Adolescent Perceptions Research Articles

Weight misperception and substance use: Brazilian Study of Cardiovascular Risks in Adolescents (ERICA)

BackgroundAdolescence is a crucial period for body image formation. Weight misperception is the discrepancy between individuals’ body weight perception and their actual nutritional status. Both weight concerns and substance use are common among adolescents, and there is evidence of an associations between these two variables. Thus, the aim of this study was to assess the association between weight misperception and substance use (smoking and alcohol) in a national sample of normal weight Brazilian adolescents.MethodsData were obtained from the Brazilian Study of Cardiovascular Risks in Adolescents (ERICA), a cross-sectional, multicenter, national, school-based survey, carried out in 124 municipalities with more than 100,000 inhabitants from Brazil. The sample included adolescents aged 12–17 years, classified as normal weight by nutritional status evaluation. The following measures were collected: weight underestimation and overestimation (exposure); having tried cigarette smoking, current smoking, current alcohol consumption, binge drinking and current smoking and alcohol consumption(outcomes); macro-region, sex, type of school, and excessive screen time (confounders). The frequency of variables was calculated with 95% confidence intervals (CI). Poisson regression models were used to estimate prevalence ratios (PR).ResultsIn total, data from 53,447 adolescents were analyzed. Weight misperception was present in a third of the adolescents, with similar prevalence of weight underestimation and overestimation. In adolescents aged 12–14 years, weight underestimation and overestimation were associated with having tried cigarette smoking (PR: 1.18 and 1.43, respectively), current alcohol consumption (PR: 1.33 for both weight misperception categories), and binge drinking (PR: 1.96 and 2.01, respectively). Weight underestimation was associated with both having tried cigarette smoking and current alcohol consumption in boys (PR: 1.14 and 1.16, respectively) and girls (PR: 1.32 and 1.15, respectively). In girls, weight overestimation was associated with all substance use variables (PR between 1.19 and 1.41).ConclusionsOur results showed an association between weight misperception and having tried cigarette smoking, alcohol consumption, and binge drinking in younger adolescents. In addition, weight overestimation was associated with all substance use indicators in girls. Based on our findings, interventions aimed to improve weight perception in normal weight adolescents may contribute to the reduction of substance use in this population.

2.34 Pandemic Effects on Adolescent Perception of Eating Disorders on Twitter

It has been established that the COVID-19 pandemic has had a substantial effect on mental health, especially for adolescents and transitional-age youth (TAY). With social media becoming more prevalent for children and adolescents in recent years, these platforms provide a way to gauge changes in public conversation in that age group. Our goal was to understand how the COVID-19 pandemic affected engagement with eating disorders (EDs) by analyzing Twitter trends. We predicted that we would see an increase in messages preoccupied with EDs after the onset of the pandemic.

1.13 Parenting Is Subjective: Parental and Adolescent Perception of Parenting and Its Association With Nonsuicidal Self-Injury

This study investigates parent and adolescents’ differences in perceptions in parenting styles associated with adolescents who exhibit nonsuicidal self-injury (NSSI) behaviors. NSSI has garnered increasing clinical concern due to its prevalence rate and risks involved. In examining adolescents’ behaviors, existing studies have often focused on environmental factors, including parenting styles. While research has primarily focused on adopting the veridical parenting style in examining its influence on the adolescent, less is known about the extent of discrepant parenting, and how it compares between adolescents with NSSI and those who do not engage in NSSI.

The Relationship between the Perception of Virginity Values and Adolescent Attitudes in Maintaining Reproductive Health in Islamic High School (Man) 1 Semarang City

Virginity over virginity in Indonesian society is a symbol of pride, dignity, and respect for women. This study aims to determine the relationship between the perception of virginity values and adolescent attitudes in maintaining reproductive health in Madrasah Aliyah Negeri (MAN) 1 Semarang City. The method used in this study is the Cross-Sectional approach. The data taken were primary data using questionnaires to 307 students with sampling techniques using random sampling. The statistical test used is chi-square with = 0.05. The results of most adolescents in MAN 1 Semarang support virginity values by 59.9%, while 40.1% of adolescents do not support virginity values in adolescents. The results also showed that most adolescents had a good attitude toward maintaining reproductive health (57.7%) (177 people), while the rest had a bad attitude toward maintaining reproductive health, as much as 42.3% (130 people). The results of the Chi-Square test obtained a p-value of 0.001 < 0.05, so it can be concluded that there is a meaningful relationship between adolescent perceptions of virginity values and adolescent attitudes toward maintaining reproductive health. The magnitude of the relationship odd ratio value is 2,171; in other words, adolescents who support the virginity value have a 2,171 times better chance of maintaining reproductive health compared to adolescents who do not support the virginity value. The conclusions of this study are that adolescents' perceptions of the value of virginity have a meaningful relationship with adolescent attitudes toward maintaining reproductive health.

The gap between athletes’ and parents’ perceptions of parental practices: The role of gender

ObjectivesThe present study explored the differences between athletes’ and parents’ perceptions of parental practices (i.e., active involvement, directive, pressure, praise, and understanding behaviours implemented by parents in the context of their child’s sport) by considering athletes’ and parents’ gender. Designcross-sectional study. MethodParents (N = 352) and athletes (N = 256, M = 14.72 years) completed a questionnaire to measure their perceptions of parental practices in sport. Zero-order correlations were computed for the entire sample and each sub-group (i.e., father-daughter, father-son, mother-daughter, and mother-son). One-level multilevel model (level 1: respondent) was computed to measure the influence of the respondent on the perceptions of parental practices. Two-level multilevel model (level 1: respondent, level 2: dyad) estimated the impact of the athletes’ gender, parents’ gender, and their interaction on the differences in perceptions. ResultsCorrelations highlighted relatively modest concordance between perceptions of parents and adolescents. Multilevel models showed that compared to athletes, parents reported significantly less frequent use for directive behaviours (β = −0.29) and more frequent use for active involvement (β = −0.18) and praise and understanding (β = 0.27). Correlations and multilevel models showed that the differences between athletes’ and parents’ perceptions of parental practices differed according to gender. The differences in perceptions of the directive behaviours (β = −0.22) and active involvement (β = 0.22) were higher when the father was involved in the dyad compared to the mother.

E-cigarette addiction and harm perception: Does initiation flavor choice matter?

IntroductionThe 21st century was marked by a dramatic increase in adolescent e-cigarette use in the United States (US). The popularity of non-traditional flavor types, including fruit and pastry, is thought to contribute toward growing product use nationally, leading to a variety of federal and state regulations limiting the use of non-traditional flavors in the US. The relationship between flavor type and increased adolescent use suggests a possible link between flavor use and addiction and harm perception. This study assessed if the flavor type used when initiating e-cigarette use predicted addiction and harm perceptions.MethodsThe study utilized data from the multi-wave youth Population Assessment of Tobacco Health Study. It explored the impact initiating e-cigarette use with traditional versus non-traditional flavor types among cigarette users on the outcome variables: e-cigarette addiction and harm perception. Both e-cigarette addiction and harm perception were measured using self-report, Likert scale questionnaires. Descriptive statistics characterized the study variables and linear regression analyses performed to test whether flavor initiation type is associated with addiction and harm perception.ResultsThe study sample consisted of 1,043 youth (weighted N = 1,873,617) aged 12 to 17 years who reported at least one instance of e-cigarette use. After adjusting for age, age of onset, sex, race and annual household income there was no statistically significant difference in addiction levels between those initiating with traditional versus non-traditional flavors (p = 0.294). Similarly, traditional versus non-traditional flavor initiation did not show a statistically significant difference in adolescent e-cigarette harm perceptions (p = 0.601).ConclusionsTraditionally flavored e-cigarette initiation produces similar risk for addiction and harm perceptions as non-traditionally flavored initiation. These findings suggest that banning non-traditional flavors alone may be ineffective in curbing e-cigarette addiction and harm perception. Additional research is needed to better understand which e-cigarette product characteristics and behaviors may be associated with greater addiction and reduced harm perceptions.

ANALYSIS OF SEXUAL HEALTH EDUCATION ON THE PERCEPTIONS OF ADOLESCENT WOMEN ON FREE SEX

The lack of health education to teenager about free sex affects young women's perceptions that are not good about free sex. The purpose of this study was to analyze the effect of sexual health education on adolescent girls' perceptions of free sex. The research design used pre-experimental research with one group pre-test-post-test design. The sample of this study was some young women aged 15-21 years, as many as 42 people. Based on the results of the study, it showed that of the 42 respondents, most of the respondents before being given health education had a sufficient perception of free sex. Almost all respondents have a good perception of free sex. The conclusion of this study is that there is an effect of sexual health education on the perception of young women about free sex in Sindang Baru Village, Toili District, Banggai Regency.

Medical decision-making competence regarding puberty suppression: perceptions of transgender adolescents, their parents and clinicians

According to international transgender care guidelines, transgender adolescents should have medical decision-making competence (MDC) to start puberty suppression (PS) and halt endogenous pubertal development. However, MDC is a debated concept in adolescent transgender care and little is known about the transgender adolescents’, their parents’, and clinicians’ perspectives on this. Increasing our understanding of these perspectives can improve transgender adolescent care. A qualitative interview study with adolescents attending two Dutch gender identity clinics (eight transgender adolescents who proceeded to gender-affirming hormones after PS, and six adolescents who discontinued PS) and 12 of their parents, and focus groups with ten clinicians was conducted. From thematic analysis, three themes emerged regarding transgender adolescents’ MDC to start PS: (1) challenges when assessing MDC, (2) aspects that are considered when assessing MDC, and (3) MDC’s relevance. The four criteria one needs to fulfill to have MDC—understanding, appreciating, reasoning, communicating a choice—were all, to a greater or lesser extent, mentioned by most participants, just as MDC being relative to a specific decision and context. Interestingly, most adolescents, parents and clinicians find understanding and appreciating PS and its consequences important for MDC. Nevertheless, most state that the adolescents did not fully understand and appreciate PS and its consequences, but were nonetheless able to decide about PS. Parents’ support of their child was considered essential in the decision-making process. Clinicians find MDC difficult to assess and put into practice in a uniform way. Dissemination of knowledge about MDC to start PS would help to adequately support adolescents, parents and clinicians in the decision-making process.

Pengaruh Promosi Kesehatan menggunakan Leaflet terhadap Persepsi Remaja Putri tentang Seks Pranikah di SMAN 2 Cibeber Kabupaten Lebak-Banten

Adolescence in the 10-19 year age range will experience physical growth and maturity of reproductive organ functions, plus emotional changes in adolescents will also become more aggressive and easy to react to stimuli. The prevalence of adolescents who have premarital sex was 41%, and this figure shows an increase from year to year. The existing IDHS survey shows that the prevalence of adolescents who have premarital sex is 4.5% for men and 0.7% for women. To determine the effect of health promotion using leaflets on adolescent girls’ perceptions of premarital sex at SMAN 2 Cibeber, Lebak-Banten Regency. This study was a Quasi-Experiment with One group pre test post test design. The sample was class XI students which consisted of 35 people. The sampling technique used was total sampling. Bivariate univariate data analysis using paired t test non parametric test. The average value of the perception of adolescent girls about premarital sex before health promotion intervention was 37.65 and after health promotion intervention was increased to 52.94. The results of bivariate analysis using paired t test showed that p value 0.000 <0.05, there was a significant effect of health promotion on adolescents' perceptions of premarital sex. There was a significant effect in providing health promotion using leaflets on adolescent perceptions about the dangers of premarital sex. It is expected that adolescent grils after being given health promotion the dangers of premarital sex can prevent it.

Perceptions of HIV positive adolescents about the disease and its manifestations

Introduction: The lack of information on knowledge, perceptions, and behaviours regarding HIV risk and preventive behaviours among Indian adolescents is alarming. Objective: To assess the perceptions of HIV Positive adolescents about disease and its manifestations. Materials and Methods: 101 HIV positive adolescents were randomly selected into the study. study populations were given a questionnaire in Telugu and English containing questions regarding the 1) knowledge on HIV disease, 2) attitude towards life,3) perceptions and feelings about disease, 4) issues relating to treatment 5) impact of counselling, 6) attitude towards the other HIV positive people. The questions were explained to them, and they were asked to write answers. Results: More than 64% of adolescents have an idea about HIV transmission. More than 44% ,84%, 64% have an idea that HIV is a manageable disease, concept about the disease, good hope about their future respectively. More than 40% adolescents preferred HIV positive person as their partner. More than 90% of adolescents felt that many things are there to live happily. Conclusion: From the results it can be concluded that study gave a general idea about few perceptions of HIV positive adolescents about the disease and its manifestations.

GAMBARAN PERSEPSI REMAJA TERHADAP APLIKASI TIKTOK : SEBUAH STUDI FENOMENOLOGI INTERPRETATIF

This studi aims to determine the description of adolescent perceptions of tiktok applications. The study was conducted using a qualitative approach with phenomenological methods. Then to determine informants using purposive sampling technique, with certain considerations, namely adolescents in Payakumbuh who have the Tiktok application and actively use it. Through semi-structural interviews, data were collected from each subject, all series of interviews conducted were recorded and then transcribed. The results of this study found that there were three identified themes, namely positive impact, negatif impacts and factors thay influenced participants in using the Tiktok application.

Planning a digital intervention for adolescents with asthma (BREATHE4T): Atheory-, evidence- and Person-Based Approach to identify key behavioural issues.

To describe a transparent approach to planning a digital intervention for adolescents to self-manage their asthma using breathing retraining (BRT), based on an existing, effective adult intervention (BREATHE). A theory-, evidence-, and Person-Based Approach was used to maximise the effectiveness and persuasiveness of the intervention. A scoping review and semistructured interviews with target intervention users (N = 18, adolescents aged 12-17years with asthma and parents) were carried out to explore user perspectives, barriers, and facilitators towards the intended behaviours and potential intervention features. The combined evidence was used alongside and to inform theory-based activities and enabled iterative planning of the intervention. The scoping review identified themes relating to user-specific self-management issues, content, education, training needs, and features for a digital intervention. Interviews elicited potential barriers to intended behaviours such as the anticipated embarrassment of using BRT and concerns around remaining calm. Facilitators included BRT delivered by adolescents who share experiences of asthma and information for performing exercises discreetly. Relevant theoretical frameworks ensured that appropriate psychological constructs were targeted. A behavioural analysis identified six intervention functions and thirty behaviour change techniques. Logic modelling mapped the programme theory and mechanisms, which aims to improve adolescent asthma-related quality of life. This study gives a transparent insight into the approach followed to plan a self-guided BRT intervention for adolescents and has led to identification of key behavioural issues, enabling relevant intervention content to be chosen. Insight has been given into adolescent perceptions of BRT, which facilitated development of the prototype intervention.

Oxytocin impacts top-down and bottom-up social perception in adolescents with ASD: a MEG study of neural connectivity

BackgroundIn the last decade, accumulative evidence has shown that oxytocin can modulate social perception in typically developed individuals and individuals diagnosed with autism. While several studies show that oxytocin (OT) modulates neural activation in social-related neural regions, the mechanism that underlies OT effects in ASD is not fully known yet. Despite evidence from animal studies on connections between the oxytocinergic system and excitation/inhibition neural balance, the influence of OT on oscillatory responses among individuals with ASD has been rarely examined. To bridge these gaps in knowledge, we investigated the effects of OT on both social and non-social stimuli while focusing on its specific influence on the neural connectivity between three socially related neural regions—the left and right fusiform and the medial frontal cortex.MethodsTwenty-five adolescents with ASD participated in a wall-established social task during a randomized, double-blind placebo-controlled MEG and OT administration study. Our main task was a social-related task that required the identification of social and non-social-related pictures. We hypothesized that OT would modulate the oscillatory connectivity between three pre-selected regions of interest to be more adaptive to social processing. Specifically, we focused on alpha and gamma bands which are known to play an important role in face processing and top-down/bottom-up balance.ResultsCompared to placebo, OT reduced the connectivity between the medial frontal cortex and the fusiform in the low gamma more for social stimuli than for non-social ones, a reduction that was correlated with individuals’ performance in the task. Additionally, for both social and non-social stimuli, OT increased the connectivity in the alpha and beta bands.LimitationsSample size was determined based on sample sizes previously reported in MEG in clinical populations, especially OT administration studies in combination with neuroimaging in ASD. We were limited in our capability to recruit for such a study, and as such, the sample size was not based on a priori power analysis. Additionally, we limited our analyses to specific neural bands and regions. To validate the current results, future studies may be needed to explore other parameters using whole-brain approaches in larger samples.ConclusionThese results suggest that OT influenced social perception by modifying the communication between frontal and posterior regions, an attenuation that potentially impacts both social and non-social early perception. We also show that OT influences differ between top-down and bottom-up processes, depending on the social context. Overall, by showing that OT influences both social-related perception and overall attention during early processing stages, we add new information to the existing understanding of the impact of OT on neural processing in ASD. Furthermore, by highlighting the influence of OT on early perception, we provide new directions for treatments for difficulties in early attentional phases in this population.Trial registration Registered on October 27, 2021—Retrospectively registered, https://clinicaltrials.gov/ct2/show/record/NCT05096676 (details on clinical registration can be found in www.clinicalTrial.gov, unique identifier: NCT05096676).

Maternal psychological control and mother-adolescent conflict discussion quality: Different perceptions are key.

Parental psychological control is associated with poor adolescent outcomes, but little research has examined discrepancies between observed and perceived psychological control in predicting conversational outcomes. The present study used a multimethod, multi-informant approach to examine whether independent and joint associations between observer, adolescent, and mother perceptions of maternal psychological control during mother-adolescent conflict discussions were associated with adolescents' and mothers' perceptions of the quality of these conversations. Mother-adolescent dyads (N = 123 dyads) participated in a conflict discussion and subsequently reported on their satisfaction with the process and outcome of the discussion. Mothers' behavior was coded for psychological control and mothers and adolescents separately reported on mothers' psychological control during the discussion. Findings indicate that higher adolescent-perceived psychological control was associated with poorer adolescent- and mother-reported discussion quality controlling for overall relationship discord. Central to our hypotheses, observer, adolescent, and mother perceptions of psychological control significantly interacted with one another to predict discussion quality, though the specific pattern of findings varied across mother- and adolescent-reported discussion quality. Findings suggest that adolescent perceptions of discussion quality are poorest when adolescents attribute psychologically controlling behavior to mothers, particularly when mothers and outside observers report relatively lower levels of psychological control. This study highlights the importance of adolescent perceptions of parents' behavior and of obtaining information about behavior during parent-adolescent conversations from multiple reporters (observers, adolescents, and parents) to develop targeted interventions with parents and adolescents managing conflict. (PsycInfo Database Record (c) 2022 APA, all rights reserved).

Perception of adolescents with spinal cord injury about autonomy

Resumo Considerando que, a partir do referencial dos direitos humanos do paciente, aspectos bioéticos da autonomia relacional são importantes na construção da autonomia como projeto de vida, analisou-se a percepção do processo de autonomia em adolescentes com lesão medular participantes de um programa de reabilitação. Trata-se de estudo transversal quali-quantitativo que utilizou entrevista para coletar dados e o software Iramuteq para analisá-los. Participaram 14 adolescentes, 50% do sexo masculino, 29% moradores do Distrito Federal, 71% com paraplegia. Na análise dos dados qualitativos, identificaram-se cinco classes: programa de reabilitação (20,9%); autonomia (21,8%); relações familiares (16,7%); sentimentos e vivências (23,9%); e rotina (16,7%). A mãe foi apontada como principal cuidadora (64%) e a autonomia muitas vezes foi relacionada ao conceito de independência. Outras formas de relacionamentos corroboraram o modelo da autonomia relacional, sendo identificados desafios intrínsecos e extrínsecos à condição dos participantes analisadas na perspectiva dos direitos humanos do paciente.

Perception of adolescents with spinal cord injury about autonomy

Resumen Considerando que, desde los derechos humanos del paciente, los aspectos bioéticos de autonomía relacional son importantes para constituir la autonomía como proyecto de vida, se analizó la percepción del proceso de autonomía en adolescentes con lesión medular de un programa de rehabilitación. Es un estudio transversal cualicuantitativo, que utilizó entrevistas para recopilar datos y el software Iramuteq para analizarlos. Participaron 14 adolescentes, 50% del sexo masculino, 29% residentes en el Distrito Federal, 71% con paraplejía. Del análisis de datos cualitativos emergieron cinco clases: programa de rehabilitación (20,9%); autonomía (21,8%); relaciones familiares (16,7%); sentimientos y experiencias (23,9%); y rutina (16,7%). La madre fue la principal cuidadora (64%), y la autonomía estuvo relacionada frecuentemente con el concepto de independencia. Otras formas de relación respaldan el modelo de autonomía relacional, con la identificación de desafíos intrínsecos y extrínsecos a la condición de estos participantes desde la perspectiva de los derechos humanos del paciente.

Age-Related Differences of Mandarin Tone and Consonant Aspiration Perception in Babble Noise.

This study investigated the categorical perception of Mandarin tones and consonant aspiration contrasts in babble noise among adults and adolescents aged 12-14 years, and explored the association between working memory and categorical perception. Twenty-four adults and 20 adolescents with Mandarin as their native language were recruited. Their performances of phonemic identification and discrimination in babble noise and quiet conditions, digit span tasks, and nonword repetition were assessed. Results indicated that, firstly, in the noise condition, both adults and adolescents showed wider boundary widths and lower between-category accuracies when perceiving aspiration of consonants than in the quiet condition, and the categorical boundary of tone perception in adolescents showed a transitional tendency toward Tone 1. Secondly, discrimination of consonant aspiration in adolescents needed to be further developed. Lastly, the accuracy of nonword repetition in adolescents was lower than that in adults, and adults with better auditory verbal working memory had better performance on tone perception. Our results provided evidence that tone perception is acquired easier than consonant aspiration perception, and tone perception is more robust and less susceptible to noise interference. Categorical perception performance relates to the capacity and utilization of auditory verbal working memory in some ways.

Investigation of the Relationship Between Health Promotion Behavior and Self-efficacy of Turkish Adolescents

Purpose: This research was carried out to identify the relationship between adolescent health promotion behaviors and the self-efficacy of students. 
 Materials and Method: This study is a descriptive study, which was carried out in a secondary school and two high schools in the provincial center of Ankara in the 2017-2018 academic year. Three different forms were used as data collection tools. These are questionnaire form, adolescent health promotion scale, and self-efficacy scale for children. The data were summarized as mean, standard deviation, and percentages. 
 Results: In adolescent health promotion scale and all subscale scores, there were significant differences according to their class, age, success status, health state perception, beliefs in managing future health statuses, wearing a seat belt, wearing a helmet while riding a bicycle or motorbike, using pedestrian crossings and overpasses when crossing the road. In self-efficacy scale and all subscale scores, there were significant differences according to their class, age, success status, health state perception, beliefs in managing future health statuses, wearing a seat belt, wearing a helmet while riding a bicycle or motorbike, using pedestrian crossings, and overpasses when crossing the road. There was a positive and significant correlation between health-promoting behaviors and self-efficacy. 
 Conclusions and Suggestions: Self-efficacy perception and health-promoting behaviors are gained during childhood and adolescence and maintained throughout life. For this reason, education, seminars, and activities to be given to students, teachers, and parents will be effective in increasing self-efficacy perceptions of adolescents and gaining health-promoting behaviors of adolescents.

S06-3 Supporting our lifelong engagement: mothers and teens exercising (SOLE MATES); from formative research to feasibility testing

BackgroundHealth promotion efforts have largely failed to effectively support adolescent girls to meet public health guidelines for physical activity (PA). Engaging mothers in the promotion of PA for their daughters is an important strategy to facilitate behaviour change. This paper provides an overview of the development of the SOLE MATES programme - a novel mother-daughter intervention.MethodsThis programme of research follows the MRC guidance for development and evaluating complex interventions (Craig, 2008). Two reviews were conducted to synthesise the evidence base on (1) mother-daughter PA interventions and (2) adolescent girls' perceptions of PA participation. The behaviour change wheel (BCW) framework was then used to design the components of an intervention to improve adolescent girls' PA (Michie et al, 2011). Finally, a single-arm feasibility trial was conducted to examine recruitment, data collection, acceptability, resources and participant responses.ResultsOur evidence reviews showed that only a limited number of interventions designed exclusively to target mothers and daughters have been conducted. In addition, programmes for adolescent girls should focus on alternative activities aside from the competitive team-based sports often offered.The BCW design process resulted in a group-based face-to-face intervention, involving six intervention functions (education, persuasion, incentivisation, training, modelling, enablement) and 18 behaviour change techniques. The 6-week programme includes weekly educational and practical group sessions plus home tasks and the provision of participant resources. In addition to encouraging participants to walk regularly, the programme also aims to empower mothers to be role models for their daughters positive health behaviour.Participants in the feasibility study were mothers (n = 27) with daughters (n = 31) aged 12-16 years. Eligibility rates were 93.4%, and baseline activity levels were low. Programme content, measures and facilitators were acceptable. Daily steps increased in mothers (+2,875, p = 0.009) and daughters (+1,393, p = 0.007).ConclusionsWe demonstrate the value of formative research in the intervention development process. We show that it is feasible to increase the PA levels of teenage girls through an inter-generational multi-component PA programme. The SOLE MATES programme should now be examined for effectiveness using a RCT. If successful the scale-up and sustainability of the programme should be explored.

"The Peer Educator Is the Game-Changer of My Life": Perceptions of Adolescents Living with HIV in DR Congo on Involving Peer Educators in the Process of HIV Disclosure.

Several approaches to the disclosure of HIV status to children and adolescents have been described. Each of these places particular emphasis on the role of parents and health care workers (HCWs) to mitigate the impact of disclosure on the adolescent without exploring the possible roles that other individuals might play in the process of disclosure. This article assesses the perceptions of adolescents living with HIV (ALHIV) about disclosure done by parents, guardians, HCWs, peer educators in the role of peer supporters, accidentally or by self-discovery, and the subsequent effects of disclosure method on their mental health. We used a qualitative study to conduct semi-structured interviews with 73 ALHIV at the Kalembelembe Paediatric Hospital, in DR Congo disclosed to by parents, guardians, HCWs, and/or peer educators, respectively, or disclosed to accidentally or by self-discovery. Microsoft Excel analysis matrix was used to organize the qualitative data. The majority of ALHIV whose disclosure involved a peer educator unanimously acknowledged the important role of the peer in accepting their HIV status, in their ART adherence, and their development of self-esteem. However, most ALHIV disclosed without involving peers declared that they had accepted their situation after a relatively long period followed by contact with the peer and integration in the self-support group. We found that the peer approach is the game-changer of the HIV status disclosure process that would allow ALHIV to accept their HIV status with minimum distress, it builds resilience, and allows them to adhere to treatment.