Sample Of Secondary School Students Research Articles

Did the prevalence of traditional school bullying increase after COVID-19? Evidence from a two-stage cross-sectional study before and during COVID-19 pandemic

BackgroundCOVID-19 has had a range of adverse effects on the behavior and mental health of adolescents globally, including bullying, anxiety and depression. However, there is a lack of comparative studies on the changes of school bullying before and during COVID-19 pandemic. ObjectiveTo examine the changes in traditional bullying before and during COVID-19 pandemic and reveal the related risk factors in Shantou, China. Participants and settingTwo samples of secondary school students were collected in 2018 and 2021 in Shantou, respectively. MethodsBullying history and risk behaviors of students were measured in the past six months. The χ2 test was used to analyze differences in baseline information and bullying types. The binary logistic regression with Forward LR method was used to analyze factors that affect the risk of bullying victimization and perpetration before and during COVID-19. ResultsA total of 5782 secondary school students were included, 3071 before COVID-19 pandemic and 2711 during COVID-19. The prevalence of different types of victimization and perpetration all increased during COVID-19 (P < 0.001). Boarding, being a lower secondary school student (as opposed to upper secondary school), being male (as opposed to female), drinking, and playing violent video games were shared risk factors for bullying victimization and perpetration. Living in an urban (as opposed to rural and island) was a risk factor for perpetration. Smoking was a risk factor for perpetration. All differences were statistically significant (P < 0.05). ConclusionsWe found that the prevalence of bullying victimization as well as perpetration increased during COVID-19. It suggests that we need to pay more attention to traditional school bullying prevention and control in China in the pandemic context.

Characteristics associated with the onset of tobacco use in adolescents. Assessment of a sample of secondary school students in Valencia, Spain

Characteristics associated with the onset of tobacco use in adolescents. Assessment of a sample of secondary school students in Valencia, Spain

Social Media in Adolescents: A Retrospective Correlational Study on Addiction.

Considering the growing interest in the possible effects of internet's addiction on adoles-cent's mental health, this study aimed at exploring the psychological correlates of social media and internet problematic use during the first year of the covid-19 pandemic. A cross-sectional study was conducted in a sample of secondary school students (N = 258); participants were asked to complete an online survey, investigating social media addiction (BSMAS), self-esteem (RSES), feelings of isolation (CSIQ-A) and anxiety (STAI-Y). Data analysis (descriptive statistics, correlational and regression analyses) was conducted through XLSTAT software ©. An additional ad hoc questionnaire was administrated. Findings showed that the 11% of the participants were significantly addicted to social media, mostly females (59%). Gender represented an exposure factor for the hours spent on social media and the checking activity while performing other daily activities. Significant correlations emerged between the self-report measure of social media addiction and self-esteem and anxiety. Low scores at RSES corresponded to higher checking activity, hours spent on social networks, and playing videogames that were investigated as supplementary indicators of addiction with ad hoc questionnaire. The regression analysis showed just two predictors of social media addiction, gender (female) and trait anxiety. Limitations and implications of the study were argued in order to give some indications for future programs.

A comparison of sleep-wake patterns among school-age children and adolescents in Hong Kong before and during the COVID-19 pandemic.

The lifestyles change of children and adolescents during the COVID-19 pandemic due to antipandemic measures can affect their sleep health. Existing studies have used convenient samples and focused on the initial months of the pandemic, leaving a knowledge gap on changes in young people's sleep patterns under the "new normal" under COVID-19. As part of a territory-wide epidemiological study in Hong Kong, this cross-sectional study recruited primary and secondary school students by stratified random sampling. Sleep parameters were collected using the structured diagnostic interview for sleep patterns and disorders. We investigated the pandemic's effects on sleep parameters by comparing data of participants recruited pre-COVID and those recruited during COVID using multivariate regression, adjusting for age, sex, household income, seasonality, and presence of mental disorders, and the moderators and mediators of the effects. Between September 1, 2019 and June 2, 2021, 791 primary and 442 secondary school students were recruited and analyzed. Primary school and secondary school participants assessed before COVID had a longer sleep latency on school days (95% confidence interval [CI] = 1.0-5.2 minutes, adjusted P-value = .010; and 95% CI= 3.9-13.0 minutes, adjusted P-value = .004, respectively) and nonschool days (95% CI = 1.7-7.2 minutes, adjusted P-value = .005; 95% CI = 3.4-13.7 minutes, adjusted P-value = .014, respectively). Low household income was a moderator for later bedtime (adjusted P-value = .032) and later sleep onset (adjusted P-value = .043) during nonschool days among secondary school students. Changes associated with COVID have a widespread and enduring effect on the sleep health of school-aged students in Hong Kong. Household income plays a role in adolescent sleep health resilience, and the impact of antiepidemic measures on the health gaps of the youth should be considered. Chau SWH, Hussain S, Chan SSM, etal. A comparison of sleep-wake patterns among school-age children and adolescents in Hong Kong before and during the COVID-19 pandemic. J Clin Sleep Med. 2023;19(4):749-757.

Correspondence Heuristic and Filter-Empowerment Heuristic: Investigating the Reversed Gender Achievement Gap in a Sample of Secondary School Students in Saudi Arabia within the Framework of Educational and Learning Capital

The reversed gender achievement gap in the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia (KSA) in favor of girls developed in a societal environment that still predominantly favors men. The finding illustrates how equity gaps at higher systemic levels may not translate seamlessly to lower systemic levels. We propose that this lack of correspondence between systemic levels regarding equity gaps can be explained by the fact that more exogenous learning resources (educational capital) selectively reach girls’ actiotopes, enabling them to build more effective endogenous learning resources (learning capital) and, in particular, effective action repertoires. To investigate this assumption, we introduce a filter-empowerment heuristic and contrast it with a simpler correspondence heuristic. We employ the filter-empowerment heuristic and the education and learning capital approach to investigate the reversed gender achievement gap in a sample of secondary school students in the KSA. We test four hypotheses: (a) Girls have higher academic achievement than boys. (b) Girls have more educational capital and (c) more learning capital than boys. (d) Educational and learning capital mediate the relationship between gender and academic achievement. The hypotheses were tested with a sample of 2541 ninth-grade students from 55 KSA schools. The four hypotheses were confirmed and support a filter-empowerment heuristic rather than a correspondence heuristic.

Promoting Physical Activity Habits after Completing Secondary School: Does the Age Matter?

Physical inactivity is one of the most important problems in our society, especially during adolescence. During this stage of schooling, students practice physical activity in physical education classes, but after they finish school, many of them stop practicing it. This research aims to determine which variables predict the intention to practice physical activity after finishing secondary school and to discover the effect that age during adolescence has on these predictive variables. A questionnaire was administered to a sample of secondary school students. The results show that physical exercise identity influences the three antecedents of this theory, while the attitude towards the behaviour (β = 0.13; p &lt; 0.05), perceived behavioural control (β = 0.46; p &lt; 0.05), and physical self-concept (β = 0.41; p &lt; 0.05), have a statistically significant influence on the intention to be physically active. Moreover, when the age is lower, is more important to develop a positive perceived behavioural control and physical exercise identity. Moreover, for younger male adolescents instead of the physical exercise itself, identity seems more important in developing a positive attitude towards behaviour. Likewise, in young female adolescents a low level of support from their close environment (subjective norm) leads to dropping out. The research concludes with the importance of including these variables in physical education classes to promote physical activity practice after completion of secondary school. Some practical implications are presented.

Nicotine initiation risk among Polish youth - PolNicoYouth study results

Abstract Smoking and the use of electronic cigarettes pose a risk of cardiovascular disease. The aim of the study was to analyze the initiation of these behaviors among Polish youth. The cross-sectional study was carried out in 2020 on a sample of secondary school students (N = 19241) representative of the Polish population, using the CAWI method. In order to estimate the relationship between the independent variables and the outcome variables, the Bayesian multivariate logistic regression was used in the R program using the brms library. Among Polish youth, age (lnBF = 303.55), smoking of traditional cigarettes by parents (lnBF = 117.29) and the type of school to which youth (lnBF = 36.15) and the province of residence (lnBF = 9.08) attend. Gender, size of the place of residence and parents’ education are not related to the risk of tobacco initiation with traditional cigarettes. When e-cigarettes were tried at least once in their life, a significant correlation was identified with a greater number of factors, such as age (lnBF = 124.87), smoking of traditional cigarettes by parents (lnBF = 56.48), province of residence (lnBF = 23.41), gender (lnBF = 16.53), use of heated tobacco (lnBF = 9.34) and e-cigarettes (lnBF = 9.13) by parents, size of the place of residence (lnBF = 8.61) and school type (lnBF = 7.26). Only the level of parents’ education remains unrelated. Factors related to the initiation and attempted use of nicotine products by adolescents indicate potential targets for the intervention. Parents who smoke and use e-cigarettes and heated tobacco should be made aware that their addiction is a strong risk factor for their children’s health. It can become a motivating factor for quitting the addiction. Key messages • Parental health behaviors are factors related to the initiation and attempted use of nicotine products by adolescents and indicate a potential target for a public health intervention. • Parents who smoke and use tobacco products should be made aware that their addiction is a strong risk factor for their children’s health. It can become a motivating factor for quitting the addiction.

Access to nicotine products among Polish youth – PolNicoYouth study results

Abstract Smoking and the use of electronic cigarettes pose a risk of cardiovascular disease. The aim of the study was to analyze the availability of these products for Polish youth. The cross-sectional study was carried out in 2020 on a sample of secondary school students (N = 19241) representative of the Polish population, using the CAWI method. In order to estimate the relationship between the independent variables and the outcome variables, the Bayesian multivariate logistic regression was used in the R program using the brms library. It was observed that there were differences in the factors related to the refusal to sell traditional cigarettes and e-cigarettes to Polish youth. The age of adolescents has a more significant relationship (lnBF &amp;lt;2.3) with the refusal to sell them traditional cigarettes (lnBF = 49.65) than e-cigarettes (lnBF = 25.21). Contrary to gender and province of residence, which show a significant relationship only with the refusal to sell e-cigarettes (lnBF = 4.9, lnBF = 3.5). However, they are not related to the refusal to sell traditional cigarettes at all. The amount of expenditure of Polish youth on traditional cigarettes and e-cigarettes significantly depends on the size of pocket money (lnBF = 49.39), the type of school attended by young people (lnBF = 12.19) and the province of residence (lnBF = 3). Other factors, such as age, gender or the size of the place of residence, remain irrelevant. Higher pocket money contributes to higher spending on nicotine products ((lnBF = 12.19). It seems that the age of adolescents does not equally limit access to nicotine products, making e-cigarettes more easily available for sale. Action is needed to effectively limit the access of young people to harmful products. Key messages • It seems that the age of adolescents does not equally limit access to nicotine products, making e-cigarettes more easily available for sale. • Action is needed to effectively limit the access of young people to harmful products.

Receptivity to Instructional Feedback

Abstract: The purpose of this study was to report validity evidence for the instrument intended to measure receptivity to instructional feedback in a sample of secondary school students from Singapore ( N = 314). We tested a nested hierarchy of hypotheses for addressing the cross-group (i.e., gender) invariance and compared means on the receptivity to feedback subscales between gender groups. We also examined whether receptivity to feedback predicted student grades. The four-factor hypothesized model comprising experiential attitudes, instrumental attitudes, cognitive engagement, and behavioral engagement with feedback had a good model fit. Multi-group confirmatory factor analysis supported configural, metric, partial scalar, partial strict as well as variance and covariance invariance across gender groups. After controlling for gender, cognitive engagement, and experiential attitudes predicted increments in grades, suggesting evidence for discriminant validity among the receptivity factors as well as their relevance for the prediction of meaningful educational outcomes.

Differences Between Incarcerated and Nonincarcerated Youth in the English-Speaking Caribbean

Incarcerated youth across the English-speaking Caribbean engage in high levels of offending before their detention. However, we know little about whether youth detained in juvenile justice systems in the region are those with the highest offending levels. As in nations beyond the region, some groups of youth in the Caribbean may be disproportionately overrepresented in the system despite their offending levels, such as by race or gender. Using samples of secondary school students and incarcerated youth, the present study examines: (1) do incarcerated youth self-report engaging in more delinquency prior to being detained than those not incarcerated and (2) are there demographic or risk/protective factors differences between incarcerated and nonincarcerated youth? We find that, compared to nonincarcerated youth, incarcerated youth self-report higher levels of delinquency, in general, and across violent offending, property offending, and drug involvement. When we used propensity score matching to match youth by their involvement in delinquency, disparities in multiple demographic and risk/protective factors emerge between incarcerated and nonincarcerated youth. Our findings point toward racial disparities in the use of incarceration, with African descent youth more likely to be incarcerated. We contextualize our results for youth justice in the Caribbean.

*Relationship Between Creativity and Intelligence: A Multimethod Investigation of Alternative Theoretical Assumptions in Two Samples of Secondary School Students

The threshold hypothesis and the necessary-but-not-sufficient hypothesis represent popular views on the relationship between intelligence and creativity. However, most studies investigating these hypotheses used suboptimal or even inappropriate statistical methods, calling into question the robustness of the available evidence. The ability differentiation hypothesis presents a third theoretical view on the relationship, but ability differentiation studies including creativity measures are scarce. In this study, the relationship between fluid intelligence as a core element of intelligence and divergent thinking as an important indicator of creativity was investigated in two large samples of secondary school students in Germany ( N = 1,328, Mage = 14.47; N = 524, Mage = 13.77). Four different statistical approaches were applied (i.e., test for heteroscedasticity, segmented regression analysis, local structural equation modeling, and necessary-but-not-sufficient condition analysis). The results did not support the threshold hypothesis or a nonlinear relationship as predicted by ability differentiation hypothesis and only partially supported the necessary-but-not-sufficient hypothesis.

The Questionnaire on Teacher Support Adaptivity (QTSA): Reliability and Validity of Student Perceptions

Adaptive teacher support (i.e., support that is tailored to students’ understanding) is considered crucial for students’ learning. Previous research examined support adaptivity mostly in small-scale, observational studies without distinguishing between theory-based facets of support adaptivity. Yet, students’ perceptions of different aspects of teachers’ support adaptivity may be important for students’ academic functioning. We investigated to what extent students perceive theory-based support adaptivity facets. We developed the Questionnaire on Teacher Support Adaptivity (QTSA) measuring students’ perceptions of teacher support adaptivity and examined its reliability and validity in two samples of secondary school students (N study1 = 1682; N study2 = 1048). Overall, the QTSA provided reliable and valid scores of students’ perceptions of teacher support adaptivity at the student and teacher level. One facet (non-adaptive support with much regulation upon high student understanding) should be used with some caution and needs further research. The QTSA scores converged with but also added to other constructs tapping into teachers’ support adaptivity. Students’ support adaptivity perceptions were distinguishable from students’ perceptions of other teaching indicators (agency and autonomy support). The QTSA can provide both individual and class level feedback for practitioners and help researchers to gain more insight into possible differential effectiveness of different adaptivity facets.

The Changing Patterns and Correlates of Adolescent Substance Use in China’s Special Administrative Region of Macau

Most of the research on adolescent substance use is from either the U.S, Europe, or other non-Eastern countries, but very little attention is paid to that in the Greater China Region. As a special administrative region of China, Macau is known for its gambling industry, its proximity to the Golden Triangle, and its lenient drug laws, all of which can be conducive to high-level drug use in the population, including its adolescents. Yet, the extent and patterns of adolescent substance use in Macau are not well understood. Using the data collected from two large representative samples of secondary school students in 2014 and 2018, this study provided population-based estimates of the prevalence rates of lifetime and past 30-day substance use among Macau adolescents in the two separate survey years. By comparing the two sets of estimates, it established the patterns of changes in cigarette smoking, alcohol use, and illicit drug use among adolescents in Macau during the period. Additionally, through the analysis of the data in the latest year, it identified risk factors for adolescent substance use in the special administrative region. Among the key results, the rates of cigarette smoking and illicit drug use were low to moderate while the rates of alcohol use were relatively high; cigarette smoking decreased during the period, but alcohol use and illicit drug use remained stable; Macau adolescents shared similar risk factors for substance use with adolescents elsewhere, but unique circumstances might exist to influence their alcohol consumption.

Psychiatric disorders and associated risk factors in a sample of adolescents in Gaborone, Botswana: a cross-sectional study

BackgroundDespite the high proportion of adolescents living with mental health issues in low- to middle-income countries (LMICs), especially in Botswana, there is a significant deficit of local research to guide an increase in prevention and treatment. We, therefore, aimed to assess the prevalence and associated risk factors of psychiatric disorders (PD) in a sample of secondary school students in Botswana.MethodsThis cross-sectional study included 750 students from the 13 public secondary schools in Gaborone using a multi-stage sampling technique. The Mini-International Neuropsychiatric Interview for Children and Adolescents (MINI-KID) was used to screen for PDs.ResultsThe participant’s mean age was 15.26 and SD 1.57 years, with 53.6% being female. Approximately 34% had a PD, with depression being the commonest, of whom 35% were neither receiving treatment nor aware of the available services. Perinatal complications (AOR = 4.29; 95%CI: 1.04–17.70), a family history of mental illness (AOR = 2.19; 95%CI: 1.17–4.11) and substance-related problems (AOR = 1.80; 95% CI:1.22–2.65) predicted the likelihood of developing PD.ConclusionsOur findings revealed that adolescents in Botswana have many mental health issues which may affect their developmental phases. A multi-sectoral collaboration is needed for the timely detection of identified risk factors and initiation of the necessary prevention and treatment measures.

A social cognitive perspective on gender disparities in self-efficacy, interest, and aspirations in science, technology, engineering, and mathematics (STEM): the influence of cultural and gender norms

BackgroundThe underrepresentation of women in science, technology, engineering, and mathematics (STEM) fields is well documented in developed countries, and yet public discussion of gender disparities in STEM in China is still in its nascent stage. Endorsement of traditional gender role beliefs and conformity to social norms are pertinent to Chinese culture, which may even exacerbate the gender disparities in STEM engagement. Grounded in social cognitive career theory, the present study drew on a national sample of secondary school students (N = 3020) in China to estimate gender disparities in self-efficacy, interest, and aspirations in STEM and examine how cultural and gender norms influence STEM engagement.ResultsThe proposed sequential mediation model was supported, in which girls were more likely to show lower levels of self-efficacy than boys; this was associated with lower interest in STEM and lower motivation to pursue STEM careers. The results also supported the moderating effect of traditional gender role beliefs and found that gender differences in self-efficacy, interest, and aspirations in STEM were more apparent among students who strongly endorsed stereotypical views of male and female roles.ConclusionsThe findings provide important implications for efforts to improve girls’ access to STEM education through curriculum enrichment and out-of-school time programs to bridge the gender gap in STEM. Access to female role models and gender-responsive pedagogy is also essential to boost girls’ self-efficacy in STEM and eradicate traditional gender role beliefs among all students.

Non-Normality as a Predictor of Participation in Bullying: Valuation in Victims and Aggressors

Bullying is related to several variables, including diversity and variables that place the victim outside of normality. However, it is not easy to find a single meaning of normality. The present study has two main objectives: to find out whether victims are evaluated as non-normal and to find out whether aggressors are evaluated as non-normal. A cross-sectional, correlational, and quantitative study was designed, focusing on a representative sample of secondary school students from the Community of Madrid. The sample consisted of 2076 participants and was constructed using a stratified, proportional, and random sampling technique. To gather this information, a questionnaire was constructed. It includes a first section where sociodemographic and normality information is collected, and a second section made up of the Defensor del pueblo-UNICEF Bullying Questionnaire. The reliability and consistency of the questionnaire are acceptable (Cronbach’s alpha 0.91). For the comparison of means between groups, a Student’s t-test was applied, and the correlation between variables was calculated by applying the bivariate correlation test. Results show that victims are evaluated as non-normal while aggressors are perceived as normal. This implies that the risk of being involved in bullying situations as a victim can be predicted.

THE ROLE OF SOCIAL NETWORK IN STOPPING THE SCHOOL DROPOUT: A SOCIOEDUCATIONAL STUDY IN ONE OF THE SECONDARY SCHOOLS IN THE STATE OF M'SILA AS A MODEL

This research paper aims at identifying the objective of social network in stopping the phenomenon of school dropout in Algeria, which is considered as one of the obstacles that faces educational process, especially during the Covid 19 Pandemic, and to identify its role in supporting the educational process. Therefore, we have applied a descriptive approach by distributing a questionnaire form to a sample of secondary school students, at Fayed Al-Saeed High School, the municipality of Hammam Al-Dhala, Msila. the study came to the conclusion that social networking sites have an effective role in reducing the phenomenon of school dropout. Keywords: Problems, Distance Education, Corona Pandemic, Arab Schools.

Bibliotherapy as a remedy for aliteracy in a sample of secondary school students: reports from Ilesa, Southwest, Nigeria

ABSTRACT There had been a great deal of concern about lack of interest with poor attitude and behaviour being exhibited towards reading by secondary school students. This study examined bibliotherapy – the use of books to heal as a remedy for tackling aliteracy among secondary school students in Ilesa, Southwest, Nigeria. Pre-test–post-test control group quasi-experimental design was used and the data were analyzed by frequency distribution with Paired Sample Test. Out of the 18 students involved in the study, 8 (44.6%) were male while 10 (55.6%) were female. There was a significant main effect of bibliotherapy on aliteracy test (M = 71.28, SD = 15.32) and post-test groups (M = 49.53, SD = 10.63) t (17) = 4.34, p = 0.00 < 0.05 but there was no significant difference of treatment (bibliotherapy) (M = 1.38, SD = 0.50) and gender on aliteracy (M = 1.55, SD = 0.51) t (17) = 1.00, p = 0.33 > 0.05. Thus, the efficacy of bibliotherapy to tackle aliteracy is independent of the gender of the aliterates, provided both genders are exposed to the treatment without bias.

Resilience, science, technology, engineering, and mathematics (STEM), and anger: A linguistic inquiry into the psychological processes associated with resilience in secondary school STEM learning.

AimTo examine resilience in Science, Technology, Engineering, and Mathematics (STEM) learning within an ecological model, identifying the psychological processes associated with resilient, and non‐resilient learning to develop a framework for promoting STEM resilience.Sample and methodFrom a sample of secondary‐school students (n = 4,936), 1,577 students who found their STEM lesson difficult were identified. Students were assessed on three resilience capabilities and asked to write a commentary on how they responded to the lesson.ResultsFactor analysis revealed that resilience in STEM learning could be positioned within the ecological systems model, with students’ resilience being comprised of three capabilities; the ability to quickly and easily recover (Recovery), remain focussed on goals (Ecological), and naturally adjust (Adaptive capacity). Using a linguistic analysis programme, we identified the prevalence of words within the student commentaries which related to seven psychological processes. Greater ability to recover was negatively related to negative emotional processes. To increase the specificity of this relationship, we identified high and low resilient students and compared their commentaries. Low resilient students used significantly more anger words. Qualitative analysis revealed interpersonal sources of anger (anger at teacher due to lack of support) and intrapersonal sources of anger (including rumination, expression and control, and seeking distraction).ConclusionsAnger is a key process that distinguishes students who struggle to recover from a difficult STEM lesson. An ecological systems model may prove useful for understanding STEM resilience and developing intervention pathways. Implications for teacher education include the importance of students’ perceptions of teacher support.

Discrete achievement emotions as mediators between achievement goals and academic engagement of Singapore students

This study investigated discrete achievement emotions (enjoyment, pride, boredom, and anxiety) as simultaneous mediators between achievement goals (mastery goals, performance-approach goals, and performance-avoidance goals) and academic engagement (cognitive engagement, effort withdrawal, and novelty avoidance). The data were collected using an online questionnaire with a sample of secondary school students (n = 1939) in Singapore. With gender, stream, and grade controlled, we conducted structural equation modelling to test the hypothesised mediation model. We found that achievement goals had a differential relationship with the four achievement emotions, which in turn showed a distinct association with engagement variables. Achievement emotions as mediators partly explained the differential relationship between achievement goals and academic engagement. In particular, the findings highlight the complex meaning of enjoyment and anxiety and the adaptive role of mastery goals in student learning.