Junior High School Adolescents Research Articles

Individual and contextual parameters associated with adolescents’ domain specific self-perceptions

The present study examined the role of adolescents’ self-esteem and perceptions of family and classroom contexts on their domain specific self-perceptions. 345 Greek junior high school adolescents aged 14–16 completed measures of domain specific self-perceptions, self-esteem, parenting styles and classroom climate. Hierarchical regression analyses revealed that both family and classroom contexts predicted students’ self-perceptions, after students’ demographics, academic achievement and self-esteem were controlled for. However, different patterns emerged in the relationship between family, classroom climate and self-esteem depending on domain specific self-perceptions. Academic self-perceptions (scholastic, mathematics and language competences) were predicted by classroom climate dimensions (order and organization, student involvement, rule clarity), whereas self-perceptions regarding relations with parents, close friends and behaviour conduct, were predicted by parenting styles. Given the fact that adolescence is a period of fluctuation in self-understanding which renders self-perceptions particularly malleable, the results support the critical role of the social environments where adolescents operate.

GENDER DIFFERENCES IN THE RELATIONSHIP BETWEEN TAIWANESE ADOLESCENTS' MATHEMATICS ATTITUDES AND THEIR PERCEPTIONS TOWARD VIRTUAL MANIPULATIVES

This study explored gender differences in the relationship between young people's mathematics attitudes and their perceptions toward virtual manipulatives. Seven hundred eighty junior high school adolescents who participated in the problem-solving activity using virtual manipulatives were selected for examination. The study found the male adolescents' views on motivation and enjoyment of mathematics could explain many aspects of their perceptions toward virtual manipulatives. The female adolescents' views on the importance of mathematics and freedom from fear of mathematics could explain many aspects of their perceptions toward virtual manipulatives. However, motivation, enjoyment, and importance of mathematics were more prominent than freedom from fear of mathematics in predicting male adolescents' perceptions toward virtual manipulatives, and freedom from fear and importance of mathematics were more prominent than enjoyment and motivation of mathematics in predicting female adolescents' perceptions toward virtual manipulatives. Two implications can be drawn from this study. First, teachers could provide males with appealing problem contexts not only to be used to remove the fear of mathematics, but also to be used for enjoyment and as motivation to see the importance of mathematics. Then male students could be encouraged to have more confirmed positive perceptions toward virtual manipulatives when engaging in the activities of computer-based mathematics. Second, teachers could provide females with interesting teaching activities, not only to be used for motivation and the enjoyment of mathematics, but also to be used to remove the fear of mathematics and for experiencing the importance of mathematics. Then female students could have positive perceptions toward virtual manipulatives when technology was integrated into the classroom to enhance learning and to support effective mathematics teaching.

Rating a Physician by Adolescents Using the Structured Communication Adolescent Guide (SCAG)

The Structured Communication Adolescent Guide (SCAG) is a 29-item checklist used for teaching and assessing the adolescent clinical interview. The SCAG is divided into four sections (Getting Started, Gathering Information, Teen Alone [including lifestyles] and Wrap Up) each with a General Rating. The SCAG has been shown to be both reliable and valid when used by adolescents who have been trained in its use. We investigated the feasibility and reliability of the SCAG when used by Junior High School adolescents who had not been formally trained to use the SCAG. Methods: Participants (adolescents from three Junior High Schools) used the SCAG to score a physician in a videotaped interview with an adolescent and a mother standardized patient (SP) pair. Participants were asked to score the physician as if they were the adolescent in the video. Participants then completed a questionnaire about their experience using the SCAG. A Gold Standard SCAG score for the videotaped interview was created by a group of adolescent SP’s, a medical educator and a standardized patient trainer. Results: The Junior High School adolescents (N = 183, mean age = 13.40 years +/.51) included males (N = 94) and females (N = 89). No significant difference in SCAG scores were detected when analyzed across participant’s age, sex, and/or school. Reliability for the SCAG total scores (0.85) and General Ratings (0.73) were high. The Gold Standard scores agreed well with the participants’ scores. Participants also reported that the SCAG dealt with many issues that they felt were important to teen health and well being; and that the SCAG was clear and easy to use. Conclusion: The SCAG can be reliably used by Junior High School adolescents when watching a patient-physician interview. As these adolescents were untrained in using the SCAG and not SPs, the SCAG may be a useful tool to use on the wards, in outpatients or in a physician’s office with adolescent patients. This could provide an additional source of feedback for learners and practicing physicians.

Tracking overweight and obesity in Japanese children; a six years longitudinal study

Childhood overweight/obesity is growing steeply, globally. It is usually regarded as a risk factor for severe obesity over life-time course. Here, we investigated temporal course of overweight/obesity development in Japanese school children. A six-year longitudinal study was performed on 16,245 Japanese primary school children (8,427 boys and 7,818 girls) comprising three cohorts of 1(st) approximately 3(rd) grade. A baseline survey was conducted at 2001, followed by annual baseline studies from 2002 approximately 2007 to determine the prevalence and track overweight/obesity. Our results showed that the prevalence of overweight was 15 approximately 23% in boys and 15 approximately 18% in girls, however, for obesity it ranged between 4 approximately 7% in boys; and 2 approximately 4% in girls. As regards for tracking status, 60 approximately 80% of overweight and 35 approximately 70% of obese Japanese primary school boys track into overweight or obese junior high school adolescents. However, these percentages are lower among primary school girls, where only 50 approximately 70% overweight and 30 approximately 60% obese primary school girls track into overweight and obese adolescents, respectively. We conclude that Japanese boys are fatter than girls; and approximately 80% of overweight/obese Japanese primary school children track into junior high school overweight/obese adolescents.

Recruiting Rural Dentally — Avoidant Adolescents into an Intervention Study

To carry out a study designed to test an intervention to increase dental attendance in rural dentally-avoidant adolescents, to identify and recruit eligible adolescents. This study used a cross-sectional design to identify eligible adolescents. A total of 2,762 adolescents (60% of the enrolled students) from junior high and senior high schools in a rural county in Washington State (USA) were given a dental examination with a light and mirror by calibrated dental examiners using WHO criteria. Parents of children with serious dental needs were urged to seek dental care for their adolescent children. They were offered the chance to enroll their child in a study comparing two programs designed to help the adolescent decide whether to seek out dental care. A second group of emancipated adolescents and young adults (aged < 26 years) receiving services at the local college and health department was also screened, and eligible individuals were also offered the chance to enroll. Only 23 (6%) of 357 eligible junior and senior high school adolescents enrolled, compared with 24 (67%) of the 36 eligible emancipated adolescents and young adults. A second follow-up letter was sent to the 85 parents of un-enrolled adolescents with the most severe caries, offering direct assistance in obtaining dental care for their children; only 3 families responded. This study illustrates the difficulty in engaging adolescents in their oral health and utilization of oral health interventions. The results also suggest that slightly older rural individuals are more interested in and/or able to overcome barriers to seeking out dental care. Alternative strategies are suggested for recruiting avoidant adolescents.

The Associations Between Aggressive Behaviors and Internet Addiction and Online Activities in Adolescents

Purpose To evaluate (a) the association between Internet addiction and aggressive behaviors, as well as the moderating effects of gender, school, and depression on this association; and (b) to evaluate the association between Internet activities and aggressive behaviors. Methods A total of 9405 adolescents were recruited into this study and completed the questionnaires. Their aggressive behaviors, with or without Internet addiction, Internet activities, demographic data, with or without depression, self-esteem, family function, and the watching of violent TV were assessed. Results The results demonstrated that after controlling for the effects of shared associated factors and watching violent TV programs, adolescents with Internet addiction were more likely to have aggressive behaviors during the previous year. The association was more significant among adolescents in junior high schools than in senior high/vocational schools. Online chatting, adult sex Web viewing, online gaming, online gambling, and Bulletin Board System were all associated with aggressive behaviors. Conclusions The results suggest that preventive programs for aggressive behaviors should pay attention to Internet addiction among adolescents. Also, intervention to prevent the effects of Internet addiction on aggressive behaviors should be conducted as early as possible.

Attachment and self-evaluation in Chinese adolescents: Age and gender differences

This study investigated age and gender differences in the quality of attachment to mothers, fathers, and peers, and the association of attachment with measures of self-evaluation in 584 Chinese adolescents in junior high, high school, and university. Their responses to the Inventory of Parent and Peer Attachment indexed attachment quality, and self-evaluation was measured by the Rosenberg Self-Esteem Scale and the Self-Liking and Self-Competence Scale. Consistent with findings with Western samples, our analyses revealed (a) lower parent–child relationship quality in middle (compared to early) adolescence, (b) a significant association of parental and peer attachment with self-evaluation, and (c) gender differences in attachment to peers, with females reporting stronger attachment than males. Chinese females reported stronger maternal attachment than did males, and for females the quality of maternal attachment was more strongly related to self-evaluation than any other attachment relationship. During high school, peer attachment quality – rather than parental – was preeminently associated with self-evaluation. The findings of this study indicate that in a context of considerable consistency of findings with Western studies, parent–child attachment in Chinese adolescents is also influenced by culture-specific practices that influence parent–youth relationships and their meaning to the child.

Social phobia in Swedish adolescents

The aim of this study was to investigate the prevalence of self-reported social phobia in a community sample of Swedish adolescents in junior high school, at the risk-period for developing social phobia. Of particular interest was to investigate gender differences in prevalence across ages. Prevalence of sub-threshold social phobia was also studied. Students in grades 6-8 (aged 12-14) from seventeen schools in five Swedish municipalities were screened by means of a self-report questionnaire, the social phobia screening questionnaire-for children (SPSQ-C). Data from a sample of 2,128 students were analysed and showed a point-prevalence rate of 4.4% (95%CI 3.5-5.2) and a significant gender difference (6.6% girls vs. 1.8% boys, P < 0.001). No significant differences in prevalence of probable cases emerged across the ages. At sub-threshold level, marked social fear of at least one social situation was reported by 13.8% of the total group. "Speaking in front of class" and "calling someone unfamiliar on the phone" were the most feared social situations. In the social phobia group, 91.4% reported impairment in the school-domain due to their social fear. Social phobia is a common psychiatric condition in Swedish adolescents, especially in girls. As impairment in the school-domain is reported to a high degree, professionals and teachers need to recognize social phobia in adolescents so that help in overcoming the difficulties can be offered.

Social Passivity and Grades Achieved Among Adolescents in Junior High School

The main objective of this study was to gain knowledge as to how social passivity in school is related to the grades pupils achieve. The relation between social passivity and school grades received in eight different subjects, varying according to familiarity to teachers, demands of cooperation with peers and demands for public display of learning results were investigated. Five hundred and one pupils in grades 8, 9 and 10 (aged 13—16 years) from two secondary schools in a city in the southern part of Norway participated in the study. Results indicate a tendency for the more socially passive pupils to receive significantly lower grades than the more socially active pupils in subjects characterized by low familiarity to teachers, high demands of cooperation with peers and high demands for public display of learning results, such as oral and practical-esthetical subjects. In contrast, no tendency for lower grades among the socially passive pupils was found for mathematics.

Deterioration of academic achievement and marijuana use onset among rural adolescents

This study utilizes discrete-time survival analysis to assess the effect of level of academic achievement (both contemporaneously and prospectively) and changes in academic achievement on initiation of marijuana use among rural adolescents in junior high school. In the sample under consideration, 36% of boys and 23% of girls initiated use of marijuana by the end of ninth grade. Consistent with our hypothesis, poor academic achievement is a salient predictor of initiation of marijuana use among both boys and girls. Both contemporaneous and lagged levels of achievement significantly predict initiation. In addition, change in academic achievement is an important predictor of initiation. That is, students who demonstrate a deterioration of their academic achievement over time are more likely to start using marijuana. Poor academic achievement and deterioration of academic achievement should be considered as risk factors for initiation of marijuana use among rural adolescents. Initiatives targeted at improving academic achievement and/or drug use prevention initiatives designed for poor achieving students may help to prevent initiation of marijuana use.

Adequate sleep among adolescents is positively associated with health status and health-related behaviors.

BackgroundAmount of sleep is an important indicator of health and well-being in children and adolescents. Adequate sleep (AS: adequate sleep is defined as 6–8 hours per night regularly) is a critical factor in adolescent health and health-related behaviors. The present study was based on a health promotion project previously conducted on adolescents in Tao-Yuan County, Taiwan. The aim was to examine the relationship between AS during schooldays and excessive body weight, frequency of visiting doctors and health-related behaviors among Taiwanese adolescents.MethodsA cross-sectional study design, categorical and multivariate data analyses were used. The hypotheses investigated were: high frequency of AS is positively associated with lack of obesity and less frequent visits to doctors; and high frequency AS is positively associated with health-related behavior.ResultsA total of 656 boys (53.2%) and girls (46.8%), ranging in age from 13–18 years were studied between January and June 2004. Three hundred and fifty seven subjects (54%) reported that they slept less than the suggested 6–8 hours on schooldays. A significant negative association was found between low sleep and of the following health-related behaviors: (1) life appreciation; (2) taking responsibility for health; (3) adopting healthy diet; (4) effective stress management; (5) regular exercise; and (6) total AHP score. High frequency AS was associated with low frequencies of obesity after potential confounding factors were controlled. Junior high school adolescents reported significantly higher frequencies of AS than high school participants. Gender, family structure, home location and frequency of television watching or computer use were not significantly associated with AS.ConclusionThese findings support the proposition that AS is associated with good health status and high-frequency adoption of health-related behavior. Furthermore, these findings suggest that inadequate sleep may be a screening indicator for an unhealthy lifestyle and poor health status. The results might be useful for future research into the development of intervention strategies to assist adolescents who are not receiving enough hours of sleep.

Persepsi citra tubuh dan kendala untuk menurunkan berat badan pada remaja SLTP di Kota Yogyakarta dan Kabupaten Bantul

Background: The prevalence of obesity in children and adolescents is increasing, both in the developed and developing countries. Obesity has been reported to be related to the impairment of body image, but this association has not been studied among Indonesian adolescents.Objective: To assess the perception of body image and the obstacles for reducing body weight in obese junior high school adolescents in the District of Yogyakarta and Bantul.Methods: This is a cross sectional study, using both quantitative and qualitative approaches. Body images were assessed using Body Image Assessment for Obesity (BIA-O) with 8 figures. In depth interview were used to assess the perceptions of body images and the obstacles in reducing body weight faced by the obese adolescents.Results: Obese adolescents had significantly larger dissatisfaction to their body images compared to their non-obese peers, i.e. mean (95%CI) scores of dissatisfaction of 1.89 (1.69 – 2.08) in obese adolescents compared to –0.27 (-0.49 to 0.05) in non-obese adolescents. Most of the obese adolescents had tried to reduce their weight, mostly in order to have a better looks, but failures and hardships in the efforts had made most of them stopped trying.Conclusion: Obese adolescent were not satisfied with their image. Most of them had tried to reduce body weight but failures had made them stop trying.

Psychometric Properties of the Screen for Child Anxiety Related Emotional Disorders (SCARED) in the General Adolescent Population

This study examined the psychometric properties of the Screen for Child Anxiety Related Emotional Disorders (SCARED) in a large sample of adolescents from the general population. In 2001, 1,340 junior high and high school adolescents in the Netherlands completed the SCARED. The SCARED is a questionnaire that purports to measure five child and adolescent anxiety symptom dimensions. The factor structure of the SCARED was investigated by means of confirmatory factor analyses that were conducted for males and females, early (10-13 years) and middle (14-18 years) adolescent groups, and for Dutch and ethnic minorities. Analyses of variance were carried out to compare mean scores for the various groups. The five-factor structure of the SCARED not only had the best fit for the general adolescent population but also for the age, gender, and ethnic groups. It was also found that the SCARED scores of the adolescent subgroups differed from one another in agreement with previous studies on adolescent anxiety disorder symptoms. The findings of this study support the claim that the SCARED has a five-factor structure. The usefulness of the SCARED was also demonstrated.

Hubungan citra tubuh dengan status obesitas, aktivitas fisik dan asupan energi remaja SLTP di Yogyakarta dan Kabupaten Bantul

Background: The prevalence of obesity in adolescence, both in industrial and in developing countries, is increasing. This might be due to the fact that globalization has affected the lifestyle and the eating pattern of the adolescents. Apart from related to higher risk of cardiovascular morbidity and mortality, obesity in adolescents might be also related to dissatisfaction of body image.Objective: To asses the association between obesity and body image, and between body image and energy intake and physical activities of junior high school adolescents in the District of Yogyakarta and Bantul.Method: This is a cross-sectional study. Subjects were 96 pairs of 12-15 years old obese and non-obese adolescents, identified in the obesity screening programs in junior high schools in Yogyakarta and Bantul. Subjects were asked to complete 34 questions on body shape image. Energy intake and physical activity data were obtained by food- and physical-activity-frequency questionnaires.Results: Obese adolescents had higher odds to be dissatisfied to their body images compared to their non-obese peers, i.e. Mantel-Haenszel Odds Ratio (95% CI) of 14.6(6.2-34.4). Obese female adolescents had higher odds to be dissatisfied than their male counterparts, OR (95% CI) of 19.5(2.4-15.9) in female and OR (95%CI) of 13.4(5.3 – 33.8) in male adolescents. There were no significant associations between dissatisfaction status with energy intake and time spent on light physical activities. Dissatisfied adolescents tended to spend less time on hard physical activities compared to their satisfied peers.Conclusion: Obese adolescents were more likely to be dissatisfied with their body images compared to their non-obese peers, but the dissatisfaction did not lead to less energy intake and more time spent on harder physical activities.

Bullying in adolescence: Psychiatric problems in victims and bullies as measured by the Youth Self Report (YSR) and the Depression Self-Rating Scale (DSRS)

Adolescents in junior high school (n=237), completed a questionnaire on bullying as it relates to victim and to perpetrator status, suicidality and biographical data. Psychological symptoms were assessed by the Youth Self Report (YSR) and the Depression Self-Rating Scale (DSRS) supplemented by school health officers blind assessments. Bullying was common: bully only (18%), victim only (10%) and victim and bully (9%). Bullies had mainly externalizing symptoms (delinquency and aggression) and those of the victim and bully group both externalizing and internalizing symptoms as well as high levels of suicidality. Adolescents in the bully only group were more likely to be boys and to have attention problems. Moreover, a substantial proportion of the adolescents in the victim only group were judged by school health officer to have psychiatric symptoms and to function socially less well.

Aktivitas fisik pada remaja SLTP Kota Yogyakarta dan Kabupaten Bantul serta hubungannya dengan kejadian obesitas

Background: The prevalence of obesity is markedly increasing, both in developed and developing countries. Whether physical activity contributes to the obesity in Indonesian adolescents is still unknown.Objective: To assess whether physical activity is associated with obesity in junior high school adolescents in Yogyakarta. Methods: A case control study was conducted in Yogyakarta Province in 2003. Subjects were 140 obese and 140 non- obese junior high school adolescents in Yogyakarta and Bantul, randomly chosen from an obesity survey performed previously. Pattern and duration of activity were assessed using IPAQ modified questionnaire. The activities were than sorted into light (sedentary), moderate and vigorous activities.Results: There was significant difference in the distribution sedentary activity between adolescents of Yogyakarta and Bantul (p&lt;0.0001). The mean duration of sedentary activity in Yogyakarta was 12.4 hours/day while in Bantul was 11.0 hours/day. Obese adolescents spent longer time in sedentary activity than non-obese adolescents (p=0.002). The odds of being obese in adolescent whose sedentary activity was longer than 13 hours/day were almost doubled.Conclusions: Urban adolescents spent more time for sedentary activities than rural adolescents, so were obese adolescents. The association of sedentary activities to obesity is independent from other factors such as calorie intake and parental obesity status.

Substance use among adolescents in Taiwan: associated personality traits, incompetence, and behavioral/emotional problems

Background: Despite that adolescent substance use is increasingly prevalent throughout the world and leads to increased risk of progression to illicit drug use, few studies have examined in detail individual features that are associated with such use. We aimed to examine personality traits, incompetence, and behavioral/emotional problems in relation to adolescent substance use and possible interactions between these factors. Methods: Junior high school adolescents ( N=905) randomly selected from Taipei in 1996 completed a questionnaire consisting of substance use experience, the Junior Eysenck Personality Questionnaire (JEPQ), and the Tridimensional Personality Questionnaire (TPQ). Students’ parents ( N=854) were asked to complete the Child Behavior Checklist. Logistic regression was used to assess the relationship between substance use and personality traits or behavioral problems. Results: The most commonly used substance was liquid substance (alcohol and refreshing beverage), followed by tobacco and betel nut with an age-related trend in boys. Associated factors of substance use included higher Extroversion and lower Lie Scale (as measured in the JEPQ), higher Novelty Seeking (as measured in the TPQ), poorer School Competence, and more Delinquent Behavior, Aggressive Behavior, and Somatic Complaints. The associations remained unchanged with potential confounders controlled for. Conclusions: Adolescents who use substance have specific individual features that are readily assessable by existing instruments. This bears important implications for the early intervention of substance abuse in adolescents.

Dieting and Binge Eating among Adolescents: What Do They Really Mean?

The study objectives were to gain insight into how the terms “dieting” and “binge eating” are understood and used by adolescents and to assess whether interpretations of these terms are consistent across age and gender. Twenty-five focus groups were conducted with 203 adolescents (138 girls and 65 boys) in urban public junior and senior high schools. Respondents were asked questions about dieting and binge eating behaviors. In the majority of groups (n=19), healthful eating behaviors, such as eating less fat or more fruits and vegetables, were mentioned in reference to dieting. However, in many of the groups (n=13) unhealthful eating behaviors, such as skipping meals or “starvation,” were also described. Dieting was frequently described as an umbrella term for different behaviors aimed at weight control (ie, physical activity) or in nonbehavioral terms (ie, as a desire or plan for weight loss). Although binge eating was described as overeating by many participants, often it was not clear if youth were referring to uncontrolled overeating. In nearly half of the groups, participants indicated unfamiliarity with the term “binge eating.” There was some confusion between binge eating and other forms of disordered eating. The findings suggest that prevalence rates of self-reported dieting and binge eating behaviors should be interpreted with caution and it should not be assumed that the majority of adolescents who self-report dieting are engaging in unhealthful behaviors. In providing nutrition counseling to youth, and in assessing dieting and binge eating behaviors in clinical settings and in research studies, specific behaviors should be defined. J Am Diet Assoc. 1998;98:446-450.

Clinicopathologic characteristics of hypertrophic cardiomyopathy detected during mass screening for heart disease.

Between 1981 and 1992 a total of 10 patients with hypertrophic cardiomyopathy (HCM) were detected by mass screening for heart disease in Tokyo's Adachi Ward. Four were first grade elementary school children and six were first grade junior high school adolescents. Two-dimensional echocardiography at the initial evaluation revealed asymmetric septal hypertrophy in four patients, diffuse hypertrophy of the left ventricle in five, and poor left ventricular contractility with wall thinning in one (dilated phase). Three of the five patients with diffuse hypertrophy progressed to asymmetric septal hypertrophy during the average 4-year follow-up period. The degree of septal thickness and the left ventricular wall thickness index were significantly less than in those of young adult controls (12 +/- 3 versus 21 +/- 9 mm, p < 0.05; and 22 +/- 4 versus 28 +/- 16 mm, p < 0.05, respectively). Right ventricular endomyocardial biopsy specimens obtained from 9 of the 10 patients showed features typical of HCM (e.g., myocyte hypertrophy with myofibril disarray) in five patients and atypical features (mainly interstitial fibrosis with perivascular cell infiltration) in another four. One patient with dilated phase disease died of congestive heart failure 6 months after the initial evaluation. These results indicate that HCM detected during mass screening is a mild form of the disease and may have atypical pathologic features, such as interstitial fibrosis and perivascular cell infiltration, mimicking the sequela of chronic myocarditis.

Attitudinal Predictors of Sexual Activity in Hispanic Adolescent Females

This study examined attitudinalfactors that discriminate between virgins and nonvirgins among an urban sample of junior and senior high school adolescents. The sample consisted of 240 Hispanic adolescent females, age 12 through 18 years. Virgins significantly differed from nonvirgins within both the junior high school sample (12-through 15-year-olds) and the senior high school group (16-through 18-year-olds). There were notable differences and similarities between the two age groups on which attitudes most powerfully discriminated between the virgins and the nonvirgins. The younger females were most strongly influenced by their perception of their friends 'attitudes and behavior regarding premarital sexuality. The older females were most powerfully influenced by their own attitudes about premarital sexuality. Additionally, achievement orientation discriminated virgins from nonvirgins among the younger females while perception of parental attitudes toward premarital sexuality discriminated older virgins from nonvirgins.