-means clustering) and a polytomic logistic regression, we demonstrate that this cosmopolitanism can be viewed along a continuum of configurations rather than in a number of pure types. We identify five configurations: inadvertent cosmopolitans, specific cosmopolitans, cosmopolitan fans, national fans and impossible cosmopolitans. These configurations are not uniformly distributed across society: socio-demographic factors do not have a single, unambiguous effect, but are in fact combined with individual resources (experiences, competences and aspirations).

Occupational status as a determinant of mental health inequities in French young people: is fairness needed? Results of a cross-sectional multicentre observational survey

BackgroundEmployment conditions are associated with health inequities. In 2013, French young people had the highest unemployment rate and among those who worked as salaried workers most of them had temporary job. The purpose of the study was to assess mental health state of French young people through the prism of their occupational status and to measure whether occupational status is a determinant of health inequities.MethodsA cross-sectional multicentre observational survey was performed in June and July 2010 in 115 French Local Social Centres and 74 Health Examination Centres, who were available to participate. The survey was based on an anonymous self-administrated questionnaire delivered by social workers or healthcare professionals to young people age from 16 to 25 years old. The questionnaire was composed of 54 items. Several health outcomes were measured: self-perceived health, mental health, addictions and to be victim of violence. The association of occupational status and mental health was assessed by adjusting results on age and gender and by introducing other explanatory variables such as social deprivation.ResultsA total of 4282 young people completed the questionnaire, a response rate of 83%, 1866 men and 2378 women, sex-ratio 0.79. French young people having a non-working occupational status or a non-permanent working status were more exposed to poor self-perceived health, poor mental health, addictions and violence. To be at school particularly secondary school was a protective factor for addiction.ConclusionsOccupational status of French young people was a determinant of mental health inequities. Young people not at work and not studying reported greater vulnerability and should be targeted therefore by appropriate and specific social and medical services.

Drinking motives and alcohol consumption behaviors among young French people

IntroductionNumerous studies suggest that social, enhancement, conformity and coping drinking motives each lead to unique behavioral patterns related to alcohol consumption. Recently it has been suggested to study specific coping motives that distinguish feelings of anxiety and depression. This study aims primarily to 1) psychometrically validate the recent five factor questionnaire of drinking motives among young French people, 2) explore differences in mean endorsements of motives across age and sex and 3) explore the concurrent validity of drinking motives by studying their associations with alcohol consumption behaviors. MethodsThe French Modified Drinking Motives Questionnaire Revised and the Alcohol Use Disorders Identification Test were administered to 314 university students and 193 high school students. ResultsThe 5-factor model of drinking motives provided a good fit to the data and a better fit than the 4-factor model. Conformity motives were more strongly endorsed among high school students than among university students (d=0.26). Social motives were more endorsed by men than by women (d=0.47), as were enhancement motives (d=0.48). Our study suggests that each of the studied motives transcribes a specific set of drinking behaviors. ConclusionsResearchers and practitioners could effectively use this conception of drinking motives in order to better understand and prevent problematic alcohol use among young people.

The stress associated with the coming out process in the young adult population

ABSTRACTThe aim of this study was to show the characteristics of stress during a highly stressful coming out compared to other stress situations. Our sample comprised 400 lesbian, gay, or bisexual (LGB) young adults ages 18–26 recruited from two French online dating sites. The results showed high stress during the coming-out process, and almost all participants experienced at least one stressful coming out. According to the transactional model of stress, the primary appraisal (risk assessment/threat) and the secondary appraisals (resources) were examined. Two specificities were present during coming out: the fear to hurt close ones and the limited resources to cope. These data show the necessity of better understanding this specific stressor and developing interventions for young French LGB people.

Trajectories of drug use among French young people: Prototypical stages of involvement in illicit drug use

Aims: This study investigated patterns and trajectories of substance use, with a special focus on illicit drugs other than cannabis. It examined both patterns and trajectories of use among a general population-based sample. Methods: We used data from the 2011 French ESCAPAD survey of French 17-year-olds to assess exposure and age of initiation of 14 licit and illicit drugs (N=23,882). Latent class analysis (LCA) and survival analyses were performed. Results: The results of the LCA showed that patterns of illicit drug use clearly distinguished between two groups of other illicit drugs: 1) amphetamines/speed, cocaine, ecstasy/MDMA, magic mushrooms, poppers, and solvents; 2) crack/freebase, GHB/GBL, heroine, LSD, and ketamine. Survival analyses highlighted that trajectories involved the first group before the second one. Conclusions: Prototypical drug use patterns and trajectories should include a distinction between two groups of illicit drugs. Preventive actions should focus on young people in their early teens, since very young users are more likely to progress to illicit drug use, and further studies should include this distinction instead of aggregating other illicit drugs into a single category.

Conformity through the mobile phone choices of the young French

This article deals with French young people. It is about conformity in the private sphere (and how this relates to the “dodging” of politics). My hypothesis was that being consistent with one’s closest network is satisfying and the ability to oppose its influence is favored by a higher degree of general satisfaction, or satisfaction in some activities. Glaser and Strauss’s grounded theory method was used: to its authors, comparing populations showing sufficient dissimilarities allows to produce theoretical conclusions. The chosen object was the cell phone, three different populations got interviewed from March 2010 till April 2011. Three processes (satisfaction, materialism, family) can explain the ability for an individual to oppose within the realm of privacy. When they were combined, only three exceptions can be noticed and could be explained: these processes are in fact causes or manifestations of the “dodging” of politics. Considering the small number of exceptions and the macro level data, questions arise about the ability of French young people to oppose, not only in the public sphere, but also in the private sphere.

Adolescents and prejudice: A comparative study of the attitudes of two European adolescent populations regarding the issues that are raised by increasing cultural and religious pluralism

This study illustrates the reaction toward the cultural and religious pluralism of two adolescent populations, from two different European countries. The goal in this study is to relate prejudices regarding immigration to the socio-cultural features that in a given context shape the issues surrounding this subject. The hypotheses proposed indicate that the socio-cultural factors represent interesting examples of variation of the stereotypes and attitudes toward the phenomenon of immigration. A survey has been conducted in Italy and France on 1277 high school students (mean age 17.2) to examine two different contexts concerning the issues that are raised by immigration phenomena. Consideration of the contextual factors will enable us to understand why young Italians express prejudices focused on economical and social issues, whereas young French people have a prejudice driven by identity issues. In order to explain such a typology of prejudice we have turned to the social and cultural characteristics that the question of immigration takes on in these two countries. Let us remember that for a more in-depth explanation of the factors that shape intergroup hostility, variables at the individual level need to be put alongside those at the contextual level. This way of working will lead to a better understanding of the social genesis of prejudices.

Vamos ao Brasil com Jules Verne?: processos editoriais e civilização nas Voyages Extraordinaires

No século XIX, uma rede de conhecimentos sobre as diferenças culturais dos povos americanos marcou a edição destinada à instrução e diversão da juventude francesa. Uma das 62 Voyages Extraordinaires de Jules Verne, publicadas por Pierre-Jules Hetzel, é ambientada entre o Peru e o Brasil: La Jangada, huit cents lieues sur l'Amazone (1881). Na produção de literatura juvenil que se desenvolve e expande no comércio transatlântico da livraria francesa, sobressai uma psicogênese do Brasil. Por esse ângulo, a via de análise aberta pelo sociólogo Norbert Elias ajudou a enfrentar o problema das emoções humanas, no romance de viagem, e a conceituar a atividade mimética no livro de ciência e recreação.

What does time imply? The contribution of longitudinal methods to the analysis of the life course

Longitudinal panel methods are particularly suited to studying the life course as a process. They make it possible to compare different moments in time, to analyse the intervals and to identify ‘ways of moving’. Such an approach reveals turning points and helps to identify the relevant objective and subjective elements and driving forces that help to shape life transitions. These elements and rhythms are embedded in diverse life spheres, networks and social frames. The ways in which they interact, evolve and synchronize with each other are particularly crucial for young people. Based upon a longitudinal panel survey of young French people, this methodological discussion provides an original insight into processes of socialization.

Characterization of the Three-Factor Eating Questionnaire scores of a young French cohort

The aims of our study were to characterize the psychological dimensions of eating behaviour of young French adults as measured by the Three Factor Eating Questionnaire (TFEQ) and to analyze the association between the 3 TFEQ mean scores (main scales and subscales) and gender, Body Mass Index (BMI) and socio-demographic data in this population. An online TFEQ questionnaire was used with a nationally representative sample of 1000 young French people (aged 20–39yrs). The average scores were 6.3±0.1 (sem) for dietary restraint, 6.0±0.1 for disinhibition and 5.0±0.1 for hunger. Compared to the limit commonly used in human food studies, young French adults were characterized by low restraint and low disinhibition levels. There was a significant gender effect on both restraint and disinhibition scores, with women showing significantly higher scores than men. Concerning the link between TFEQ scores and BMI, there was a significant effect of the BMI category on cognitive restraint, disinhibition and hunger. Disinhibition was the factor most strongly associated to BMI, independently of gender. Our results highlight both the importance of taking into account not only disinhibition but also cognitive restraint and the usefulness of subscales when studying eating behaviour and its link to body weight. We characterize the eating behaviour of a French cohort with criteria often chosen for healthy volunteers in human food studies. Consequently, we suggest new TFEQ limits (6 for cognitive restraint and disinhibition, 5 for hunger) lower than those traditionally used for this category of the population in clinical food studies.

Facteurs prédictifs de suivi des jeunes fumeurs de cannabis consultant pour sevrage

Cannabis use is very problematic among young French people, because of the young age of first consumption and its health consequences. Indeed, the average age of cannabis experimentation is about 15 in France and 49.5% of 17 year-olds report having used cannabis in their lives. To prevent this problem, tobacco and cannabis cessation services are dedicated to handle patients who want to stop tobacco and/or cannabis. Moreover, in 2004, specific medical outpatient services have been implemented to address the problem of young cannabis users. Since their establishment, some studies have reported demographic and clinical characteristics of the patients attending these services, but we still lack data on their follow-up and their medical and psychological care.The aim of this study is to describe the clinical and psychiatric characteristics of young patients referred to tobacco/cannabis cessation consultations or specific young cannabis users' consultations and to evaluate their medical care and monitoring.We designed a retrospective study in seven cessation clinics in the Paris area between 2005 and 2007. Eligible patients were regular cannabis users aged under 40. An electronic medical database was completed using patients' medical records. Medical files reported demographic and clinical data. Psychiatric disorders were assessed using the HAD and the Beck scores. Nicotine dependence was evaluated by Fagerström's score. The history of addictions, and data about consumption of cannabis, tobacco, alcohol and other drugs were recorded in the medical file. The follow-up of patients was defined by having at least two visits at the medical outpatient services. Tobacco and cannabis cessations were assessed at one-month follow-up. Univariate and multivariate logistic models were used to assess factors associated with patients' follow up and monitoring.Four cessation clinics accepted to participate in our study. One hundred and eight eligible patients were listed during the study period. One hundred and eleven patients (75%) were males and seventy-nine (53%) were employed. The average age of patients was 26 years old (±6.8). Fifty patients (34%) came to the clinic on their own decision, thirty-three (22%) were referred by a hospital and twenty-eight (19%) came because of their family's advice. The mean age of first cannabis consumption was 16 years old (±7.3) and cannabis consumption was most often associated with tobacco use. Fifty-nine percent of patients had anxiety disorders and 28% had depression according to D-HAD score. The dropout rate after first visit was about 40%. The most frequent therapy proposed to young cannabis users was nicotine replacement therapy. Follow-up data were collected for 135 patients and only 85 (37%) patients made at least two visits at the outpatient services. The average number of consultations was five (±3.8). Multivariate analysis found an association between follow-up and previous cannabis cessation (P=0.04), pharmacological treatment of tobacco withdrawal (P=0.04), and antidepressant treatment (P=0.04). Only one quarter of patients had quit cannabis and/or tobacco at one-month follow-up.This study describes clinical characteristics of patients attending cannabis consultations in France. As reported in other studies, anxiety disorders and depression are important problems in this population and should be considered during their medical care. The efficacy of specific French medical outpatient services is difficult to evaluate because of the high rate of dropout. Some patients' characteristics seem linked to their monitoring but other studies should be assessed to confirm these results. As pharmacological treatments seem associated with patients' follow-up, new research should be implemented to develop therapeutic solutions for cannabis addiction.

Représentations et vécus de la sexualité à l’adolescence et appartenances culturelles. Étude comparative auprès de 134 adolescentes

In this study, we considerate that acculturation process creates a difference between migrant's generations concerning cultural representations. In support of different theoretic contributions, we think, also, that adolescence could increase this difference and set migrant's adolescents nearer to the young French people having the same ages. Our aim, in this study, is to verify this difference in a specific field, the one of the representations and lived experiences of sexuality. For this reason, we have compared, with a questionnaire, the expression of this difference among two adolescents’ groups aged from 13 to 17 years (middle age: 15.79; standard deviation: 2.77). The first group is constituted by 67 adolescent girls descended from cultural’ area influenced by Islam (parents are coming from Algeria, Morocco, Tunisia or Turkey). The second group is constituted by 67 adolescent girls whose culture is influenced by Christianity and the age of enlightenment. The results obtained, through the questionnaire, demonstrate that, despite their birth or their precocious coming in the host country, the adolescent girls whose culture is influenced by Islam are clearly different from the adolescent girls of the other group. For these young girls, the sexuality or only the private life stay still taboo and they are close to ancestral lived experiences and representations of sexuality.

Focus of Identity and Motivation About the Integration of Turkey into the European Union

The integration of Turkey into the European Union (EU) is a major political issue, and an interesting psychological object with motivational and identity-related aspects. This article examines whether the structure of some young French people’s motives can be used to predict the acceptability of Turkey’s integration into the EU. It was hypothesized that Apterian metamotivational states ( Apter, 2001 ) would structure the pro and cons of the acceptability of Turkey’s integration. In each of two studies, a questionnaire was designed and administered to assess the motives, either pro or con, for Turkey’s integration. Acceptability ratings were also collected. Factorial analyses provided two series of components that were simple to interpret in a reversal theory structure. Four components were common to both studies: individual paratelism, individual telism, sympathy for the Turks, and European mastery. Path analyses were conducted to predict acceptability with the components as predictors, and benefit and risk judgments as intermediate variables. The fits were good and the models explained 72.1% (pros) and 64.2% (cons) of the overall variance in acceptability. Of particular interest is an unexpected finding that was replicated in both studies: Each component loaded a collection of items centered on only one of three possible positions on what interests were at stake: European people’s interests, Turkish people’s interests, or participants’ own interests.

Towards the prevention of alcohol abuse

Mortality resulting from alcohol abuse in young French people is too high in spite of prevention campaigns for road safety in particular. There are problems in identifying alcohol abuse in young people in preventive medicine or alcohol care services. This study was carried out in alcohol centres; data from patients under 25 are analysed and compared to a same-age group of young adults who are consulting in preventive medicine centres. In comparison with older people, these two groups of young adults presented similar characteristics, a lower educational grade, a precocity of psychotropic substance consumption, a preference for beers and spirits consumed episodically or during weekends, more frequent use of tobacco and cannabis, and, finally, greater frequency of drunkenness. The consequent risks of accidents are higher, on road use particularly. Therefore, early identification of alcohol abuse and training for professionals who work in socioeducational settings should be developed to improve the response to these new behaviours. The preventive medicine centres are appropriate for the detection of risk behaviours associated with alcohol or with polysubstance use. Local programs should be set up not only to delay the age of the first intake but to decrease the consumption peak.

Protein intake of young and elderly French people living at home

Protein intake of young and elderly French people living at home

Labour Market Transitions of French Youth

In this paper we analyse the movements of French young people between three states: employment, unemployment and non-participation, using data from the waves 1990-1992 of the French Labour Survey. Some of these event histories are left-censored. We therefore address the problem of initial conditions by invoking a stationarity assumption in the statistical framework of multi-states multi-spells duration models. We subsequently construct a Hausman test of the stationarity assumption We allow for interdependence between duration variables and we use an adjusted likelihood ratio test in order to choose the best distribution for unobservables. We are particularly interested in identifying characteristics that are associated with less favourable event histories. The results show that higher educational attainments are associated with shorter unemployment durations and with longer durations when employed. Another important factor is nationality; indeed to be of French nationality is often associated with better outcomes in the labour market.

Risk factors associated with suicide attempt in young French people.

Demographic data, personal and familial characteristics, as well as DSM-III-R-based psychiatric diagnoses were collected in 369 adolescents and young adults aged between 15 and 29 years, referred to an Emergency Department for psychological problems. In total, 60% of them were suicide attempters. Separations before the age of 12 years and depression in the family emerged as the main features distinguishing the suicidal group from the psychiatric control group. Fifty per cent of suicide attempters were repeaters. Fostering during childhood, suicide attempts and depression in the family were found to be risk factors for repeated self-attempts. These results support the view that significant levels of dysfunction, together with increased psychiatric morbidity, especially suicidal behaviour, characterize the families of young self-attempters.

French youths and their health. Opinions, attitudes and behavior

Traditional indicators for exploring the field of adolescent health have proven to be relatively inappropriate. The "Baromètre Santé" (health barometer) was thus designed to study youth between the ages of 18 and 24 in an original way. On one hand it permits the exploration of opinions, attitudes, and behaviour of French youth in a global manner, and on the other hand results may be compared with those of older generations. The study has revealed that French young people have a more pessimistic view of the evolution of their health status than their elders, with accidents being cited by far as the number one fear. The most important difference in perception between adults and young people is the attitudes concerning STD's and AIDS. As far as lifestyle goes, 27% of the young people interviewed admitted to having had troubles with insomnia during the three months preceding the interviews. Three fourths of the youth participating smoke or have smoked in the past, with no difference according to gender. On the other hand, those young people who indicated suffering from a depressive or nervous state were more often smokers than the others. More than one young person in five has tried some kind of drug during the past year, with hashish being by far the most common (99%). Overall the young people interviewed have a more permissive attitude toward drug use than adults studied. A direct link was observed between the consumption of alcohol, illicit drugs and tobacco. These multiple factors may indicate that France is facing a situation in which a part of its youth's behaviour can be considered disturbing.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)

Social Support, Coping Strategies and Psychological Well-being among Young People Awaiting Employment

Abstract It is usually thought that unemployed people who experience high levels of social support show greater psychological well-being than those who experience less social support. This relationship is moderated by factors like the coping strategies used to face the disturbance. This article describes a study carried out on a population of young French people awaiting employment following a training course. The results show that the effects of social support on psychological well-being are modulated by the way individuals manage the relationships between the different domains of their life (family, professional, personal, and social).