Rural Adolescent Males Research Articles

Perceptions of Risk for Dating Violence Among Rural Adolescent Males: An Interpretive Analysis.

About one in eight U.S. high school students in Grades 9 to 12 report experiencing teen dating violence (TDV) in the form of physical, sexual, or psychological dating violence in the past year in person, on school grounds, and online. Compared with their urban counterparts, rural teens face nearly double the rate of physical dating abuse and an elevated risk of experiencing multiple forms of violence. Rural young males are exposed to regional masculinities and gender norms that may simultaneously promote female subordination (a prelude to dating violence) while impeding help-seeking intentions. We used an interpretive and dialectical approach grounded in Relational Dialectics Theory to explore how rural young males perceive and describe their own risk of experiencing and perpetrating dating violence and the factors contributing to their help-seeking intentions and behaviors. Data from three focus groups and individual interviews with 27 rural young males (ages 15-24) were collated. We identified two central dialectical themes described as (a) Social Tension Dialectics (subthemes include: Abusive vs. Unhealthy Relationships: A Dialectic of Language; #MeToo vs. #WeToo: A Dialectic of Victimhood; "It's All Country Boys": A Dialectic of Masculinity) and (b) Help-Seeking Dialectics demonstrating the dual roles Religion, School Guidance Counselors, Peer Mentors, and Social Cohesion play in promoting or preventing dating violence. Overall, we found dialectic tensions in rural youth risk perceptions about dating violence. These findings bear implications for advocates and practitioners working with rural youth in planning developmentally and culturally appropriate TDV prevention programs, offering policy and research-relevant insight.

Smokeless Tobacco and the Rural Teen: How Culture and Masculinity Contribute to Adolescent Use

Tobacco use is the leading preventable cause of disease, disability, and death in the United States. Smokeless tobacco (SLT) is primarily used by younger, rural males and often in the presence of other males. This formative study examined how hegemonic masculinity and male norms can lead to initiation and continued use of SLT by rural adolescent males and females. Survey data collected from high school sophomores in 4 rural high schools (n = 293) explores perceptions of masculinity and male norms’ contribution to SLT uptake and use. About 22.5% of total sample reported lifetime use (34.4% male, 13.7% female), 10.9% reported past-month use (20.0% male, 4.2% female). Logistic regressions show a one-unit increase in adherence to traditional perceptions of masculinity more than doubled the odds of ever using SLT and significantly increased odds of 30-day use. Having male household family members who uses SLT significantly increased the odds of lifetime and 30-day SLT use for both genders, while having male family members who smoke cigarettes was not a significant correlate. Recognition of health warnings on SLT packaging was negatively associated with SLT use for both genders. Implications for inclusion of masculinity and male role models in SLT prevention intervention strategies are discussed.

Perceptions of anger and aggression in rural adolescent Australian males.

Problematic anger is often the outward manifestation and expression of deeper mental health issues in young men with strong links to depression, aggression, and suicide. Few studies have explored adolescent anger and aggression from the perspective of adolescent males and even fewer studies focus specifically on a rural context. This research aimed to understand the role of anger and aggression from the perspective of Australian rural adolescent males. Mental health nurses can build upon this knowledge to promote more adaptive ways of coping with anger therefore identifying specific interventions for the prevention of violence and promotion of mental health in this cohort. One hundred and eighty-seven rural adolescent males participated in focus groups that were conducted during their participation in the Rock and Water Program (RWP). Participants identified a number of factors they felt contributed to the aggression they both witnessed and experienced with eight themes emerging in response to the research questions. Four themes related to personological factors, that is racism, homophobia, family influences, and media influence. A further four themes related to situational factors, that is alcohol, territorialism, school context, and peer pressure. The study identified that racist and homophobic attitudes and beliefs were evident and clearly contributed to aggressive scripts as did family and media messages that normalized aggressive behaviour by way of endorsing stereotypical images of an aggressive masculinity. Situational factors such as alcohol use, territorialism, school context, and peer pressure were directly linked by participants to aggressive incidents embedded within their notions of masculinity.

ST product characteristics and relationships with perceptions and behaviors among rural adolescent males: a qualitative study.

Although smoking declines in the United States, the prevalence of male adolescent smokeless tobacco (ST; moist snuff and chewing tobacco) use remains unchanged. ST product characteristics, such as flavoring, packaging, and branding, could influence adolescents' ST initiation and continued use. This qualitative study examines the potential role of product characteristics in shaping ST-related perceptions and behaviors among rural adolescent males. Semi-structured individual interviews were conducted at three California rural high schools. ST users were asked about their experiences and perceptions related to product characteristics. Interviews were transcribed, coded, and analyzed using a general inductive approach. Participants associated flavored ST with appealing non-tobacco products, such as chewing gum and alcohol. Availability of different varieties and flavors stimulated interest and curiosity in sampling or switching between ST products. Time-limited promotional flavors and packaging also enhanced product appeal. Adolescent ST users preferred certain brands based on perceived brand features and perceived nicotine content, associating higher-strength brands as better suited for experienced ST users. Brand preferences frequently reflected perceived ST brand popularity within peer groups. Based on these observations, potential ST regulation and health education campaigns to address misconceptions about ST characteristics could influence adolescents' ST-related perceptions and reduce ST use among this vulnerable population.

Addressing engagement, anger and aggression through the Rock Water Program: Rural adolescent males' perceptions.

The Rock and Water Program (RWP) has been implemented in some Australian schools as a means of addressing school disengagement, anger and aggression, which are significant determinants of mental illness. However, much of the evidence supporting the RWP is anecdotal. This project explored rural adolescent males' perceptions of the RWP. Questionnaires were used to gather data about the students prior to their commencement in the RWP. Focus group interviews were conducted with students at weeks 5 and 9 of the 9-week program. Data were analysed using thematic analysis. The RWP was facilitated in four schools in rural NSW over three terms for a total of 12 program deliveries. One hundred and eighty-seven rural adolescent males participated in the focus groups. The participants were identified by their school as disengaged in schoolwork and either perpetrators and/or victims of anger and aggression. Participants liked the 'learning by doing' action-oriented approach, and reported learning strategies that could reduce aggression in the school and wider community. The focus groups provided insight into why these adolescent boys engaged with this program when generally engagement in school, overall, was reported as poor. Suggestions for program improvement included more or longer sessions, and the inclusion of girls. This study found that the RWP engaged rurally based boys, who spoke positively about the action-oriented program. Future research could examine if this translates into reduced incidents of anger and violence at school and improved school engagement and overall physical and mental health.

Smokeless Tobacco Decision-Making Among Rural Adolescent Males in California.

Smokeless tobacco (ST) use among US high school males living in rural areas exceeds national levels. Subgroups at heightened risk of ST use have been identified, but less is known regarding ST decision-making within high-risk groups. The study objective was todescribe rural adolescent males' perceived ST acceptability, health risks, and social implications and how those perceptions differ between ST users and never-users. Semi-structured individual interviews were conducted with a purposeful sample of 55 male students (32 ST ever-users) at three rural California high schools. Interviews were audio recorded and professionally transcribed. Investigators collaboratively developed a codebook based on thematic content and then independently coded transcripts, reconvening frequently to achieve consensus. Coded text was systematically organized into themes following a general inductive approach. ST users and non-users shared multiple ST-related perceptions, including: that ST is a common, normative way of life in rural "country" cultureamong certain groups; that ST use conveys oral health risks; and that the decision to use (or not to use) is rooted in personal choice. ST users' and never-users' perceptions differed regarding the immediacy, severity, and inevitability of health risks, particularly relative to cigarette smoking. Other differences included perceived parental permissiveness and the expected social benefits of ST use, such as peer acceptance and conveying maturity. Within this population of rural male adolescents, ST users emphasized the social benefits of ST use, while acknowledging but discounting health risks. Differences and similarities in tobacco perceptions among adolescents living in similar environments may inform effective health communication.

Delivery and evaluation of the ‘Ride.Life’ mountainboarding program for rural adolescent males

The present study provided rural adolescent males who might otherwise not seek professional psychological help with an innovative program, based on physical activity, which would link them into a wider sporting community. The aim of the study was to evaluate the effectiveness of the program in bringing about improvements in various areas of participants' mental health.Participants were ten males ranging in age from 15 to 18 years residing in and around the Ballarat area. They were recruited in consultation with the coordinator of the YouthTracks @ TAFE program at the University of Ballarat and were identified as being at-risk of developing mental health problems. Results suggested that participation in the program contributed to statistically significant improvements in some aspects of the participants' mental health. Furthermore, participants reported an enjoyment of mountainboarding and described the difference the program has made to their lives. Findings of this study provide preliminary support for the mental health and social gains potentially obtained when rural youth are engaged in an innovative and enjoyable physical activity program.

Mentors and mountainboarding: The development and delivery of an innovative program for rural adolescent males at risk of mental health problems

Sense of belonging to a community offers protection against depression (Glover et al. 1998); however, rural adolescents with mental health issues often feel isolated, lonely and socially excluded (Aisbett et al. 2007). This is exacerbated by the stoic attitudes and fear of social stigma which prevent many rural adolescents from engaging with mainstream mental health programs (Boyd et al. 2006). With this knowledge, we aimed to engage atrisk rural adolescent males who would otherwise not seek psychological help in an innovative program which would link them to a broader sporting community. The project also aimed to strengthen leaders of this community to act as mentors for these young people. In this article, we describe the development and delivery of the mentoring component of this innovative program. The outcomes for the youth involved in this program are described in the subsequent article by Kemp and colleagues in the next edition of Children Australia.

The effects of value confrontation and reinforcement counseling on the career planning attitudes and behavior of adolescent males

An experiment was conducted to compare the relative effectiveness of a value confrontation procedure and a procedure based on verbal operant conditioning in enhancing career development attitudes and increasing the frequency of information-seeking behavior in rural adolescent males. Ninety subjects were identified as internally controlled or externally controlled based on their locus of control scores and then randomly assigned to one of the two experimental treatment groups or a control group. The value confrontation procedure involved developing an awareness of self-dissatisfaction about one's career planning and relating this self-dissatisfaction to the importance one gave to the values logical and responsible. These values had been identified empirically in this study as having a relationship to career planning. The reinforcement counseling treatment involved the interpretation of individual career maturity data followed by the verbal operant conditioning of responses indicative of career maturity. Post tests administered 7 weeks after the treatments showed that the value confrontation procedure resulted in significantly greater frequency of information seeking for internally controlled subjects when compared to the reinforcement counseling and control procedures. No treatment was significant in increasing the maturity level of career development attitudes.